Oklahoma’s Brent Venables Thinks About the SEC ‘At Least Once a Day’ But Remains Focused on the Present

TULSA – Brent Venables has had so much on his thoughts recently – most of which he ticked off Thursday evening throughout a press convention at historic Cain’s Ballroom as he ready to satisfy the gang on the primary cease of the brand new Sooner Coaches Caravan.

Oklahoma’s first-time head coach mentioned he’s not a lot into evaluating the place OU stands as the varsity transitions towards the Southeastern Convention – nevertheless it’s not like he by no means thinks concerning the SEC.

“Man, I take into consideration every little thing on a regular basis,” Venables mentioned. “Nonstop. That’s in my thoughts a minimum of as soon as a day.”

Venables coached 13 years at OU in his first go-round. He’s been competing for nationwide championships for the final 10 years at Clemson. He’s seen the perfect the SEC has to supply, and he and Dabo Swinney and the Tiger program have slain the dragon – twice.

Now he’s had a full spring follow to evaluate how his Sooner stack up.

However Venables adheres to the phrase Teddy Roosevelt made well-known greater than 100 years in the past: comparability is the thief of pleasure.

“I’m probably not involved about attempting to match us to anyone else,” Venables mentioned. “We’re going to be inside-out with every little thing that we do. I simply need us to concentrate on being our greatest. Whenever you begin evaluating your self, it’s a dropping battle.”

Venables mentioned he’s requested the gamers, each coach, each administrator and has even implored Sooner Nation: concentrate on you. Don’t fear about Alabama, or Georgia, or Nick Saban, or the SEC.

“You’ll by no means be nice at something for those who’re not centered on doing all your greatest,” Venables mentioned. “Being the perfect is a byproduct of all people being dedicated to a day by day dedication of excellence. I’m don’t assume that’s a profitable strategy to assume, myself.”

And but, he’s all too conscious that membership in faculty soccer’s premier convention awaits.

“That is down the highway,” Venables mentioned. “We’re attempting to construct a program so we are able to compete with anyone in faculty soccer, so we are able to turn out to be the usual in faculty soccer.

“I do have a really clear imaginative and prescient for what that appears like. We have got lots of work to do.”

Venables’ boundless power is just not pretend. He admitted that he’s “consumed by every little thing” in the case of making Oklahoma soccer the perfect it may be.

“My job is to have foresight and be very thorough in all my pondering,” Venables mentioned. “However on the similar time, be centered on being inside-out. I take into consideration every little thing. I take into consideration what that first play towards UTEP goes to seem like.

“However I additionally know I’ve bought to concentrate on being very dedicated to (being) proper right here within the second. There’s energy within the current, there’s hope sooner or later. And proper now, my ft are proper right here, proper now.”

“I attempt to do every little thing I can to assist our guys concentrate on the best stuff, to assume the best means, to deal with it day-to-day, stop worrying about sometime and concentrate on in the present day, and serving to our guys having some pleasure of their journey. As a result of the world will steal your pleasure in a minute for those who let it.”