Oklahoma football: Sooners add Clemson D-line coach Todd Bates to staff

Brent Venables has added another Clemson defensive assistant to the Oklahoma football staff.

Todd Bates, who has coached the defensive line at Clemson since the 2017 season, has been hired for the same position at Oklahoma, according to multiple reports. Bates was also the recruiting director under head coach Dabo Swinney at Clemson.

The 38-year-old assistant coach is considered a rising star among defensive coaches in the college coaching business. His record speaks for itself.

Among the outstanding defensive line stars Bates has coached and developed while at Clemson are NFL Draft picks Austin Bryant, Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence and Christian Wilkins.

As a collegiate player, Bates was a four-year defensive end at Alabama in the early 2000s and was co-captain of the team his senior season. He also spent two seasons in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans.

Bates was a sophomore and junior when Alabama played Oklahoma in 2002 and 2003. The Sooners won both games.

Before joining the staff at Clemson, Bates served as an assistant working with the defensive line at both Idaho State and Jacksonville State.

In addition to coaching the Oklahoma defensive line, Bates will also work with Ted Roof, another former member of the Clemson staff, as co-defensive coordinator.

Bates is the fourth member of the Clemson coaching staff to accompany Venables to Oklahoma. He joins Roof, Miquel Chavis, who will work with the defensive ends, and Thad Turnispeed, who is expected to be Venable’s chief of staff. Turnispeed was director of recruiting and external affairs while at Clemson.