Thad Turnipseed resigns: Could the former Sooners headman wind up with Dabo Swinney and Clemson? Unraveling the real reason behind his departure

A big, important piece of Oklahoma Football has been removed as Thad Turnipseed resigns. Turnipseed arrived in Oklahoma as part of the change that saw Brent Venables move in as the Sooners’ head coach. Turnipseed was the Executive Director of Football Administration at Oklahoma for a little over a year.

There has been no official statement from Oklahoma University to shed light on Turnipseed’s reason for quitting. With his two-year contract less than a year from expiration, it comes quite shocking to most to hear Turnipseed resigns.

As Venables oversaw the on-field side of the affairs, Turnipseed moved the pieces behind the scenes. Particularly, he was responsible for the conception and execution of the $175 million football operations facility. But with the project not near completion, Turnipseed has stepped down from his role.

Why did Turnipseed resign, leaving a project he envisioned midway? Some sources claim he wants to spend more time with his family. While this might sound plausible enough, there are also suggestions that he might be leaving to accept an offer somewhere else.

Is a return to Clemson why Turnipseed resigned?

Unlikely as it might seem, the possibility of his return to Clemson football cannot be completely ruled out. He is already familiar with the fabric of the program and has worked with the head coach, Dabo Swinney, for years before. Reintegrating into the setup at Clemson would not be a problem for the top man.

However, neither Turnipseed nor Clemson has said anything about a potential reunion. Therefore, it is merely a subject of speculation. Before joining Venables at Oklahoma, he had been a part of the football administration setup at Alabama and Clemson.

In the little time he spent with the Sooners, he has become an important part of the program’s rejuvenation. He had mentioned plans of making Oklahoma “the next dynasty in college football” while featuring on The Oklahoma Breakdown Podcast.

Head coach Venables spoke about Turnipseed’s importance to the Oklahoma football project. He referred to him as “a critical part,” stating further that

“He’s got vision. He’s four, five and six steps ahead with everything. He anticipates both programmatically, facility, structurally, and he knows how to get it done both on the coaching side of how a football home - how it all works organically. He knows what all that looks like in the weeds.”

What is certain is that an administrator of Turnipseed’s experience and ability cannot stay out of a job for long.