Oklahoma's Brent Venables Already Working to Secure Roster, Coaching Staff

OU's new head coach has already reached out to Caleb Williams and is hard at work assembling his coaching staff.

NORMAN — Brent Venables isn’t wasting any time.

Less than 24 hours after being named the head coach at Oklahoma, Venables has already been hard at work meeting with the players and assembling his coaching staff.

Venables met with his players during his flight to Norman on Sunday, gathering the team on a Zoom call to make his first introductions with the players.

But there is one guy, Caleb Williams, Venables will have to work overtime to keep on campus, and Venables said he’s already preparing to sit down with Williams and his family to further discuss his future.

“I have spoken to Caleb,” Venables said during his introductory press conference. “Reached out to him and his father yesterday, and I’ll connect with his father here later.”

Keeping Oklahoma’s QB1 on campus will be a top priority, and though Venables hasn’t publicly named any staff decisions yet, he said he is looking at a number of options on staff that he hopes will make the difference in keeping not just Williams, but as many players as possible on campus.

“Every battle is won before it’s fought,” Venables said. “That’s the same mindset when it comes to staffing, and we’re working through that right now.”

The new OU head coach confirmed he will be hiring a defensive coordinator, and he is reportedly considering Ole Miss offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby for the same position in Norman.

As for all of the other position coaches, Venables said he’s going to consider everyone currently on staff as well as anyone else who he thinks will be able to deliver on his promise of coaching at a high level but also pouring everything into the players every single day.

“There’s some terrific options right here at home and we’re looking at everything,” Venables said. “But obviously we want to do it sooner rather than later.

“And we’re working aggressively on both fronts.”

Currently, inside receivers coach Cale Gundy, offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh, running backs coach DeMarco Murray, tight ends/H-back coach Joe Jon Finley, defensive line coach Calvin Thibodeaux, inside linebacker coach Brian Odom and outside linebackers and defensive ends coach Jamar Cain are still listed on OU’s online football staff directory. 

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