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Oklahoma Names new Head Football Athletic Trainer

Justin Smith comes to the Sooners after plenty of collegiate experience and time in NFL Europe.
Ryan Aber|
Oklahoma coach Brent Venables announced the hiring of Justin Smith as the program's new head football athletic trainer Friday.
Oklahoma coach Brent Venables announced the hiring of Justin Smith as the program's new head football athletic trainer Friday. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

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Oklahoma Sooners

NORMAN — Oklahoma announced Justin Smith as its new head football athletic trainer on Friday.

Smith, who comes to the Sooners from North Carolina State, replaces Jonathan Gress, who left over the summer to serve as the Tennessee Titans' director of rehabilitation and conditioning.

“He brings tremendous wisdom and experience in the medical space and is one of the absolute best in his field,” OU coach Brent Venables said in a statement announcing the hire. “On top of his knowledge and expertise, Justin thrives in the areas of leadership, communication and consistency. He also intimately understands the rhythm and cadence of football players’ year-round  schedules, and he’s a relationship-driven person. That’s extremely important in our football program here at Oklahoma. We’re incredibly happy he and his family are Sooners.”

Smith was the Wolfpack's head football athletic trainer since 2014.

The Honea Path, SC, native is an Alabama alum.

After his time in Tuscaloosa, Smith became the head athletic trainer at Miles College, an NCAA Division II school in Birmingham, AL.

Smith spent three years at the school, before taking over as the head athletic trainer for the Rhein Fire in NFL Europe.

After two seasons in Dusseldorf, Smith returned to to the United States where he took over as the head athletic trainer at Pelham (AL) High School.

Prior to his time in Raleigh, NC, Smith was the head football athletic trainer at Appalachian State for seven seasons.

Gress was at Oklahoma for just one season after coming to Norman from the NFL's New Orleans Saints, where he spent a total of of seven seasons. Gress spent six seasons as the Saints' director of rehabilitation.

Smith's addition to the staff is the latest in a series of moves this offseason, which included the hiring of Jason Witten as tight ends coach, Deland McCullough to coach the running backs and LaMar Morgan to coach cornerbacks.

The offseason also brough the shift in the role of longtime strength and conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt, who is now the program's "Elite Performance Liason."

James Dobson took over Schmidt's role as director of sports engancement and strength and conditioning. Dobson has been on the Sooners' staff since 2022.

Oklahoma, coming off a College Football Playoff berth, begins its season Sept. 4 at home against UTEP. The Sooners will then take on Michigan on the road Sept. 12.

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Ryan Aber
RYAN ABER

Ryan Aber has been covering Oklahoma football for more than a decade continuously and since 1999 overall. Ryan was the OU beat writer for The Oklahoman from 2013-2025, covering the transition from Bob Stoops to Lincoln Riley to Brent Venables. He covered OU men's basketball's run to the Final Four in 2016 and numerous national championships for the Sooners' women's gymnastics and softball programs. Prior to taking on the Sooners beat, Ryan covered high schools, the Oklahoma City RedHawks and Oklahoma City Barons for the newspaper from 2006-13. He spent two seasons covering Arkansas football for the Morning News of Northwest Arkansas before returning to his hometown of Oklahoma City. Ryan also worked at the Southwest Times Record in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and the Muskogee Phoenix. At the Phoenix, he covered OU's national championship run in 2000. Ryan is a graduate of Putnam City North High School in Oklahoma City and Northeastern State University in Tahlequah.

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