Brent Venables contract details with Oklahoma revealed
Following the news that Brent Venables would be the next Oklahoma head coach, details of his new contract with the Sooners have been revealed. Venables’ deal will keep him under contract for the next six seasons.
Brent Venables’ Oklahoma contract
According to Action Network’s Brett McMurphy, Venables signed a six-year deal that is worth $43.5 million overall. He is set to make $7.25 million per season. McMurphy notes that Venables’ deal with Oklahoma is still pending approval by the Oklahoma’s Board of Regents.
Brent Venables, who most recently served as Clemson’s defensive coordinator, will return to Norman and serve as the Sooners’ head coach.
Venables emerged as a top target for the Oklahoma job on Sunday morning, according to a report. Shortly thereafter, the university finalized the hiring.
Oklahoma found themselves with a surprising need for a new head coach after Lincoln Riley accepted the coaching position available at USC. Riley took over for legendary Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops in 2017 and appeared to be the man to lead them for much longer.
Riley left Oklahoma with a 55-10 record in his five years as coach. Oklahoma also made the College Football Playoff three times under Riley, but never made it to the national championship game.
Much like Riley, Venables comes from the Stoops coaching tree. While Riley previously served as Stoops’ offensive coordinator, Venables served as a defensive coordinator. Hired in 1999, Venables was Oklahoma’s co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, then he was promoted in 2004 to assistant head coach, too.
Venables coached the defense under Stoops in 2000, when the Sooners were consensus national champions, and he was a Broyles Award finalist in 2006. That season, Venables led Oklahoma to an excellent performance in which the Sooners led the Big 12 in total defense and scoring defense.