Greg McElroy weighs in on Brent Venables’ shot at Mario Cristobal

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables apparently took a shot at Miami’s Mario Cristobal during Big 12 Media Days.

ESPN’s Greg McElroy dove into why he did it as Venables put his own team’s struggles into perspective by comparing them to Miami’s schedule last year. He didn’t mention the Hurricanes by name, but named exact results; blowouts to be exact.

The two schools aren’t in the same conference, nor will they be when Oklahoma moves to the SEC next year. That left McElroy confused.

“You hear the shade right there, a little subtle jab at Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes by referencing Middle Tennessee, also additional shade against Miami because they did get blown out by Florida State,” McElroy said on Always College Football. “So why Brent Venables felt the need to poke Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes, are they rivals now? Is this a new rivalry? Should we introduce this in a world in which rivalries are just being created out of thin air? Should we introduce this as a possible rival? I mean, if UCLA and Rutgers are going to be rivals, why wouldn’t we just make Miami in Oklahoma rivals, it makes sense to me.” 

McElroy’s sarcastic tone summed it up. Venables said, and we quote: “6-7, none of it’s any good. But had we gotten blown out by Middle Tennessee, had we gotten beat by Florida State 45-3, the conversation’s probably a little different.”

It was a disappointing season for both schools but why the seemingly unnecessary shade at a team not even on your radar?

“I mean, both coaches are highly paid in their second year, both (had) disappointing year ones,” McElroy said. “Brent Venables needs to have a good year this year. But what I think is most important, there is this common vernacular in sports and you guys have heard it to be honest with you. I’ve probably used this phrase once or twice. You are what your record says you are. 

“And while Oklahoma’s record last year was remarkably disappointing, we also have to take into account that there was a significant systemic change with the type of defense they were running, the identity of the team, how they practiced, how they did things.” 

That’s not to mention the exodus at Oklahoma upon Lincoln Riley’s departure for USC before Brent Venables could even get to work.

“And by the way, the personnel I mean, you lost a lot of really good players, not just to USC but to several other places throughout the country,” McElroy said. “When Lincoln Riley departed Norman, Brent Venables did the best with what he had, but losing your quarterback for a big game and just weren’t super competitive all the time. There’s going to be some growing pains.”