When most SEC coaches stumble, the seat gets warm fast. Just ask LSU’s Brian Kelly and Auburn’s Hugh Freeze, both already dancing on the tightrope before Labor Day hits. But while Brent Venables hasn’t exactly been torching the scoreboard or the win columns since arriving to Norman, something about his situation feels different. After two 6-7 seasons in 2022 and 2024, Oklahoma clearly is not where they used to be. The offense is no longer the land of Heismans. And in most college towns, Year 3 of mediocrity means your name starts trending for all the wrong reasons. So why is the torch still at bay for the Sooners’ HC?
At SEC Media Days, Berry Tramel of The Tulsa World gave a little peek behind the curtain on That SEC Podcast on July 26. “They’re trying to do some things to make it easier on him because you want Brent around just for that defensive vacuum,” he said. “They’ve been so inconsistent that people don’t focus on just how bad they don’t remember and focus on the remarkable defensive turnaround because this defense was awful for so long.” The insider didn’t stop there. He gave the credit where it’s due. “Brent fixed it quick and then he made it even better than that. So, it’s a remarkable defensive story,” he added. And Brent Venables truly deserve praise on the defensive side of things.
When you fix what’s been Oklahoma’s Achilles’ heels for years, you earn some leash. Brent Venables’ led defense has gone from a national embarrassment to a problem for SEC offenses. From 121st in total defense in 2022 to 19th in 2024, you call that a defensive resurrection. As Tramel added, “So, you want somebody like that around and if he’s your head coach, you need to support him. But he is unproven.” That’s where the rope tightens again.
OU’s offense in 2024 was a disaster. The Sooners ranked 121st in passing offense, averaging an abysmal 175.8 yards per game. But on the flip side, defense climbed to a top-20 unit last year from 461 yards allowed to just over 318. The jump in scoring defense from 90th to 29th tells the same story. Brent Venables’ fingerprint is everywhere on that side of the football.
Ole Miss WR Cayden Lee who torched the Sooners for 59 yards last year offered rare respect. “He’s a very smart, defensive-minded coach, so we had to watch out for that,” he said. But even that came with a caveat. Oklahoma still blew that game in the second half. And it’s moments like those that will define Brent Venables’ legacy, not fancy schemes or upward-trending stat sheets. Still, the clock is ticking louder than ever.
Brent Venables is still under high pressure
Despite his defensive genius, Brent Venables isn’t coasting into 2025. In fact, this year could be the ultimate prove-it campaign. KREF’s Tyler McComas says a 7-5 record won’t cut it. “I think you legitimately need to go into the month of November as a college football playoff contender,” he declared in an episode on That SEC Podcast. OU spent this offseason like a team that knows it too. After a flop with Jackson Arnold, they hit the portal jackpot with John Mateer who brought his OC Ben Arbuckle with him. Toss in breakout RB Jaden Knox and a coaching overhaul including Kevin Wilson, Wes Goodwin, and GM guru Jim Nagy, and you’ve got a win-or-bust blueprint.
But let’s not pretend the SEC schedule is forgiving. It’s brutal and the expectations are even harsher. Oklahoma hosts LSU, Ole Miss, Auburn, and Mizzou, and still has road trips to South Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama. Another gauntlet against Texas and Michigan are on deck too. But this year, the offense should be better. John Mateer brings chemistry and stability. But can it go from good to elite? Because if it doesn’t…
Vegas isn’t optimistic. With +600 odds, Brent Venables is the second-likeliest Power 5 coach to get fired in 2025. Only Brent Brennan has a hotter seat. Add in Freeze, Napier, and Sam Pittman to the list, and it’s clear that SEC patience is a myth. Year Four, no NCAA smoke, no injury excuses. The Sooners don’t want a rebuild. They want revenge. So, different spot or not, his clock is ticking.
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