JUST IN: Brent Venables Takes a Stand Sends Bold Message to Offensive Commits Amid Heated Recruiting Wars

Brent Venables addresses visit policy and message to offensive commits as recruiting battles emerge. Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables took time to clarify his ‘no visit policy’ while also sharing his message to offensive recruits amidst a challenging 2024 season and an offensive coordinator hire still looming. Oklahoma continues to battle through a challenging 2024 season. But the Sooners are also fighting to keep their talented recruiting class intact down the stretch. The 2025 class for Oklahoma ranks in the top-11 nationally of the 247Sports rankings. The Sooners carry 21 pledges in the cycle with a 91.15 average per commit rating, 12th in that metric, and are eighth in the SEC’s class rankings. The early signing period is just over the horizon as pen can hit paper beginning December 4th through December 6th. Oklahoma has done the work to assemble the talent, but that’s only a layer to the equation. More and more of the 2025 pledges for OU have chosen to explore options and checkout other programs. Most notable of them all being Michael Fasusi as it was revealed the five-star had plans to visit a couple other campuses during the final weeks of the season. But the key to it all is the fact this has taken place while these prospects have remained committed to the Sooners. Which naturally drew questions to Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables.

The Sooners’ program leader has long had a ‘no visit’ policy that, bluntly put, has taken on number of definitions in the public sphere. In the midst of aforementioned developments, Venables was asked about his rule. “If you’re visiting other schools in the present moment, then you’re not committed, that’s what I would say,” Venables said. Does that mean the offer is pulled? Would it lead to a commit being removed from the class? “That part of my policy? I never said that,” Venables added. “No changes (to the policy).”. In reality, the basis of the ‘no visit policy’ is that Oklahoma does not see a player as ‘committed’ if they are going to see other programs. This means the Sooners begin to operate under the assumption that a spot has to be filled while a dedicated scholarship is in jeopardy of being vacated. Does that mean the recruit is kicked out? No. Venables understandably takes exception with the idea he’s going to remove prospects he went out of his way to pursue in the first place, and his side of the story is reinforced by what’s actively taking place.

But at the same time, this is currently low on Venables’ list of current concerns. The Sooners’ head coach is reconvincing several of these pledges, especially on the offensive side, to stick around while obvious uncertainty surrounds the program. Venables has his message down. “Just in regards to who we’ve been our first two years here. We’re a top ten team, top five in several categories. We’ve been incredibly explosive.”We’ve been a very attractive offense for skill, for offensive line development,” Venables added. “Nobody’s done it better than coach Bill Bedenbaugh.

He’s got an amazing track record at the very highest level, both in college and guys with the opportunity to go to the NFL and play and be prepared to play at a really high level. But in between running backs and our skill guys and a quarterback play, it’s been outstanding.”. Interesting points of emphasis considering the stretch that lies ahead for a particular commit? Digression aside, Venables isn’t shying away from the obvious but also gets the sense his recruiting class hasn’t ignored the apparent either. “This year, it hasn’t represented our standard in any way, shape or form. There’s been incredible disappointment. And you don’t have a lot of excuses that are great for it, but I do think our guys recognize, recruits recognize, that we’ve got several guys that haven’t been out there that would be very productive for us from an injury standpoint.”. On one hand, it’s what has happened. But on another, it’s what could happen that Venables feels is important to those recruits. “It’s also hey, man, what a great opportunity this is to go to a place like Oklahoma that’s got a top ten defense, got great special teams units,” Venables added. “Now, if we did it just a little bit better, get healthy on offense, I can come in and contribute because we’re talking about a group of recruits that are very highly thought of, highly sought after. These are guys that have a great opportunity to come in and help make us better.”. “You know, we’ve played 7,044 snaps of freshmen and sophomores through our first ten games of the season,” Venables added. “So we’ve shown the willingness to play young players, not only to play but to come in and be starters. And we’ve had several guys that have been able to do that, or when they’ve gotten in the game as true freshmen, they’ve come in and played really, really well.”. Venables still has to finalize a hire at offensive coordinator.

That selection, and the choices that follow, will be the most consequential of his career. It’s a move that looms large and shapes the outlook not only for the program, but for the recruits committed to OU. Venables understands the weight this decision carries, but he’s asking pledged prospects to trust in him to make the right one. “Great opportunity, is what I would say, and believing in people,” Venables said. “This is a staff that’s a championship staff, a staff that’s had success at the highest level for a long time. So when you look at a body of work, there’s more reasons to support their original decision than not in choosing Oklahoma, knowing that they’re going to have a great future.”.