π Published on: 2024-12-13 22:53:00
β± Duration: 00:23:54 (1434 seconds)
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Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables speaks with the media following the Sooners second bowl practice on Friday, December 13.
π Channel: SoonerScoop
π Channel Country: United States
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π΅οΈββοΈ Transcript:
you had 23 guys hit the portal your thoughts on that yeah this is a modern college football that’s um uh I don’t think any team’s going to be immune to that certainly again as we’ve said a lot here over the last several months we’ve been preparing for that and there’s got to get our roster to 105 there’s some processing that takes place uh you don’t like it I’ve said I don’t like it um but it’s part of where we’re at right now so everybody has to figure out what’s best for them and U and we as a program as we continue to try to grow and start back over uh with the you know team 131 that’s that’s all part of the process so um that’s right on schedule how’s the team looked without that many players out there um it’s still good there’s I don’t know how many is out there right now but there’s still over 100 guys out there they’re are working hard showing up excited to you know go to work and get a chance to you know play a bowl game and win Brent the receiver room especially took took a pretty big hit been quite a few guys there just what’s your evaluation of that room going forward yeah well going forward um getting ready for Navy most of the guys that helped us all year are going to be the same guys that going to be out there for the bowl game so um we we had a lot of receivers um we are actually over at our number most of the year and uh thankfully so we were able to uh play with guys this year and I just see a great opportunity uh for a great Foundation of uh young players there uh to continue to grow and and develop you know recruited them for a reason all well thought of guys guys like a a Jacob Jordan uh made the most of his opportunity I think he caught 22 uh catches this year and and so it just creates an opportunity for the next uh for the next guy and certainly that’ll be an area that is a a great Focus for us um we’ve got a a lot of guys would love the opportunity to play here at the University of Oklahoma so navigating that is what we’ve been doing for the last several weeks anticipating I’ll be honest most of the guys that were banged up and didn’t play this year uh we felt like they W wouldn’t be here a year ago so we’ve been preparing for this for a while just thinking that they come and they play well uh you know they’ll be moving on so in some ways you’re you’ve positioned yourself you know for that but it’ll be a great opportunity uh for some guys across the country to come here and play could Deon Burks play in the bow game and have you had any discussions about him maybe coming back next season yeah we’re you know he’s got a lot to to weigh and things like that but we’ve had several conversations and um yeah that’s still certainly on the table right can you talk a little bit about the quarterback situation I know Michael’s probably started going in but talk about overall quarterback situation and what are you looking for still portal wise at that position yeah well I’m won’t get into again we we can’t go into next year with two quarterbacks uh I think that goes without saying um and so um you know Mike is our our quarterback Casey Thompson is kind of knocking off the rust uh he actually practiced good the first two practices uh having some fun out there but Mike’s look good and and we love you know where he’s at and the progress that he has made and and uh of course we have jet new coming in uh as a freshman and uh we got a we got some work to do to to get that room where it needs to be so we can compete in the SEC and uh so we’ve been diligently doing that right going back to the receivers in late October you said that several of those guys indicated they wanted to come back for a additional year I guess what changed over the last six weeks the wind uh who knows you know what all goes into a lot of those things and hey there’s some guys hey may maybe you know some of that conversation is you need a fresh start too and uh you know again at the end of the day whoever is here man my job is to make sure that who’s here man they have um an appreciation a thankfulness a respect for their opportunity um I want guys that show up every day they’re driven they’re ambitious uh they’re going to fight for their opportunity they’re going to fight for their teammates um a group of guys that chose not to be here hey man they they did a great job while they were here and we certainly wish them well we’re thankful for the time that they were here but change is a part of where we’re at in college football uh right now do you want to create an environment that has consistency and stability and continuity absolutely I think that bodess well uh for um any successful you know business uh football locker room but you know there’s just you know this is a uh you know this is the most um unstable time in college football history and I know we’re focused on and we have a lens for everything Oklahoma and uh this this is the most passionate fan base in all of college football and hungry to produce a winner and disappointed in um our lack ability to do so this year for all the reasons that we know and um but if you look just down the road wherever down the road is you’ll see nobody is unaffected by what’s going on in college football so our job is to position ourselves I can have a great appreciation for our leadership and uh Joe Harris and Joe castig Leon and having a vision for uh what’s next so that we can uh position oursel and manage uh this next phase of where a college football is going and put ourselves in a position where we can compete you know for the SEC Championship and uh they’re doing everything they can to do that and has Jaden Gibson indicated whether he plans to come back next year yep he has yeah and expect he’ll be here BR where in the college football environment do you think Oklahoma has a position of strength in this portal season where is Oklahoma after coming six and six with changes and everything what’s your message to players you’re looking at that may be looking at Oklahoma well again one them to be healthy uh stay healthy that’ll always help you know obviously uh you know there’s a wonderful opportunity and again if if we get a little better on offense take care of the football make layups that are there as a just as an offense um become a more explosive offense um you know we’ve established our defense we established ourselves in the in the kicking game as being as good as anybody in the SEC and which will put you in a great position um nationally as well uh we get that back to what it was a year ago on offense and the year before that as a top five top 10 offense in the country if we get good consistent quarterback play and again we’re you know respectful of that football wi the margin you know those are you see recruit players to that and again you got to hope that you you know you have a healthy football team that you see people that lose a a guy here and there and uh you know all hell breaks loose and uh you know those are you know handling the injuries uh is is not an easy thing but uh that being said I just think it’s a it’s a great opportunity uh I think it goes without saying whether you’re a offensive lineman you’re a tight end you’re a receiver you’re a quarterback uh to be able to you know align on the other side of the ball with what you’re going to see every day you know in defense um and how we’ve recruited and developed there uh and again on the platform that Oklahoma uh has this is this has been as good of a place offensively over decade after decade after decade and so I look at this year as a as an aberration and I got a lot of guys that we’ve been talking to that that look at it that way as well is there something special about going up against a triple option team given its roots here in Norman yeah I mean it’s uh for a defensive coach it’s it’s a challenge and um you you actually for the for the in particularly the front guys the defensive line you have to go back and retach everything and it’s exactly opposite of what you’ve been preaching uh since you know the moment they put on a helmet as a defensive player you know you if you get up the field against these guys they’re going to uh you’re going to you’re going to watch the game you watch them score and uh and this is a a team that you have to be able to play laterally you have to stay on your feet you got to get knocked back but there’s the fine line and so reteaching you know some fundamentals is a big part of this game uh staying on your feet is how you win and uh being certainly physical and in all the right spots but what a great challenge it’s going to and the history of this program uh in its roots is a it’s a real special thing and as I told these guys and navy they they can’t wait to play a program like like Oklahoma and uh you know what you’re going to get with these guys man they’re going to be relentless and they’re going to have the right kind of mindset and toughness so um I’m excited for our guys you know we’re going to have to take the fight to them and know that man we’ve uh you know we’ve got to do all the little things right against a team like this that you know they Pride themselves on playing tough and playing uh Relentless and playing with great discipline and fundamentals PR the the cut block is the key thing for they teams how do you work on that on your team yeah I mean you you you you do it a lot during the year but you have to you have to spend a lot more time on it and uh you know these the few days that we’ve practiced so far and then the next you know couple of weeks you know uh practicing you know the the fundamentals of the cut block will be you know really important Brian Newberry you know it’s from here went went to school at westm um have you crossed with with him at all and just if not what have you thought of kind of his career from afar and just how he’s gotten yeah he’s he’s he’s had a fantastic career and he’s a winner uh that’s probably something that a lot of people uh will say when they talk about Brian and the success he had in high school uh in more and certainly what he’s been able to do from a uh a college you know profession uh the success that he’s had you know is it’s really good and uh it’s one to great respect for you know the the program that he’s built the pride and the toughness that his team plays with uh and so uh that’s kind of cool I mean it’s it’s a familiar face for a lot of people around here and um you know I know that’ll be something that he’s looking forward as a guy that first time he ever saw a college game was an Oklahoma football game so it’ll mean a lot to to him and his staff as well we had a chance to talk to you about uh fuzi and his signing can you talk about the days leading up to a signing and just his staying committed to Oklahoma yeah um I think there might have been been a lot of anticipation and you know a question marks well who he’s going to sign with we never uh we never flinched uh we we weren’t surprised he did exactly what he said he was going to do so uh but really excited you know Mike’s uh one of the many talented players that we signed in this High School class uh what I love about Mike certainly he’s a very talented he’s got great stature at 66 and you know 295 lbs super athletic but he’s a blue collar guy um he’s a a football junkie he loves the game you know he’s a simple guy loves the lord loves football loves his family and loves his teammates uh that’s who I know I Mike uh to be and and because that he’s been able to have a lot of success and I expect him to bring those same things those things that I just said his work ethic his passion his humility that he has uh for what it takes to be successful uh those things and being a great teammate those things will travel well uh when he shows up in January but he’ll put his head down and and let Coach Bebo coach him and develop him that’s important you know that was a a reason that he chose um one of the you know many reasons that he chose Oklahoma was from a development standpoint and knowing that coach penbo would be able to get them best out of him but um I’m really excited me you know that’s a position that uh we do have some youth um on the offensive line but it’s also a position of great need and so U EX just to get you know January 11th here soon how has uh been Arbuckle I guess settled into his role and what’s what’s it been like working with him so far oh it was fun today he was out there throwing uh he was throwing um we were spreading it out you know working our some of the Pas gelly stuff that we were doing and uh he was out there you know so if there’s five guys getting out five balls are flying so he he had his uh got his arm warmed up and threw a few post routes and a few unders and so it was great to see but he’s he’s Blended in really well again just a he’s a relationship guy uh he’s got a lot of humility certainly has respect for the for the people in the building and uh so it was a very natural um you know transition for him uh up to this point and U so um he spent a lot of time trying to get to know players and the rest of the staff so it’s been great Brent Danny today posted a thank you graphic didn’t spec specify his status for the bowl game do you expect him to play in the bowl game yeah I’ll say let let you know it’s not really for me to say um you know whether or not he’s going to play but uh how about him making be being an allamerican uh and know really cool First Team all sec in in his first year really proud and thankful not for all the seniors but certainly the the growth and mat maturity that has you know taken place with Danny and you know to me having a being a having a guy that um uh has a legacy somewhere I think comes from making the place better than when you got there and if he’s done something he’s he’s done that and he’s left his Mark uh certainly he’s done that to the whole locker room and the university but man he’s done that on defense where we were when he got here uh to where we are today man two different you know hemispheres and uh it’s his dedication his persistence his passion his love his commitment uh his body of work uh along with several of other seniors you know Woody Washington Ethan DS you know Billy Bowman that group of guys in particular man they have just been fantastic brand what’s the balance right now between practicing for the bowl game and just trying to get a foundation working ahead for spring and next year yeah you you’re working your fundamentals I don’t the balance you’re you treat it like a normal work week uh we do have some shortened practices I don’t want it to be long and drug out and uh you know fist fight every day you know want to uh be efficient get the fundamentals that will carry us as a program of the attention to detail focusing on how we do what we do I think that’s more important than anything uh just showing up with a a standard uh every single day and how we meet how we work how we compete uh how we lead those types of things and making sure that we continue to nurture that we don’t look the other way for that just the little things you know the little things have the biggest consequences so just nurturing uh Foundation our standards and uh and then again you know putting in our game plan uh as well getting that that work in both the film room and on the practice field you got to have a you know balance of both and you got to have some fun do you have a pretty firm idea of who’s going to be available in the bowl game yeah mhm is anybody in the portal going to go ahead and play in the bowl game like some of the guys you might have had to cut um you know I think the guys that um that uh some of the Walk-Ons are still trying to figure figure out you know what’s next for them uh afforded them the opportunity to to choose whether or not they want to to still uh participate and be a part of the bowl game last year you had a few I think High School guys able to just practice do you have any guys there’s a few there’s a be a few um and it’s all based on when we can get their final transcript when their last days of school are so there’s a timing mechanism that won’t allow everyone uh but we’ll have a handful of some guys that can experience that as well BR you mentioned the quarterback room being I mean somewhere you need depth I want to ask you about tight end how important is it to build that depth at that position and uh just what’s the plan there yeah yeah I mean it’s to build the depth back to where um we need it and tight ends are one of the most uh undervalued positions on a team they they’re critical and special teams and certainly in the in what we want to do and who we are uh in the league to be an efficient offense be a physical offense and be able to attack people in the middle of the field I think those are just some of the things things that they can bring to the table but uh but it’s been a position that you know because of some injury issues over the last two years it’s not been what we want it to be uh and we lost two uh we’re going to lose two really good ones uh again this year now that we’re one in the portal and one a senior graduating today and uh so again it’s it’s been a priority you know again looking for guys that are tough that are physical uh that can play in space they got to be smart guys again they got to be leaders got to be good special teams players all of those things how far has Mitchell coming tight end yeah he’s done well he’s done well um again I I’ve spoke about uh uh spoke about v a couple of times I think with everybody so I don’t want to be redundant that way but uh again just should be a senior in high school uh last January and um so remember he’s a reclass guy but he’s matured a lot and uh has had some you know some ups and downs and highs and lows of just what your first year in college is all about but really proud of his body of work and the Improvement that he’s made and his mindset here the last you know few weeks of the season um he’s really kind of starting to hit his stride in regards to uh showing up and being prepared and uh knowing how to compete and doing all the things off the field that you got to do uh as well and knowing what to do once you get on the field and uh but again he’s a guy with heavy hands and he’s got uh really good hands but in the blocking he’s a heavy-handed guy and um I think if you if he was standing here right now he’d tell you man he’s starting to be get to become really confident in in what he’s doing how to play t he can play in the bowl game right yeah I know it’s a balancing act and really a math equation to get down to 105 but you have an idea of how many transfers you’d like to bring in yeah I’ve just I’m keep that kind of open you know anything can happen with our current roster and and there but you know it’s going to be somewhere in probably you know 8 to 12 you know give or take so Grant we didn’t ask you uh when we talked to you at signing day but I want to ask you when you were hiring an offensive coordinator was the coordinator coming in was he required recommended to keep the entire offensive staff in place that’s a good question no um I asked everybody I um interviewed you know hey what are your non-negotiables and uh if I if you take this job what do you need to have uh at your uh disposal to be successful and uh and I let off every conversation you know we got a good staff but U nobody here is obligated to keep anybody and um I just kind of lean back you know uh on for example when like coach Stoops I remember when he went down to to Florida I think Florida maybe they got whooped by Nebraska and a bowl game maybe Nebraska put 60 some or so on on Florida and they took Bob Stoops you know and so they were a mess on defense and they coach sper hires coach Stoops he goes down to Florida and uh a year or two later and he got to keep the whole staff and figure things out you know with that staff and uh and uh and he did and they won the National Championship just a couple of years later when I left Oklahoma I asked coach Sween I said who who can I bring he’s like you can bring one guy off the field so I brought a guy off the field and I had to go figure it out and they had just given up 70 to West Virginia in the bowl game everybody want to get rid of everybody and uh but I got there and I figured out hey man these are really good coaches we got a you know um I got to develop a chemistry and a cohesion I need to understand what they understand and how they coach and then I got to do a good job as a teacher uh and a coach of coaches doing a good job of all right this is the way we’re going to do it moving forward and um uh but and that staff you know again we we went to four national championships and won a whole bunch of games and we’re the gold standard on defense with that staff when coach Ali came here uh he he brought one off the field Guy and um uh and he was able to take us and we made steady improvement from year one to year two and and uh and then year two to year three man we took another huge step in a whole bunch of categories and he had to figure out the staff and uh keep all these guys uh that we lost three games with and um and so again I just use just a couple of of those examples uh you know to to to lean on and if I felt there was um you know we needed a change certainly would do so but um you know ultimately I made the decision to hire coach Arbuckle for the reasons I’ve already expressed but for who we wanted to be on offense I wanted an offense that could attract great quarterback play where you’re pushing the ball down the field you have an explosive offense that would be attractive to every skilled player in the country and and that’s what this program has been known for and uh just so happened that you know he it it aligned uh when it comes to you know our staff but for me um if he needed to bring a couple guys he would have been able to do that and uh he have some off the field guys that were really important to him and and so we’ve uh created opportunity for him to bring them got wrap up last one last last big picture question for you hiring Rand Stevenson and sort of the role that he’s going to fill what was the conversation like to create that to sort of reorganize and then to bring yeah just I I’m just again thankful for our leadership you know president Harris and Joe cigalon to have the foresight um the vision um for uh you know what the next phase of college football looks like College athletics as you go to a semi type of NFL pro model and where you can be efficient um where you can handle uh systematically um the instability that’s natur naturally there and uh so that we can do a great job the the yearr round demand um from the anticipation to the contracts to uh the open-ended free agency um to the development internally all the different spaces that are affected still having a recruiting mechanism you know you’re still dealing with 16 17 18 year olds uh into this new space I’m really thankful that they’ve given the stability internally uh to be very forward thinking and in their leadership what have you learned about Randall so far Yeahs of what he’ll bring to he he makes decisions quickly and efficiently uh he’s tough and demanding and uh he loves his university and but uh he provides um he’s willing to listen and uh uh those are some of the the big things he not afraid to make you know decisions and uh he’s got great you know vision and I think he’s playing the end game you know with a lot of his forward thinking you know what does the endgame look like uh certainly there are things that you have to do in the immediacy uh that demand attention and uh but he’s also uh found some people that internally you know can can help facilitate you know the transition where we’re at in college football
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