Brent Venables 'really disappointed in myself' for 2024

Brent Venables knows he’s to blame for the second finish at 6-7 of his three-year tenure at Oklahoma.

Venables commented on what this season was for the Sooners postgame following their 21-20 loss to Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl on Friday. He expressed disappointment, especially in himself, for the record and what all went into it during their debut in the SEC.

“Yeah, again, just disappointed. You know, obviously falls, everything falls on me,” said Venables. “So, really disappointed in myself and I need to be a lot better and I think that goes without saying. You know, go 6-7 and, you know, you did all these things right. So just got to be a lot better.”

That includes what happened in their bowl against the Midshipmen in Fort Worth.

“If we’re dropping it, we’re not converting fourth down, or we’re missing field goals or we’re giving up, you know, explosive runs? Everything falls, you know, at my feet,” Venables said.

Again, Oklahoma finished at 6-7 for the second time in three seasons under Venables. Those represent the only two losing campaigns for the program since three consecutive from 1996 to 1998, so around a quarter century, right before the start of Bob Stoops’ time in Norman.

Of everything and everyone, Venables is most disappointed for the players of Team 130 considering that these were the results that came from their efforts this fall.

“You know, just, I’m hurt for the players because I know they’ve worked hard,” Venables said. “I know it’s easy to take shots at, certainly, us as coaches. We’re the coach and that’s why we got the whistle and all that. Taking shots at the players too. Everybody’s disappointed, embarrassed, all of those things but I’m not embarrassed of the fight, the commitment, the work, the belief, the strain, the sacrifice – all the things that these guys have represented. I’m not in any way, shape, or form embarrassed or disappointed in them for that.”

However, Venables is now looking to next season. They improved on that initial season of his by winning ten games the following year and will look to make a similar improvement again. He thinks they can do it too with what they’re making with their roster and with what the staff, including himself, are prepared to put into it.

“We’ve got a lot of experience coming back and we know the reasons. We had a lot of guys that had opportunity this year that happened because of guys not being available. I think we gained valuable experience that will pay off. My expectation is it will pay off,” said Venables. “But we got a lot of work to do, you know. But we’ve got a great group of guys coming back and a great foundation coming back. We’ve recruited well.”

“So, you know, I’m anxious to – and the players need some time off. Coaches, not me – but the coaches need some time off too. They’re not going to get much because the portal is open here over the next several days,” Venables continued. “But, man, we’ve got a lot of work to do to get back on that in January. I’m excited for that and what our next team, you know, has the potential to become. With the guys coming back and the guys that we’ve recruited? You know, I’m really excited about the foundation. But take no, you know, solace in that.”

At 22-17, Venables’ record has not lived up to the standard that is Oklahoma Football so far, especially now that they’ll be competing in the Southeastern Conference moving forward. That makes it all the more important that they get where they need to be with their results in year four for him at OU.

“We’ve got to be better,” Venables stated. “This is a game of performance and this is a game of doing. We fell, you know, well short of that this year.”