by Clayton Tramel
My first vivid memory of Oklahoma football took place on November 22nd, 1998. It wasn't even a game: it was a board of regents meeting, and it was televised. Not inside the room mind you, but outside of whatever building they were meeting in. All three local news affiliates broke in to cover that Oklahoma had decided to fire head football coach John Blake.
Someone spoke. Players were seen shaking their heads. Uneasy grimaces were written on the faces of the crowd. I was barley a teenager who until then hadn't shown much interest in the OU football teams of the previous few years (can you blame me?) but I remember clear as day watching regular television programming being halted to announce that a football coach was being fired and thinking "this is not normal. This must be a bigger deal than I realize."
Good call dummy. The head ball coach at Oklahoma is kind of a big deal.
The HBC is in charge of feeding the monster, as Barry Switzer has referred to it. He seems to be an authority on the subject. I think I'll take his word for it.
My interest in OU started that day, and for the next 18 seasons I didn't have to worry too much about the program. They brought in a guy from Youngstown, Ohio, who kept the monster fed like it was pulling a marathon at Golden Corral. For nearly 20 years the valleys were brief and small. The mountains were often and epic. We didn't have to worry: Bob Stoops had the wheel.
I've watched games for most of the last two decades with my best pal and a longtime observer of Oklahoma football, my Dad. Like most things in life as you grow up, my perspective on history is largely filtered through my Dad and his perspective.
"Dad who was Brian Bosworth? Was he good?" He lowered the newspaper and said "Son...they would cross the line of scrimmage...and there was the Boz."
"Dad, did Oklahoma always throw the ball?" "Son, Oklahoma used to never throw the ball."
"Dad, was Barry Switzer a good guy?" "Son, everyone knows what Switzer is about. He helped people."
The transition from Bob Stoops to Lincoln Riley was so seamless we didn't have time to lose our breath, much less catch it. I never had a night to go to sleep and wonder who was going to be steering the ship since that first memory in November of 1998. That was, until November 28th, 2021. On that day I got to call and wake my Dad up from a nap and break the news to him that Lincoln Riley turned his keys in. "He took the LSU job?" "No: He went to USC!"
Everything became foreign to me. Each hour more uncertain. I was in my late 30s at this point and hadn't had to endure this feeling since I had been an active fan. Dad and I started going over names that could possibly take the job. I eventually threw out "how about Brent Venables?" Something about the long pause he took before solemnly responding "Brent Venables would be an excellent hire" made me relax. There was the perspective I needed. Maybe there was hope. A few days later, it was a reality.
That was three years ago.
Dec 2021: an airport celebration welcomes Brent Venables as the new head coach at Oklahoma
The Good: Brent has improved the defense tremendously. Not elite yet. It's not quite the no-excuse physical pounding of Brent (and Mike Stoops) early years in Norman when Oklahoma played in the National Championship game 4 times in a 9 year span, but the game has changed offensively since that time and the 2024 squad is what we longed for in the Riley era.
More good: Brent hit the 10 win benchmark last year. That's really where expectations start at Oklahoma, but an impressive feat in his second year none the less. He started 8-0 which I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) Bob "only" did 3 times in 18 years. If it weren't for inexplicable losses at Kansas and/or Oklahoma State, OU could have been right back in the Big 12 Championship game against Texas and knocking on the door of the 4 team playoff.
Maybe good: Brent has recruited very well since landing in Norman. Routine top 10 classes.
Less good… how much time you got?
-Brent is 1-2 against Texas, and no matter how great that win was in 2023, the two loses in '22 and '24 are the most embarrassing of the Red River Rivalry.
-He hasn't won a bowl game.
-He's currently 3-7 vs ranked opponents
-He trusted Seth Littrell with his offense, and fired him before November.
former Oklahoma quarterback Dillion Gabriel embraces his backup Jackson Arnold
Perhaps the biggest knock on Brent at this point? He had Dillion Gabriel in the building, and he let him walk out the door. On this same weekend that Jackson Arnold had multiple critical fumbles in a backbreaking loss to Missouri (11 on the year, 6 lost, to go along with 3 interceptions), Dillon Gabriel became the all time FBS leader in passing touchdowns. Brent had a bird in the hand with Gabriel, but he bet against him. Jackson Arnold seems like a nice kid, and I feel for him, but at this point it's hard to see him having a future as the starting quarterback at Oklahoma. He's officially a bust.
Up until now the team has fought hard. They just don't know how to win yet. Playing is one thing, but winning takes a certain grit. A certain knack. Stoops said the same thing of his first Oklahoma team in 1999. They went 7-5 and had the worst record of any team in Stoops tenure.
That was year one for Bob. Brent is in year three, and with Alabama and a trip to Baton Rouge looming he's starring down a 5-7 season. His first two years he didnt win bowl games but he had a chance. In year three, it looks like it might not even qualify to play.
The players haven't quit yet. I'm sure the Coaches haven't quit yet. Moving Joe Jon Finley to play-caller might have shown flashes of improvement, but unless it's a schrimmage against an FCS team it hasn't produced a W.
Up until this point, I think Brent has earned the right to a fourth year with a new offensive staff and likely a new quarterback under center. I think he will get that chance, but it's starting to feel a little Phil Collins'y: there's something in the air tonight. If Alabama at home and LSU on the road turn into first half blow-outs all bets are off.
I like Brent. He's a good man. Good family. Easy to root for, and I am still rooting for him. I'm just not sure how much longer I'll have the opportunity to do so.