Oklahoma DE Coach Miguel Chavis has DC Aspirations, but Isn't Looking Ahead

NORMAN — Miguel Chavis didn’t hesitate.

The Oklahoma defensive ends coach answered the question before it was finished recently when asked whether he aspired to be a defensive coordinator.

“Yes,” Chavis said. “For sure.”

But Chavis is in no hurry to get there.

For now, he’s content being a piece of Brent Venables’ Sooners defensive coaching staff that has helped remake the identity of the group over the last five seasons.

“I know who’s driving the car,” Chavis said. “My job is to make that guy really, really successful.. That’s always who I’ve been.”

Over the last five seasons, Chavis has transformed from perhaps the biggest question mark on Venables’ staff into one of the shining stars.

When Chavis arrived in Norman in late 2021, one of the first hires on Brent Venables’ staff, he hadn’t so much as coached his own position group.

After wrapping up his collegiate playing career at Clemson in 2010, Chavis kicked around pro football for awhile and eventually wound up on Venables’ defensive staff at Clemson in a defensive player development role.

“A lot different,” Chavis said when asked about the differences in him as a coach now vs. when he first arrived. “I didn’t know what I didn’t know. Still don’t. I look back … Coach V, he saw my work ethic, he saw my ability to pour into young men and develop and make people better around me and bring value at Clemson. He gave me a job, man. He didn’t have to do that. But he believed in me.”

If Chavis was an unknown quantity as an assistant when he arrived in Norman, he’s far from that now.

Right out of the gate, Chavis helped the Sooners sign R Mason Thomas, and the next year helped sign Adepoju Adebawore and Taylor Wein.

He’s shown the ability to develop players, as Thomas showed steady improvement during his time in Norman and Wein exploded onto the scene last season as one of Oklahoma’s top defenders after not playing much during his first two seasons.

This year, Wein, Adebawore and Danny Okoye figure to play the most significant roles at the position.

Chavis’ mentorship was on full display in Tuesday’s portion of practice open to the media.

He worked closely with Adebawore and Wein, who were paired up on some drills, showing a blend of tough love and care as he worked to clean up the reps of his likely starters.

“To me, it’s all about my guys. Coaches’ players are a direct reflection of them. In some leagues that’s not the case. In some leagues … ‘Hey listen man, you false step, hey man, I’d stop doing that if I were you,’” Chavis said. “That’s the coaching point and you change it or you’re gone. I don’t want to run my guys off.

“When I sit down with families and I get young men to buy in to me and Coach V and Oklahoma and this amazing place, every day their success I’m possessed by.”

Chavis ticks off the areas where he’s grown as a coach — growing his defensive mind, mentorship and developing not only players but leaders — over the past five seasons, then finishes with perhaps the most important trait of all.

“I had to become more accountable,” Chavis said. “I’m a very different coach than five years ago.”

Unsurprisingly, Venables fully endorses the idea of Chavis taking the full reins of a defense in the not-too-distant future.

“Miguel’s awesome,” Venables said. “He’s incredibly bright. He’s got tremendous energy. He’s very passionate about people. He’s passionate about his opportunity. He’s got a sense of humility to him. He shows up every day willing to learn and get better and grow. But he also has a unique perspective and experience where he can help other people grow as well.

“He’s well-received, well-liked. He knows how to turn it up on somebody when he needs to, from an accountability standpoint, a toughness standpoint. He’s just high-level in every area of what you want in somebody on your staff and in your locker room.”

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