Brent Venables is not getting pushed out at Oklahoma this fall, but the pressure around the Sooners’ offense is impossible to ignore.
Oklahoma Board of Regents chair Rick Nagel made that much clear, telling The Oklahoman that the coach’s job is secure despite the team’s uneven season.
"The board doesn't typically comment much on what's going on in the athletic department," Nagel said. "That's maybe a smart thing.
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."
That extension is doing a lot of heavy lifting right now. Venables signed a six-year deal worth $10 million annually just months ago, and while that kind of money usually buys time, it also puts a spotlight on results. Oklahoma is 5-4 and still has no guaranteed wins left this fall, meaning the Sooners need at least one victory in their final three games against Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Missouri just to become bowl eligible.
The bigger issue is that this season has fit the same pattern that has followed Venables through much of his time in Norman. Oklahoma has bounced between six-win and 10-win seasons under him, and that kind of up-and-down profile is hard to shake. Even after last year’s College Football Playoff appearance, the Sooners are back in a familiar spot: trying to figure out how to turn talent and investment into something steadier.
Looking back, the extension already looks questionable. Through four seasons, Venables was 32-20, with an 11-11 SEC record and no postseason wins. That’s a thin return for an eight-figure salary and a $51.6 million buyout that drops by $10 million per season, according to 247Sports.
The contract may have bought security, but it didn’t solve the real problem. Oklahoma’s defense has generally held up under Venables, which is exactly what you’d expect from a coach with his background. The offense, though, has been the drag on the entire operation.
This year’s unit has been especially rough, which is why first-year tight ends coach Jason Witten is now calling plays. The numbers tell the story. Since 2024, Oklahoma’s offense has hovered in the middle or near the bottom of the SEC in points, yards and rushing production, while the passing game has been more erratic than explosive.
Oklahoma offense since 2024
SEC rank in parentheses
2024 2025 2026
Points per game
24.0 (15th)
26.2 (12th)
22.1 (15th)
Yards per game
331.0 (14th)
354.3 (12th)
338.4 (15th)
Pass yards per game
175.8 (16th)
235.8 (9th)
227.6 (11th)
Rush yards per game
155.2 (11th)
118.5 (13th)
110.9 (16th)
Before the 2025 season, Venables tried to jump-start things by bringing in John Mateer and Ben Arbuckle from Washington State. That move was supposed to raise the ceiling on offense, and Venables deserves credit for taking the swing.
It just hasn’t worked. Mateer has had too many limitations as a passer, and Arbuckle wasn’t able to build around them.
That makes the offseason ahead a huge one for Venables and Oklahoma. The Sooners can’t afford another miss on offense, and the answer probably isn’t simply promoting Witten, even if the rest of the season goes well. He has only four games of play-calling experience, and that’s not enough to bet the whole offense on.
Oklahoma needs to make another major hire at offensive coordinator, and the setup should still be attractive to candidates because Venables is a defensive head coach. But that only works if the new play caller is given real freedom to run the scheme without too many restrictions.
The quarterback piece matters just as much. The next offensive coordinator should be able to choose the passer who fits his system best, though that may be easier said than done with the quarterback transfer market expected to be expensive this winter.
Venables has already been given the kind of money that signals a long-term commitment. Now Oklahoma has to use that same commitment to fix the offense and give him a real shot to make 2027 look different from what’s happening now.
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
Oklahomas preparation for Ole Miss has been shaped by the injury report, with offensive lineman Ryan Fodje listed as doubtful after getting hurt on Oct. 17. The Sooners could use the extra help up front in a matchup that figures to test every part of the offense, while cornerback Jacobe Johnson is listed as probable and should give the secondary a needed boost if he is cleared to go.
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 🡒]
Oklahoma Just Sent A Blunt Message About Brent Venables Future
Brent Venables may have signed a two-year extension in August, but the bigger message around Oklahoma football has been about stability, not anxiety. The deal pushed his tenure through 2031, came with a salary bump, and significantly increased his buyout, all of which signaled that the university was willing to make a long-term commitment even as the on-field results have fallen short of expectations.
Rick Nagel, the chair of the Oklahoma Board of Regents, added to that picture by publicly saying Venables is not on the hot seat despite the disappointing season. For a program with championship standards and a fan base that does not like to wait, that kind of backing matters, because it suggests Oklahoma is not looking to make a snap judgment about its coach even as the pressure around the program continues to build. [Read more 🡒]