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Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables was on the hot seat entering last season, but he coached his way off of it with a 10-win year and a trip to the College Football Playoff. Now, Venables and his OU team will look to avoid regression, instead looking to progress further into the CFP this season.
CBS Sports' Brad Crawford ranked each of the 16 head coaches in the SEC ahead of the new season, placing Venables in the middle of the pack at No. 8. Crawford believes OU has the 28th-best head man in the country.
"Only one other SEC coach jumped in these rankings on a similar plane to the mammoth move from Venables, who entered last season on the hot seat before leading the Sooners to a CFP appearance and leaping 24 spots into the top 30. No one has ever questioned his defensive brilliance, but taking over that side of the field full-time last fall led to an impressive finish and partially masked some of Oklahoma's offensive struggles with an injured John Mateer at quarterback." - Brad Crawford, CBS Sports.
Venables was ranked 13th in the SEC on Crawford's list last year, but his mastery of the defensive side of the ball served the Sooners well last season. With an offense that was inconsistent behind an injured quarterback and lacked a strong running game, it was Venables' defense that kept Oklahoma afloat during a brutal November slate where the Sooners went 4-0 to get to the playoff.
"Oklahoma must complement its championship-caliber defense with more consistency, explosiveness and stability on offense. Venables has reshaped the roster and culture, but the runway in Norman is never unlimited. This season will reveal whether the Sooners are national title contenders or still chasing the league's elite tier. With improved quarterback play and better execution, Oklahoma has the talent to be one of the league's best." - Crawford, CBS Sports.
Now, Venables must foster complementary football in Norman, something that has typically eluded the Sooners in recent memory. Just as he flipped the defense, now the offense needs to become the fearsome unit that can hold its own weight.
The 2026 season is another step in that journey, as Venables might have his most talented roster yet at Oklahoma. If the Sooners can become as well-rounded as other recent contenders have been, OU could fly higher this year than it did last year.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X@Aaron_Gelvin.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Where does Brent Venables land on CBS Sports' SEC head coach rankings?
Continue reading...
CBS Sports' Brad Crawford ranked each of the 16 head coaches in the SEC ahead of the new season, placing Venables in the middle of the pack at No. 8. Crawford believes OU has the 28th-best head man in the country.
"Only one other SEC coach jumped in these rankings on a similar plane to the mammoth move from Venables, who entered last season on the hot seat before leading the Sooners to a CFP appearance and leaping 24 spots into the top 30. No one has ever questioned his defensive brilliance, but taking over that side of the field full-time last fall led to an impressive finish and partially masked some of Oklahoma's offensive struggles with an injured John Mateer at quarterback." - Brad Crawford, CBS Sports.
Venables was ranked 13th in the SEC on Crawford's list last year, but his mastery of the defensive side of the ball served the Sooners well last season. With an offense that was inconsistent behind an injured quarterback and lacked a strong running game, it was Venables' defense that kept Oklahoma afloat during a brutal November slate where the Sooners went 4-0 to get to the playoff.
"Oklahoma must complement its championship-caliber defense with more consistency, explosiveness and stability on offense. Venables has reshaped the roster and culture, but the runway in Norman is never unlimited. This season will reveal whether the Sooners are national title contenders or still chasing the league's elite tier. With improved quarterback play and better execution, Oklahoma has the talent to be one of the league's best." - Crawford, CBS Sports.
Now, Venables must foster complementary football in Norman, something that has typically eluded the Sooners in recent memory. Just as he flipped the defense, now the offense needs to become the fearsome unit that can hold its own weight.
The 2026 season is another step in that journey, as Venables might have his most talented roster yet at Oklahoma. If the Sooners can become as well-rounded as other recent contenders have been, OU could fly higher this year than it did last year.
Oklahoma Offensive and Defensive Rankings since 1999
- 1999 - Offense: 8th (36.8 ppg), Defense: 16th (18.4 ppg)
- 2000 - Offense: 7th (39.0 ppg), Defense: 7th (16.0 ppg)
- 2001 - Offense: 27th (32.2 ppg), Defense: 4th (13.8 ppg)
- 2002 - Offense: 5th (38.6 ppg), Defense: 5th (15.4 ppg)
- 2003 - Offense: 3rd (42.9 ppg), Defense: 5th (15.3 ppg)
- 2004 - Offense: 14th (34.8 ppg), Defense: 11th (16.8 ppg)
- 2005 - Offense: 56th (26.9 ppg), Defense: 37th (23.1 ppg)
- 2006 - Offense: 19th (30.3 ppg), Defense: 19th (17.3 ppg)
- 2007 - Offense: 5th (42.3 ppg), Defense: 19th (20.3 ppg)
- 2008 - Offense: 1st (51.1 ppg), Defense: 58th (24.5 ppg)
- 2009 - Offense: 29th (31.1 ppg), Defense: 7th (14.5 ppg)
- 2010 - Offense: 14th (37.2 ppg), Defense: 33rd (21.8 ppg)
- 2011 - Offense: 10th (39.5 ppg), Defense: 31st (22.1 ppg)
- 2012 - Offense: 16th (38.2 ppg), Defense: 50th (25.5 ppg)
- 2013 - Offense: 40th (32.8 ppg), Defense: 23rd (22.1 ppg)
- 2014 - Offense: 21st (36.4 ppg), Defense: 56th (25.9 ppg)
- 2015 - Offense: 4th (43.5 ppg), Defense: 29th (22.0 ppg)
- 2016 - Offense: 3rd (43.9 ppg), Defense: 69th (28.8 ppg)
- 2017 - Offense: 3rd (45.1 ppg), Defense: 68th (27.1 ppg)
- 2018 - Offense: 1st (48.4 ppg), Defense: 101st (33.3 ppg)
- 2019 - Offense: 6th (42.1 ppg), Defense: 64th (27.3 ppg)
- 2020 - Offense: 6th (43.0 ppg), Defense: 29th (21.7 ppg)
- 2021 - Offense: 8th (39.1 ppg). Defense: 60th (25.8 ppg)
- 2022 - Offense: 33rd (32.8 ppg), Defense: 99th (30.0 ppg)
- 2023 - Offense: 4th (41.7 ppg), Defense: 49th (23.5 ppg)
- 2024 - Offense: 97th (24.0 ppg), Defense: 29th (21.5 ppg)
- 2025 - Offense: 79th (26.2 ppg), Defense: 7th (15.5 ppg)
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X@Aaron_Gelvin.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Where does Brent Venables land on CBS Sports' SEC head coach rankings?
Continue reading...
