How Oklahoma Remodeled Its Strength and Conditioning Program During Offseason

NORMAN — While the titles are different, much of Oklahoma’s strength and conditioning program is the same in 2026.

Longtime OU strength and conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt now serves in the Sooners’ front office as the program’s “elite performance liaison.” Schmidt’s replacement is James Dobson, who has been on Oklahoma’s staff since 2022.

Schmidt has led OU’s strength and conditioning efforts for the majority of the modern era.

He came to the university with legendary head coach Bob Stoops in 1999 and worked as the Sooners’ director of sports enhancement from that year until January 2018, when Lincoln Riley was promoted to replace Stoops. Schmidt worked as the director of athletic performance for Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M from 2018 to 2021 before OU coach Brent Venables hired him back in 2022.

Aside from a four-year stretch, Schmidt’s work in the weight room helped OU’s players stay in football shape year-round for over two decades.

And with four years under his belt working alongside Schmidt, Dobson has helped maintain the standard in the weight room.

“I'm just kind of combing through our roster from Coach Dobson and their staff … I think it's always good to be able to quantify the hard work through gains in the weight room,” Venables said. “In this modern day and age of training and sport science that goes along with that, it’s really important that we're very conscious in how we train our guys … We've made tremendous strides in the weight room with our guys.”

Venables also noted how quickly the Sooners’ true freshmen have developed during their first few weeks on campus, thanks to their time in the weight room with Dobson.

“It's been maybe the cleanest that it's ever been just in the four years,” Venables said. “We're going to coach them hard and motivate them and inspire them and hold them to incredibly high standards. But less guys bent over and needing a trash can and things of that nature.”

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While Venables and most of his assistants are back, the Sooners did add three new assistants — tight ends coach Jason Witten, running backs coach Deland McCullough and cornerbacks coach LaMar Morgan — to the staff during the offseason.

Also, Matthew Manninger joined the support staff from Illinois as Associate Director of Performance, where he'll work directly with Dobson.

Dobson isn’t new to the program, but he, like the three new assistants, has helped maintain the culture that OU’s staff had in 2025.

“Really excited about those guys,” OU general manager Jim Nagy said. “(Like) James Dobson in the weight room. … A lot of great changes going on.”

Schmidt is no longer leading OU’s strength and conditioning program, but he isn’t far away.

In his new role, Schmidt serves as a mentor to Dobson and the other members of OU’s strength team. He also helps Nagy outline the practice regiments and calendar.

Though Schmidt isn’t as hands-on anymore, Nagy believes that he will continue to positively impact the Sooners, keeping them football-ready for 365 days a year.

“He’s stood on his own two feet as somebody who’s impacted and influenced young people, taken them to places that they can’t take themselves,” Nagy said. “That’s not going to change as long as he’s in the building. He’s going to have a great impact with our players making sure they’ve got the right mindset.”

Oklahoma will begin its 2026 campaign against UTEP on Sept. 5.