Oklahoma Board of Regents Approves Raises, Extensions for Multiple Position Coaches

NORMAN — Oklahoma football coaches, current and new, received pay increases or updated terms of their contracts following Friday morning's Board of Regents meeting.

Recently hired tight ends coach Jason Witten will be paid $285,000 a year with a contract good until 2028. The former Dallas Cowboy and current finalist for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame was hired by Brent Venables on Jan. 15, replacing former tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley, who held the position since 2021.

Several other OU assistants received adjustments to their current deals.

On offense, offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh now makes $1.2 millon and was extended through 2028. Assistant quarterbacks coach John Kuceyeski, and assistant offensive line coach Kevin Wilson had their titles changed from analyst to assistant coach, coach, and were given raises to $250,000 and $500,000 respectively.

Wide receivers coach Emmett Jones did not receive a pay raise but was extended to 2028. He is scheduled to make $675,000.

On defense, defensive line coach Todd Bates earned a $200,000 raise, now at $1.15 through 2028. Defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis received the largest pay bump at $260,000, now making $1 million through 2028. Inside linebackers coach Nate Dreiling, who joined the staff just last year, now makes $635,000 through 2028. Safeties coach Brandon Hall got a bump to $285,000 a year through 2028, and cornerbacks coach Jay Valai will be paid $285,000 a year to 2027 — the only position coach not extended to 2028.

Special teams coordinator Doug Deakin earned a title change to assistant coach, coach, with a yearly salary of $285,000 to 2028.

While OU's offense struggled for the second year in a row despite the hire of offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, the OU defense and special teams were among the nation's best and helped power the Sooners back to the College Football Playoff in Venables' fourth season as head coach.

After not quite a year on the job, general manager Jim Nagy's personnel staff also received pay adjustments on Friday. Assistant general manager Lake Dawson will make $330,000 to 2028, and assistant general manager Taylor Redd got a bump to $260,000 through 2028. Director of scouting Stacey Ford's salary was previously reported on the meeting agenda at $190,000.

Board of Regents, Oklahoma Sooner — University of Oklahoma board of regents meeting on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024. | Murray Evans/The Oklahoman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Longtime strength and conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt is moving into a new role as professional consultant, while his assistant James Dobson will succeed him as Director of Sports Performance and Conditioning for Football/Executive Strength and Conditioning Trainer. Schmidt's new job will effectively replace Woody Glass, who resigned on Dec. 2, as Venables' chief of staff.

Schmidt's compensation dropped from $700,000 annually to $145,000 with his title change. Dobson's promotion will pay him a $285,00 base salary with an additional $415,000 in outside funding for a total of $700,000 annually.

The regents also approved the hiring of former Illinois assistant strength and conditioning coach Matthew Manninger. Manninger's annual salary of $200,000, was previously posted on the meeting agenda. He had been with the Illini since 2021 when new OU athletic director Roger Denny — who was also approved by the regents as Oklahoma's new AD effective Feb. 15 — became the deputy athletic director at Illinois.

Denny's five-year deal is $1.25 million a year through 2030.

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Running backs coach DeMarco Murray did not receive any adjustments to his current deal. The former Sooner running back had his contract extended through January 2027 two seasons ago following a push from Ohio State and Penn State to hire him away. At $875,000 for 2026, Murray is one of the highest paid running backs coaches in the country.

Arbuckle, who signed a three-year $4.5 million deal last January, also saw no alterations to his current contract.

Other notable changes were Joe Castiglione becoming an emeritus athletic director while Bob Stoops is officially retiring from his role as athletics senior administrative manager.