Sooner Magic shows up for Brent Venables on Senior Night, Sooners dismantle Alabama Crimson Tide
I wrote last week about why Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables deserved some grace. With everything going on in his personal life, the fact that the Sooners fought as hard as they did in every single game was a testament to the players' belief in Venables. They fought like mad for him Saturday, and […]
I wrote last week about why Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables deserved some grace. With everything going on in his personal life, the fact that the Sooners fought as hard as they did in every single game was a testament to the players' belief in Venables.
Oklahoma’s Brent Venables reminds Sooner Nation of the human side of football that is often forgotten about
It has not been an easy season for Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables on the field. Everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong on the offensive side of the ball, and Oklahoma is on the verge of missing a bowl game for the first time in 25 years. Yet, we're reminded that […]
They fought like mad for him Saturday, and it led to a historic Oklahoma upset of Alabama.
I'm getting emotional just writing about this, so bear with me for a minute.
This season has been rife with struggles, and it's felt like at times Murphy's Law had taken a sledgehammer to the Sooners. Whether it was injuries, the quarterback play, the offensive coordinator struggles, or turnovers, Oklahoma's 2024 season has been, in many ways, the worst in what feels like a decade.
That was just on the field. Off the field, players battled an irate fanbase, confidence issues, their own injuries, and a shuffling of coaches in meetings. The one thing that never left this team? Their belief in Brent Venables.
Venables has dealt with his wife's battle against cancer since May and still found a way to be there for his team every week. Win or loss, Venables owned it all and put himself in the line of fire for his team.
They paid him back tonight.
On Senior Night, the last home game of players like Danny Stutsman, Billy Bowman, Woodi Washington, Ethan Downs, Da'Jon Terry, Luke Elzinga, and Zach Schmit, Oklahoma brought Sooner Magic to life one more time to stomp the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Oklahoma recorded three interceptions and held the Crimson Tide to just 234 total yards of offense. Alabama ran for just 70 yards. On offense, Oklahoma ran right over Alabama, amassing 257 yards rushing on 50 carries. Xavier Robinson ran for two touchdowns and one of their interceptions was a pick-six. This was the first game Alabama hasn't scored a touchdown since 2011.
All in all, it was a dominant performance. This was Sooner Magic.
After the game, Brent Venables talked about the adversity that this team overcame all season.
“They’re amazing. Their toughness, their guts…The harder it is, the more epic the story. It’s not about what you become, it’s about what you overcome.”
Even with everything going on in his personal life, Venables turned it right over to the players and what they have fought through this season and his pride in them. He handed off any credit to his staff and the players, even though he is the unquestioned leader of the team.
Tonight, they fought for him. Sooner Magic was rekindled once more, this time for Brent Venables. It's absolutely perfect.
