Embattled Oklahoma football coach Brent Venables received a vote of confidence from his bosses Tuesday evening.
University president Joseph Harroz Jr. and athletic director Joe Castiglione both publicly backed Venables while speaking following a Board of Regents meeting in Norman, Okla.
A 30-23 loss at then-No. 23 Missouri on Saturday dropped the Sooners’ record to 5-5 overall, 1-5 in the Southeastern Conference. Oklahoma has dropped four of its past six games following a 3-0 start.
Harroz said, “We all get emotional over during the course of a season. What’s unwavering is the commitment to him. This is a new era for us, but it’s also a new era for college athletics, and there’s going to be a lot of adjustment, and there’s going to be a lot that takes place. As far as my commitment to Coach Venables, it’s 100 percent.”
Castiglione said, “Obviously the season thus far has not gone as we’d hoped or planned. We’re mindful that we haven’t met the Oklahoma standard for 2024. That said, we truly believe in Coach Venables and our team and are completely focused on both supporting them and looking at all of the ways to address the needed improvements now as soon as possible as well as in preparation for next year.”
Venables, 53, owns a 21-15 record over his three seasons in charge of the Sooners. He never previously served as a head coach, having served as defensive coordinator at Oklahoma and Clemson.
He is under contract through 2029, and a buyout following the current season would cost the school $44.8 million, according to The Oklahoman newspaper.
The Sooners are off this week ahead of their final two regular-season games: at home against No. 10 Alabama on Nov. 23 and at No. 23 LSU on Nov. 30. Losses in both games would leave Oklahoma with a sub-.500 and out of the bowl picture for the first time since 1998.
–Field Level Media