Oklahoma Coach Brent Venables Wants to 'Maintain an Aggressive Mentality' at OSU

The Sooners rushed for a season high at Kansas, but largely abandoned their downfield passing game as KU scored an historic upset.

John E. Hoover | Oct 31, 2023

Oklahoma Coach Brent Venables Wants to 'Maintain an Aggressive Mentality' at OSU /

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Oklahoma Sooners

NORMAN — Oklahoma coach Brent Venables on Tuesday acknowledged that Saturday’s loss at Kansas was hindered by a conservative offensive game plan and was asked if he wished the Sooners had tried more downfield passes.

“I think the opportunity was there,” Venables said. “Wishing isn’t going to do anything. But we have to maintain an aggressive mentality.”

The Sooners had two throws of 10 yards or more prior to their final, desperate possession, which came up short of a game-winning score and left OU with a 38-33 loss to the Jayhawks.

This week, Oklahoma returns to Big 12 Conference action at Oklahoma State. The final edition of the Bedlam rivalry kicks off at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium.

A more aggressive game plan behind Heisman-contending Quarterback Dillon Gabriel might serve the Sooners better than the conservative scheme offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby deployed last week.

OU rushed for a season-high 269 yards at KU, but Gabriel has been the Sooners’ best offensive player this year when he throws the ball, and the Sooner wideouts have been the team’s most impactful group.

“There's always that balance when you try to be efficient and protect the football,” Venables said, “but at the same time, at the right time, take your shots. For sure we've got good players that can run past people and go up and make competitive plays.”

Published Oct 31, 2023

JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.