Brent Venables climbed a long way in CBS Sports’ SEC head coach rankings, and the jump says plenty about where Oklahoma sits heading into the new season.
CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford slotted the Sooners’ coach at No. 8 among the SEC’s 16 head coaches, a middle-of-the-pack spot that still marks a major rise from last year, when Venables was 13th in the league. Crawford also placed him 28th nationally, a huge leap for a coach who entered last season on the hot seat before steering Oklahoma to a 10-win campaign and a College Football Playoff berth.
“Only one other SEC coach jumped in these rankings on a similar plane to the mammoth move from Venables, who entered last season on the hot seat before leading the Sooners to a CFP appearance and leaping 24 spots into the top 30. No one has ever questioned his defensive brilliance, but taking over that side of the field full-time last fall led to an impressive finish and partially masked some of Oklahoma's offensive struggles with an injured John Mateer at quarterback.” - Brad Crawford, CBS Sports.
That defensive reputation is exactly why Venables has been able to steady the program. Even with the offense uneven behind an injured quarterback and without a reliable running game, Oklahoma’s defense kept the Sooners alive through a difficult November stretch, one in which they went 4-0 to reach the playoff.
Crawford’s bigger point is that the next step has to come on the other side of the ball.
“Oklahoma must complement its championship-caliber defense with more consistency, explosiveness and stability on offense. Venables has reshaped the roster and culture, but the runway in Norman is never unlimited.
This season will reveal whether the Sooners are national title contenders or still chasing the league's elite tier. With improved quarterback play and better execution, Oklahoma has the talent to be one of the league's best.” - Crawford, CBS Sports.
That’s the challenge now for Venables: turning Oklahoma into a complete team, not just a defense carrying the load. The 2026 season gives him another chance to do it, and the Sooners may have their most talented roster yet under his watch.
If that roster finally produces the kind of balance Oklahoma has often lacked in recent years, the Sooners could take another step forward. The program’s offensive and defensive numbers since 1999 tell the story of a team that has too often lived in extremes, with elite offense one year, elite defense another, and not nearly enough overlap in between.
In Other News...
John Mateer Suddenly Puts Oklahoma In An Unwanted Spotlight
University of Oklahoma officials are looking into a fresh bit of off-field attention involving quarterback John Mateer after viral social media posts surfaced that appear to show Venmo receipts tied to sports gambling. Multiple reports say the university is reviewing the matter, which has quickly pushed the Sooners into an unwanted spotlight at a time when the program would prefer the focus stay on football.
Mateer has already denied ever participating in sports gambling, but the online chatter has only added to the intrigue around the situation. For Oklahoma, the issue is as much about managing the noise as it is about the substance of the allegations, with the school now waiting for the investigation to play out before there is any clearer picture of where things stand. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahomas Backfield Battle Just Took A Turn Fans Didnt Expect
Oklahomas push to improve the running game for the 2024 season has already produced one early camp storyline, and it involves a newcomer who has bounced around a bit before landing in Norman. Lloyd Avant is in the mix for the starting job, and the Sooners have been giving the transfer running back a real look as they sort out the backfield depth chart.
Avant arrived after stops at Colorado State and Tulsa, and his ability to help on special teams adds another layer to his case. For Oklahoma, the interest is not just in whether he can carve out a role, but whether his camp performance can help steady a rushing attack that is still looking for the right combination in the backfield. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma May Be Getting A Different Parker Livingstone This Season
Parker Livingstone arrived in Norman with a fresh start and a clear purpose, and the early signs suggest Oklahoma may be getting a receiver who looks and feels different from the one Texas let walk. After spending the 2025 season at Texas, Livingstone transferred once the Longhorns opted to keep other receivers in place rather than hold onto him as a key piece, opening the door for him to reset his career in a new offense.
Since joining the Sooners, Livingstone has spent his time working closely with the coaching staff and quarterbacks to get comfortable in the system and build those relationships that matter once the games start counting. He says he feels more confident in his abilities now, and more at home in the Oklahoma offense, which is exactly the kind of late-summer development that can turn a transfer from a roster addition into something more meaningful. [Read more 🡒]