BREAKING: Per Multiple reports, Oklahoma Sooners to name Brent Venables as their next head coach

In what has been a week that’s felt like a month for the University of Oklahoma, the Sooners have found its next head coach in former defensive coordinator Brent Venables.

According to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman and CBS Sports’ Pete Thamel, the Sooners will officially name Brent Venables the 23rd head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners. Feldman first reported that Oklahoma president Joseph Harroz and athletic director Joe Castiglione were headed to South Carolina early Sunday morning.

Venables, who won two national titles as the defensive coordinator for the Clemson Tigers, and one for Oklahoma, returns to Norman after a decade in South Carolina. The former defensive coordinator returns to take over a team that won six straight Big 12 titles and made the playoffs three times under Lincoln Riley.

Clemson’s defensive success allowed the Tigers to challenge the SEC for national title dominance. From 2015 to 2020, the Tigers were the only thing that kept the SEC from a six-year title reign.

Under Venables, the Clemson Tigers led the nation in scoring defense in 2019 and finished in the top 10 in scoring five times.

The Oklahoma Sooners found a lot of defensive success under Venables during his tenure, helping them to a national championship in 2000 and BCS title appearances at the end of the 2004 and 2008 seasons.

The Sooners bring back one of its favorite sons from the 2000s. A guy brought to OU by Bob Stoops, who spent time with Venables under the great Bill Snyder at Kansas State.

Oklahoma looks to reestablish its defensive identity under Venables who should be able to take this team and continue to build on what Riley achieved in his five seasons at the helm.

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