It’s full steam ahead in Norman for Year 4 of the Brent Venables era, which on Friday included setting salaries for a number of the Sooners’ returning assistants, as well as new tight ends coach Jason Witten.

Judging by the money awarded on Friday, Venables was highly pleased with his defensive line room after a season that saw the resurgent Sooners win 10 games and reach the College Football Playoff. Defensive tackles coach Todd Bates netted a $200,000 raise to $1.15 million, while defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis earned a $265,000 raise to an even $1 million. Both men joined Venables from Clemson; Oklahoma was (and still is) Chavis’s first on-field role after working in player development with the Tigers. (All figures via George Stoia of Sooner Scoop.)

Offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh remains the highest-paid position coach, but his $1.25 million salary represents a $50,000 cut from his previously-reported deal signed back in 2024. Oklahoma’s longest-tenured coach, Bedenbaugh will coach his 14th season with the Sooners this fall. 

Oklahoma ranked 113th in rushing offense and 118th in yards per carry in 2025, and third and second in the equivalent categories on defense. 

Elsewhere, Witten will earn $675,000, which represents a significant cost savings from Joe Jon Finley’s $900,000 (Finley was previously OU’s co-offensive coordinator) and also assuredly a massive raise from Witten’s salary as the head coach at Liberty Christian School in Texas. (For what it’s worth, Witten earned nearly $82 million across 17 NFL seasons, with a high of $16.4 million.)

Off the field, James Dobson will earn $700,000 after taking over as OU’s lead strength coach. Jerry Schmidt, who’s moved into a chief of staff role, earned an equal salary on a contract that expired last month. New AD Roger Denny will earn $1.25 million. 

— Ben Arbuckle, offensive coordinator/QBs: $1.5 million*
— Bill Bedenbaugh, offensive line: $1.2 million
— Todd Bates, associate head coach/co-defensive coordinator/run game coordinator/defensive tackles: $1.15 million
— Miguel Chavis, defensive ends: $1 million
— DeMarco Murray, running backs: $863,000*+
— Brandon Hall, safeties: $785,000
— Jay Valai, cornerbacks: $785,000
— Emmett Jones, passing game coordinator/wide receivers: $675,000
— Jason Witten, tight ends: $675,000
— Nate Dreiling, inside linebackers: $635,000
— Doug Deakin, special teams: $500,000
— Wes Goodwin, outside linebackers: $200,000*^

— Roger Denny, athletics director: $1.25 million
— Jim Nagy, general manager: $850,000*
— James Dobson, strength & conditioning: $700,000
— Kevin Wilson, special assistant to the head coach/offensive analyst: $500,000
— Lake Dawson, senior assistant general manager: $330,000
— John Kuceyeski, senior offensive analyst: $250,000

* – previously reported salary, not announced Friday
+ – approximated from previously announced raise
^ – still working under buyout from Clemson