Brent Venables Agrees to Deal With Oklahoma to Become New Coach

The former Clemson defensive coordinator is the new coach of Oklahoma.

Brent Venables and Oklahoma have reached an agreement to make the former Clemson defensive coordinator the program's new head coach, the school announced Sunday night. The Athletic's Bruce Feldman was the first to report the news while sources confirmed the move to Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde. 

"We're looking forward to making another decade-plus of incredible memories as we transition to a new era of Oklahoma football, especially with the opportunity and the challenge to join the SEC, the premier conference in all of college football," Venables said in the release. "There's no question we are equipped to compete at the very highest level and attract the best players from across the country. The OU logo has never been stronger."

The announcement comes just a little over a week after former coach Lincoln Riley was announced as the new coach for the Trojans. Shortly after the reports began to surface of the done deal, Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione seemingly confirmed that he locked up Venables with an emoji on Twitter. 

🔒

— Joe Castiglione (@soonerad) December 6, 2021

Venables been with the Tigers since 2012. He was brought onto the staff as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach before being made assistant head coach in 2018 while still serving his initial role. Ole Miss offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, an Oklahoma alum, could also join his staff, per The Athletic.

Venables, 50, was the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach with the Sooners from 1999 to 2003 and was eventually promoted to assistant head coach in 2004—again while still serving his initial roles. He stayed in that role until leaving the program for Clemson in 2012.

He won the Broyles Award, the award given to the top assistant coach in the country, back in 2016 while with the Tigers. 

For more Oklahoma news, head over to All Sooners.