Paul Finebaum didn’t hold back after Oklahoma’s 17-10 loss to Michigan, and his target was Brent Venables’ offseason contract extension.
The Sooners’ defeat has sparked the kind of fast, loud reaction that always follows a loss fans thought should have gone the other way. Some have already gone as far as to treat Oklahoma’s season like it’s slipping away, and Finebaum took that a step further by blasting the decision to give Venables a new deal.
Oklahoma and Venables agreed to a two-year extension this offseason that runs through 2032, a move that came after Venables guided the Sooners back to the College Football Playoff. Finebaum said that was a mistake.
"That story was about Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners," Finebaum said on 'The Matt Barrie Show.'" Matt, about five weeks ago, I think I was with you on SportsCenter when Oklahoma gave him an extension.
For what reason? I do not know.
Their AD defended it. What has Brent Venables done?...
I think it was a terrible decision to give him a contract extension."
The loss in September doesn’t wipe away what Oklahoma accomplished last season, and it doesn’t settle Venables’ future by itself. The Sooners reached the CFP in 2025, and the road ahead was always going to get tougher, with Georgia and Texas still on the 2026 schedule.
At the same time, Saturday’s game was a warning sign. Oklahoma had trouble moving the ball consistently against Michigan, and that leaves far less room for error if the Sooners want another playoff run.
So while Finebaum’s comments have pushed the contract debate back into the spotlight, the real answer for Venables won’t come from another explanation or another extension. It’ll come from what Oklahoma does once the schedule tightens.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Just Added Another Huge Name To Its Softball Future
Oklahomas pipeline in softball keeps widening, and the latest addition is Sophia Schlader, the Waukee Northwest junior who has officially committed to the Sooners. She arrives with plenty of high school hardware already on her rsum, including back-to-back state championships and a stack of individual records that have made her one of the most decorated players in Iowa.
Schladers rise has matched the kind of national profile Oklahoma has built its roster around, and her recognition as Gatorades Iowa softball player of the year only adds to the appeal. For a program that lives at the top of the sport, landing another highly ranked prospect in her class is the sort of move that keeps the future looking as loaded as the present. [Read more 🡒]
Mackenzie Alleyne Just Forced A Bigger Oklahoma Offensive Decision
Mackenzie Alleyne gave Oklahoma one of the few bright spots in an otherwise frustrating 17-10 loss to Michigan, and the timing of his breakthrough mattered as much as the production. His touchdown was his first catch since arriving from Washington State, and he wound up as the Sooners highest-graded offensive player in the game, a notable development for a unit that struggled to find much rhythm.
Alleynes background only makes the fit more intriguing. He already knows Oklahoma quarterback and offensive coordinator from his previous stop, which can help fast-track trust in an offense still searching for answers. With Trell Harris out for the foreseeable future, Alleynes performance adds another layer to the Sooners receiver picture and forces a bigger conversation about how much more involved he should be going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma's Offensive Line Suddenly Has A Problem Fans Can't Ignore
Oklahomas offensive line is already under scrutiny after the Michigan game, and now the group is dealing with another layer of uncertainty. Left tackle Michael Fasusi was out because of a shoulder injury, forcing another shuffle up front for a unit that had trouble holding up as the Sooners tried to establish any rhythm against a physical front.
The protection issues showed up in quarterback John Mateers afternoon, and Pro Football Focus graded several Oklahoma linemen poorly in the loss. While the offense searched for answers, a few other Sooners did stand out, including tight end Rocky Beers and punter Grayson Miller, but the bigger question now is whether the line can settle itself before the problems start carrying over into more than one game. [Read more 🡒]