Oklahoma Strength Coach Jerry Schmidt Steps Into New Role, James Dobson Takes Over Weight Room Leadership
There’s a big shift happening behind the scenes in Norman - one that won’t show up on a box score but will be felt in every rep, sprint, and offseason grind session.
Jerry Schmidt, a name synonymous with Oklahoma football’s physical identity, is stepping down from his role as the Sooners’ head of strength and conditioning. But he’s not going far. Schmidt will now serve as the program’s chief of staff, taking over for Woody Glass in a move that keeps one of college football’s most respected strength coaches deeply embedded in the day-to-day operations of the team.
Taking the reins of the strength program is James Dobson, who’s been with the Sooners since 2022 as associate director for sports performance. Dobson’s now tasked with leading a unit that’s central to Oklahoma’s identity - especially with the SEC move looming large.
Schmidt’s Legacy: Building Champions and Shaping Men
Schmidt’s resume reads like a college football Hall of Fame induction speech. Nearly four decades in the game.
Seven Heisman Trophy winners trained. Forty-four first-round NFL Draft picks.
Sixty-eight first-team All-Americans. Two national championships.
Six national title game appearances. The numbers are staggering, but they only tell part of the story.
Known affectionately as “Schmidty” by generations of players, Schmidt has long been the heartbeat of the Sooners’ offseason. His first stint in Norman ran from 1999 to 2017, a stretch that included 11 Big 12 titles, four national championship appearances, and the 2000 BCS national title.
Under his watch, Oklahoma posted a 202-50 record and averaged more than 10 wins per season. Schmidt didn’t just build stronger athletes - he helped build a championship culture.
His return to OU in 2022 came at the request of Brent Venables, who knew firsthand what Schmidt brought to the table. The two first worked together during the Stoops era, when Venables was linebackers coach and defensive coordinator. So when Venables took the head coaching job in December 2021, bringing Schmidt back was one of his first moves.
"That’s a critical hire on so many levels," Venables said at the time. "Jerry’s values, expectations and standards align with mine and ours as a program.
He’s a detail guy, super consistent and tough, but he’s reasonable. He’s the same guy whether you’re winning by 40 or down by 14."
Venables didn’t just want a strength coach - he wanted a leader, a communicator, a motivator. Someone who could stretch players physically and mentally, and prepare them not just for Saturdays, but for life after football. Schmidt delivered on all counts.
From the Weight Room to the Front Office
Now, at 63, Schmidt transitions into a role that allows him to continue shaping the program - just from a different angle. As chief of staff, he’ll oversee the broader structure and support systems that help the Sooners operate at a high level. It’s a natural evolution for a coach who’s always been about more than just bench press numbers and 40 times.
Before his second tour at OU, Schmidt spent four seasons at Texas A&M. His coaching journey began in the late ’80s, with early stops at Notre Dame and Oklahoma State, before landing at Florida in 1995 under Steve Spurrier.
There, he helped the Gators win a national title in 1996. That championship pedigree followed him to Norman, where he became a cornerstone of Bob Stoops’ staff.
And let’s not forget the elite company Schmidt has kept over the years. Barry Sanders, Tim Brown, Danny Wuerffel, Jason White, Sam Bradford, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray - all Heisman winners who trained under Schmidt’s watch. That’s not just a list of greats - it’s a testament to the kind of development he’s overseen for decades.
Dobson’s Turn to Lead
With winter workouts already underway and spring ball on the horizon, the torch now passes to James Dobson. He’s no stranger to the grind. A veteran strength coach with experience at Nebraska and Vanderbilt, Dobson brings a steady hand and a proven track record to the role.
A Wisconsin native and kinesiology grad from the University of Wisconsin, Dobson also holds a master’s degree from Central Michigan and is a certified master strength and conditioning specialist. He spent seven seasons under Bo Pelini at Nebraska and worked under Derek Mason at Vanderbilt before joining the Sooners.
Now, he steps into one of the most important - and demanding - positions in the program. The strength and conditioning coach isn’t just in charge of physical development.
He sets the tone for the entire offseason. He’s the first face players see in the morning and often the last voice they hear before they leave the facility.
It’s a role that requires trust, toughness, and the ability to command a room.
Dobson’s been around long enough to know what it takes. And with Schmidt still in the building, he’s got one of the best mentors in the business just down the hall.
What’s Next for OU?
As Oklahoma gears up for its first season in the SEC, these behind-the-scenes moves matter. The Sooners are stepping into a conference where physicality is king, and where the margin for error is razor-thin. That makes the strength program - and the people leading it - absolutely vital.
Schmidt’s legacy is secure. He helped define Oklahoma football for a generation. Now, Dobson gets his shot to carry that legacy forward and build on it in a new era of Sooner football.
And if history is any indicator, the weight room in Norman isn’t slowing down anytime soon.