Tag: Jerry Schmidt

Need for speed: How Oklahoma’s renewed focused on tempo will be great for the Sooners

Under Jeff Lebby, the Oklahoma Sooners are bringing back uptempo offense.

Speed kills. It’s an old adage in sports. Especially in the world of football.  The impact that speed can have on a game is almost unquantifiable at times. For the Oklahoma Sooners, it’s not just about the players being fast themselves, it’s about operating their offense fast and wearing down opponents.

Oklahoma offensive coordinator [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] has made a name for himself over the last several years thanks productivity and explosive nature of his offenses. The uptempo offense Lebby ran last season in Oxford for the Ole Miss Rebels finished No. 6 in the nation, averaging 492.5 yards per game in 2021. He experienced similar results in Orlando while at UCF, where now Sooners starting quarterback [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] first started in college.

Lebby’s offenses have a few foundational aspects to them and one of them is simply the rate at which they operate play-to-play. The week six matchup between Lebby’s Rebels and [autotag]Josh Heupel[/autotag]’s Tennessee Volunteers featured the two fastest teams in the Power Five in 2021. They were the top two teams in the country in plays per minute with the Rebels averaging 2.89 plays per minute in 2021.

On the season, they’d average 78.2 plays per game, No. 2 in the nation. That volume of plays at that type of breakneck pace will wear down any defense at any level. It’s just not possible for teams to perform well defensively if they don’t have the depth and the execution required to stop the offense. And those two areas are exactly what playing uptempo is trying to prey upon.

“The constant is the tempo,” Lebby said in his recent media appearance. “We’re going to play incredibly fast. We’re going to push the tempo. We’re going to dictate how the game is played. That’s where it starts for us.”

That’s why the Sooners will up the ante so to speak from Lincoln Riley’s more methodical, yet still highly productive offenses. It’s all about being the one in control and being proactive against defenses instead of calling games in reaction mode.

While the tempo will remain a focal point, other aspects of his offense will continue to evolve from the previous stops.

And for the Sooners, that may be okay. At times, former head coach and play-caller [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag] struggled with getting the ball to his best players Whether that was getting [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag] more touches or running the ball more with Kennedy Brooks. Far too many times it seemed he overcomplicated things by not letting his best players touch the ball more.

One reason Lebby’s offenses have thrived is that they focus on getting their best offensive players the ball as much as they can. Couple that with the tempo at which he wants to play at, it isn’t a stretch to think the Oklahoma offense can be better than it was the last two seasons under Lincoln Riley.

Lebby expects the Sooners to be ready physically and mentally for the grind of the up-tempo life by day 15 of spring ball. A part of that will also be on the shoulders of [autotag]Jerry Schmidt[/autotag], who returned to Oklahoma after spending the last four years at Texas A&M as their director of Strength and Conditioning. Schmidt physically and mentally prepared the up-tempo Sooners of the Kevin Wilson and [autotag]Sam Bradford[/autotag] and will be tasked with doing it again under Jeff Lebby.

Sooners fans will get their first look at the new-look offense during the Oklahoma spring game on April 23rd.

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Oklahoma reportedly adding James Dobson as assistant strength coach

According to Matt Zenitz of On3, Oklahoma is reportedly adding James Dobson as its assistant strength coach.

Oklahoma and Brent Venables continue to make moves to finalize his first staff at OU.

One of the hires that was met with the greatest reception from the fanbase was Jerry Schmidt’s return to Oklahoma as the Sooners’ director of sports enhancement and strength and conditioning.

Now, On3’s Matt Zenitz is reporting that OU has hired James Dobson as an assistant strength coach. Dobson spent seven years as Nebraska’s head strength coach under then-Nebraska head football coach Bo Pelini and helped with the implementation of Nebraska’s athletic performance lab.

Most recently, Dobson joined Vanderbilt in 2015 as the head strength coach under then-head coach Derek Mason.

Dobson brings experience leading a power-five strength and conditioning program to Oklahoma. It’s another impressive puzzle piece for Venables and Schmidt.

In a release from Oklahoma announcing Schmidt’s hiring on Dec. 17, Schmidt discussed why a return to OU made sense for him.

“What immediately popped in my mind when I got the call from Brent is just how special OU is. I enjoyed my time (at Texas A&M) and in the SEC, but it wasn’t a hard decision for me to come back. I got the same feeling when Brent called me that I got when Bob (Stoops) called me to join him in Norman when he got hired. Because Brent’s like Bob. Brent’s reputation around the country is about toughness, and that’s what OU’s about – toughness, working hard. That’s what this whole state’s about. I just want to come back and be a part of it. Like I said, this place is very special. It’s about the great players who’ve been here, are here and are coming here, and their pursuit of championships. And I can feel it with the energetic staff he’s putting together and the commitment to doing things the right way. I’m excited OU’s going to the SEC because this program can definitely compete at that level. I’m looking forward to that challenge,” Schmidt said.

Venables addressed why the addition of Schmidt was pivotal for the direction of his program in that release on Dec. 17.

“That’s a critical hire on so many levels. Jerry’s values, expectations and standards align with mine and ours as a program. He’s a detail guy, is super consistent and tough, but he’s reasonable. He’s the same guy whether you’re winning by 40 or down by 14. I think it’s important from a leadership standpoint that we have someone who has clear vision about what all of that looks like. So while his experience is tremendous, he’s also an effective communicator and excellent motivator. He’s going to bring out the absolute best in our guys. He’ll stretch them and squeeze them in ways maybe they haven’t been before, but it’s going to benefit them and create the transferable skills both on the field and off. He’s going to set them up for success for the rest of their lives,” Venables said.

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Oklahoma announces three members of Brent Venables’ coaching staff

Oklahoma head football coach Brent Venables announced Miguel Chavis, Brandon Hall and Jerry Schmidt are joining the Sooners’ staff.

Oklahoma head football coach Brent Venables announced the hirings of Miguel Chavis, Brandon Hall and Jerry Schmidt to the OU coaching staff.

Chavis joins OU as the Sooners’ new defensive ends coach, Hall is Oklahoma’s new safeties coach and Schmidt returns to OU as director of sports enhancement and strength and conditioning.

Chavis served in a defensive player development role over the past five seasons at Clemson. During his tenure, Chavis helped develop 2019 NFL Draft picks Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins, Dexter Lawrence and Austin Bryant.

Ferrell (No. 4 overall), Wilkins (No. 13 overall) and Lawrence (No. 17 overall) were each first-round NFL Draft selections, while Bryant was taken in the fourth round.

“Miguel is a great story. He’s a former player at Clemson who was recruited by Coach (Dabo) Swinney and went on to play in the NFL, but he’d probably be the first to tell you he thought he would play there a lot longer. After going back to school, getting his degree and becoming an ordained minister, he found his calling in coaching. He was a real blessing to me at Clemson in our room as we built that program – on defense, in particular.

“He’s very passionate, he’s intense, players love him. He’s very gifted as a coach, as a communicator, teacher and mentor. And he’s high on life. We have a lot of similarities, even in our journeys. These players are really fortunate with what they’re getting. He’s genuine and authentic and will connect with them. He’s got a unique way of pulling the best out of people – adults and young people alike. He’ll be a dynamic recruiter and a tenacious coach who will demand perfection. But he leads with optimism and love. That’s what I love about him,” Venables said of Chavis.

Chavis described Oklahoma as a “dream job” and said he and his family are excited for the opportunity to come to OU.

“As a football fan, I’ve always looked at about four schools as the cream of the crop – Clemson, OU, Alabama and Ohio State. All I knew about OU is I thought they were at the top of college football and that my mentor Brent Venables came from there. This is what I’ve been preparing for, even back to my playing days at Clemson. I’ve always loved coaching – always wanted to know the ‘why’ behind what we were doing, loved preparing in the NFL and appreciated the different schemes and philosophies. The past five years I’ve been attending the Brent Venables school of defense, and I was getting a Ph. D.

“I’m excited to be with the guys and develop them on and off the field. That’s my passion – to develop defensive ends into great players, but also into great men, great husbands, fathers and neighbors. And I get to do that through football. The fan base here is amazing and they have great energy. And that’s perfect because I’m a passionate guy, an energy guy who will also bring knowledge, toughness and excitement. I can’t wait. My biggest message to our current players is, ‘You didn’t choose me, but I chose you. I chose to be here and this is my dream job. And I’m excited and I’m ready,” Chavis said.

Up next: The Sooners’ new safeties coach

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Final Thoughts on the Oklahoma Sooners Coaching Change

With Brent Venables staff coming together, here are some final thoughts on the Sooners coaching change that took place the last two weeks.

It’s been two weeks since the smoke’s cleared on the departure of the former Oklahoma Sooners head coach. Now a week into the Brent Venables tenure, we’re beginning to see a plan formulate as to what his coaching staff will look like. We’re also seeing a plan unfold on the recruiting trail as Venables and his staff shift their focus to talents in the southeast, namely in Florida.

It’s a new day in Norman as the long-lost son of Oklahoma Football returns to reignite a program that had been trending in the wrong direction since Lincoln Riley was named the head coach.

As we turn the page on one story and begin to write a new one, here are some final thoughts on the coaching change.

Former players react to the return of Strength and Conditioning Coach Jerry Schmidt

How did former players react to the news that the Sooners were bringing back strength and conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt?

The Oklahoma Sooners are beginning to fill out their staff. Last night it was reported that they had a “done deal” with Jeff Lebby to be the next offensive coordinator for OU. The bigger news on the night, however, appeared to be the return of former strength and conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt.

As Brent Venables begins to fill out his staff, it appears he’s turning to guys that helped make the Bob Stoops era of Sooners football so successful. Schmidt, affectionately referred to as Smitty, was with the Sooners from 1999-2017.

Players who worked with the former Sooners coach went to Twitter to share their “fond” memories of the brutal workouts Schmidt put them through. We’ve collated some of the best reactions for you to enjoy.

Sooners continue staff rebuild with re-hiring of Jerry Schmidt as the S&C Coach

Oklahoma continues reunion tour by poaching Jerry Schmidt and Russell Dennison from Texas A&M for their Strength and Conditioning staff.

We have reached a full-on reunion tour for Oklahoma football over the last few weeks. Less than two weeks ago, Lincoln Riley was the head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners. Since his departure to USC, Bob Stoops stepped up to be the interim head coach while the new head coach, Brent Venables, gets his staff together and settles into his new role. Venables was a defensive coordinator for a decade-plus at Oklahoma and coached in four national title games.

While Bob Stoops handles preparations for the Alamo Bowl, Venables is out on the recruiting trail and assembling the rest of his staff. It looks like the new offensive coordinator is on board. And the reunion tour picked up steam as Jerry Schmidt, a long-time Sooners Strength & Conditioning coach, has chosen to leave his post as Director of Sports Performance at Texas A&M and head back to Norman, where he was from 1999-2017.

Schmidt was a highly respected and beloved guy for his time in Norman, and judging by former player reactions to the news, he was not one to be messed around with. Former players have lauded him for his tough workouts and how he goes about his business. Schmidt will be bringing Russell Dennison with him as well.

Dennison has also spent time with Oklahoma and served as Schmidt’s assistant with the Sooners. Dennison previously served as Wyoming’s director of sports performance and worked with the football team.

Before his time in Wyoming, he spent five years (2011-15) as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the University of Oklahoma football program. Dennison was responsible for designing speed, strength, and conditioning programs for the Sooners, working with Jerry Schmidt per Texas A&M’s official website.

Schmidt and Venables are very close and have worked together for years. It seems that the relationship and the results of Schmidt’s work made it an easy decision for Venables to reach out to his old friend. Dennison is also familiar with the Oklahoma program, making this a total package.

With Venables committing to redefining the culture and instilling a level of toughness and physicality that some questioned OU football lacked over recent years, getting guys like Schmidt and Dennison seem like perfect moves.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.

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