With the flurry of coaching changes for the MSU football team recently, Keith Nichol has decided to play for Oklahoma, instead of MSU.

The Lowell high school quarterback grew up following the Spartans and had committed to come to East Lansing before his junior year of high school.

On Wednesday, Nichol had his father, Gary, visited Norman, Okla., where they made the decision to leave the Spartans and play for the Sooners.

Nichol made the trip after Sooners head coach Bob Stoops and quarterbacks coach Josh Heupel visited Nichol in Lowell prior.

Earlier this week Gary Nichol told the State News that with all of the recent coaching changes, it had only fair for his son to reconsider all of his options.

John L. Smith was fired Nov. 1 and had been replaced by Cincinnati's Mark Dantonio last Monday.

Keith Nichol's mother, Patrice, told the State News on Friday afternoon that Gary and Keith were still in Oklahoma on Friday. She said she did not want to comment on her son's behalf.

Coaching update

After seven Cincinnati assistant coaches resigned following their former head coach's departure for MSU, four have been named to the MSU coaching staff by Dantonio: Dan Treadwell (offensive coordinator), Ted Gill (defensive line coach), Dan Roushar (offensive line coach) and Mark Staten (tight ends/tackles coach and recruiting coordinator).

The other three coaches — Dave Warner (quarterbacks coach), Mike Tressel (linebackers coach) and Harlon Barnett (secondary coach) — have come to East Lansing but their positions have not been determined, the Detroit Free Press reported.