Hayes back on OU campus. Alas, it wasn't as special teams coach
Published: 3/16/2012 7:53 AM
Last Modified: 3/16/2012 9:38 AM
While on the topic of Oklahoma special teams coordinators (see John Hoover's story on Bobby Jack Wright in today's World), remember Jonathan Hayes? He was Bob Stoops' first special teams guy.
Many still consider him Stoops' best, mainly because of things like this: Under Hayes' guidance, the OU kickoff return team went from dead last in the nation in 1997 to No. 1 in '99.
(The last time the Sooners returned a kickoff for a touchdown was 1997 -- 5 years and 59 games ago.)
Sooners special teams back then were riskier and 10 times more dynamic. And that's why OU fans keep a candle in the window should Hayes ever want to return from the job he's held since leaving Norman nine years ago – tight ends coach with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Judging from what I saw and heard last week at OU's Pro Day, that ain't gonna happen.
Hayes ran the pass-catching drills that prospects Dejuan Miller, Trent Ratterres, James Hanna, Cameron Kenney and James Winchester took part in. Then he stopped by to chat about it, sweat still dripping from his bald head.
"For me, it's always nice to come in and actually put my hands on them, be standing right next to them when they make those breaks and whatever they're doing in their workouts," Hayes said. "It's one thing to evaluate guys on tape when you have to do it and it's a necessity. But you also need to get out and see them and feel what their personalities are like, how they learn, how many times you have to repeat yourself when you say things.
"Those are things you go through in these drills. It's not necessarily all the time how they're doing it. It's if they hear what you're saying, and then they go out and execute you want it done."
He's a man who clearly loves his job, and why not? He's got a pretty good one.
Not that he doesn't miss the old gang. I asked Hayes if he kept in touch with his former OU peers.
"Josh (Heupel) I coached, and then Jay Norvell and I were teammates.(at Iowa). Bobby and I were teammates," he said. "I speak all the time with them. Jackie Shipp and Bobby Jack Wright, Cale (Gundy)… We stay in touch.
"Since we all worked together, it's always good to come back. I'll call and ask about certain players or find out about kids. They might call and ask, 'How do you this' and 'How do you do that?' It's a great relationship. Hell, I've known Bob and Mike (Stoops) since I was 18 years old."
The friendships aren't waning anytime soon. The allure of his NFL job isn't waning either.
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
