Brent Venables shares why he believes practicing hard builds culture

Brent Venables believes practicing with vigor will help the Oklahoma Sooners play with that same fire in 2023.

While his first season on the job left much to be desired, Venables is confident that the Sooners will improve next season, and it all begins in practice.

“We have our times for scrimmage work. We have our times for no pads. Then we have our times when we do just tracking. We have times when we’re working just thud technique. Those are all different tempos. Some of that’s regulated by the NCAA rules. Which you can and can’t do. But being physical is a mindset,” explained Venables, via The Number One College Football Show with RJ Young. “So developing a mindset, you don’t say, ‘Well okay, you’ve got to have this mindset,’ and then you go over into the mindset box and grab it out, and then you all of a sudden, instantaneously, have this kind of mindset.

“So as you’re developing culture, having the right mindset is a big part of being tough. Being physical. Practicing with an edge is something that we’re constantly nurturing, promoting. You know.”

Alas, perhaps Oklahoma’s practice mentality will help them get over their trials and tribulations from 2022. The Sooners went 6–7 during Venables first season on the job, losing in the Cheez-It Bowl to Florida State.

Additionally, Oklahoma has had a fair amount of turnover, with 21 players entering the transfer portal while signing 15 guys. But there are many players — such as linebacker Danny Stutsman — who are buying into the system and in it for the long haul.

“We’ve had tremendous turnover on our roster, but you mentioned a young man like Stutsman, he’s been bought in.” Venables said. “He takes great ownership in the bad and the good, not just the good. But you got to take the good and bad together as you’re building something and you’re chasing excellence. You get into this arena, it’s not going to all be good. We’re trying to develop a part of the mindset is that you can be completely committed to what it takes. 

“Am I willing to give what winning takes? This is what it takes. Don’t worry about the result. You focus on what it takes. The best players, the best units. the best teams, if there’s something, they’re consistent. You got to show up with the right mindset every day and then you got to play to a standard, compete to a standard each and every day. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Brent Venables seemed like a home run hire for Oklahoma. 2022 left much to be desired, but 2023 could be the year he proves his worth in Norman.