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Brent Venables Sees Improvement, but Says Oklahoma Could Use Some Playmakers

The Sooners' head coach said Friday after practice that he's seeing evidence of guys making plays on both sides of the ball, but said it's something that has to progress.

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By Tim Willert

NORMAN — Brent Venables is looking for playmakers on both sides of the ball leading up to the 2023 season opener. Oklahoma's second-year football coach made that clear Friday on the second day of fall camp.

Venables said he was "really pleased" with how players are adjusting to the rigors of training.

"We're getting better," he said. "Had some situational work. There's a lot of give and take and that's what you want to see in a team," he said. "Guys making some plays. Not just layups, that goes without saying, the guys that are making plays."

Gone from last year's offense are wide receiver Marvin Mims, running back Eric Gray and tight end Brayden Willis, players whom Venables applauded for their playmaking abilities.

The coach referred to Willis as "one of my favorite players of all time" in a media interview after practice.

"We've got to get more guys that can make plays on both sides of the ball, when maybe everything isn't perfect, and I'm seeing that maturation," he said. "Especially I saw some things with some guys making some great plays on offense today.

"Really encouraging, where guys are in great position on defense and guys are just making plays, whether it's the quarterback, the receiver, the tight end, the back. So, really encouraged by that. Got a long way to go, a lot of improvement."

Venables didn't mince words when it came to the defense, noting the importance of having playmakers on that side of the ball as well.

"I'm kind of hard on the defense," he said. "They deserve that. We haven't been very good in a while, but guys are making improvement there. It's incredibly important."

Venables said the key to making plays is being in the right spot at the right time.

"We challenge the guys (with) 'If you don't like the quality of the results that you have, then look at the quality of the process that you have,' " he said. "Make sure that process is where it needs to be. Maybe a guy's got a great jump on he ball and he's got a great swipe technique in his pass rush game or a great counter in his pass rush game and he beats somebody one on one as opposed to relying on someone to bust an assignment, and that's incredibly important across the board."

Venables said several players are making plays early on in camp.

"We need to continue to see that," he said. "It's everything and it's at all three levels and we've got to see that. Anxious to see that continue to evolve on both sides of the ball."

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