This guy does what I'm guilty of. He gives $20 answers to $2 questions. When Bob Stoops was so guarded in his approach to the media, Brent often portrays every detail. Maybe it's inexperience as HC. Maybe it will take his getting burned, by Hoover or whomever. But he is so intense and out there. It's going to be interesting to see how soon that changes. If you haven't watched today's pre-spring practice presser, go over to Soonersports.com and check it out. I just hope he doesn't burn his candle out too soon.
Brent Venables press conference
- Thread starter Raysor
- Start date
Venables does seem to be on a sugar high with his enthusiasm, but I don't see this as a problem, now or ever.
I believe Venables sees all the possibilities at his feet at a place like OU, and he's really excited about it. His work since early last December reflects this.
In the time of Riley's exit and during OU's hunt for a new coach, none of us could have foreseen the possibility of having a solid recruiting class along with a carefully upgraded coaching staff in so short a time.
And I have never seen an Oklahoma coach going headlong into the deep south to the way Venables is doing for future recruiting. His time at Clemson has apparently given him a good presence in Dixie.
I believe Venables sees all the possibilities at his feet at a place like OU, and he's really excited about it. His work since early last December reflects this.
In the time of Riley's exit and during OU's hunt for a new coach, none of us could have foreseen the possibility of having a solid recruiting class along with a carefully upgraded coaching staff in so short a time.
And I have never seen an Oklahoma coach going headlong into the deep south to the way Venables is doing for future recruiting. His time at Clemson has apparently given him a good presence in Dixie.
Brent's just an energy guy. Don't expect he'll ever change. Bob was similar in his early years but certainly seemed to sour on the media. But with clowns like Tramel and Carlson, who wouldn't. I'd have paid a lifetime subscription to The Oklahoma fill Bob's shoes and answer some questions from Tramel's weasely ***.
You've obviously never met the man in person so I'll cut you some slack for this less than intelligent post.
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OUnabomber
Guest
I got so sick of Bobs canned answers and defensive attitude with the media and anyone else who questioned him. Riley was even worse as far as personality goes. Let BV be Brent. The players seem to love him and he might be just what we need at the right time. I really don't see him changing and that is a good thing.
Iāve seen nothing to indicate to me that Venables will not have the drive or ability to be as good and perhaps more accomplished head coaches as a whole than Stoops or Riley. I think one could say coming in, Venables is the most well rounded of them all.
There may be some losses (2 or 3 possibly) this season, but I do not expect any losses to be lopsided and as the season progresses, there will be noticeable improvement with each game.
The stench of Riley's final season will be a distant memory....oh, wait...it already is !
The stench of Riley's final season will be a distant memory....oh, wait...it already is !
One of the biggest crimes in videography history took place in the 2001 Orange Bowl against Florida State. I was about 30 rows up on the 20 yard line behind OU bench. I watched Brent for a good bit of the game. The guy was a lightening rod for our defense, especially the LBs that night. I don't think his feet touched the ground the second half of the game. I had reservations about Brent when I heard he was the leading candidate for OU Head Coach. I was completely wrong and I openly admit it. I like this guy's infectious energy. There is no way that this cannot rub off on most, if not all of his players. Brent, the man and coach cannot be separated from his rambunctious attitude. His energy was apparent throughout his tenure at Clemson. He is going to have a very long career at OU with Hall of Fame success.
I saw the same energy from Venables when he was at Clemson.
Has Castiglione made a mistake in hiring coaches in any sport.....outside of Riley ?
I recall Riley getting a groundswell of support from Bob Stoops as well as Castiglione, but there was no way anyone could have seen him leaving the way he did....even after his poor level of coaching last season.
I blame Riley for the total defense collapse at OU. Stoops was on the decline and had lost a lot of the fire when he hired Riley as OC, I truly think he adapted Rileyās, āscrew defense, letās just try to outscore themā approach, and itās showed in our program. Thatās fixing to change. I think Venables going to Clemson was the best thing to happen to him. When I first saw Dabo I thought he was just a rah rah guy but his record has proved to be anything but. He gets it as a coach and Venables gets it imo.
Riley's disregard for defensive football, in my opinion, only made him a Texas Tech caliber coach....nothing more, nothing less. His poor coaching last season has me wondering why any other team didn't see him as the "emperor with no clothes".
And throughout Stoops' tenure, OU had a horrible habit of yielding big plays in game-on-the-line situations and without Venables on the staff, I think OU lost too many games this way.
We all thought that Mike Stoops' firing after the 2018 Texas game was a turning point in OU's defensive regard. It wasn't, and the gap between OU and teams like Clemson, Alabama and Georgia remained very wide.
It may take 2 or more years for Venables and his staff to shed OU's defensive "black hole"....although I believe it could happen "Sooner".
I got lambasted on this board for my opinion about tbow's defensive philosophy. 2018 Rose Bowl.
I watched the 4th quarter of the Western Carolina "game" from last September to watch some of the younger players perform. Clearly, this falls under "get a life".
Guys like LB Clayton Smith, QB Rucker, RB's Hudson and Knowles, HB Sumlin just to name a few.
I did not see them on the field after that second game the entire year because of the closeness of ten other games.....made possible for the most part by what proved to be a lame duck coach and his staff that had OU playing with its foot off the accelerator.
I'm thinking that while many players bailed on OU last December, many of the lesser known players stayed and I believe (and hope) there are a few hidden "gems" that will be good contributors going forward.
Guys like LB Clayton Smith, QB Rucker, RB's Hudson and Knowles, HB Sumlin just to name a few.
I did not see them on the field after that second game the entire year because of the closeness of ten other games.....made possible for the most part by what proved to be a lame duck coach and his staff that had OU playing with its foot off the accelerator.
I'm thinking that while many players bailed on OU last December, many of the lesser known players stayed and I believe (and hope) there are a few hidden "gems" that will be good contributors going forward.
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OUnabomber
Guest
I'm thinking that a few of the players got wind of Riley's intentions and it spread through the locker room. Why be invested in this season if the head coach isn't even all that interested? He should have just been a man and quit before the first game.
Agree.
The team played in such a funk last season that your thought has traction.
Everything that I read or hear, that's the word. These players are "infected" by his energy. Venables is a "tell it like it is" guy but it comes off as positive. This roster is loaded with guys who are starving for something more in regards to a culture of football. Not social justice. Not appearances.
Come September 3rd...it's going to be a feeding frenzy.
Recruiting is really gonna skyrocket with Brent on the defensive. I can't stop smiling.
Recruiting by OU has always been good, except for the years 1959-61, when Wilkinson seemingly took his foot off the accelerator his last 3 years (by his own admission). His 150 miles radius around Norman in recruiting started to work against him as he became too provincial and Royal's emergence at UT had an impact as well, both on and off the field. (OU from 1958-65 scored a total of 53 points in those 8 years....or less than 7 points per game, losing 8 straight to the former Sooner All American, then losing 4 more to Royal until 1971).
OU's recruiting following the 1989 probation hurt, but OU still had players in my opinion that were talented enough to win more than they were losing and I believe it was simply OU's legacy alone that attracted some very good talent those 10 years. The speed at which Bob Stoops resurrected the program in 1999-2000 reflects this as he inherited a core of players that were hungry and rejuvenated by their new coach and who were key to the 2000 championship.
OU now has the right coach with a strong, built-in loyalty to OU and all the resources to make OU truly elite again. My twilight years should be enjoyable....especially after my heart valve replacement coming soon. Living in Gettysburg and having OU playing SEC caliber football should keep me upright until I'm shot to death by a jealous husband when I'm 93.
OU's recruiting following the 1989 probation hurt, but OU still had players in my opinion that were talented enough to win more than they were losing and I believe it was simply OU's legacy alone that attracted some very good talent those 10 years. The speed at which Bob Stoops resurrected the program in 1999-2000 reflects this as he inherited a core of players that were hungry and rejuvenated by their new coach and who were key to the 2000 championship.
OU now has the right coach with a strong, built-in loyalty to OU and all the resources to make OU truly elite again. My twilight years should be enjoyable....especially after my heart valve replacement coming soon. Living in Gettysburg and having OU playing SEC caliber football should keep me upright until I'm shot to death by a jealous husband when I'm 93.
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