Brent Venables explains defensive coaching duties, involvement

First-year Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables is bringing a defensive culture to the Sooners after a long stint as the defensive coordinator at Clemson. As one of the most respected minds in the sport on one side of the ball, the expectation is that the Sooners will get to soak up his knowledge.

During Big 12 media day, Brent Venables joined the ESPN+ broadcast to discuss how involved he will be in the day-to-day defensive plan. While he has full trust in Ted Roof and the position coaches, he knows he can provide something too.

“Well I’ve got a terrific staff on both sides of the ball, and you want to empower your staff,” said Venables. “But you’ve got to guide them as well, and my strength is defense. I love everything about coaching – just like you see in college football or even the NFL – people have their side of the ball that they like to have influence on and they stay involved. I’ll certainly stay vey involved on a daily basis because that’s what I love to do, not because they need me to do that. But I bring something to the table and I love that part of it, so when they allow me, I’ll jump in there and help out.”

The balance for Oklahoma will come between the offense and defense as former Ole Miss offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby brings his up-tempo philosophy to the other side. While many question the ability to run a fast offense and maintain a stout defense, Venables remains confident it is not only possible but necessary in the modern game.

More about Oklahoma in 2022

It’s a new era for Oklahoma football, with Brent Venables taking over as the Sooners coach in 2022. In spite of all the change and drama from this offseason, the Sooners’ fanbase still expects big things after claiming six straight Big 12 titles from 2015-20.

The team adds 15 transfers to the roster in addition to some big-time recruits. The combination of returning talent and new faces promises to keep the Sooners in the conversation for a return to the top of the conference despite turnover and loss of several starters from 2021.

Oklahoma only has a few more chances to win another Big 12 title before it leaves the conference and heads to the SEC by 2025, perhaps providing a little added motivation to dominate the remaining seasons they have left. Particularly over Texas, who will also join the SEC.