According to a report from Fox Sports and The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, OU leadership is en route to South Carolina to finalize a deal to make Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables the Oklahoma Sooners’ next head coach.
SOURCE: OU brass is en route to Clemson and working to finalize a deal to make Tigers DC Brent Venables the next head coach at Oklahoma.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) December 5, 2021
ESPN’s Chris Low reported earlier Sunday morning that Oklahoma had targeted Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables and that the two sides hoped to have a deal finalized as early as today.
Venables has had 26 defensive players drafted since taking over as Clemson’s defensive coordinator. In addition, eight of those selections have been first round NFL Draft picks.
Here’s the list of players that have been first-round NFL Draft picks under Venables at Clemson: outside linebacker Vic Beasley and inside linebacker Stephone Anthony in the 2015 NFL Draft; defensive end Shaq Lawson in the 2016 NFL Draft; defensive end Clelin Ferrell, defensive tackle Christian Wilkins and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence in the 2019 NFL Draft; and linebacker Isaiah Simmons and cornerback AJ Terrell in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Venables has had 15 defensive players taken in the NFL Draft’s top 100 picks since taking over as Clemson’s defensive coordinator.
Low also mentioned Venables’ top target to take over as offensive coordinator, too.
If a deal is reached with Venables at Oklahoma, sources told ESPN that Ole Miss offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby would be his top choice as offensive coordinator. Lebby, a semifinalist for the Broyles Award each of the past two seasons, spent four years as a student assistant at Oklahoma after signing to play there before suffering a career-ending injury. – Low, ESPN
It certainly appears as if this is moving quickly and that an official announcement from Oklahoma could come sometime today.
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