Wolford hired by 49ers

Staff/wire reports

Eric Wolford is heading farther west than anyone expected.

The former Youngstown State coach will join the San Francisco 49ers as an assistant offensive line coach, according to FootballScoop.com.

The surprising move comes a little more than a week after Wolford was hired as Oklahoma State’s offensive line coach on Jan. 8.

Wolford, a Brookfield native and Ursuline High graduate, was fired by YSU on Nov. 24 after going 31-26 in five seasons, missing the playoffs each year. He went 14-18 in Missouri Valley Football Conference play.

YSU owed Wolford a $100,000 buyout, an amount that will be offset by whatever he makes at his next job.

A four-year starter at guard for Kansas State, Wolford has never coached at the NFL level. He coached at South Carolina and Illinois in the three years prior to his stint at Youngstown State. He has also coached at Emporia State, South Florida, Houston, North Texas, and Arizona.

Former Washington and Niners O-line coach Chris Foerster is in line to be the 49ers’ offensive line coach, according to ESPN.

The 49ers hired Jim Tomsula this week to replace Jim Harbaugh, who left the team following this season to become the head coach at the University of Michigan.

The 49ers are owned by Cardinal Mooney High graduate Jed York.

Stoops hires Riley

NORMAN, Okla.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops (Cardinal Mooney) wants new offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley to take his offense back in time.

Well, not all the way back. But the 31-year-old Riley will bring back the pass-happy Air Raid offense that helped Stoops and the Sooners dominate the Big 12 in the 2000s.

“We had so much success with it through the years, and just little by little here in the last several years, we kind of slowly drifted away from it,” Stoops said. “I had a goal in mind to get back to running that type of system, and I felt we got the absolute best guy to do it.”

Stoops introduced Riley to Oklahoma media Saturday. Riley said he’s ready for the challenge after running East Carolina’s explosive offense for five years.

“It’s an absolute honor to be here,” Riley said. “It’s a little surreal to be here in this environment and this program. It’s something I’ve wanted for a long time.”