At the conclusion of the 2004-2005 NFL season, Ricklan Holmes returned home to Oklahoma after stints with New England and Cleveland to begin training through the off-season. At that time, the Oklahoma State graduate had his mind set on continuing his NFL career.

Plans changed, though, during Holmes’ workouts at Putnam City High School, where the Pirates were conducting spring practice. Veteran coach Mark Little introduced himself and asked Holmes to show the team a few drills during spring ball. 

A connection began to form between Holmes and one of Oklahoma’s well-known programs as the team went through his workout routine alongside him during the summer. When Holmes made the decision not to return to pro football, Little extended an offer to help out during the season. 

 “I got to see kids do the thing I was teaching them to do,” Holmes said. “To have those relationships with those kids and see them become better players and better kids because of the discipline I saw from what we were presenting to them, it made my decision easier to make. 

“I look back on it every day and know I’d make the same choice.”

Holmes spent the 2005 season as a volunteer assistant before earning his teaching credentials and joining the Putnam City staff full-time as a teacher and coach in 2006. His knowledge of the game provided a seamless transition into coaching – Holmes was a two-sport standout at Oklahoma State, starting nine games over the last two years of his college career while also running track.