Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma football: Another former Sooner assistant returning home

By Chip Rouse

NORMAN, OK - APRIL 24: Oklahoma Sooners helmets sit next to the end zone before their spring game at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on April 24, 2021 in Norman, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - APRIL 24: Oklahoma Sooners helmets sit next to the end zone before their spring game at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on April 24, 2021 in Norman, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /
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Brent Venables is bringing home another former Oklahoma football assistant as part of his coaching staff.

Jerry Schmidt, who served as Oklahoma’s strength and conditioning coach under Bob Stoops from 1999-2016, is returning to Norman in the same capacity under Venables. For the past four seasons, Schmidt has been the strength and conditioning coach at Texas A&M. He left Oklahoma after Lincoln Riley was elevated to head coach at OU following Stoops’ retirement.

The 59-year-old Schmidt is one of the most accomplished and respected strength coaches in the country. Before his 18-year run on the Oklahoma coaching staff, he was at Florida for four seasons, Notre Dame for seven and he was at Oklahoma State for one season in 1988.

During the time he was an assistant at Florida, Bob Stoops was on the staff as defensive coordinator.

In his college coaching career, Schmidt has trained six Heisman Trophy winners (Baker Mayfield, Sam Bradford and Jason White at Oklahoma; Danny Weurffel at Florida; Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State, and Tim Brown at Notre Dame,

Schmidt has coached with schools that have played in six national championship games.

Schmidt is also expected to bring Texas A&M sports performance coach Russell Dennison with him to Oklahoma. It would also represent a return home for Dennison, who worked with Schmidt during the time the latter was at OU.

With Venables wanting to instill more physicality and mental and physical toughness in the Sooners’ team going forward, the addition of Schmidt dovetails nicely into that philosophy.

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