Oklahoma Football Wades Into Deep, Yet Familiar Waters

The Oklahoma job can be most college football coaches’ dream job, but it is notoriously one of the sport’s most difficult.

When Sooner football wandered in the wilderness in the 1990s, the administration showed just how short a leash they can have if a coach isn’t meeting their expectations.

Sand Springs native John Blake, a recruiting magnate, struggled in his three seasons on the job. Howard Schnellenberger, a national championship-winning coach who famously declared books would be written about his time in Norman, was gone after one cataclysmic season on and off the field.

So where does Brent Venables fit through six games?

His best win as head coach came against Nebraska because of how well his team played and partly because the Cornhuskers are a much-improved team.

As of now, Nebraska interim coach Mickey Joseph has two more conference wins than Venables.

Losing a rivalry game like OU-Texas can feel like losing multiple games in one day.

“From coaching and getting them ready, that responsibility starts with me,” Venables said after the game. “I obviously did a very poor job of doing that. To lose a game 49-0 -- and have all this great coaching and scheming and everything else. … Obviously, I have not done a great job.”

The list of sad stats is starting to stack up.

The Sooners have now lost back-to-back games by 30 points or more for the first time in program history.

The Sooners are now off to an 0-3 start to Big 12 play for the first time since 1998.

Saturday ends the Sooners’ four-game winning streak against Texas.

Saturday was OU’s first shutout loss to Texas in 53 years. 

Saturday was also OU’s worst shutout loss to Texas in the Red River Rivalry’s 118 year-history.

Former Thunder forward Kevin Durant found some time on his Saturday to roast Venables.

Beyond the wins and losses, though, the players are starting to let their feelings show.

During a second quarter drive, the Sooner offense faced a third down with 10 yards to go at the Texas 41-yard line. Quarterback Davis Beville took the snap and looked in the direction of wide receiver Marvin Mims, who was wide open in the flat.

Beville airmailed the throw. Mims then grabbed his face mask with both hands in frustration.

I don’t think Mims or any other player’s frustration is directed at the head coach. The players seem to like Venables. He’s emotional and passionate, which seems to resonate with the teams he has previously coached.

It is frustration that the offense can’t move like it used to. It is frustration that the defense can’t stop anybody of late.

Ultimately, if the losing continues, it will all fall at Venables’ feet.

The biggest question is how the administration will choose to move. Will it have a quick hook like it has in the past, or will it allow Venables time to build the Sooner program his way?