Oklahoma

Everything Brent Venables Said Monday On Seth Littrell and Oklahoma’s Staff Changes

Published

2 years ago

October 21, 2024

Everything Brent Venables Said Monday On Seth Littrell and Oklahoma’s Staff Changes

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables talked Monday night on his weekly coach’s show, “Sooner Sports Talk With Brent Venables,” about his decision to fire offensive coordinator Seth Littrell and replace him with tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley and offensive analyst Kevin John.

Here’s everything Venables said about the situation:

“Well, a lot goes into you making those types of changes. And there’s a — it’s over the last several months. There’s a body of work that you look at all of it and evaluate it. And obviously we haven’t played winning football, you know, on offense. And so you always go back and look at why. And there’s certainly, you know, we know what some of the issues have been from a roster standpoint and injury standpoint, and those are very real, without question. But, at the end of the day, you know, you look at, OK, if we continue to do what we’ve been doing, you know, there’s a good chance we’re going to continue to have the same results.

“And so I think about, again and again, this goes way back — all the way to the very beginning of of spring and winter and all that, and through the summer and then the season itself. And I, again, I look at everything from, you know, game plan, play design, sequencing, leadership, you know, the details, the little things. And then I look at, you know, what our players have been doing. Are they — are we straining? Are we showing up (and) competing at practice? We competing hard in the game? I’m not saying play perfect, you know. You know, do we know what we’re doing? All of those things go into it.

“And at the end of the day, just felt that, you know, I gave it its time. You know? Where I didn’t feel like there was — I was rushing to judgment and everything doesn’t fall at the feet of coach Littrell either. I would be remiss if I didn’t say that. And incredibly hard, because, you know, so many people are affected. There’s a real domino effect. But the end of the day, I got to do what’s best for the players and certainly the program, and that’s what ultimately led to, you know, the decision.

“And so it’s a change in leadership, a change in the voice. It’s a change in, again, game planning, it’s a change in perspective. It’s a change in the coaching, it’s a change in the sequencing on game day, all of those types of things. And again, maybe it provides the spark, too. And maybe, you know, I know that we’re somewhere in the hundreds in all the different categories, and it’s, you know, completely unacceptable and embarrassing and well below the standard. And it doesn’t, you know, reflect, who Oklahoma has been for a really long time. I had a historical lens that I got to look at.

“And so I know that there’s lots of teams around college football — you know, there’s 20 of them, I don’t know — but there’s lots of teams that have similar-type issues. You know, you have injuries, maybe you have a young quarterback, maybe have a new offensive line, and you got some guys banged up there, and there’s a continuity thing, and then you have several guys on offense that are in their first year, whether they’re an older guy or a younger guy. And so I look at that, but I know that we’re not the only ones. But why are we historically not where we need to be?

“And there’s been some improvement. It’s been incredibly incremental. You don’t sound right by saying that, because at the end of the day, the result has been the result, and it’s all crap. And so for me, I’ve got to, again, look out for everybody else. And even, you know, it — maybe it provides a spark, maybe it creates a little more edge, although I’ve felt like we’ve had great engagement and great will to invest week in and week out by both the players and the staff. But maybe this provides a little bit of a spark.

“And again, there will be real change. You know, the things that I just said will be different, even though there’s people that are still here on that side of the ball. And the things that I said are very real, the things that can be different and maybe better and maybe it’s whether it’s a placebo effect or not, I do believe, if we just make some incremental improvement, play to our potential, do the things that the game requires you to do in order to execute and win — No. 1, take care of the ball. And our three losses, you know, we didn’t take care of the ball. And we had opportunities to score when we did turn the ball over, and we didn’t … punish people.

“And this week was a great example that was one-sided in those turnovers — they score, and we don’t provide those opportunities, it can get out of hand in a hurry. So again, all those things went into it, and you know, again, for me and for our staff, again, you know, I’ve got to do a great job from a leadership standpoint of, you know, calling it exactly like it is, and there’s got to be accountability. And our guys know that.

“And, you know, there’s nobody that was quote-unquote surprised by it, you know. It was received. And we move forward and so I’m really excited about what I saw. Had a team meeting yesterday, and it, you know, there was a surprise there. You know, these are young guys that are looking for, you know, ‘What do we do next?’ And so, you know, again, we’ve got to be, again, confident and aggressive and sure of what we’re doing. And our guys, you know, the staff-wise, have done a great job. You know, just a very short amount of time, responded the right way.

“And obviously, we’ve promoted both Kevin Johns and Joe Jon. You know, Kevin, when he got here, was hired later in the winter, early spring, as an analyst. Coaches — off the field coaches were not allowed to coach. So he was doing, he was … looking at advanced scouting and not really in the nuts and the bolts of the X’s and the O’s and learning all the new language and things, although he’ll pick up some things, but that wasn’t his forte. He wasn’t breaking down games and having to prepare stuff day-to-day for the coaches. He’s more of an advance-scout guy, and so our guys in-house were, you know, the guys that can coach — GA’s and things like that, they’re more in the nuts and the bolts, as far as the X’s and the O’s and the verbiage and things like that.

“And we know, again, I think it’s been well documented what, you know, Kevin’s resume, what his resume is, and the success that he’s had, and the exposure that he’s had at several places, whether that was at Texas Tech or it was at Indiana for several years, where they they broke 55-plus Big Ten records and led the Big Ten in scoring when he was the OC and quarterbacks coach, I think maybe ’16, ’17. And the development piece that’s really there, he understands everywhere he’s had to maybe do more with less. I love that about coaching. You know, when you see people have success at places where maybe they don’t always have the best resources, but you’re able to maximize guys, and you’re essentially putting guys in position to be successful.

“And that was, again, behind this decision that we got to maybe do again, whatever that looks like, a better job of putting our guys in position to be successful and everybody — there’s always a collaboration. But you know what? We have figured out what doesn’t work. I know that. You know there’s certain things that haven’t worked. And so you push those to the side and try to lean in some expertise. And again, Kevin has that experience at, again, several places. Very good track record at Memphis as well and at Duke, you know, again, places where, again, you got to really get after it and work and recruit and develop and really high level success.

“Offensively, super bright. And he and I deal — we work together a lot. Have because he’s he helps me (in) a lot of different spaces, special teams and defense. Just I work through him. I got different ideas and things that I know are hard on a defense, and I studied the other opponents’ defense. And I know these are things that work and can expose them, and if they fit, you know, our game plan, then he puts things together in a presentation, to to the staff, and then they put — pick and choose what, you know, they like out of that that fits this week.

“But he and Joe Jon will work together and with, again, with the rest of staff. Everybody has a role. But those will be the kind of the two voices putting stuff together. And then, Joe Jon, you know, will call it on game day.”

Source link

Oklahoma

Oklahoma teacher turns PB&J’s into a lifeline for students

Published

5 hours ago

May 14, 2026

Press Room

Oklahoma teacher turns PB&J’s into a lifeline for students

OKLAHOMA CITY –

Teaching is easily one of the most challenging and rewarding professions anywhere. And while most deserve to be recognized, when we heard about Deanne Strothers, we had to come meet her.

The Harding Charter Prep teacher has been teaching life through math for 30 years.

“My goal is to make them understand that they can get through tough stuff,” said Strothers.

But seven years ago, there was some tough stuff put on her plate that was really tough to swallow.

“I had kids that would come in, and they didn’t have any. They didn’t have a lunch card, so they couldn’t eat,” said Strothers.

She recalls one student in particular, at a previous school.

“She came in, and she’s like, I’m hungry,” said Strothers.

After giving the student the peanut butter and jelly sandwich she had brought for lunch, Strothers made a decision: as long as she was teaching, no child would go hungry.

“And so, I’m like, I’ve got to get something that is universal, and we landed on peanut butter and jelly,” said Strothers.

So, for the past seven years, each night she and her husband have prepared peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, totaling over 30,000 sandwiches.

It’s always grape jelly, you don’t have to be in any of her classes and the sandwiches are typically gone before 9 a.m.

“I would rather have a well-fed child than a child sitting here, not having the capability to really pay attention because they are hungry,” said Strothers.

As word spread of her personal feeding program, it prompted a visit from Oklahoma’s Secretary of Education, Dan Hamlin, who didn’t come empty-handed.

“Well, we wanted to give you a check for supplies,” said Hamlin.

“I think it’s incredibly important that we recognize the great work that our teachers are doing across the state,” said Hamlin.

“I’ll keep doing this as long as I am teaching,” said Strothers.

As expected, Mrs. Strothers says she will use the check for more peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The $250.00 donation will paY for about one semester of sandwiches.

Source link

Oklahoma

Two state senators are stalling Clemishire bill in Oklahoma; victims are asking why

Published

1 day ago

May 13, 2026

Press Room

Two state senators are stalling Clemishire bill in Oklahoma; victims are asking why

Convicted felon Robert Morris — a megachurch pastor who abused 12-year-old Cindy Clemishire in 1982 — walked out of an Oklahoma prison in the early hours of March 31.

But time is running out to get legislation aimed at helping abuse victims such as Clemishire — and a bill named for her unanimously passed by the Oklahoma House of Representatives— to Gov. Kevin Stritt’s desk.

The Cindy Clemishire Act, HB 4227 would eliminate Oklahoma’s statute of limitations for prosecuting child sexual abuse and prohibit the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in related settlement cases.

The NDA provision is also known as “Trey’s Law” in remembrance of Trey Carlock, who was sexually abused at Camp Kanakuk, a Christian retreat in the Ozarks. Part of his legal settlement included a restrictive NDA that prohibited him from speaking about his abuse or Kanakuk’s role.

Carlock died by suicide, aged 28, after having told a therapist, “they will always control me, and I’ll never be free.”

Your tax-deductible gift supports our mission of reporting the truth and restoring the church. Donate $50 or more to The Roys Report, and you can elect to receive our featured offer, “Kiss and Tell: The Innocent Moment That Shattered Mark Driscoll’s Cult” by Vince Manuele – click here.

Cindy Clemishire, pictured in 2024. (Courtesy Photo)

Yet for unknown reasons, the Oklahoma Senate’s leadership hasn’t yet brought the measure to the floor, and the legislative session is slated to end this Thursday (May 14).

“I’ve just been told they’re not going to hear it. No reason,” Oklahoma state Sen. Darrell Weaver (R-Moore) told online news outlet NonDoc.com on May 5. “I am baffled. Disappointed and baffled.”

Apparently standing in the way are state Sens. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, the Senate floor leader, and Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, Senate pro tempore. Daniels, according to the NonDoc.com report, won’t schedule a hearing for the bill, and Paxton reportedly is deferring to her on the matter.

The Roys Report (TRR) has contacted Daniels and Paxton for comment, as well as state Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore. None immediately responded.

In a statement, Clemishire admonished Oklahoma lawmakers to get the bill passed.

robert morris court — On Sept. 4, 2025, Robert Morris enters his vehicle as he leaves the Osage County Courthouse in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. (Photo: Sheila Stogsdill

“For decades, predators like Robert Morris have hidden behind outdated laws to evade justice, but the time for silence is over. To the members of the Oklahoma Senate: you have the power to ensure no other child is forced into the shadows, but your work is not done until these protections are sent to the governor,” she said.

Elizabeth Phillips, sister of Trey Carlock and founder of No More Victims, was also emphatic about the need for passage.

“Predators rely on silence and time–the law shouldn’t reward either,” said Phillips. “We are calling on Oklahoma Senate leadership to stand with survivors by ending the forced silence imposed on them by NDAs, like the one that silenced my brother to his grave, and remove the criminal statute of limitations for child sex crimes just as 44 other U.S. states have done. Please, don’t let the clock run out on survivors.”

Oklahoma is one of six states — along with the U.S. House of Representatives — where measures aiding victims of clergy sexual abuse have been filed. Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, and West Virginia are the others where legislation has been introduced.

In 2025, similar legislation was enacted in Texas, Missouri, California, and Tennessee, while Alabama and Georgia did so this year.

Mark A. Kellner is a reporter based in Mesquite, Nevada. He most recently covered statewide elections for the New York Post and was for three years the Faith & Family Reporter for The Washington Times. Mark is a graduate of the University of the Cumberlands and also attended Boston University’s College of Communication.