REPORT: Oklahoma, Todd Bates finalizing new contract ahead of 2024
Brent Venables and Oklahoma are in the process of finalizing a new contract for Todd Bates in order to lock up one of their key defensive assistants ahead of their move to the SEC in 2024.
On Thursday evening, Matt Zenitz of 247Sports reported that the new three-year contract will make Bates one of the highest-paid defensive line coaches in America at an average of $900,000 per year.
The significant pay raise comes after Bates received plenty of interest from several other programs, including a job at an SEC program, per Zenitz.
Bates joined the Sooners' staff in January 2022, following Venables from Clemson after working alongside him there from 2017-2021. During his time with the Tigers and Sooners, Bates has been regarded as one of the top defensive line coaches in America, specializing in the interior with defensive tackles.
During his five-year stint at Clemson, the Tigers' defense led the country in total sacks and tackles for loss, with names like Christian Wilkins, Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence, and Bryan Bresee anchoring the front.
Since Bates arrived in Norman to work under Venables, the Sooners' defense has ranked fourth (2022) and seventh (2023) in tackles for loss with 104 and 98 TFLs, respectively.
Bates' role as a recruiter cannot be overstated either, as he helped Oklahoma land one of the best defensive line classes in school history in the 2024 cycle, headlined by five-star DL David Stone and four-star DL Jayden Jackson and Nigel Smith.
In January, the Oklahoma Board of Regents approved raises for all assistants on Venables staff, extending Bates through January 31, 2027, with an annual salary of $700,000.
Now, Bates will make $200,000 more than he was set to for the 2024 season, and OU can rest easy knowing that it has one of the sport's best defensive line coaches locked in for the foreseeable future.
Not an OUInsider.com premium member? Sign up today to get loads of inside information on Oklahoma football, basketball and recruiting, all for just a few dollars a month. Click HERE to get started!