OU football hires Justin Smith as Sooners' new head athletic trainer

NORMAN — Oklahoma football has a new head athletic trainer.

The Sooners announced the hiring of Justin Smith, who previously served as NC State’s head trainer. He replaces Johnathan Gress, who departed OU after one season to join the Tennessee Titans.

Smith brings 12 years of experience as the Wolfpack‘s trainer and seven years before that as Appalachian State’s head trainer.

Smith also previously worked as a trainer at NFL Europe and at Champion Sports Medicine and is an Alabama alum.

With training camp well underway, now the Sooners will work to integrate a new trainer. OU opens its season against UTEP at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4 at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

“We’re super excited to welcome Justin Smith to our program as head football athletic trainer,” Sooners coach Brent Venables said in a statement. “He brings tremendous wisdom and experience in the medical space and is one of the absolute best in his field.”

Colton Sulley covers the Oklahoma Sooners for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Colton? He can be reached at csulley@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @colton_sulley. Support Colton’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football hires Justin Smith as Sooners’ new head athletic trainer