Dabo Swinney: Jake, Tyler Venables make decision on staying at Clemson

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said Tuesday that Jake and Tyler Venables, the son of former Clemson defensive coordinator Brent, will stay with the Tigers despite their father’s departure.

Dabo Swinney says Jake and Tyler Venables both plan to stay at Clemson.

— Grace Raynor (@gmraynor) December 14, 2021

Brent was recently named Oklahoma’s head football coach. He was introduced last week by the Sooners, and he signed a six-year contract to stay in Norman. Clemson made him the highest-paid assistant coach in college football in July of 2021, as the board of trustees approved an extension through 2026 that paid him $2.5 million per year, but Oklahoma will pay more: Venables is set to make roughly $43.5 million over the duration of his six-year deal.

Jake Venables, a redshirt junior linebacker for Clemson, entered the 2021 season with 84 career tackles, including 15 tackles for loss, four sacks, two pass breakups and a forced fumble in 542 snaps. Heading into the season, Jake had played 542 career snaps in 26 games, starting four times, and playing under his father as defensive coordinator. In 2021, however, Venables was a far less frequent contributor for the Tigers, making just three tackles in two games against South Carolina and UConn. A former four-star recruit, he was the No. 54 linebacker in the 2018 recruiting class, according to the On3 Consensus, and eventually committed to play under Brent at Clemson.

Tyler Venables, on the other hand, has plenty of eligibility left as a college football player. But according to Swinney, he will exhaust it at Clemson. Venables is a sophomore, formerly a three-star recruit and the No. 37 ATH in the 2020 recruiting class, according to the On3 Consensus, but thanks to the COVID-19 blanket waiver he has three years of eligibility left. Venables has contributed mostly at safety, and he entered the 2021 season with 24 tackles (one for a loss) and three pass breakups, appearing in 12 games as a true freshman last season. This season, Venables has appeared in several games, amassing 24 total tackles (15 solo stops), one sack and an interception against Syracuse.

Brent Venables announces coordinators, retains four Oklahoma assistants

Brent Venables’ coaching staff with the Oklahoma Sooners is beginning to come together. On Friday afternoon, Oklahoma announced that Venables has named his offensive and defensive coordinators. Additionally, Venables retained four assistants on Oklahoma’s staff.

Venables’ coordinators will Jeff Lebby (offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach) and Ted Roof (defensive coordinator, linebackers coach). Cale Gundy, Bill Bedenbaugh, DeMarco Murray, and Joe Jon Finley were all retained on the new coaching staff.