Emmett Jones ability to recruit and develop praised by Brent Venables
The hiring of Emmett Jones gave the Oklahoma Sooners an almost immediate boost on the recruiting trail. It didn’t take long for recruiting projections to begin favoring the Oklahoma Sooners at wide receiver. That’s in no small part due to Jones’ connections in the state of Texas and his ability to develop players.
That’s what head coach Brent Venables saw in him when he made the hire.
“I’ve known coach Jones several years,” Venables said last week. “Incredibly well respected in the state of Texas. Just as a leader of men, recruited his schools and got the chance to know him several years ago and watch and follow his growth and development, his path.”
Jones’ success as the head football coach at South Oak Cliff High School in Dallas meant he hosted coaches from across the college football landscape. That’s how Brent Venables became acquainted with the Sooners’ new wide receivers coach.
“And I’ve always had great admiration and respect for him as a man and his ability to develop players, how his players play; that matters to me,” Venables continued.”
Most recently, that development helped the Texas Tech Red Raiders have success in the passing game despite the loss of Erik Ezukanma, who led Tech in receiving the year prior.
His ability to develop and the relationships he has in the state of Texas, particularly in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, will be great assets for the Oklahoma Sooners on the recruiting trail.
“Certainly, he also has great ties to the state of Texas,” Venables said. “And then he values a lot of the same things that I do in regards to coaching and developing people, as a family man. He recognizes the excellence again, that Oklahoma represents and wanted an opportunity to be a part of, you know, this great program.”
The Oklahoma Sooners lost a couple of significant pieces to their receiving corps after the 2022 season. Theo Wease transferred to Missouri and Marvin Mims declared for the NFL draft. That’s a lot of experience and production out the door.
Emmett Jones’ job over the next six months is to get the wide receiver group ready to supplement the production lost with the departure of two veteran wide receivers. Jalil Farooq is expected to take on a larger role in the offense this year, but the question is who will start opposite him in two wide receiver sets.
But Venables believes Jones is up to the task.
“And so, got great, great appreciation and respect for coach Jones. (He’s) gonna give our receivers exactly what they need in regards to the development, relational, and the scheme, the fundamental development.”
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