Title: The Crucial Playbook: How Oklahoma Can Secure Brent Venables’ Future, According to Paul Finebaum
It was a scorching August afternoon when ESPN’s Paul Finebaum took to the airwaves and delivered what many Sooners fans would later call “the sermon.” Clad in his signature blazer and with that familiar, sardonic tone, Finebaum didn’t mince words: “Brent Venables’ future at Oklahoma won’t be secured by culture-building slogans or fiery speeches. It’ll be secured by results — and the clock is ticking.”
Oklahoma’s 2025 season stands as the crucible for Venables. After two rollercoaster years of defensive rebuilding and inconsistent offensive output, the stakes couldn’t be higher as the Sooners begin their second full campaign in the SEC — the toughest conference in college football. Finebaum, known for his blunt assessments, laid out a three-point blueprint that he insists is “non-negotiable” for Venables’ longevity.
First, Finebaum stressed the necessity of signature wins. “Beating the bottom feeders of the SEC isn’t going to do it,” he said. “Venables needs to take down a top-5 opponent — Alabama, Georgia, maybe even Texas in the Cotton Bowl. That’s what boosters and the boardroom want. That’s what justifies eight-figure salaries.” This echoes the sentiment swirling in Norman: moral victories don’t pay the bills.
Second, recruiting. Venables was hailed as a defensive mastermind when he returned from Clemson, but top-tier defensive recruits have still shown a tendency to choose LSU, Georgia, and Michigan. “You can’t just fill out your roster with three-star try-hards anymore,” Finebaum declared. “You need a pipeline — especially in the trenches. Otherwise, you’re just another Kentucky.” Venables’ 2025 recruiting class, currently ranked 6th nationally, may be a make-or-break metric for his security.
Third, the culture war. Finebaum didn’t shy away from the intangible: locker room chemistry and player development. “Lincoln Riley may have been flashier, but Venables promised substance — toughness, accountability, blue-collar grit,” he said. “If those promises don’t translate into consistent, disciplined football, that locker room becomes a liability, not a foundation.”
There was a moment, however, when Finebaum’s sharp tone softened. He recalled the 2022 Red River Showdown, when a depleted Oklahoma squad was shellacked 49-0. “That was the bottom,” he said. “And Venables didn’t hide. He owned it. That told me something.”
Still, sentiment doesn’t override SEC expectations. The conference isn’t built for sentimentality — it’s built on scoreboard dominance and playoff appearances. The 12-team playoff expansion gives Venables a wider berth, but also removes excuses. If Oklahoma can’t earn one of those dozen spots, questions about his tenure will explode.
As Finebaum signed off, he left Sooners Nation with one final shot across the bow: “If Brent Venables doesn’t deliver this year, Oklahoma won’t fire him in December — the SEC will fire him in spirit by November.”
Vivid, biting, and unfiltered, Finebaum’s message is clear: Venables’ future isn’t written in loyalty or legacy. It’s written in wins. And the pen is already in motion.
