Brent Venables finalized the signing of his contract to become the head coach for the Oklahoma Sooners in early December of 2021. He was hired on in a state of transition as well as complete and utter chaos. To put it bluntly, he was a cork for the fast-sinking football program caused by Lincoln Riley’s departure.
The season which followed was chock-full of that same chaos, resulting in a disappointing 6-7 record which ultimately ranked them 7th in the Big 12. With Venables’s first full season now in the books, the coach’s job never really ended.
In his nearly hour-long press conference on Thursday, his focus was crystal clear. At times he gave more the impression of a caged carnivore who’d been stripped of his hunting ground.
What will OU’s non conference schedule look like in the SEC? Brent Venables said it could look similar to year’s past.
“I think you’ll still see that we want to have a marquee type game.” pic.twitter.com/HbyZrXkHi5
— The REF (@KREFsports) February 17, 2023
Completely immersed in his trade
To the certain delight of many in a fanbase who’ve had their share of recent concerns, Venables is completely immersed in his trade. As per usual, after he approached the microphone, he unpacked information by the bundle.
The coach spoke of meeting the needs of the offensive and defensive lines. That alone wasn’t an easy task, as they were ravaged by departures.
They brought in nine defensive linemen to shore up the gaping holes. As far as the rest of the defense, five linebackers and eight defensive backs were also newly welcomed. Those were both at the safety and cornerback positions.
He’s smart, he’s tough, he’s driven
The offense also saw its share of renewal. Six offensive linemen and three tight ends were brought onboard. Two running backs and three wide receivers will also now wear the OU colors. “And certainly, a quarterback in Jackson Arnold”, who was the only player Venables mentioned by name, saying also that, “He’s smart, he’s tough, he’s driven, he’s humble.”
Jackson Arnold is going to be a dawg‼️
Will be fun to watch him progress. 👀
Venables knows. 🤝#BoomerSooner
— Boomer Sooner (@boomersoonerIO) February 17, 2023
Venables wants us to remember some dates on our calendar as well:
- March 1st is the deadline for season ticket renewal.
- March 22nd is the first practice.
- March 30th is pro day.
- April 22nd is the spring game.
He talked in depth about the 26 new players acquired by way of the transfer portal as well as the massive depletion of the roster, saying, “Right now, for us, we need as much development as we can get… we’re in very small company when you talk about roster transformation… you know, what’s taken place the last 13 ½ months.” The coach is referring to the 76 players the team had for the 2021 season’s Alamo Bowl having been stripped down to 23 at this point.
“Everywhere he’s been… people say amazing things about him.”
When Venables opened it up for questions, he was asked about receiver’s coach Emmett Jones. He complimented him by saying, “Everywhere he’s been… people say amazing things about him.” Jones was hired in January. He has a couple of veterans still onboard to help him guide the new receivers but is also working with several new guys. They’ll all be new to him regardless.
When asked by a reporter if he felt they had enough depth at linebacker, Venables responded by saying, “I feel like we got exactly what we need, but… we really can’t afford an injury… but I love the group of guys.”
Danny Stutsman is a key member of that group to which he is referring. He is one of the cornerstones of the entire defense. As a linebacker, he led the Big 12 in tackles in 2022. Venables complimented him not so briefly.
We gave @FbStutsman the mic to ask the hard-hitting questions at Newcomer Media Day 🎤 #OUDNA pic.twitter.com/aPHvDQiQ6q
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) February 17, 2023
In response to the reporter’s question, Venables appeared more comfortable in answering than at any other point of the press conference. The fact that he was a longtime defensive coordinator before becoming a head coach was overwhelmingly evident. He was even talking about gap assignments.
The coach ended the presser by expressing that it would be mutually beneficial for the transfers and the press to get to know each other on media day.
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