Never Even Thought About Working in College Football: Jim Nagy Explains Why He Left NFL Path to Join Oklahoma Sooners

When Jim Nagy appeared on “The Triple Option” podcast, he didn’t mince words. “I never even thought about working in college football,” he admitted. That makes his arrival in Norman all the more compelling—and all the more significant. Hired in February 2025 as the Oklahoma Sooners’ first-ever general manager of football operations, Nagy’s move marks a bold evolution in how elite college programs approach the business of winning. With nearly two decades of NFL experience, most recently as the highly respected executive director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl, Nagy now finds himself immersed in a world he never intended to enter—but one he believes he can help reshape.

The timing was right, even if the transition wasn’t easy.

Nagy wasn’t job-hunting when Oklahoma reached out. In fact, he had recently been interviewed for the New York Jets’ vacant general manager position, a role many in league circles believed he was destined for. As a trusted scout with 18 years of NFL front office experience—having worked for the Patriots, Chiefs, Seahawks, and others—his trajectory seemed firmly professional. And yet, in the weeks after Brent Venables reached out with a vision, Nagy saw something in Oklahoma he didn’t expect: the chance to win at the highest level and leave an indelible mark on a storied program.

“You walk in, and there’s seven national championship trophies sitting right there,” Nagy said on the podcast. “It’s not hard to see the potential. You walk around the facility and the campus and realize: this place is built to win big-time.”

That vision of possibility became irresistible. The Sooners are on the brink of a new chapter—joining the SEC, fighting for national relevance again after a rocky 6–7 season in 2022, and operating in a changed college football landscape where NIL and transfer portals have redefined how rosters are built. Enter Nagy, with his encyclopedic knowledge of player evaluation, deep professional contacts, and perhaps most importantly, a fresh perspective.

The hiring made headlines in February, not just because of Nagy’s NFL credentials, but because Oklahoma was doing something most programs hadn’t: building out a true front office model more akin to what’s seen on Sundays. His role as general manager encompasses oversight of roster construction, transfer portal strategy, NIL alignment, and long-range personnel planning. With Brent Venables leading the on-field vision, Nagy now becomes the architect behind the curtain, orchestrating the mechanisms that help make that vision sustainable—and successful.

For a man who never saw himself in the college game, Nagy’s transition has been both fast and deliberate. He spent the last few years turning the Senior Bowl into a premier scouting showcase. In 2024 alone, a record 110 players who participated in the event were drafted, a testament to Nagy’s keen eye for talent and organizational ability. That success made him a known and respected name across the league. So why turn down the possibility of running an NFL team to instead help run a college one?

“It came down to belief,” he said. “Belief in the direction Coach Venables is taking this program, belief in what Oklahoma represents historically, and belief that with the right structure in place, we can do something special here.”

Belief, yes—but also sacrifice. Nagy was candid about the personal cost of the move. Relocating his family, including a high school-aged daughter, was no small decision. “It’s not just a career choice. It’s a life choice,” he said. “Uprooting your family is tough. My daughter is in the middle of high school—this wasn’t easy on her. That’s the hardest part.”

Still, he and his family ultimately decided the opportunity was worth the disruption. And it’s clear Nagy is already embracing the challenge. His first months have been a crash course in the college game’s new realities: recruiting never sleeps, NIL dynamics are fluid and often unpredictable, and the portal has transformed traditional roster building into a year-round endeavor.

Fortunately, those are challenges Nagy was built to tackle. His professional background emphasized efficient roster construction and player development cycles—a mindset well-suited to managing the modern college team. More than that, Nagy brings objectivity. His approach is less about tradition and more about measurable return. That means treating Oklahoma’s roster like a living, breathing organism that must constantly evolve—through high school recruiting, yes, but also strategic portal additions, NIL alignment, and internal development.

In Venables, Nagy has found a partner who shares that forward-thinking approach. Their collaboration represents a marriage of football philosophy and organizational acumen. Venables focuses on culture and competition. Nagy handles the infrastructure. Together, they’re setting the tone for Oklahoma’s next era.

“Our goal is SEC dominance. That’s not something you say lightly,” Nagy emphasized. “You look at the programs winning at the highest level right now—Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Texas—they’ve all invested in building a support system around the head coach. That’s what we’re doing at OU now.”

It’s a model already adopted by programs like Clemson and Texas A&M to varying degrees, but Oklahoma’s full-throttle embrace of the GM role sets it apart. It’s a signal that the Sooners understand where the sport is going—and want to lead the way.

There are early signs of progress. The 2025 recruiting class has climbed steadily, with a blend of blue-chip high school prospects and portal additions who fill immediate needs. Behind the scenes, Nagy has revamped scouting protocols and is establishing a data-driven evaluation model to help Oklahoma maintain long-term roster balance—something that’s crucial in an era where attrition is constant and depth can disappear in a flash.

Nagy also views NIL as an opportunity, not an obstacle. “If you treat it like a threat, you’re already behind,” he said. “You’ve got to treat it like a resource. These players are brands. If we can help them grow, they’ll help us win.”

That professional mindset—recognizing the business side without losing the football soul—is what makes Nagy such a unique hire. He sees the landscape clearly, isn’t intimidated by it, and believes Oklahoma can rise above the chaos by embracing innovation and structure.

But that doesn’t mean he’s detached. In fact, Nagy has made it a priority to be visible, not just in the facility but in the locker room, at practice, and in the community. “At the end of the day, this is still about people,” he said. “You can have the best analytics in the world, but if your people don’t trust each other, it won’t matter.”

Trust is something Nagy has built his entire career on—from NFL locker rooms to the draft war room to Mobile, Alabama. Now in Norman, he’s building again, only this time with a different kind of roster, a different kind of structure—and perhaps, a different kind of legacy.

“I never thought I’d be doing this,” he repeated. “But I’m all in. And I think we’re going to build something special here.”

For Oklahoma fans, the message is clear: This isn’t just a hire. It’s a statement. A signal that the Sooners are adapting, evolving, and aiming higher than ever. And with Jim Nagy in the building, the blueprint to win big-time might already be unfolding.