Brent Venables not focused on opponent as Oklahoma prepares to play Maine

Oklahoma will take a one-game break from conference play for a matchup with Maine on Saturday. However, that changes nothing for the Sooners per Brent Venables.

Venables spoke about their next opponent during a press conference earlier this week. While being an FCS foe from out of the Coastal Athletic Association, this game isn’t one that’ll change anything about the state of this season right now for OU.

“It’s all high pressure. It’s always,” said Venables. “I know what you’re saying, though, but I wouldn’t think it’s a new thing because it’s the SEC. The margin for error is small. We said going in it’s a one-possession league and every week seems like, oh man, these are the best players in the world that you’re playing. I say that in a humorous way but it’s all high pressure – always has been.”

After losing all of their games in October, Oklahoma could certainly overlook the Black Bears. Still, this one outing is about more than just the outcome that’ll come from it. Winning in any sense again will feel good for them but it’s about how they’ll win that’ll make the difference over their next three games from there with all of them against currently ranked opponents.

“It’s just what you do every week. You’ve got to know the DNA of the new team but it’s a nameless face,” said Venables. “It’s about you, your standards, how you practice, how you prepare, the sense of urgency, the fundamentals. Are you improving, getting better? Your mindset, your attitude, your work load, your intensity. You know, your focus on detail. You know, you can’t cheat the game. So it don’t matter about the opponent.”

“Man, you don’t play to a scoreboard or, again, you know, an opponent. You just don’t. Every week is a season of its own. It’s always the biggest game of the year. It’s a great opportunity to improve and get better,” Venables continued. “For us, we’re on a three-game losing streak. For us? Hey, let’s get back on track. Let’s start to create a little momentum and then feel a little bit better. Winning cures a lot. Having some success develops confidence…Winning is affirmation in some ways. So, winning? I don’t ever take it for granted.”

Again, this is a game that Oklahoma should have in hand from kickoff and on. Even so, the Sooners holding to their standard in doing so is what Venables is looking for most.

“It’s like I said. We’re focused on Oklahoma like we always have been,” said Venables. “My job is to develop that routine, that mindset that we do things a certain way and, over the long haul, that will serve us well, even in the middle of a three-game losing streak.”

“We’re going to continue to have the same type of structure, make the appropriate adjustments like you would anytime going into your ninth week and I don’t care who it is.”