OU Sooners sports minute

Sooner football fans can stop holding their breath. Athletic director Joe Castiglione and OU president Joe Harroz have their new head football coach.

As expected, Brent Venables is who will take over for the departed Lincoln Riley. Venables is a former OU assistant under Bob Stoops and now leaves a job as Clemson's defensive coordinator.

His familiarity with the Sooners program — and the expectations — are pluses for Venables, who has three national championship rings. One of those rings came from OU, when it beat Florida State for the 2000 national title. Venables was a co-defensive coordinator back then with Mike Stoops.

Like the people who fill the Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium seats, Venables is not used to losing ball games.

Meanwhile, the Sooners, under interim head coach Bob Stoops, will soon begin preparations for the Alamo Bowl. OU and the Oregon Ducks will play Dec. 29 in San Antonio.

See what else The Oklahoman sports staff has to say about a busy Sooner news week.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football has a new head coach: Brent Venables