 After working for his father for two years with the NFL 's Arizona Cardinals , Ryan returned to college coaching as the defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bearcats . The Bearcats won the first Humanitarian Bowl over Utah State in Ryan 's final year , marking the team 's first bowl appearance in fifty years . Ryan was the Oklahoma Sooners ' defensive coordinator for a year in which the defense was ranked sixth in the nation . However , head coach John Blake failed to achieve a winning record for a third straight year and subsequently , the entire staff was fired . Ryan served as defensive coordinator at Kansas State for a month in 1999 under head coach Bill Snyder . 
