Former OU Players Call New Coach Venables ‘Tough, Passionate’

Reaction continued after the University of Oklahoma’s Sunday night announcement of a new football coach.

The university announced Brent Venables as its 23rd head football coach. 

In a speech Monday, Venables said he is passionate about people and winning.

A former team player couldn’t agree anymore. 

“I can’t wait for this to get going,” said former Sooner linebacker, Teddy Lehman. “Brent Venables is an outstanding coach.”

Lehman would know. He played for Bob Stoops and then-defensive coordinator Venables in the early 2000s. 

Lehman said Venables’ hasn’t changed much since.

“He’s tough, he’s demanding, but at the same time, he loves his players and cares for his players,” said Lehman. “You can tell by the outpouring of support of former players both at Oklahoma and Clemson."

Lehman said Venables has a great opportunity on his hands to tweak philosophies and even culture at OU with a little tough love. 

“I think that you can demand a lot of players. There is a narrative going around that you can’t do that anymore, I don’t think that’s true,” said Lehman. “I think what players want is to win games, be the best player they can be and have a chance to play at the next level. If you can guarantee that or you can leave them in that direction, players will go through whatever they have to in order to obtain that.”

Tumultuous into a 2021 football season has open the door to what many believe is a bright future for OU in 2022.

“I think there is a chance that we could be looking at it and saying we are in a better spot now than we were before Lincoln Riley left,” said Lehman. 

Lehman said Venables has already gotten to work with recruiting.

After a staff is solidified, Lehman said it’ll be then on to talent development.