Brent Venables has completely transformed the culture surrounding Oklahoma Sooners football during his four seasons in Norman. The former Clemson Tigers defensive coordinator has turned the Sooners into a defensive powerhouse after nearly a decade of struggling on that side of the ball.
Last season, the defense was the reason the Sooners returned to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2019. Venables also resumed full-time defensive play-calling duties for the first time since becoming Oklahoma’s head coach. The move paid off, as Oklahoma finished inside the top 10 nationally in several major defensive categories, producing the best defense in Venables’ tenure in Norman.
Advertisement
Despite last season’s success, On3’s J.D. PicKell believes Oklahoma’s defense could take another step forward with Venables continuing to lead the unit.
“They feel like internally they may have their best 11 on defense they’ve had since Brent Venables got to Norman,” PicKell said. “That is saying something with as wacky as that group was last year. On top of all of this, look who is in charge. Brent Venables calling the defense is not a small thing to talk about here.”
Venables has already proven his defensive system can succeed at Oklahoma, but the 2026 season could provide an opportunity to reach an entirely different level. The Sooners return several key pieces from last year’s playoff team while continuing to have one of the best defensive minds in college football calling the plays.
If Oklahoma’s defense improves from where it was last season, it could become the foundation of a team with legitimate national championship aspirations.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on X @jaronspor.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Analyst points to one major reason Oklahoma’s defense is turning heads
