Brent Venables reacts to NCAA discipline, 1-game suspension for DeMarco Murray

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables addressed on Wednesday on the SEC coaches teleconference the NCAA discipline — including a one-game suspension for running backs coach DeMarco Murray — for impermissible recruiting contact. Venables explained that the situation was, in a way, affirming.

Speaking briefly on the conference call, Venables said that the punishment coming down from the NCAA and the Sooners’ self-imposed measures are a good reminder as to why there’s so much time spent learning, knowing and monitoring compliance with the rules. He also declined to confirm when Murray would serve his suspension, as most suspect he’ll be held out for the opening game against Temple on Friday night.

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“I won’t really comment on whether or not this is the week or not but in situations like these, despite the nuances and the particulars, we have to take responsibility and move on and that’s exactly what we’re doing,” Venables said.

Murray was suspended due to contacting 17 different prospects and their families over 16 months when he wasn’t supposed to be doing so. He has been the team’s running backs coach since 2020.

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Asked about what he learned from the situation, Venables turned to the idea of this latest turn with NCAA enforcement being useful, in a way.

“Well again, it’s affirmation,” Venables said. “Despite all the education that you do, the constant monitoring and reinforcement of just, ‘Follow the rules, these are what they are,’ people can still make mistakes and there’s no doubt that I’m incredibly disappointed in what took place. And I do know our staff works to be mindful of the rules and we have parameters, very clear and strong parameters that are in place. And unfortunately and completely unintentionally that wasn’t the case here. And so, DeMarco knows — he knows all of that. He’s accepted responsibility. Like I said, I know who he is and — but you’ve gotta continue to, things will still happen despite strong measures in place that try to protect ya.”

Venables, when asked a follow up, also shared that he isn’t concerned about and long-term impacts of this punishment, some of which was self-imposed by the Sooners.

“Again, there are some things, some measures that we put in place — penalties, rather, that we put in place, self-imposed,” Venables said. “But it won’t have a dramatic effect and the new rule that allows additional coaches will come into play here but I won’t talk into specifics on who that’ll be and so forth. It’s really the entire offensive staff that will pick up the slack, if you will, and we’ll have some guys step in.”