Oklahoma made one thing unmistakably clear on Wednesday: Brent Venables is staying put.
Sooners fans have spent plenty of time wondering whether a rough 5-4 season could push the program toward a coaching change, especially after a year that began with College Football Playoff hopes. But Oklahoma Board of Regents chair Rick Nagel shut that door himself during Wednesday’s meeting, according to The Oklahoman’s Joe Mussatto.
“The board doesn’t typically comment much on what’s going on in the athletic department. That’s maybe a smart thing,” Nagel said, unprompted.
“But I want to say this … our head coach, Brent Venables, is not on the hot seat. There is no hot seat.
We just extended his contract.”
“"There is no hot seat,"” Nagel continued. “"We just extended his contract."”
That wasn’t exactly a subtle message, and it lines up with what Oklahoma already did in August. The school added two years to Venables’ deal, pushing it through 2031 and raising his salary to about $10.5 million. A number of his assistants also got raises after last season’s 10-3 finish and CFP berth, along with general manager Jim Nagy.
The real issue for Oklahoma is that the extension boxed the program in. Venables’ buyout for this year jumped to $51.67 million, a figure that was released just days after the Sooners upset No.
1 Texas in the Red River Rivalry. At that point, the writing was already on the wall: Venables wasn’t going anywhere soon.
Nagel said the board wanted to make that even more obvious.
“It’s been interesting to us as the board that that renewal of that contract alone wasn’t a signal that he’s here for a long time, right? So we just want - we felt like today it made sense to go ahead and just make that crystal clear to the public that we’ve got the right guy, and we are excited about where the program is heading,” Nagel told media after Wednesday’s meeting.
The timing is awkward because Oklahoma’s season has gone sideways. The Sooners have alternated wins and losses all year, and the current record leaves them staring at the possibility of another losing season. Venables is trying to avoid a third one in four years, and if that happens, he would become the first coach in Oklahoma history to survive three losing seasons.
Still, the board’s message was not about uncertainty. It was about commitment.
That may frustrate some fans, but it also means the program has tied itself to Venables whether the season finishes well or badly. The only thing Oklahoma really protected itself from was another school trying to lure him away, though that threat never looked especially real once the extension was signed.
For now, the answer is simple: Brent Venables is Oklahoma’s coach, and the school made sure everyone heard it.
In Other News...
Jason Witten Is Already Changing Oklahomas Offensive Identity
Jason Wittens first weeks as Oklahomas offensive coach have already brought a noticeable shift in how the Sooners are operating on the practice field. The former NFL tight end has pushed a more intentional, professional approach, with an emphasis on clarity, communication and situational football, and that has stood out to Brent Venables in the early going.
Venables has pointed to Wittens organization and the way he gets through to players as a real asset for the offense. Even after just one game in the role, the early signs suggest the Sooners are getting a cleaner understanding of what is expected, along with a stronger sense of accountability as the unit adjusts to a different voice and a different standard. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Waits On Key Line Decision Before Ole Miss Showdown
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Ole Miss, meanwhile, is dealing with its own long list of absences, including 11 players ruled out, among them running back Kewan Lacy and guard Patris Kutas. Even with a few Rebels listed as probable or doubtful, the bigger question for Oklahoma is how the line holds up if Fodje cannot make it, because that decision could shape both the protection plan and the way the Sooners attack in a game with plenty on the line. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahomas New Look Offense Is Putting More On John Mateer
Since Jason Witten took over as interim offensive coordinator, Oklahomas offense has started to look a little different, and Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding has noticed. The Sooners are leaning more on pre-snap reads and putting a bigger emphasis on John Mateers legs, a shift that adds another layer for defenses trying to sort out whats coming before the snap.
Mateers recent game against Florida offered a glimpse of both the upside and the pressure that comes with the new approach. His decision-making and rushing stood out, even as he has also thrown interceptions in consecutive games, and Goldings point was clear: when Oklahoma can threaten defenses in multiple ways, it becomes a much tougher operation to slow down. [Read more 🡒]