How much has Brent Venables benefitted from a bye the week before facing Texas?

The 2024 Red River Shootout will be Brent Venables‘ 11th while on the Oklahoma payroll and his third as a head coach.

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The 2024 edition will be unique for Venables as it’s only the second time in his career as a Sooner where he’ll head to the Cotton Bowl coming off of a bye, and the first time as head coach of the program in Norman.

The only other time Venables was able to conquer the off week ahead of a battle with the Longhorns was in 2006, when the Texas earned a 28-10 win with freshman Colt McCoy.

Either as defensive coordinator for Bob Stoops or as head coach of the Sooners himself, the bye has come at varying times for Oklahoma ahead of the traditional second Saturday in October battle in the Cotton Bowl. In some instances, OU didn’t even have a bye ahead of heading to the State Fair.

So what does an extra week allow for him to do this season?

“Every year is different,” Venables said Wednesday on the SEC Coaches Teleconference. “Just unique from trying to get some guys healthy. That’s probably the biggest thing. The challenge, one of the most challenging schedules maybe we’ve had, it helps us to build a segment to break up the season in three different phases from that standpoint. We’re able to look at ourselves and see from an opponent’s view. They’re going to be able to do the same thing as well.

“It’s beneficial for both teams, I’m sure, from a health standpoint, to look at a self evaluation, and then attack the next phase of the season.”

Venables will try to make use of the bye as he has for other successful ventures against the Longhorns and their offense.

2004

Oklahoma had a bye week two weeks prior to the trip to Dallas. OU entered 4-0 with notable wins over Oregon and Texas Tech. During the 12-0 OU win, the Sooners allowed 240 yards and 13 first downs while forcing three turnovers.

2005

Once again the bye week was two weeks prior to the RRS, but it did little to help the Sooners in a 8-4 season. Vince Young led an effort that featured two turnovers but also 444 yards and 20 first downs in a 45-12 Texas win.

2006

Against McCoy and with a week to prepare, Oklahoma limited Texas to 232 yards and 13 first downs. However, the Sooners coughing up possession five times in this game. The Longhorns won 28-10 for their first two-game win streak in the rivalry since 1998 and 1999.

2007

The Sooners did not have a bye prior to their trip to Dallas. Oklahoma prevailed 28-21 thanks to allowing 61 rushing yards and forcing two turnovers. Texas gained 385 yards in the contest.

2008

Venables and company had a bye three weeks prior and entered 5-0 with a win over a ranked TCU. In one of the most epic battles in the Cotton Bowl this century, the Longhorns gained 438 yards and 23 first downs and never surrendered possession in a 45-35 win.

2009

The bye was three weeks prior to an October 17 edition of the Shootout for the Sooners, and Venables made the most of it. Unfortunately for Oklahoma, so did Will Muschamp in a 16-13 win for Texas. OU allowed 269 yards, 20 first downs, and forced three Longhorn turnovers in a defensive battle in Dallas.

2010

No bye took place before this battle, and Oklahoma still made life tough for Texas. Venables’ defense allowed 373 yards and 15 first downs while forcing two turnovers in a 28-20 OU win.

2011

The bye for Oklahoma was a full month prior to the Red River Shootout in an odd calendar season. It didn’t have too much of an effect as OU forced five turnovers in a 55-17 win.

2022

Venables’ debut as a head coach in the Red River Shootout was not preceded by a bye that would have allowed Dillon Gabriel to get healthy, but there were more issues than just quarterback that day for the Sooners. Texas put up 585 yards and 36 first downs, with Quinn Ewers throwing one interception in a 49-0 win for UT.

2023

Venables did not have the benefit of a bye yet again, and the Longhorns were able to post 527 yards and 28 first downs against the Sooners. Three critical turnovers plus a turnover on downs at the goal line boosted the Sooners to a win over the Longhorns.

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One additional note: Venables is bringing a true freshman to start at quarterback for Oklahoma in Michael Hawkins, quite possibly a program first for the Sooners. What does an extra week of preparation do for Venables to better prepare Hawkins?

“I think it’s certainly a benefit for Mike and the offensive staff,” Venables said. “Here’s your first body of work from last week, the good, bad, and ugly. Here’s where we’ve got to work to get better and so forth. We were able to work on things that maybe were issues. It’s just an opportunity to get better, practicing the fundamentals, focusing on us, things of that nature.

“For him, we would expect there to be great growth from his first game to his second game in everything that takes place from a practice standpoint.”