COMMENTARY: Brent Venables’ Actions Are Backing up His Words at Oklahoma

Brent Venables is experiencing his first true turbulence as the top coach at Oklahoma.

The announcement of Cale Gundy’s resignation on Sunday night time despatched shockwaves by Norman and past, however the choice was in keeping with the message Venables has touted since he arrived again on campus.

“You may nonetheless win on the highest stage and do it the best method,” Venables mentioned throughout a press convention final March.

For Venables, the best method means establishing a tradition of integrity and accountability.

After Oklahoma’s spring recreation, the OU head coach identified that not solely was instilling that tradition necessary, however that it needed to be finished instantly.

“I am targeted on constructing this system the best method,” he mentioned. “If we let the toothpaste out of the tube, we will not get it again in. So we will not miss.

“There’s one (probability) to do it the primary time, do it proper the primary time. We get one probability as a employees.”

Accepting Gundy’s resignation beneath any circumstance would have been a tough choice. But it surely was additionally the primary main personnel motion Venables was going to make as the top coach.

For greater than three a long time, Gundy has been an integral a part of Oklahoma soccer.

As a participant, he led the Sooners to success on the sector.

As an assistant coach, he performed a job within the recruitment and growth of among the best gamers within the historical past of this system.

And as evidenced by the droves of former gamers who’ve spoken out in assist of Gundy, he was beloved.

However he additionally made a mistake — one that might have lingered over this system and little question would have been introduced up time and time once more for years on the recruiting path by Oklahoma’s rivals.

Gundy resigning was little question a tough choice, however Bob Stoops’ rallying cry all through the teaching transition final December nonetheless rings true in the present day.

“There’s not one man, one particular person within the historical past of this program that’s greater than this system,” Stoops mentioned forward of the Alamo Bowl. “… Gamers all through these a long time, they’re OU soccer.”

Monday, Venables issued a second assertion on Gundy’s resignation, and the opening sentence outlined precisely who he was pondering of all through this case.

“As painful because it has been coping with Coach Gundy resigning from this system,” Venables wrote, “it doesn’t contact the expertise of ache felt by a room stuffed with younger males I’m charged to guard, lead and love.”

Venables is tasked with creating his gamers, and he’s mentioned time and again that the whole lot this system does will likely be geared towards retaining every participant’s greatest pursuits prime of thoughts.

In accepting Gundy’s resignation, Venables confirmed everybody how he intends to information his program.

No coach is larger than the Oklahoma model, and Venables has now set an instance to again up his phrases from the spring. 

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