College sports are a standalone microcosm in the grand scheme of the sports realm. A variety of factors are baked into what makes it a unique little cluster. But at the crux of its uniqueness are the athletes themselves. These are students, not professionals. Ones with rather imposing, chiseled physiques- but students, after all. So it’s only right. Oklahoma Sooners’ HC Brent Venables is focused on keeping the main thing the main thing. By selling his program not merely as a football blueblood but as an environment conducive to holistic growth and development.

No matter which coach succeeded Lincoln Riley at OU, they were drinking from a poisoned chalice. Riley was successful on multiple levels but didn’t leave the program in the best of shape or circumstances. He essentially left unannounced in the dark of night. The roster Riley left behind wasn’t exactly brimming with quality, either. The house that Bob Stoops built stood rather precariously when Coach Venables arrived in Norman. About 3 years on, he’s been unable to stack results at the clip he’d have liked. But building back a program entails more than Ws in the win/loss column. That’s requisite but a very shallow approach. Venables is seeking prosperity beyond the gridiron. And he’s indeed being successful on that front.

Every player dreams of turning pro when they lace those cleats every day. Putting in the work, hoping all that sacrifice and sweat equity pays dividends. Unfortunately, reality isn’t as reciprocal. The percentage of players that actually convert from playing in college to the professional ranks is marginal. Hence, having an academic fallback plan in case things don’t pan out is vital. Not only does this apply to those students who never went pro, but even to those who do. Sports is a short career, and the classroom can prepare you for the pitfalls that it brings about both actively and post-retirement. Brent Venables recognizes this and is wearing his team’s success in the classroom as a badge of honor. 

In an interview with Josh Pate for his Pate State Speaker Series, Coach reinforced how important it is for someone in his capacity to preach academics just as much as football. He dished out a statistic that shines a great light on OU. “We just had our 5th straight record-setting semester academically, [with] over 3.0 team GPA,” remarked Brent Venables. “When we started, we were closer to a 2.0 than we were a 3.0- embarrassingly speaking. But we’ve changed the mindset and the goal [by] just having great habits.” The coach also mentioned how business is the top major within his team, with 51 players studying it. “After football, there’s a plane that’s, you know, going to crash to some degree,” he proceeded.

Brent Venables mentioned how the advent of NIL means over half his roster is making six figures right now. While he endorses this success, Venables also said he makes it a point to drive home that this may not last once you’re out of college. “Some of these guys are making $3, 4, 500,000. They might [get] a Day 3 opportunity in the NFL at best. Then, after that, it’s 3 years max. Now what? So we have a process set up here,” he resounded.

It’s important to keep in perspective what happens Monday through Friday before these students play in packed stadiums on Saturdays. That soaring GPA Venables mentioned will definitely help him recruit better talent. Which, by extension, will lead to more on-field success. It’s all intrinsically linked, and Coach Venables understands that. 

Speaking of things Venables understands, the Sooners’ defense. That ensured they didn’t sink to the absolute bottom in their first year in the SEC, hovering around .500 with a lackluster offense. Well, the offense has a new direction now with QB John Mateer and OC Ben Arbuckle. As for that stout defense, it’s Venables taking onus.

Brent Venables speaks about decision to take on defensive play-calling duties

Brent Venables previously announced he’s going to call the defense next season. This was a statement of intent, as Venables isn’t shying away from responsibility and deferring to a defensive coordinator. He’s one of the best defensive minds in the sport, so maximizing his input on it makes a load of sense. When asked why he decided to call the shots himself, Venables gave a rationale that exudes composure and confidence in his abilities.

Venables stated that it’s a natural fit for him, since he’s historically been successful as a DC in the past. The proof is in the pudding. Last season, OU’s defense went from 76th in the FBS to within the top 20. While he did acknowledge that this additional responsibility comes with additional pressure, Venables would rather do down while captaining the ship rather than as an ancillary. If he’s going to be on the hot seat, at least it’ll be because he underdelivered and not someone else.

Every head coach wishes to build their team in their own vision and philosophy. Brent Venables is doing just that. However, he’s also not losing sight of the bigger picture. Both as the figurehead of the team and as the custodian of a program that continues to excel on the academic front. The last couple of years have been a little bleak, but there’s a fresh air of positivity around Norman right now.