5 dream ‘big name’ defensive coordinator candidates for Oklahoma

On By Littum

Let’s dream a little.

It’s been nearly two weeks since Zac Alley packed his bags and hit the road for West Virginia, opening up Oklahoma’s defensive coordinator job. And there really haven’t been any leaks since as to who Brent Venables might be after to replace Alley.

However, there is a new rumor that the Sooners are pursuing a “big name” that has been kept quiet. That rumor, and the fact that the process seemed drawn out, also has many speculating that the potential candidate is still coaching a team in the College Football Playoff.

But as soon as “big name” was mentioned, Sooner Nation started dreaming, so while we dream, here’s a list of five dream “big name” candidates for OU’s vacant DC job.

Jim Knowles

Jim Knowles previously coached in the state.

Knowles spent four seasons as Oklahoma State’s defensive coordinator, and by his final season in Stillwater in 2021, the Cowboys had one of the best defenses in the country, leading them to a Fiesta Bowl victory against Notre Dame.

After this 2021 season, Knowles left for another OSU for Ohio State. In his third season there, the Buckeyes have arguably the best defense in the country as semifinalists in the College Football Playoff.

Jeff Hafley

Maybe it doesn’t necessarily have to be the College Football Playoff that slows things down, but another playoff game.

Jeff Hafley is the defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, who have a top-5 defense in the NFL this season. The Packers earned the seventh seed in the NFC and will play the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round.

However, there is a reason I mentioned Hafley from the top NFL defensive coordinators. He has a lot of experience at the college level, unlike most who have spent most of their careers in the NFL.

Hafley was the head coach at Boston College for four seasons before becoming the Packers’ DC last season. He was also a co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State before that.

So maybe the Sooners are in luck if Hafley decides he misses college football.

Phil Parker

Phil Parker isn’t preparing a team for a playoff run, but he’s still certainly a top defensive mind in college football. And he is actually a name that has been mentioned as a big name option for OU.

Parker has been Iowa’s defensive coordinator since 2012, and the Hawkeyes are known for always having a solid defense under them. A guy has to be consistently good to have the same job after 13 seasons. He also won the Broyles Award as the top assistant in college football in 2023.

Bryant Haines

Bryant Haines’ season ended just a few weeks ago after Indiana lost to Notre Dame in the first round of the College Football Playoff. However, the Hoosiers got this far thanks to Haine’s strong defense.

This was Haines’ first season as Indiana’s DC after a successful stint at James Madison. While this is a dream list, Haines being lured to Norman is actually not that far-fetched as a future defensive coach.

Glenn Schumann

Glenn Schumann was a name that was immediately mentioned in OU’s defensive coordinator search as an unlikely candidate.

However, Schumann is at the top of everyone’s list after leading one of the best defenses in the country at Georgia the past five seasons. And he is only 34 years old.

OU likely won’t land Schumann as its next defensive coordinator, but if the Sooners are looking for a new head coach after the 2025 season, he could certainly be an option.

Read more about OU’s defensive coordinator search

Who could be Oklahoma’s next defensive coordinator?

Oklahoma has internal options for the next defensive coordinator