OU (8-2, 4-2 SEC) head coach Brent Venables finds his workforce firmly within the College Football Playoff dialog in its second season within the Southeastern Conference.
The Sooners are No. 8 within the latest playoff rankings after a 23-21 win over No. 10 Alabama (8-2, 6-1). Their playoff hopes had been within the stability going into the sport at No. 11 — the primary workforce out because of the top-five convention champions incomes automated bids — earlier than they defeated the Crimson Tide to shift their destiny.
“(It was an) incredible win for this program and just a testament of where this place has come (with) building a culture and building a team that can go out and compete for championships and do it the right way and having guys that are all about the right things,” senior tight finish Jaren Kanak stated. “That comes back to coach V and the direction he’s taking this program. We’re starting to see that pay off. He’s so diligent about it. … It’s awesome to see him have the success and us have the success that we’re currently having.”
Venables’ 2025 success comes after he led the Sooners to a rocky 6-7 first 12 months within the SEC in 2024 throughout a season that was riddled with accidents — 11 players out when OU played Alabama in 2024. They additionally juggled between quarterbacks in 2024 with neither former quarterback Jackson Arnold nor sophomore quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. taking agency maintain of the beginning spot. Arnold began 9 video games, whereas Hawkins was the Sooners’ No. 1 quarterback for 4 contests.
Regardless of the challenges, going into 2025, Venables didn’t make excuses for 2024 performances.
“I’ve been incredibly disappointed that we haven’t been able to give more reason for celebrating and excitement with our end product, …” Venables stated on Aug. 26. “(But) there’s never a time for a pity party. I don’t feel bad for (anybody); nobody feels bad for me. That’s just the way life is, and I’ve always had that mindset.
“The game ain’t fair; life ain’t fair.”
Venables merely put his consideration towards working to maximise each alternative to enhance the Sooners.
“I don’t know if there’s anyone in the building, probably in Norman, that questions how much Venables cares,” OU offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle stated on Aug. 26. “He shows it with how he does everything every single day. … Every single moment is fourth and one to him.”
Venables has translated his decided mindset to success in 2025, but it surely has not been a easy path.
After a sizzling 5-0 begin, together with a win against No. 18 Michigan (8-2, 6-1 Big Ten), redshirt junior quarterback John Mateer underwent hand surgical procedure after injuring it in a win against Auburn on Sept. 20, and the Sooners misplaced to Texas 23-6 17 days after his process. Mateer recorded solely 202 passing yards within the Texas loss after averaging 304 earlier than the damage. His efficiency towards the Longhorns started a damaging pattern that has led to 174 passing yards per sport since getting back from damage with a season-low 138 within the win towards Alabama.
“We obviously left a lot of meat on the bone,” Mateer stated on Monday. “There’s a lot of room for improvement. … I’m not expected to play perfect, but I expect myself to play better.”
However, the protection, led by Venables, has been persistently robust in 2025 and shined towards Alabama on a day the offense recorded just one landing. The Sooners’ robust defensive effort towards the Crimson Tide included sophomore defensive again Eli Bowen’s pick-six, redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Taylor Wein’s pressured fumble and sophomore defensive again Jaydan Hardy’s pressured fumble. The robust defensive efficiency contributes to the Sooners rating No. 11 in opponent yards per game by 10 video games of 2025.
OU’s top-15 defensive rating in 2025 comes after it ranked 19 in 2024, 67 in 2023 and 123 in 2022 since Venables joined this system in 2022. The enchancment this season accompanies the primary time Venables has served as defensive coordinator since he was within the position at Clemson in 2012-21; Ted Roof led OU’s protection in 2022-23 with Zac Alley doing so in 2024. Venables’ Clemson protection led the nation in scoring defense in 2018 for the first time in program history and finished in the top 10 in total defense for six consecutive years in 2013-19.
With OU within the playoff hunt in 2025, it has come as a results of Venables’ defensive prowess carrying over to Norman.
“Defense has always been around anywhere he’s been, and for guys to continue to buy into that and want to be a part of something special, it’s huge,” redshirt junior linebacker Kobie McKinzie stated.
As the Sooners proceed to struggle for the playoffs, Venables holds onto a dialog he had with athletic director Joe Castiglione about how the emotions behind the selection Castiglione and OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. made to affix the SEC are actually coming to fruition.
“We talked about the vision Joe Castiglione and Joe Harroz had going into the SEC and making that decision and being on the stage in games like the magnitude of what (Alabama) was and several (other) games this year,” Venables stated, “and things have fallen in place.”
This story was edited by Josh Franklin.
