The surprise candidate that could be an option for Oklahoma if the Sooners fire Brent Venables
The Oklahoma Sooners aren't expected to fire head coach Brent Venables after the 2024 season, but with the way the season has gone for OU, it can't be completely ruled out. Venables is in his third season at Oklahoma. He went 6-7 in his first season in 2022 before seemingly getting the program on track in […]
The Oklahoma Sooners aren't expected to fire head coach Brent Venables after the 2024 season, but with the way the season has gone for OU, it can't be completely ruled out.
Venables is in his third season at Oklahoma. He went 6-7 in his first season in 2022 before seemingly getting the program on track in 2023, going 10-3 with a big win over the Texas Longhorns.
Unfortunately for Venables and the Sooners, the program is trending the wrong way in 2024. Through the first eight games of the season, Oklahoma is 4-4. The Sooners are currently in the midst of a three game losing streak. And all four of their losses this season have come by double digits.
Oklahoma should take care of business this weekend against Maine. Then the Sooners have games remaining at Missouri, at home against Alabama, and at LSU. There's a very real chance that Oklahoma doesn't reach bowl eligibility in 2024. And if that happens, I think Venables' seat will get extremely hot. It wouldn't be a shock to see the Sooners make a change if Oklahoma can't get to six wins.
Many fans and media assume if Venables gets the boot that Oklahoma's first call will be to Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel, a former Sooners quarterback who spent nearly a decade as an assistant coach in Norman under former OU head coach Bob Stoops (Stoops fired Heupel after the 2014 season).
I'm sure Oklahoma would gauge Heupel's interest, but I think he'd likely stay put in Knoxville (for reasons outlined here).
So if not Heupel, then who?
One potential candidate that could gain some serious steam is current South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer.
Beamer is 24-21 through his first 45 games at South Carolina. It can be tough to win in Columbia, and Beamer's had some tough losses, but he's also had some exciting wins (wins against top 10 teams in Tennessee and Clemson in 2022…plus the Gamecocks nearly beat LSU and Alabama earlier this season). Earlier this month, South Carolina beat Oklahoma 35-9 in Norman.
Before landing the head coaching job at South Carolina, Beamer was Oklahoma's tight ends coach/assistant head coach for three seasons. He spoke highly of his time at Oklahoma before playing the Sooners a few weeks ago.
"I'd be lying if there weren't (going to be) emotions," said Beamer of his return to Norman in 2024. "The hotel that we will be staying in, is the hotel that I lived in for the first three weeks until I found a temporary place to live. I'm so appreciative of my time there and thankful to Lincoln Riley for giving me an opportunity. Thankful for the great players that I was around…It will be a lot of memories…The biggest thing for me is the appreciation and gratitude for my time out there and the people I was around."
Beamer's done a nice job of creating a solid culture at South Carolina. And he's done a good job on the recruiting trail, despite constantly battling for recruits with programs like Clemson, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
South Carolina is one of the toughest jobs in the country, but Beamer has managed to make it to a fourth season. His résumé isn't perfect, but Beamer could be an interesting option for the Sooners if they decide to make a change after the 2024 season.
