Report: Oklahoma to Add Clemson's Todd Bates to Defensive Staff

Bates, a former defensive end at Alabama, has been one of college football's rising stars and reportedly will coach the Sooners' defensive line.

John E. Hoover | Jan 3, 2022

Brent Venables has landed his defensive line coach — and then some.

According to a report from Rivals network website TigerIllustrated.com, Venables will add Clemson defensive line coach Todd Bates to his Oklahoma staff.

Big news: Clemson defensive tackles coach Todd Bates is going to Oklahoma to be co-defensive coordinator. More coming shortly at https://t.co/pU2IPrM4aR
— Larry Williams (@LarryWilliamsTI) January 3, 2022

Bates, 38, who’s also served as Clemson’s recruiting coordinator, joined Dabo Swinney’s staff at the end of the 2016 season and was named Rivals’ Recruiter of the Year in 2019, when he was identified as the key figure in Clemson’s 2020 recruiting class that ranked No. 1 according to ESPN, No. 2 per Rivals and No. 3 according to the 247 Sports composite rankings.

Bates also had the title of assistant head coach at Clemson.

Todd Bates / Clemson University Athletics

Bates has coached numerous NFL Draft picks, including Austin Bryant, Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence and Christian Wilkins.

Under Bates, Wilkins became just the fifth unanimous All-American in Clemson history. He also won the Outland, Nagurski, Bednarik and Lott trophies as well as the William V. Campbell Trophy — the “academic Heisman” in 2018.

Bates has been widely regarded as one of the top young defensive assistants in all of college football for his ability to find, recruit and develop elite talent.

Bates will also be Venables’ co-defensive coordinator, according to the report, where he’ll work alongside former Clemson assistant coach Ted Roof. Roof was named OU’s defensive coordinator last month, although it’s presumed that Venables will also maintain a heavy presence in the defensive game planning.

Bates played defensive end at Alabama from 2001-04 and was a Crimson Tide captain and played two seasons in the NFL.

He was a sophomore and junior when Bama played Oklahoma in 2002 and 2003.

Bates coached previously at Jacksonville State and helped develop the Gamecocks into an FCS playoff team and conference champion. According to his Clemson bio, every primary starter he's coached at Jacksonville State and Clemson earned all-conference accolades.

Published Jan 3, 2022

JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.