Oklahoma State Hiring Western Kentucky Assistant as Linebackers Coach
The Cowboys have made another addition to their defensive staff.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Oklahoma State is hiring Western Kentucky assistant Kap Dede as a linebackers coach. This move comes only a few days after OSU hired Todd Grantham as defensive coordinator.
This move makes sense for the Cowboys, given Dede’s history coaching alongside Grantham. The two have coached together at multiple stops, most recently at Florida.
In his lone season at Western Kentucky, Dede was a run game coordinator and outside linebackers coach. His roles have varied throughout his many spots, even being a co-defensive coordinator at LIU in 2023.
Along with working at smaller schools, Dede has made his way around the power conferences as well. He has been on staff at Florida, Mississippi State and Arkansas among others.
Prior to beginning his coaching career at the high school level in the early 2010s, Dede was a defensive back at Auburn in the 2000s. He helped Auburn to a few successful seasons and signed with the New York Giants after his college career.
Dede will step into the role of linebackers coach, which was held by Joe Bob Clements last season. The Cowboys’ staffing overhaul is no surprise given the team had its worst season in decades in 2024.
Along with the obvious issues that came with a 3-9 season, the Cowboys’ defense was among the worst in college football. Under Bryan Nardo, OSU finished in the bottom 10 in total, rush and pass defense last season.
OSU’s offseason will continue to be filled with changes, but these moves are more than necessary for the Cowboys. With pressure mounting for OSU to bounce back in 2025, getting some experienced coaches who have proven themselves in various roles should help the Cowboys accomplish their goals.
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Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.