{"id":60595,"date":"2024-06-22T13:30:35","date_gmt":"2024-06-22T17:30:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/?p=60595"},"modified":"2024-06-22T10:15:21","modified_gmt":"2024-06-22T14:15:21","slug":"ok-boomer-oklahoma-extends-brent-venables","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2024\/06\/22\/ok-boomer-oklahoma-extends-brent-venables\/","title":{"rendered":"Ok Boomer, Oklahoma Extends Brent Venables"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Okay (Boomer), Sooner. <strong>Brent Venables<\/strong> got a hefty raise this week as Oklahoma and Texas officially prepare to join the SEC on July 1st. The Oklahoma Board of Regents approved a six-year, $51.6 million contract extension for Venables, keeping him in Norman through 2029. This move comes with a hefty price tag, averaging over $8.5 million a year \u2013 a significant bump from his initial $43.5 million deal signed in 2021. While Sooner fans might be celebrating, one question lingers: why now? This extension feels like a gamble with Venables still in his third year and the program facing a new conference gauntlet.<\/p>\n<h2>Questions Surrounding Brent Venables<\/h2>\n<h3>The Move to the SEC<\/h3>\n<p>With the upcoming move to the SEC, Venerables and Oklahoma will face pressure. Sooners fans are used to excellence and have dominated the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/author\/andrewmccleary\/\" target=\"_self\">Big 12.<\/a> Their stats speak for themselves: 14 conference championships (the most in the league&#8217;s history), a national championship title (2000), and four College Football Playoff appearances. These achievements would leave even the most die-hard Texas fan speechless. Speaking of which, the Sooners have taken care of business against their Red River Rivals. Oklahoma has a 17-8 record against Texas since 2000. The future doesn&#8217;t look as straightforward or as rosey as the past for the Sooners.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Things you love to SEC \ud83d\udc40<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/OUDNA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#OUDNA<\/a> x <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SEC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@SEC<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/C8ukgwpJnh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/C8ukgwpJnh<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OU_Football\/status\/1803934397478916472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">June 20, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The Longhorns are all gas and no brakes as they head to the SEC. Venables is 1-1 against the Longhorns and won a thrilling last-second matchup in Red River last year after being blown out in year one. <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2024\/06\/11\/lamborghinis-catwalks-and-sec-recruiting\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Steve Sarkisian<\/strong><\/a> rejuvenated the Longhorns, sending Texas out in style with a Big 12 Championship and College Football Playoff appearance in 2023. Venerables will face more than just Texas in the SEC. Georgia and Alabama have recently dominated both the SEC and College Football. The Sooners will transition from being the hunted to becoming the hunters, navigating a Game of Thrones-style battle to stay relevant and at the top of college football.<\/p>\n<h3>Coaching Record<\/h3>\n<p>There are still many questions surrounding Venables&#8217;s tenure as head coach. He has a 16-10 record in his two seasons in Norman, far below the Sooner standard. However, his first year was a rough start and a shock to the Sooners&#8217; system. The 2022 season was particularly disappointing, marking the first time Oklahoma finished with a losing record since 1998, with an overall 6-7 record and an uncharacteristic 3-6 in the conference. Injuries played a role, but the 49-0 loss to Texas in the Red River game raised many concerns.<\/p>\n<p>2023 was an improvement, with the Sooners finishing with a 10-3 record. However, they still fell short of expectations. Venables redeemed himself in the Red River game by preventing the embarrassment of blowing a late 10-point lead in a thrilling finish. The Sooners drove 75 yards in five plays, scoring in under a minute to defeat the Longhorns. Despite this victory over Texas, the Sooners ended the season third in the league and suffered a loss to Arizona in the Alamo Bowl.<\/p>\n<h3>Roster Turnover<\/h3>\n<div class=\"html-div xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x78zum5 x15zctf7\">\n<div class=\"html-div xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd xeuugli x1vjfegm\">\n<div class=\"html-div xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x78zum5 xh8yej3\" role=\"presentation\">\n<div class=\"x78zum5 xdt5ytf x193iq5w x1n2onr6 x1kxipp6 xuk3077\">\n<div class=\"x78zum5 xh8yej3\" role=\"none\">\n<div class=\"html-div xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x6ikm8r x10wlt62\">\n<div class=\"html-div xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x14ctfv x1okitfd x1k4qllp x6ikm8r x10wlt62 x1y1aw1k xwib8y2 x1ye3gou xn6708d x1n2onr6 x1vjfegm x1mzt3pk x13faqbe x11jlvup xpmdkuv x154zaqr x12z03op xyhp3ou x13fuv20 xu3j5b3 x1q0q8m5 x26u7qi x12lizq0 xf766zg x1ybe9c6 x1ts5dru x1tlxs6b x1g8br2z x1gn5b1j x230xth\" role=\"presentation\">\n<div class=\"html-div xe8uvvx xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x1gslohp x11i5rnm x12nagc x1mh8g0r x1yc453h x126k92a xyk4ms5\" dir=\"auto\">Venables knows what recruiting a championship-level team looks like. He was <strong>Dabo Swinney<\/strong>&#8216;s right-hand man and one of his best recruiters at Clemson. The Sooners finished 12th in recruiting in 2024 and sit eighth in the Class of 2025. Those are good numbers and would be among the elite of the Big 12, but as <strong>Dan Hawkins<\/strong> said, &#8220;This ain&#8217;t intramurals, brother.&#8221; To compete in the SEC, Oklahoma must consistently stack the Top 5 classes to compete with the likes of Georgia and Alabama.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"html-div xe8uvvx xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x1gslohp x11i5rnm x12nagc x1mh8g0r x1yc453h x126k92a xyk4ms5\" dir=\"auto\">Venables needs to differ from Swinney by mastering the Transfer Portal to address gaps and strengthen his roster for SEC competition. The portal hit the Sooners hard at the end of the 2023 season when quarterback <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2024\/05\/24\/top-5-incoming-big-ten-quarterback-transfers-for-2024\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Dillon Gabriel<\/strong><\/a> transferred to Oregon. Although <strong>Jackson Arnold<\/strong> is prepared to step in as quarterback, the question of who will protect him reveals a bigger problem. Oklahoma lost all five of its starting offensive linemen from the 2023 season, a concerning issue as the program transitions into the challenging environment of the SEC.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<h3>Burn Prevention<\/h3>\n<p>The extension shows how the Sooners may still feel the effect of <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2021\/11\/28\/lincoln-riley-headed-to-usc\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Lincoln Riley<\/strong> <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LincolnRiley\/status\/1378849175916453889\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">burning their brisket<\/a> with his move to USC. At the same time, we can appreciate that Oklahoma didn&#8217;t want to be in that position again. But the question remains. Was it likely that Venabrales would be leaving for another job? Sure, Swinney may leave Clemson, but are the Tigers in a better spot with all the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2024\/06\/08\/60242-the-acc-is-throwing-a-curve-into-florida-state-lawsuit\/\" target=\"_self\">uncertainty<\/a> surrounding the ACC? Hats off to Venables&#8217; agent; he got his client more money and left many of us in college football scratching our heads.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"html-div xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu xkhd6sd x1eb86dx x78zum5 x1c4vz4f x2lah0s x9q6w0x xd5rl1\">\n<div class=\"html-div xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x78zum5 x15zctf7 xamitd3\">\n<div class=\"html-div xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x78zum5 xdt5ytf x1iyjqo2 x2lah0s xl56j7k x1n2onr6 x1mqs8db x1n327nk x1mpkggp\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"html-div xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x6s0dn4 x78zum5 x1mqs8db xl5lk40 x15zctf7\" role=\"presentation\">\n<div class=\"html-div xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x6s0dn4 x78zum5 x1mqs8db xl5lk40 x15zctf7\" role=\"presentation\">\n<div class=\"html-div xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd\" aria-hidden=\"false\">\n<div class=\"x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z __fb-light-mode\">\n<div class=\"x1ey2m1c xds687c x17qophe xg01cxk x47corl x10l6tqk x13vifvy x1ebt8du x19991ni x1dhq9h xzolkzo x12go9s9 x1rnf11y xprq8jg\" role=\"none\" data-visualcompletion=\"ignore\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_60600\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-60600\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-60600 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/USATSI_22098608_168400562_lowres-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/USATSI_22098608_168400562_lowres-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/USATSI_22098608_168400562_lowres-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/USATSI_22098608_168400562_lowres-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/USATSI_22098608_168400562_lowres-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/USATSI_22098608_168400562_lowres-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/USATSI_22098608_168400562_lowres-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/USATSI_22098608_168400562_lowres-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-60600\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Credit: \u00a9 NATHAN J. FISH\/THE OKLAHOMAN \/ USA TODAY NETWORK<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"html-div xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd\" aria-hidden=\"false\">\n<div class=\"x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z __fb-light-mode\">\n<div class=\"x1i10hfl x1ejq31n xd10rxx x1sy0etr x17r0tee x1ypdohk xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x87ps6o x1lku1pv x1a2a7pz x6s0dn4 xzolkzo x12go9s9 x1rnf11y xprq8jg x972fbf xcfux6l x1qhh985 xm0m39n x9f619 x78zum5 xl56j7k xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x1n2onr6 x1fgtraw xgd8bvy xjbqb8w\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Reply\">\n<div class=\"x1ey2m1c xds687c x17qophe xg01cxk x47corl x10l6tqk x13vifvy x1ebt8du x19991ni x1dhq9h xzolkzo x12go9s9 x1rnf11y xprq8jg\" role=\"none\" data-visualcompletion=\"ignore\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Okay (Boomer), Sooner. Brent Venables got a hefty raise this week as Oklahoma and Texas officially prepare to join the SEC on July 1st. The Oklahoma Board of Regents approved a six-year, $51.6 million contract extension for Venables, keeping him in Norman through 2029. This move comes with a hefty price tag, averaging over $8.5 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4424,"featured_media":60600,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,2],"tags":[18,2409,1486,680,33686,9976,37,20,6142],"class_list":["post-60595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sec","category-featured","tag-big-12","tag-boomer-sooner","tag-brent-venables","tag-dabo-swinney","tag-dan-hawkins","tag-jackson-arnold","tag-oklahoma-sooners","tag-sec","tag-texas"],"modified_by":"Kate Pearson Halyburton, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60595","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4424"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60595"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60595\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60600"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60595"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60595"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60595"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}