When Brent Venables was hired to be the head coach at the University of Oklahoma, Sooners fans didn’t expect there to be an “F” or a “D” next to his name on the end-of-season report cards. We’ve looked at Venables’ report cards in recent weeks, but the one we’re looking at today is perhaps the harshest one yet.

Shehan Jeyarajah of CBS Sports graded all of the first-year college football coaches earlier this week. He was not very kind to Venables after the incredibly disappointing 2022 season. The Sooners’ head coach was handed an “F” by Jeyarajah.

Venables faced a difficult situation taking over for Riley, but the lows were still shocking. The Sooners posted a losing record and finished with a losing conference mark for the first time since 1998, the year before the Bob Stoops era began. Oklahoma lost 49-0 against rival Texas, while Venables’ signature defense ranked 123rd. The bar is high at Oklahoma, and 2022 wasn’t even in the same stratosphere. – Jeyarajah, CBS Sports

The only thing that saved Venables from an “F” in the last report card we looked at was his performance on the recruiting trail. In this case, it would seem that only on-field results are being considered.

Nothing Jeyarajah says here is untrue or unfair. This season was bad. Incredibly so. The 49-0 loss to Texas would be enough for a failing grade by itself. The defense, instead of a strength, was a liability for the vast majority of the season. The offense was inconsistent and completely lost its way when Dillon Gabriel got hurt.

The dysfunction around the program was a huge hurdle for any coach, let alone a rookie head coach in one of the most demanding jobs in the country. Thanks to Brent Venables, the Oklahoma Sooners have laid a foundation for the culture and the work ethic they want in Norman. And that culture is attracting incredibly talented players on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal.

Whether or not Venables can turn around the Sooners’ record next season, remains to be seen. We here at Sooners Wire are optimistic Oklahoma can have a resurgent season in 2023 with all of the immediate impact players they’ve added. Ideally, there will be a much more favorable letter next to Brent Venables’ name on the report cards next January.

[listicle id=78976]

[listicle id=78981]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz7cqqgxy50qwt player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow Ben on Twitter @bendackiw.