Clemson DC Brent Venables will be next head coach at Oklahoma

Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables, who played a key role in the Tigers having their most successful run in program history, is leaving to become the next head coach at Oklahoma.

Venables is taking over for Lincoln Riley, who was named the head coach at Southern Cal last Sunday, a source confirmed to Clemson Sports Sunday night.

The 50-year-old Venables served as the defensive coordinator at Clemson from 2012-21 and is widely considered to be one of the best defensive minds in college football.

He helped Clemson to six straight ACC titles, six straight College Football Playoff berths and a pair of national titles over the past seven years. Venables spoke this summer about what he was looking for in a head coaching opportunity. Now he has one.

“I love winning. I love to be successful, and I don’t think that much of myself to think you just go anywhere [and do that],” he said. “The things that we have that a lot of places don’t that you’re always kind of looking for is an alignment, a history of success, location, a community that you want to raise your family in. I don’t want my family to have to sacrifice for anything. We’ve worked hard to be in the position that we’re in as a family.”

Clemson currently ranks second nationally in scoring defense, allowing 15 points per game. The Tigers have finished in the top 5 in scoring defense four of the past five years.

Venables going from Clemson to Oklahoma makes a lot of sense as the 2016 Broyles Award winner has several ties to the Sooners.

Before working under Dabo Swinney at Clemson, Venables worked under Bob Stoops at Oklahoma as the Sooners defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

Venables had a very successful stint at OU that included helping the Sooners win the 2000 national championship.

Stoops was involved in Oklahoma landing Venables and holds his former assistant in high regard. Stoops is serving as Oklahoma’s interim head coach.

In his 25 years as a full-time assistant coach, Venables’ teams have 25 winning seasons and have played in 29 bowl games. He has coached in eight national championship games.

Brent Venables always said that it would be hard for him to leave Clemson, but now he has an opportunity that he can’t pass up.

“I value the connectivity and the simplicity that we have here. Just a wonderful place. You’ve got incredible leadership that has integrity, they’re about the right things, and they have a very progressive, forward thinking leadership style — from the president all the way down to coach Swinney and Dan Radakovich,” Venables said this summer. “Incredible environment to live and work and raise a family. When you put it all together it’s a very hard thing to leave, to be honest with you. But like I said, never say never.”