Venables Makes Belated But Important Change; Plus Great News For OSU

Big breaking news Thursday out of Norman. University of Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables fires a coordinator and enters 2024 with both coordinators in their first seasons at Oklahoma.

If Brent Venables has mutually parted ways with Sooners defensive coordinator Ted Roof mostly to free up a ton of valuable time to concentrate more on being the best head coach he can be, then strike up the band. Let’s have a parade.

We’ve been calling for BV to hand the defensive reigns to someone else from the jump. And repeatedly. Loudly. Respectfully, but loudly and repetitively. Because the omnipresent challenges for any head coach – much less a newbie with expectations that come with being the front man for Boomer Sooner... it’s a bigger deal than most anyone fathoms.

Plus, with insane changes and duties, a head coach now must take on with the NIL and the transfer portal – combined issues more impactful than any others at any time since the first tire pump put air into an odd-looking oblong pig skin – there’s too much expected of an OU head coach.

And that is not taking a shot at the good-guy defensive coordinator-linebackers coach and certainly not at Venables.

It’s common sense.

And with the SEC games around the corner, I salute the decision while wishing Ted the best.

Roof spent two years with the Sooners coming in with BV’s first staff. The coach released a statement that in part that says:

"I have the utmost respect and appreciation for Ted. I told him Wednesday I made a decision to go in a new direction at DC and offered him an opportunity to remain on our staff in a different role. He explained that he has a deep desire to keep coaching and will look to do that at a different school.”

Venables continued, “Ted is an incredibly knowledgeable coach and teacher, and his players love playing for him. Our program is thankful for his extreme dedication the last two seasons and for helping make us better."

Even with a solid defensive past, hiring Roof was surprising. And after finishing 98th in scoring defense and 121st in total defense in 2022, we expected a change following the ’22 season.

So on the surface, one can be a staunch believer that Oklahoma is undergoing too many offseason changes – Jeff Lebby’s gone and now Mississippi State’s head coach; replaced primarily by new play-caller and 2023 OU analyst Seth Littrell. And now, there's a change at defensive coordinator with Roof out and who knows who in and for what role.

The other major change is coming at the most important position where ballyhooed QB Jackson Arnold replaces unanimous 2023 first-team All-Big 12 Dillon Gabriel, now snugly fit in at Oregon (which has a megastar emerging head coach in Dan Lanning and is an NIL bastion in the Great Northwest.)

But I look at it differently.

In OU’s current state, it’s right for Venables to be bold.

But now the biggest question: Will BV do the wise thing and hire a budding DC superstar?

That’s the bottom line.

With passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach Emmett Jones turning in a very strong first season in Norman – as a recruiter, communicator, and an Xs and Os guy – did this defensive coordinator change have anything to do with Jones’ speculated offer to become Alabama’s next WR coach.

Maybe not.

But with the Sooners having what has to be fairly described as a disappointing time in the transfer portal, it sounds like Venables is 24/7 on doing everything he can to put the best players and changing staff for its best chance for success.

I liked Ted Roof. He's a good man who has done some good things in his lengthy coaching career. But he also seemed to be a fish out of water from the beginning.

And just in seconds ago, Oklahoma State transfer QB Alan Bowman has been granted an extra year of eligibility. His 12th. Kidding. This is great news for the Pokes.

I’ll update both stories periodically as we learn more info and come up with different thoughts.