NORMAN — Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops wouldn’t address any potential changes to his staff during last week’s signing day news conference.

“How do you speculate that?” Stoops said. “It’s not something that I ever talk about publicly. From year to year, things happen on every staff. We’ll see where it goes.”

Where it’s gone is unprecedented for Stoops. The Sooners’ coach has fired assistants Jackie Shipp and Bruce Kittle, sources confirmed Tuesday to The Oklahoman. The two departed assistants follow former offensive line coach James Patton — whose exit was announced Monday — out the door.

An OU spokesman declined to comment, and the athletic department hasn’t released any statements to officially confirm the departures of Shipp and Kittle.