Brent Venables on giving $1 million back: ‘Thought it was the right thing to do’
By Mark Kern
Published:
Oklahoma got the 2025 season off to a good start by knocking off Illinois State, 35-3, on Saturday. Head coach Brent Venables is entering a big season at Oklahoma, as the Sooners are looking to take it to the next level in Year 2 in the SEC.
The coach is not only trying to do his part on the field, but he is trying to help off as well. On Saturday, it was announced that he would be giving $1 million back to Oklahoma to help with revenue sharing. When talking to reporters about making that decision, Venables said it was an easy call.
“I did it because I thought it was the right thing to do,” Venables said. “I’ve lived a favored career beyond what I deserve. I want to help Oklahoma be a winner.”
Other coaches across the country have done something similar, as Florida State’s Mike Norvell and Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy both gave portions of their salary away as well. Heading into the season, Venables was scheduled to make $7.55 million.
Venables understands that this is an extremely important year for the Sooners. Things didn’t go well last season in the SEC, as the Sooners finished with a 6-7 record, including a 2-6 record in the conference.
Getting the win in Week 1 was a good start to the year, but the Week 2 showdown at home against Michigan is going to go a long way in showing where the Sooners are. ESPN’s College Gameday is going to be there, as it is the only current matchup among AP Top 25 teams.
