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Brent Venables to take over defensive play-calling in 2025, Oklahoma announces
Brent Venables will call plays for the Oklahoma defense in 2025, the school announced on Saturday.
The decision was revealed in a press release announcing the hiring of 2 new assistants to join Venables’ staff. Brent Venables spent 10 seasons as the defensive play-caller for Clemson, where he established himself as one of the best defensive minds in all of college football and helped Clemson to 2 national championships. In 3 seasons as the head coach of the Sooners, Venables is 22-17. OU went 6-7 last fall and will enter the 2025 season with new play-callers on both sides of the football.
“I have reflected on all facets of our program over the past several weeks,” Venables said in a release. “Since I was hired as head coach, we have carefully assembled the defensive personnel and scheme that is suited to compete at the highest level, and we’ve built a deep and talented roster ready for the moment. I have high expectations for our program and will do everything in my power to achieve our goals for our players. To that end, I will take over defensive play-calling responsibilities for the 2025 season.
“… I’m energized by the prospect of getting back into play-calling and for the continued momentum I see us gaining with the strategic moves we’re making on both sides of the ball.”
With Venables calling plays for the Clemson defense, the Tigers ranked top 10 nationally in opponent-adjusted EPA per play 7 times from 2014-21, per Game on Paper. Venables coached 5 Clemson defenders to consensus All-American honors during his time with the program.
Under Zac Alley’s stewardship last season, OU ranked eighth nationally in adjusted EPA per play.
The Sooners are rounding out Venables’ assistant coaching staff by bringing Nate Dreiling aboard as an inside linebackers coach and adding former Clemson coordinator Wes Goodwin as an assistant linebackers/outside linebackers coach.
With the new additions, OU will have 4 men on staff who have previous experience as a defensive coordinator.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.