Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione to Retire, Per Report

A specific date or timeline wasn’t mentioned, but Castiglione is the nation’s longest-tenured athletic director in major college athletics. 

Thamel also reports that when Castiglione’s successor has been identified, he will stay on as athletic director emeritus.

Castiglione, 67, “initiated the conversation about his retirement with school officials nearly a month ago, per sources, and they landed on this plan together.”

OU began its second year as a member of the Southeastern Conference just last week. The Sooners had an up-and-down first season in the SEC, beginning with another 6-7 record from Brent Venables’ football team.

Getting football turned around immediately and long-term will be the first job for the new AD, although Castiglione will no doubt keep a hand in those efforts.

Thamel’s report didn’t specifically say that Castiglione will be directly involved in the school’s hiring of the new AD, although it would make sense for OU to take a stance either way. He and his deep connections in the world of college athletics could be seen as an asset to bring in the next AD, or the school could go in the complete opposite direction and use this as an opportunity for a clean break and a fresh start.

Castiglione’s athletic department has brought the university 26 national championships, starting with softball coach Patty Gasso’s first of eight national titles in 2000. 

Then came Bob Stoops’ only national title at the end of the 2000 season.

The Sooners have been back to the football national title game three times in 2003, 2004 and 2008, and also made the College Football Playoff four straight years from 2016-2019 - but haven’t been close since then. Under Stoops and Lincoln Riley, OU continued as arguably college football's most consistent winner.

Joe C’s teams have also been to the Final Four twice in basketball and three times in women’s basketball, and in addition to Gasso’s exploits turning the OU softball program into the nation’s best, the men’s and women’s gymnastics teams developed into dynasties that dominated the national title count.