The honeymoon appears to be over for Brent Venables as the head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners.
The Sooners came into Saturday with a 3-2 record and a chance to get back on track against the rival Texas Longhorns. Instead, they got absolutely embarrassed in the Red River Rivalry, losing by an astounding score of 49-0.
According to The Athletic’s Matt Brown, that’s Texas’s biggest win over Oklahoma ever and the Sooner’s first shutout loss since 1998.
TEXAS 49, OKLAHOMA 0
* Texas’ biggest win over OU (previously: 33 in 2005/1941)
* OU’s first shutout loss since 1998 at Texas A&M
* OU’s worst shutout loss
* OU’s worst loss since 1997 at Nebraska (69-7)
* Texas’ biggest P5 win since 2007 Iowa State (56-3)— Matt Brown (@MattBrownCFB) October 8, 2022
Oklahoma came into the season expected to compete for the Big 12 title. Instead, at 3-3, they’re going to spend the rest of the year scrambling to keep up with TCU, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, and Kansas State. That might be fine at most college football programs, but not OU.
It also doesn’t help that Venables‘ predecessor, Lincoln Riley, has immediately turned the USC Trojans into national contenders. Meanwhile, Josh Heupel, a Sooner grad whom many alumni would have loved to hire as head coach, is turning Tennessee into a powerhouse as well.
It’s too early to say that Venables is in trouble of losing his job, but whatever leeway he was expecting in Year One is probably already gone. And the reactions around the college football world during and after Oklahoma’s epic loss on Saturday seem to confirm that.
Ayo somebody tell Brent Venables to pass the joystick….this ain’t it
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) October 8, 2022
Brent Venables has entered the transfer portal
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) October 8, 2022
In complete seriousness, it's not excusable for Brent Venables that his next man up after an injury to Dillon Gabriel was a QB who couldn't keep the backup job at Pitt. You're Oklahoma. The portal is vast. You have to figure it out https://t.co/wdTImPuDCf
— Alex Kirshner (@alex_kirshner) October 8, 2022
Imagine thinking, in the era of offensive football, Brent Venables was an upgrade over @LincolnRiley. Sooner fans truly believed it.
— Colin Cowherd (@ColinCowherd) October 8, 2022
Brent Venables was hired to change Oklahoma's all-offense, no-defense reputation. Mission halfway accomplished
— Jason Kirk (@thejasonkirk) October 8, 2022
How is BV going to coach-speak his way out of this one?
— C&C Machine (@CCMachine) October 8, 2022
During its three-game losing streak, Brent Venables’ OU defense has allowed 145 points and 1,762 yards. Woof.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) October 8, 2022
Brent Venables is 1st Oklahoma coach to debut 0-3 in conference play. Also, OU has lost more than 3 conference games only 7 times in 108 years of conference play (Southwest, Missouri Valley, Big 6, Big 7, Big 8, Big 12)
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) October 8, 2022
Good luck to Brent for the rest of the season. It’s not going to be fun.
