Brent Venables isn’t ready to hand out any gold stars to Oklahoma’s defense just yet.
With the season only three weeks away, the Sooners’ head coach kept the same message he’s been delivering since spring: the group has talent, buy-in and plenty of reason for optimism, but it is still a work in progress.
“Respectfully, it's not a great defense yet,” Venables said after Oklahoma's Fall Camp practice on Friday.
That blunt assessment wasn’t meant as a warning sign. Venables made clear he believes Oklahoma has the pieces to become one of the better units around, especially after last season’s run to the College Football Playoff strengthened his reputation as a defensive mind who can scheme, recruit, develop and keep high-end talent on that side of the ball.
“We have an opportunity to be a really good defense because we have guys who are bought in, have been developed and have shown enough body of work to give you reason to believe,” Venables added. “If they stay hungry and humble, show up every day and put in the work, we have a chance to develop into a really good unit.”
Part of what Venables likes is the mix. He pointed to players who may not have much name recognition but still perform at a high level, and he also values the elite talents who approach each day with the urgency of a newcomer trying to earn everything.
“I have an appreciation for no-name guys that nobody knows much about, who may not be on anybody’s All-American list but play at an All-American level,” Venables added. “I like those guys a lot. I’ve had plenty of them.
“But I also like ultra-talented guys who show up like they're a freshman every day - like they’re trying to breathe as much as they want to play. It means that much to them. They fight for their success every day, lead from the front and have an eat-off-the-floor mentality.”
Oklahoma fans can already point to examples in that room, from Jayden Jackson, who “tries to breathe as much as” he wants to play, to Taylor Wein, who was a “no-name guy that nobody” knew about before last season.
Venables said the Sooners’ returning experience gives him confidence, and he believes the defense is in the right place for this point on the calendar. But he also stressed that the biggest jump is still ahead.
“Going from good to great is a small step, but it’s the hardest step by a long way,” he said. “We have a long way to go. I like the attitude, energy and focus, but there are still a lot of details we have to improve.
“How fast can we get this group to become a really good football team? Time will determine that.”
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