Brent Venables set to hire Northern Arizona coach to OU defensive staff
Brent Venables is adding to his defensive staff at OU.
Oklahoma is set to hire Northern Arizona (FCS) linebackers coach and defensive run game coordinator Aaron Cheatwood in an analyst role, according to a report by FootballScoop. Cheatwood reportedly resigned from his position at Northern Arizona, where he’s been the last two seasons. He does have a connection to OU, serving as a defensive analyst under linebackers coach Nate Dreiling at New Mexico State in 2023.
Cheatwood’s linebackers had tremendous success under his tutelage. His unit notched multiple All-Big Sky nods for the second straight year. Northern Arizona ranked top-20 FCS in scoring (15th) & total defense (18th), top-40 in rush defense.
Cheatwood joins an already impressive defensive staff in Norman. Venables’ OU staff now has five assistant coaches who have called plays on defense in their career — safeties coach Brandon Hall, cornerbacks coach LaMar Morgan, inside linebacker coach Nate Dreiling, outside linebackers coach Wes Goodwin and now Cheatwood. Venables is currently Oklahoma’s defensive playcaller.
