Venables: Transfers must bring value

The early signing period drama for Oklahoma, well, there really wasn’t any drama for new head coach Brent Venables.

The Sooners had cleaned up in the early part of the week with four commitments in two days so Wednesday’s signing day was kind of ho-hum.

It did allow an insight into some big picture items with Venables, namely the use of the transfer portal for the Sooners.

It was a question that had to be answered because while the defensive coordinator at Clemson, Venables was a part of a staff for Dabo Swinney that didn’t utilize it.

Now it clearly cannot become a crutch for OU and Venables, but he gave a clear idea as to why a transfer could be considered to be a Sooner going forward.

“We’ve spoken to a few already and trying to vet those guys. The biggest thing is trying to bring value to our locker room,” Venables said. “Certainly, meet the needs we have from a functional standpoint where maybe experience lacks or playmaking lacks.

“It’s very important that we do a very good job of vetting the types of people we’re bringing into that locker room because we’re trying to build a culture, protect the culture, continue to enhance the culture. Starts with making good decisions with those people.”

Venables said it used to be you recruited to a certain number of scholarships at each position, and you were good.

The transfer portal has obviously changed the game in that regard. You might have a full room one day, and then see it cleared out the next.

It’s a challenge, but one Venables is eager to face.

“We're looking for football players,” Venables said. “You thought you had them yesterday and you turn around and they're gone. So it is what it is and everybody's in the same boat. I like that. The rules are the same for everybody, the issues are the same for everybody. I think our problems pale in comparison to most places.”

‘Do what’s right’

The elephant in the room the last couple of weeks has been everything to do with Venables and how he’s handling anything regarding Clemson.

Whether that’s staff members, recruits who were committed or current Clemson players that could opt for the transfer portal in the future.

Venables standing tall on his principles with this one.

“I’m not trying to continue to quote-unquote ‘recruit’ guys. I’ve got my relationship with Coach Swinney that goes so much further than the football field,” Venables said. “He’s family to me. The rest of the staff there is family to me. So again, I’ve got incredible respect and appreciation and thankfulness, and again just trying to do things the right way.

“In this profession, the pressure to win and get players, I think people lose their way. And for me, that’s always been an easy philosophy and value system to have is just to do what’s right. So I’ve tried to do that.”

It’s understood that Venables won’t chase Clemson recruits. What’s not known, and wasn’t able to be addressed, is where Venables stands if a recruit wants to follow him as could be the case with Hays (Kan.) High four-star athlete Jaren Kanak.

Committed to Clemson since July, almost everyone believes Kanak will now be a Sooner after not signing with the Tigers on Wednesday.

More to come

Sounds obvious, but there’s no way OU is stopping at a 13-member class. No. 14 should come Thursday when tight end Kaden Helms signs, but Venables certainly made it sound like there could be even more.

“We are waiting on a few other young men to announce here in the next 24 hours or so,” Venables said.

There are options and then even more options going toward signing day in February, something Venables said he is very excited about in trying to fill up more spots for the class.

Evers falls into the lap

If you follow OU recruiting, then you know quarterback was an afterthought for the 2022 class for months and months.

Then in the span of the week, offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby went all-in with Flower Mound (Texas) High’s Nick Evers, and boom, OU has its quarterback.

“Finding the right guy that fit there too, not just a talented player that could come in and help us be a quality player that position,” Venables said. “I think looking for the totality you know, being the total package. And man did he (Lebby) find one. They're amazing people the more that you all are able to be around them and their family, the more you're gonna see what we're talking about.

“Immediately after visiting with him and his family, just tremendous humility, incredibly talented, but tremendous, tremendous humility, character, education. His dad's a Harvard grad, a recent Harvard grad. The real brains of the operation is mama, Miss Monica and just a wonderful family. He has tremendous discipline. He's a natural leader. He's connected from coast to coast. Kids love him, easy to follow and just a great athlete. He's just scratching the surface. He's got length, he's got speed. He's got arm talent. Very accurate player and everything still sitting in front of him.”

Evers was one of four signees to commit during this week, and he will be a mid-year enrollee for the Sooners.

Players recruit players

As much work as Venables did and as much work as Bob Stoops did a couple of weeks ago, tons of credit is owed to fellow members of the 2022 class.

Guys like Jake Taylor, Jacob Sexton, Gavin Sawchuk, Robert Spears-Jennings, to name a few, who were adamant about the fact they weren’t going anywhere despite the coaching change.

That stuff is recognized, and it resonates.

“Your recruiting leaders – the leadership is a very tangible thing that enhances the value of your team,” Venables said. “And so I think that what you see is some of that natural leadership ability. 'OK, now I've got this platform, I've made this commitment. I understand the value of – players recruit players.

“It's incredibly important that our guys continue to lead and we've encouraged that. You can't just be about you. It's got to be about your class and you can't just be about your class and you recruit the next class you're going to have and you're going to have a championship culture and the chance to make a run. You've got to do it with back-to-back-to-back classes every year.”

The 2022 class could have fallen off a cliff after Lincoln Riley’s departure. Instead, it’s a firm top-15 group that should only rise more in the upcoming weeks and heading into February.