Oklahoma Sooners take ‘holistic’ approach to recruiting trail in NIL era

Signing Day didn’t go entirely as planned for Oklahoma Sooners coach Brent Venables. Yes, OU landed another top-10 class that featured Five-Star Plus+ quarterback Jackson Arnold, five-star EDGE Adepoju Adebawore and a crop of talent that was made up of 63% blue-chip prospects.

But a sense of disappointment – fueled largely by NIL – wafted in the air Wednesday in Norman.

The Sooners lost out in the chase to flip five-star safety Peyton Bowen out of Denton (Texas) Guyer. Bowen picked Oregon instead of Oklahoma or Notre Dame. The Sooners also lost out to rival Texas with four-star EDGE Tausili Akana. Yet, it’s the swing-and-miss with Bowen that stings because of all the collateral OU poured into his recruitment.

The Sooners were one on the long list of schools that got caught up in Oregon’s Signing Day tsunami that many insiders believe was fueled by NIL opportunities in Eugene.

Right or wrong, NIL has reshaped the recruiting trail, unlike anything we’ve ever seen. And Venables, like other coaches across the country, is having to learn to adapt to the new era of NIL.

And part of Venables’ adaptation focuses on the big picture, not the big paycheck.

Schools ‘waved money’ at OU targets, commits

Don’t forget, OU does have two powerful collectives – Crimson and Cream and 1Oklahoma – which are active with big NIL deals for student-athletes. Insiders know the Sooners can present a powerful NIL package. But Venables made it clear on Wednesday that he wants star players that want it all.

“I had one family, the momma told me, ‘We’re not rich. We’re not poor. But we’re good. This is about helping my son become a man, helping him chase his dreams and making sure that he’s held accountable to getting his degree,’” Venables said.

“That’s just a breath of fresh air. That’s what college should be about.”

Venables said his staff hit the recruiting trail with a well-rounded approach. And if it means missing out on Johnny Five Star, then so be it.

“We know that less than 2% of all college football players ever have a chance to make an opening day roster (in the NFL),” Venables said. “So, holistic development is a very real thing and something we take tremendous pride in. It’s a huge responsibility and obligation. It’s one we don’t take lightly.

“Matter of fact, we take great pride in doing exactly that. We found relationship-driven student-athletes and families that wanted to feel a connection as opposed to transactions.”

‘We had guys that didn’t flinch’

Brent Venables believes that connection matters. It’s what he’s often called the secret sauce to win big in college football.

Would he have loved to land Bowen?

No question.

But even as disappointing as Wednesday was, he’s still excited about the physically talented group he signed. But he also absolutely loves the mental attributes and intangibles the class brings to the table.

“We had guys that didn’t flinch,” Venables said. “I love their belief – all of these recruits and their families. The stick-to-itness that we ask our players to have all the time. They certainly represented that because people came at all of them. You can imagine the dialogue or waving a money opportunity at these guys. They never flinched.”

And that “stick-to-itness” on the recruiting trail in this new era of NIL might just be the perfect formula for turning things around in Venables’ second season at OU.