Brent Venables lays the hammer down on decision to call Oklahoma's defense next season in must-win 2025
Brent Venables knows how critical the 2025 season is for the Oklahoma Sooners. Coming off of a disappointing 6-7 season, Venables is sitting on the hot seat. Another down season and he could find himself out of Norman and the Sooners looking for a new head coach. So it's no surprise he is betting on […]
Brent Venables knows how critical the 2025 season is for the Oklahoma Sooners. Coming off of a disappointing 6-7 season, Venables is sitting on the hot seat. Another down season and he could find himself out of Norman and the Sooners looking for a new head coach.
So it's no surprise he is betting on himself and staying heavily involved this season. He's taking on a new role in 2025, serving as the team's playcaller on defense for the upcoming year. Oklahoma invested in several additions to the coaching staff to support Venables, but the defense will rest on his shoulders.
With such an undertaking in a year as crucial as this, Venables was bound to be questioned about his decision on this. Sure enough, he faced those questions at Oklahoma's Spring Football press conference on Wednesday morning, and he answered them with an answer only Brent Venables could give.
"I'm fighting for my job every year like somebody's holding me under water trying to drown me. That's been my mindset every year…do we need to be better? You're damn right. Why am I gonna call the defense? Because I'm good at it."
It's hard to argue his point. Venables is one of the most influential defensive minds in college football history and played a pivotal (arguably the most important) role in turning Clemson into a dynasty throughout the 2010s. Throughout his career, Venables has been at the forefront of some of the best defenses in college football.
The Sooners experienced this just this season. After years of being the butt of every joke, Oklahoma's defense finished seventh in the country in EPA/Play allowed and ended the year as a top-five rushing defense in America.
That side of the ball is working for the Sooners, and it's because of Venables' involvement. Him remaining fully in charge and calling the defense should be a good thing for Oklahoma next season.
If the offense can deliver under new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, I'm excited about what this team can be in their second season in the SEC.
