Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy is making big changes to his staff following the Cowboys’ 3-9 season (0-9 in the Big 12) – the worst of his two decades in Stillwater – and a subsequently reworked contract.
Todd Grantham is hired as Gundy’s new defensive coordinator. Grantham was the defensive line coach for the New Orleans Saints before being moved to senior advisor when Darren Rizzi became interim head coach. Rizzi confirmed that he leaves the staff this week for Oklahoma State.
“He’s done a great job here behind the scenes with the defensive staff,” Rizzi told reporters via ESPN. “But it’s definitely a great opportunity for him. He made the decision that he wanted to get back into the college game.”
Grantham, 58, was a defensive coordinator at many stops, including the Cleveland Browns, Georgia, Louisville, Mississippi State and Florida. Among the head coaches he has worked under are Frank Beamer, Nick Saban, Mark Richt, Bobby Petrino and Dan Mullen.
In addition, Grantham has coached defensive line and linebackers, and served as an assistant head coach on several staffs. Before joining Dennis Allen’s staff in New Orleans, he spent a season as a defensive analyst at Alabama.
Grantham was nominated for the Broyles Award as the top assistant coach in college football while at Mississippi State. He also oversaw top-20 defenses in Louisville and Florida.
Oklahoma State’s defense needs a major overhaul. The Cowboys were second-to-last (No. 132) among FBS teams in total defense, giving up 500.6 yards per game under previous defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo. They also ranked No. 125 in scoring defense, allowing 35.58 points per game.
Gundy has not yet hired a new offensive coordinator to replace Kasey Dunn. OSU ranked No. 83 in FBS with 374 yards of total offense per game and ranked No. 72 in scoring offense, averaging 27.2 points.
