Brent Venables reveals biggest change in Oklahoma's offense

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables helped break the Sooners’ three-game losing streak this past weekend, securing his first Big 12 conference with a 52-42 victory over Kansas. The Sooners’ offense went scoreless in their previous matchup with Texas, but got back starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel for their matchup against the Jayhawks. Venables was about the difference was between their offensive performance versus Kansas compared to their previous two weeks, and couldn’t help but mention is start QB.

“Go back to Texas, Dillon didn’t play, I don’t know if that’s the difference but it’s probably not 49 nothing, and the week before he missed three quarters of that game. And again we gave up uncontested touchdowns against TCU, the game got out of hand because the way we played defensively in my opinion,” Venables said.

Gabriel definitely gave Oklahoma’s offense a lift in their most recent game, throwing for 403 yards and two touchdown passes, but Venables seems more concerned about his defense being able to help his offense, as they’ve given up more than 40 points in their last four games.

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“Playing a little more disciplined, it doesn’t take much to be on the wrong side,” Venables said. “Again, it’s three deep as you guys have been covering and asking me questions, it’s three deep and the corner’s not in his third and it’s 3rd & 9 and they throw a freaking go ball and there’s nobody in his third, it’s gonna be a touchdown, and we did that a handful of times at TCU that we didn’t make people earn it.”

Having an offense and defense that can play complimentary football is sometimes more important than the strength of either unit individually, which has been a struggle for the Sooners at times this season. Venables spoke more on the ways in which his defensive unit can improve and give a helping hand to Gabriel and their offense.

“It’s hard to go up and down the field having to execute ten, 12, 13 play drives, just be sound in what you’re doing, it makes it a lot more difficult on an offense. So we’re a little better doing that today and got a long ways to go obviously, but I think just being more efficient, and more sound, and better fundamentals, and guys just doing their job and not trying to do too much,” Venables said. Simple execution.

They say the best offense is a good defense, and hopefully Venables can improve his defense moving forward as they continue to face strictly conference competition the rest of the season.