Brent Venables explains importance of keeping players focused, impact of social media

In the social media era it can be as easy as ever for a coach to lose his team. Things start going sideways and the noise explodes, with it only too easy for players to get swept up in it.

But Oklahoma coach Brent Venables doesn’t necessarily see social media creating fundamental new challenges.

“Distractions have always been there for young people, so the challenge has been there really since the beginning of time,” Venables said. “You’re on a college campus, you know? Those are there.”

Still, keeping your players from taking the wrong messages can be key. It’s easy to get caught up in everything said on social media.

Venables talks to his team about that kind of thing, relying on the veterans to help keep things in order. Get a good group of leaders and the work the coaches have to do keeping the ship on course shrinks considerably.

“To me every year’s different, depends on your focus and your maturity of your football team and whether or not they can stay locked in and stay committed to doing the boring, methodical things that it takes to be successful,” Venables said. “My challenge to them is our structure and our routine has got to be our compass and it’s got to be a sanctuary for them in how you get ready. They’ve got to buy into that, not get bored with that and show up every day with a mindset of developing good habits.

“Habits don’t establish themselves in the most critical times, in the most strenuous situations on a football field. You have to fall back on your habits and your fundamentals. I believe our guys, they understand that, they believe that, they buy into that. We’ve spent a lot of time trying to nurture that and promote that as well.”

Venables doesn’t have a firm policy on social media or its use during the season. He mostly leaves that up to players, though he said his personal philosophy is less is more.

So long as players are taking care of what they need to, they’re free to use social media how they like and Venables won’t spend a ton of time worrying about it.

“I think our guys understand what a focused, committed teammate looks like,” he said. “And our guys have been good. You’re always don’t hold your breath, you’re dealing with, again 18- to 24-year-old young people, that sometimes they don’t have the filter that maybe they need, but adults do the same thing as well.

“I think this is a really driven, close football team that they recognize the success that we’ve had has been because of the disappointment and the struggle we went through a year ago. This is a very invested group of young men, and again the freshmen and transfers that we brought in plugged in from Day 1. Our older guys have done a great job of leading the football team and making sure that our guys are focused on the right things.”