Oklahoma Coach Venables Reveals Program Decline Under Riley

Brent Venables, who took over as head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners football program in 2022 after Lincoln Riley left for USC, has described inheriting a program in significant disarray. Venables cited a low team GPA of 2.2, widespread drug test failures, and a lack of motivation and discipline among players during his first season, emphasizing a culture that needed rebuilding off the field despite Riley's strong on-field results. He allowed players a chance to compete and did not immediately purge the roster, contrasting Riley's approach which included bringing many five-star recruits to USC, some of whom followed Riley from Oklahoma. Since Venables' arrival, the program has improved academically, posting a cumulative GPA above 3.0 for six straight semesters as of spring 2024, and continues to work on both culture and performance. While Oklahoma suffered losing seasons under Venables, he remains optimistic that the cultural changes will translate into future on-field success. Venables' reflections reveal tensions between the previous era's focus on winning and the current emphasis on holistic player development and program integrity.