USA TODAY Sports writer Paul Myerberg ranked all of college football’s 28 new head coaches.
Oklahoma’s Brent Venables checked in at No. 8 on the list. Myerberg wrote this about Venables.
It’s a testament to the depth of quality hires in this year’s cycle that Venables comes in eighth among first-year coaches. After a memorable run at Clemson, the former OU assistant returns to Norman more than ready to run the show at one of the elite programs in the country. Look for OU to play with increased energy and activity as the Sooners take a cue from one of the fieriest coaches in the sport. – Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports
Venables is the highest-ranked first-time head coach on Myerberg’s list.
Miami’s Mario Cristobal earned the No. 1 ranking from Myerberg. Lincoln Riley was next at No. 2 and here’s what Myerberg had to say about Riley’s departure from Oklahoma and future at USC.
Riley wasn’t lying when he said after the Sooners’ loss to Oklahoma State in late November that he wouldn’t be the next coach at LSU–instead, he’d be next at USC. He’s an offense-driven coach who will know how to take advantage of the talent outside his back door. And at only 38 years old with five years of pressure-cooker Power Five experience at OU, Riley may be a long-term answer for the Trojans. – Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports
A pair of other head coaches were hired in the Big 12. Myerberg ranked TCU’s Sonny Dykes No. 3 and Texas Tech’s Joey McGuire No. 12 on his list.
Venables has helped Oklahoma retain and sign much of its 2022 recruiting class and continues to add to it. Oklahoma’s 2022 recruiting class currently ranks as the nation’s No. 10 class in both 247Sports and On3’s team rankings.
While Venables isn’t ranked as highly as the man that just jettisoned from Norman, he’ll surely shoot up these types of rankings after coaching several seasons at Oklahoma.
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Players react to Brent Venables being named the next head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners
