Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables has had an up-and-down tenure in Norman. Venables took over before the 2022 season after Lincoln Riley left for Southern California.
He went 6-7 in his first season, the first losing season at Oklahoma since 1998. Venables followed that up with an impressive 10-3 campaign. That led to a lot of expectations heading into 2024, the Sooners' first in the SEC. However, that year was a disaster, as Oklahoma again went 6-7. Venables entered the 2025 season under intense pressure. But as he did in 2023, Venables rebounded with a 10-3 campaign, this time reaching the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2019.
So, now the question is: how hot is his seat heading into the 2026 season? USA TODAY's Blake
Toppmeyer believes he is fine right now, but a setback could be disastrous.
"Venables, facing the hot seat last season, took over play-calling for the defense," Toppmeyer wrote. "It worked. Oklahoma’s defense propelled the Sooners to the playoff, and Venables put the thermometer in the cooler. And yet, expectations never wane at Oklahoma or inside the SEC. Venables’ tenure has lacked year-to-year consistency, and OU faces one of the nation’s toughest schedules. If the Sooners backtrack, Venables could find himself inching back toward the hot seat."
Getting back to the College Football Playoff was important for Venables, but Oklahoma cannot afford to treat it as the finish line. The Sooners have one of the toughest schedules in the country in 2026, including a road trip against the Michigan Wolverines and another challenging SEC slate. At the same time, Oklahoma must replace several key defensive linemen while continuing to develop an offense that ranked near the bottom of the country in rushing last season.
That creates a difficult balancing act for Venables. If Oklahoma takes another step forward and becomes a legitimate national championship contender, the questions surrounding his tenure should largely disappear. But if the Sooners fall significantly below expectations, the inconsistency that has defined much of Venables' tenure could become a major issue again.
For now, the thermometer is in the cooler. But 2026 could determine whether it stays there.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: How hot is Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables' seat in 2026?
