Why Is Brent Venables Smiling?

Remember Steve McQueen's role in "The Cincinnati Kid?"

McQueen played an up-and-coming poker player trying to prove himself in a high-stakes match against a long-time master of the game in veteran star Edward G. Robinson.

In the final scene McQueen is down to his last card and calls Robinson's hand.

Robinson cooly turns over his cards to reveal a queen-high straight flush.

McQueen turns over his cards to reveal a full house, aces full of tens.

Which sent McQueen home broke but also in hock to Robinson for $5,000.

So, what does this iconic 1960's film featuring two of Hollywood's most legendary stars have to do with Brent Venables?

Well, really nothing other than the fact that Robinson's temperament in that final scene perfectly portrays Venables state of mind in 2024.

Heading into the 2024 National Spring Signing Day next Wednesday, Brent Venables is smiling because he is playing a pat hand.

Let's call it a queen-high straight flush.

That's right.

Oklahoma is not "expecting" to sign anyone on national signing day.

Huh?

Why is that so?

I'll tell you why.

Because Brent Venables and team signed all 27 of their 2024 commitments last December in the early signing period.

That's right, again.

Venables and staff only offered 27 players.

And because Venables doesn't allow offers until the player agrees to commit to Oklahoma and stop all other recruiting visits, all 27 signed their offer letters on signing day in December.

Granted, Oklahoma City phenom Andy Bass from Heritage Hall was a "hard commit" for the 28th commitment in the class. But, Bass is now one of five Preferred Walk-Ons to join OU this year. And, he was just named a Top 10 Athlete in the 2024 class by On3 recruiting service.

Good things.

S.O.U.L. Mission

The reason Venables was able to sign all 27 of his offers is due to his philosophy surrounding his S.O.U.L. Mission.

Serving. Our. Uncommon. Legacy.

It is a program Venables feels very strongly about and involves a holistic approach to developing the whole player.

Mind. Body. Spirit.

Read more about Brent Venables’ S.O.U.L. mission here:

https://journals.shareok.org/soonermagazine/article/download/12793/12788/12444

Venables brought this philosophy with him after serving nearly 10 years with Dabo Swinney at Clemson.

But it also includes a bit from his past mentors at career stops at Kansas State with Bill Snyder and Oklahoma with Bob Stoops.

The S.O.U.L. mission's main purpose is to develop players in mind, body and spirit to be successful at life beyond football.

Because Venables knows that only a small percentage of his players will ever play on Sundays.

He also knows that life is a struggle.

And who better to guide young 18-year-old men than a head ball coach who has described his childhood growing up in Salina, Kansas as if someone was holding his head under water?

Yes, Brent Venables testimony on his upbring is powerful and well-known.

Something he was reticent to talk about at first but has since warmed up to sharing his story to help other kids who might have experienced a bit of what he did as a young boy.

Venables grew up with an alcoholic mother, fatherless in a dysfunctional home.

He found solace and his purpose in life through athletics.

And his role models were his coaches.

So, when Brent Venables shows up in living rooms all across America and is asked by parents why their son should come join him in Norman to play football...

Venables unleashes a pitch from his heart that football is brief, life is difficult, and I will make them better men who are prepared for a lifetime of success in the real world after football.

Because he is a testament to leaning on his football coaches that made him a better man.

Just call it Venables S.O.U.L. mission.

And it has resonated with parents who trust him with their son's future.

Including the 27 early commitments who signed their letters of intent in December.

Which explains why Brent Venables is smiling the weekend before national signing day.

The Fruits of Your Success

As a result of Brent Venables and staff's hard work over the summer and fall to sign 27 kids last December, Oklahoma is basically playing a pat hand for next Wednesday's National Signing Day.

And because of that success, they’ve already used that free time in January and shifted their focus to the 2025 and 2026 classes. 

The 2025 class is already ranked #5 in the nation and includes another Bedenbaugh offensive lineman in Ryan Fodje, a 4-star from Cypress Texas.

And, because of the third straight Top 10 recruiting class in 2024, Oklahoma has been fairly light in the Transfer Portal this offseason, as well.

Oklahoma has only signed a dozen players, so far.

And zero defensive tackles.

That doesn't mean a few more might not fall into Norman between now and next August.

Defensive tackles Da'Jon Terry from Tennessee and Jacob Lacey from Notre Dame both notably signed with OU last summer. And both Terry and Lacey recently announced they are returning to Norman next year along with edge transfer from Oklahoma State Trace Ford.

And you can add edge portal transfer Caiden Woullard from Miami (Ohio) into the mix, too.

But this year Venables is mostly content to stand on his cards because his deck is loaded thanks to the 2024 early signee haul and the fact that he returns nine of their top 10 tacklers in 2024.

2024 Early Signee Future Stars

The main reason for Venables state of mind heading into next week is because he went out and signed the best defensive line prospects ever assembled in one recruiting class at Oklahoma.

Headlined by the top defensive lineman in 5-star David Stone from IMG Academy in Florida.

Stone, a Midwest City-native, moved to Florida to play football for IMG Academy.

But his heart remained in Oklahoma, and he is back home.

An early signee, Stone is the #9 player in the 2024 class nationally and turned heads in practice and games in the UA All-America and Polynesian Bowl.

He is already enrolled in Norman and leads a defensive line class that includes:

• Jayden Jackson*--4-star noseguard and Stone's IMG Academy teammate
• Nigel Smith II--4-star lineman from Melissa, Texas
• Wyatt Gilmore-4-star edge from Rogers, Minnesota
• Danny Okoye--4-star edge from Tulsa, Oklahoma

*Jackson, Gilmore and Smith join Stone as early-enrollees in Norman.

Stone and the "Oklahoma Power Line" as they have self-dubbed themselves, are the main reason Brent Venables and company haven't signed any defensive tackles this off-season in the Transfer Portal.

Not to say they won't add a couple this off-season, but these are the dudes Oklahoma will count on to cement their future in the Southeastern Conference moving forward.

Stone seems a virtual lock to see plenty of playing time next season.

But don't count out Jackson, Smith, Gilmore and Okoye.

Recruiting might have gotten them to Norman.

Coaching and development will determine playing time moving forward.

Something Todd Bates, defensive line coach, and Miquel Chavis, edge coach, are salivating at the opportunity to get these guys on the field as quickly as possible.

An off-season strength and conditioning program with Jerry Schmidt also will prove very valuable.

Offense

On offense, Sooner running back coach Demarco Murray continues to be one of the hottest recruiters in Norman with the signing of Taylor Tatum, the #1 running back recruit in the country.

Tatum brings home run speed and toughness and will make his presence felt in the Oklahoma running back room

.

Joining redshirt sophomores Gavin Sawchuk and Jovantae Barnes, Tatum should see plenty of carries and is also a threat out of the backfield in the passing game, too.

With Sooner running backs Marcus Major and Tawee Walker leaving via the Transfer Portal, the door is wide open for Tatum to make a push for playing time immediately.

Redshirt freshman returnee Kalib Hicks will add depth as will transfer portal signee Sam Franklin from UT-Martin, but Sawchuk, Barnes and Tatum will be the headliners.

On the offensive line, Sooners line coach Bill Bedenbaugh had himself a field day on early signing day.

Bedenbaugh is tasked with rebuilding his entire offensive line heading into the SEC due to NFL departures, graduation and transfers.

But darn it if he didn't just go out and replace them all with the best o-line class in recent memory.

Oklahoma signed five offensive linemen in the early signing period:

Eddie Pierre-Louis--3-star and #1 guard from Tampa, Florida

Daniel Akinkunmi--3- star and #1 player from NFL Academy in England

Eugene Brooks--4-star from Chatsworth, California

Joseph Aisosa--3-star from Edmond, Oklahoma

Isaiah Autry--3-star from Fulton, Mississippi

Plus, just last week Evan McClure, 4-star offensive linemen from Bixby, Oklahoma, announced his commitment to Oklahoma just days before the National Signing Day next Wednesday. 

McClure, who is an Oklahoma legacy (his father Bruce was an offensive lineman at OU from 1993-1997,) is joining the Sooners as a Preferred Walk-On (PWO) and will not count towards the overall scholarship limit. He was leaning Arkansas until he visited Oklahoma. He will be joining a full house in the offensive linemen room but will be helped by NIL payments that will offset the cost of his tuition, room and board and expenses. 

That's how programs like OU get PWO's like McClure, who is one of five PWO's in this class:

And he's already bought in to Venables S.O.U.L. Mission and Jerry Schmidt's off-season training program:

“Going up there last Friday, I mean, the SOUL Mission was a big part of it,” McClure said. “My family and I liked the connection that has with the whole team. And then, you know how great (Jerry Schmidt’s) program is and the weightlifting room. I mean, a big thing for me is I’m ready to get in the weight room and get a lot stronger, and that’s what Schmitty can do.”

Combine these players with a handful of returnees in Jacob Sexton, Joshua Bates, Troy Everett, Nate Taylor, Heath Ozaeta and Logan Howland and the cupboard is suddenly not bare anymore in Norman.

Plus, Bedenbaugh has signed the following dudes from the ubiquitous Transfer Portal this off-season:

Spencer Brown from Michigan State (24 career starts)

Febechi Nwaiwu from North Texas (24 career starts; freshman 2nd Team All-America)

Michael Tarquin from USC (28 career starts)

Geirean Hatchett from Washington. (4 starts; Joe Moore Award winning offensive line in 2024)

These fellas bring experience and a combined 80 starts on the offensive line to Norman. 

Toss in the four starts from returnees Jacob Sexton and nine starts from Troy Everett and suddenly Oklahoma will return 93 starts on the offensive line.

That dog will hunt in the SEC.

So, don't worry about the Oklahoma offensive line and their ability to protect franchise quarterback Jackson Arnold next season.

Bill Bedenbaugh will work his magic again and have an offensive line ready for day one in the SEC.

Summary

Obviously, there are more players other than David Stone and company on defense and Taylor Tatum plus the five offensive linemen in the 27-player early signee 2024 recruiting class.

The Rivals 250 includes 12 Sooner recruits in this class including Stone, Jackson, Smith, Okoye, Tatum, Pierre-Louis and Brooks

But also includes guys like 4-star safety Jaydan Hardy, from Lewisville, Texas plus tight end Davon Mitchell from Los Alamitos, California, receiver Zion Kearney from Missouri City, Texas, quarterback Michael Hawkins, Jr., and 4-star cornerback Jeremiah Newcombe from Gilbert, Arizona.

But make no question about where the strength of this class lies.

It's in the trenches with the Oklahoma Power Line on defense and the offensive line Bill Bedenbaugh has assembled plus Taylor Tatum.

That's a very formidable foundation upon which to move forward.

Combine that talent with the S.O.U.L. Mission.

And you can see why Brent Venables is smiling.

Boomer.