All Sooners

Brent Venables: Oklahoma's Win Over Alabama Has Recruits 'Excited About the Future'

The Sooners' massive victory on Saturday night gave OU a jolt as Oklahoma tries to finish strong with the 2025 recruiting class.

Ryan Chapman

Oklahoma linebacker Kip Lewis (10)
Oklahoma linebacker Kip Lewis (10) / William Purnell-Imagn Images
In this story:

NORMAN — Oklahoma’s best performance of the season took center stage on Saturday night. 

ESPN announced that 7.7 million people watched the Sooners knock out the Alabama Crimson Tide 24-3, but perhaps the most important viewers were OU’s commits in the 2025 and 2026 recruiting classes. 

A number of those future Sooners, including 2026 4-star quarterback Jaden O’Neal, watched a good chunk of the more than 84,000 fans in Norman pour onto Owen Field after the win, but regardless of if the recruits were there in-person or watching from home, Brent Venables believes the victory sent a clear message in the midst of a tough season. 

“I would be naive if I acted like I didn't have a positive effect,” the OU coach said during his weekly press conference on Tuesday. “…  I've been doing this a long time, so I know, certainly, when to play off of that window —  'You see what I've been saying?' Not that ... Just affirmation, 'Hey, we're getting better.' There's a lot to to be excited about the future. And if we put it all together and Oklahoma doesn't beat Oklahoma, this is what we're capable of.”

The Sooners are clearly not where they want to be. 

Venables admitted he “failed” with his offensive coordinator hire last offseason, and he had to move on from Seth Littrell after a disastrous performance against South Carolina. 

But since that change, OU has only lost one offensive commitment — quarterback Kevin Sperry, who flipped to Florida State. 

Though 5-star offensive tackle Michael Fasusi visited Texas last weekend and is slated to be in College Station as Texas A&M’s guest this weekend, he’s still an Oklahoma commit, along with fellow coveted offensive tackle Ryan Fodje. 

Keeping hold of those talented pieces and more is a challenge with the coaching staff on the offensive side of the ball still in flux, and programs around the country won’t stop calling even after OU’s victory over the Crimson Tide. 

“We’re not recruiting against just anybody,” Venables said. “We’re recruiting against really good programs that have a lot to sell.”

Still, incredibly, there is a chance to salvage some momentum at the end of the season. 

The LSU Tigers (7-4, 4-3 SEC) have had their own struggles this year. 

If the Sooners can build off their physical performance against Alabama, OU could enter bowl season (and National Signing Day) 7-5 on the year with a chance to finish 8-5.

Its far from Venables’ lofty expectations, but that late-season charge paired with the allure of Oklahoma could be enough to hold the class over until OU is able to make an offensive coordinator hire as it looks to turn things around in 2025. 

“I’m in alignment with the University of Oklahoma, and I’m in alignment with the SEC conference, and I’m in alignment with the development opportunities with this staff, and an alignment with a really good locker room and culture and a great foundation of youth and experience and the recruiting classes we have,” Venables said. 

“… These guys want to know that they’re going to be around a lot of other good players that they can compete at the highest level. We have a lot to sell that way, and certainly last week’s performance is affirmation of that.” 

Published
Ryan Chapman
RYAN CHAPMAN

Ryan is deputy editor at AllSooners and covers a number of sports in and around Norman and Oklahoma City. Working both as a journalist and a sports talk radio host, Ryan has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team, the Oklahoma City Energy and more. Since 2019, Ryan has simultaneously pursued a career as both a writer and a sports talk radio host, working for the Flagship for Oklahoma sports, 107.7 The Franchise, as well as AllSooners.com. Ryan serves as a contributor to The Franchise’s website, TheFranchiseOK.com, which was recognized as having the “Best Website” in 2022 by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters. Ryan holds an associate’s degree in Journalism from Oklahoma City Community College in Oklahoma City, OK. 

Home/Football