Oklahoma coach Brent Venables has a easy purpose for why he’ll be working the Sooners’ protection in 2025.
Venables established himself as among the finest defensive coordinators in school soccer with Oklahoma and Clemson over the previous 20 seasons earlier than he was employed because the Sooners’ head coach. After delegating play-calling duties to former defensive coordinator Zac Alley in 2024, Venables introduced in February that he would name the defensive performs in 2025.
Wednesday, he defined that his teaching mindset has all the time been that one thing was on the road every single day going again to when he was first employed as an interim coach at Kansas State. After which he gave a easy reply as to why he’ll be the play-caller.
“Why am I going to name the protection? As a result of I’m good at it,” Venables stated. “And I’m assured at it. And we’ve acquired an important employees. If I’m going to achieve success, the gamers are going to achieve success, the product goes to be what we would like it to be, it’s going to be due to all of us. And someone’s acquired to steer it. I did that in 2023, we made enchancment, in some areas not as a lot as we needed, so I do know what that appears like and managing recreation day and in-season, out of season, the assembly room, apply subject, all these issues, I do know what that appears like.”
Venables’ determination to take over the protection comes as Oklahoma was simply 6-7 in its first season within the SEC. The Sooners’ protection gave up 4.9 yards a play and allowed 21.5 factors per recreation; however the Sooners have been simply 97th within the nation in scoring offense and averaged simply over 175 passing yards per recreation. OU scored greater than 24 factors simply as soon as in SEC play and that got here towards Auburn in Week 5.
It was the second time in three seasons that Oklahoma completed underneath .500 throughout Venables’ tenure. The Sooners have been 6-7 in 2022 earlier than going 10-3 of their remaining season within the Huge 12.
Along with defensive modifications, there have additionally been important modifications to the Oklahoma offense forward of what might be a make-or-break 2025 season. Following the late-season dismissal of offensive coordinator Seth Littrell, the varsity employed Washington State offensive coordinator Zach Arbuckle. Cougars quarterback John Mateer — one of the prolific QBs in school soccer a season in the past — then entered the switch portal and adopted Arbuckle to Oklahoma.
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