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Oklahoma lost 21-20 to Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl on Friday, dropping the Sooners to 6-7 to end the 2024 season. It’s the second losing season for Oklahoma during Brent Venables’ three seasons in charge. The last time Oklahoma finished a season with a losing record before Venables was 1998, when it went 5-6 to end a failed three-year run under John Blake.
Bob Stoops took over in 1999, and both he and Lincoln Riley combined for 23 straight seasons of success.
Unlike Blake, Venables will get a fourth season, but it’s hard to imagine there will be a fifth unless things turn around in 2025. The 2024 season was an undeniable failure for the program. The Sooners were unable to build on a 10-win season in 2023, which led to a contract extension for Venables, and they took a step back during their first season in the SEC.
Everybody involved with the program understood life would be more difficult in the SEC, but Oklahoma shot itself in the foot repeatedly by failing to properly address the lines of scrimmage before the season began and playing musical chairs at quarterback.
So where do the Sooners go from here? How does Venables turn things around?
If there’s any optimism, it’s with one of the best defenses in the country. The cruel irony of the situation is that after years of wishing Lincoln Riley could pair his offensive acumen with a competent defense, Venables brought an elite defense only for the offense to disappear entirely.
It’s that side of the ball that needs to be addressed, and Venables has already started laying the foundation. After firing offensive coordinator Seth Littrell during the season, Venables hired Washington State offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. He’s bringing help, too, in the form of ex-Cougars quarterback…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/welcome-to-the-hot-seat-brent-venables-oklahoma-coach-at-crossroads-after-bowl-loss-and-second-losing-season/
Author : Tom Fornelli
Publish date : 2024-12-27 21:42:00
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