Brent Venables stresses Oklahoma is intentional with moves in recruiting

Oklahoma’s recruiting decisions aren’t an accident. On Wednesday, head coach Brent Venables weighed in on his impressive 2024 signing class.

“We’re very intentional,” Venables said. “We don’t cast a big ol’ net and throw it in the middle of the ocean and see what we get. We are very intentional looking for the fit, looking for, certainly, positionally and what we’re looking for from an athletic standpoint, competitive standpoint, leadership standpoint, character standpoint.

“How are they going to come into this program and make a deposit, not just on the field but make this place better? Do they bring value? Because I know this can be a very short relationship; some of these guys will be here just for several months, but it’s important to me that we find young men that are going to bring value to our locker room.”

Venables secured no shortage of talent for next season. Oklahoma boasts the No. 8 recruiting class in the 2024 cycle, according to On3 Industry Rankings. The group consists of a whopping 27 commits, headlined by five-star DL David Stone.

This is the second straight year Venables has reeled in a Top-10 recruiting class. He isn’t only looking to sign high school prospects, either. The Sooners have already added five players in the transfer portal. It isn’t easy work, but Venables knows every grueling moment is worth it.

Brent Venables in a race to the finish line

“It’s recruiting on steroids,” Venables said. “Everything happens very fast. You got to use all your experience and connections and relationships to try to find out as much as young can about these young guys, because that’s how I protect the culture of the program. I’m very culture-centered, I’m fit-centered.

“Again, I’m looking for people that make us better, guys that can—we’re not looking for backups. We’re looking for guys that come in here and make us better and make the guys in the locker room better. I tell the players all the time, you know, my job is to put together the most competitive roster I can; your job is to show up every day ready to compete, and if you don’t like to compete, good luck when you leave college because the real world gets even more competitive.”

With signing day behind him, Venables can turn his attention toward Oklahoma’s upcoming bowl game. On Dec. 28, the Sooners will square off against Arizona at 9:15 p.m. ET in the Valero Alamo Bowl. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.