Report: Former Oklahoma coordinator emerges as candidate for Oklahoma vacancy

The 2021 coaching carousel got even more hectic on Sunday, as Oklahoma’s Lincoln Riley reportedly accepted the USC head coaching job. Now, with Oklahoma in pursuit of Riley’s replacement, the Sooners have a myriad of reported targets — including former defensive coordinator Brent Venables.

Cam Marino reported that Venables, the current Clemson defensive coordinator, is a name to watch in the search. Venables has been at Clemson since 2012, serving six seasons as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, before his promotion in 2018. Ever since then, he’s served as Clemson’s assistant head coach, in addition to his duties as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Before his arrival in South Carolina, he coached at Oklahoma for 13 seasons. Hired in 2004, Venables was Oklahoma’s co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, then he was promoted in 2004 to assistant head coach, too.

According to a separate report, in Riley’s absence, the Oklahoma Sooners named Bob Stoops as its interim head coach heading into bowl season. Stoops was Oklahoma’s head coach from 1999-2016, going 9-9 in postseason play and winning Oklahoma its last national title in 2000. That season, the Sooners finished 13-0 and won the Orange Bowl in just his second year at the helm; his offensive coordinator was Riley, and his co-defensive coordinator was Venables.

Venables is one of many candidates whose name popped up after Riley’s reported departure. Another choice, perhaps a more surprising one, was Arizona Cardinals’ head coach Kliff Kingsbury.

Venables emerges as candidate after Riley goes from Oklahoma to USC

Riley has shifted the college football landscape with one swift move Sunday, as he reportedly accepted the USC head coaching job, leaving his stable post in Oklahoma behind.

Contract details have yet to be announced. Per USA Today, Riley was the fifth-highest paid coach this season with a $7.672 million salary.

In his fifth season with the Sooners, Riley was tabbed as the heir to the Bob Stoops’ dynasty. Oklahoma is 10-2 this season and was on the cusp of a College Football Playoff berth until its loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday night. A win would have set up the Sooners to meet the Cowboys in Dallas for the Big 12 title this coming weekend.

Riley took over for Stoops in June 2017. Initially hired by Stoops as an offensive coordinator in 2015, Riley built the Sooners into a top-10 offense in the 2016 season and won the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant coach.

There are a handful of reasons why Riley would want to make the move. For starters, Oklahoma is set to join the SEC in the coming years and as early as 2023. While the Sooners are constantly in the playoff conversation and winners of six-consecutive Big 12 titles, making the jump to the most competitive conference in the nation could backfire.

With a 55-10 overall record and 37-7 mark in conference play at Oklahoma, Riley has made the playoff four times but still doesn’t have a national title game appearance. Making the move to USC gives the 38-year-old head coach a backyard loaded with talent.