Oklahoma State Hiring Jules Montinar as Defensive Backs Coach

Todd Grantham and the Cowboys are making some additions to the staff.

Aug 31, 2024; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys helmet sits on the field prior to the game against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images / William Purnell-Imagn Images

Oklahoma State has another addition to the coaching staff in its busy offseason.

On Friday, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reported that OSU is hiring Jules Montinar as its defensive backs coach. Montinar currently holds the position of defensive pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach at East Carolina, where he has been since the 2023 season.

Montinar has spent time at many stops around the country throughout the past decade and a half as a coach. Before going to East Carolina, Montinar spent the 2022 season with Temple as the Owls’ cornerbacks coach.

In 2021, Montinar crossed paths with OSU’s recently hired defensive coordinator Todd Grantham at Florida, where he was also the cornerbacks coach. Montinar is the second hire for Grantham’s staff and both have coached alongside him before, with Kap Dede coming in as the Cowboys’ linebackers coach.

Along with a stop with Grantham, Montinar has been on the staff at a few other colleges, including Alabama as a graduate assistant in the early 2010s. Montinar was a safety during his playing days and suited up for West Virginia before finishing his career at Eastern Kentucky.

Last season, OSU finished among the worst in the country in passing defense, along with just about every other major category. With Bryan Nardo gone and Grantham running the show, the Cowboys are hoping to have a new identity and a much tougher defense next season.

While the changes to the coaching staff are a solid start, the Cowboys will need to find some talent in the transfer portal to keep up with the rest of the Big 12 on that side of the ball. Still, OSU has some promising young players who could play key roles for the team next season.

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