OU football adding Nate Dreiling and Wes Goodwin to defensive staff

Sources have confirmed to Griffin Media's Toby Rowland that Oklahoma is finalizing a deal with Nate Dreiling to become a position coach on the defensive side of the ball. There were multiple reports this week involving the Arkansas State defensive coordinator potentially joining the Sooners staff as a linebackers coach.  This comes after Oklahoma's pursuit of Ohio State's Jim Knowles as defensive coordinator, which ended with Knowles accepting the same position at Penn State.  Rowland was the first to break the news of Knowles the former Oklahoma State defensive coordinator from 2018-2021, staying in the Big Ten and going to Happy Valley with James Franklin.

"According to my sources, it came down to Oklahoma and Penn State," Roland said Sunday night on the Oklahoma Ford Sports Blitz. "Both schools offered contracts in the $3 million range and Knowles chose to go with the Nittany Lions. The reason for that decision he has not yet revealed." Knowles was a top candidate at the time to replace Zac Alley as OU's defensive coordinator in 2025.

Dreiling is believed to be focusing on the linebacker position, leaving Brent Venables as the play-caller for the Oklahoma defense in 2025. Zac Alley also previously coached the OU linebackers, before accepting the West Virginia job.

Rowland has also confirmed the addition of former Clemson defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin to the staff.  Goodwin will be joining as a defensive analyst, rejoining with Venables after working with him on two different occasions at Clemson.  Goodwin was recently let go at Clemson after the Tiger's defense had its lowest ranking in several years.

Nate Dreiling

Dreiling, who has 10 years of collegiate coaching experience, including five as a defensive coordinator, most recently was hired at Arkansas State in January as the Wolves' new defensive coordinator. Previously served as interim head coach and defensive coordinator at Utah State in 2024

Dreiling helped Utah State finish with the team ranking in the top 50 nationally in sacks (44th) and interceptions (36th). The Aggies also set a record with five interceptions in a game against Hawaii. He coached eight players to All-Mountain West honors, including three second-team selections, and led the team to a top-25 defense.

Before Utah State, Dreiling was defensive coordinator at New Mexico State, where he improved the Aggies’ defense significantly. In 2023, NMSU went 10-5 and earned a spot in the Conference USA Championship Game. Under Dreiling, the defense ranked among the best nationally, leading the conference in red zone defense and ranking second in rushing defense.

Coaching career includes stints at Southeast Missouri, Oregon, and Pittsburg State. At Pittsburg State, his defense ranked among the top in its conference in multiple categories, and at Oregon, he contributed to a Pac-12 title and the team’s top-10 recruiting class.

Wes Goodwin

A graduate of Mississippi State, became a graduate assistant for Clemson in 2009, before advancing to a defensive analyst in 2012 for the Tigers. Goodwin then spent three years with the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, serving as an assistant to head coach Bruce Arians from 2015-17.

Goodwin returned to Clemson after the retirement of Arians in 2018 where he served as senior defensive assistant until 2021, overseeing defensive breakdowns and opponent scouting. In his first full season as defensive coordinator in 2022, Clemson ranked in the Top 25 nationally in several defensive categories: 22nd in points allowed per game (20.9), 13th in rushing yards allowed per game (102.7), 9th in yards allowed per carry (3.25), tied for 4th in sacks (44), 2nd in tackles for loss (111), and 9th in passes defended (77)

In 2023, Clemson’s defense led the nation in takeaways (28), defensive touchdowns (five), and pick-sixes (four). The Tigers also ranked in the Top 10 nationally in several categories: third in first downs allowed per game (14.2), eighth in opponent passing yards per game (173.2), eighth in total yards allowed per game (287.8), and tied for 10th in interceptions (16).