Better keep an eye on Venables while you're at it
Published: 11/30/2009 8:33 AM
Last Modified: 11/30/2009 8:33 AM
If you aren't busy enough tracking Stoops-to-Notre Dame rumors, here's something that should occupy a bit more of your time -- seeing how many other head coaching vacancies are linked to Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables.
Let's put it this way: I wouldn't bet a dime on Stoops jumping ship. But Venables? I might bet the ship.
The only non-Notre Dame king-sized college football job to open over the coming days/weeks could be Florida State. That's it. But the pickings are plentiful further down the market's list -- Louisville and Virginia opened over the weekend, with Kansas on deck and a couple more sure to follow.
Venables' name hasn't come up in connection with the Cardinals and Cavaliers' vacancies. But it was very much in play at Colorado before the Buffs decided they couldn't afford to buy out Dan Hawkins. And when Mark Mangino packs his bags, you can be sure Venables will be somewhere on the Jayhawks' radar.
Here's a sleeper -- UNLV. Venables is pretty familiar with Vegas, having recruited natives Ryan Reynolds, DeMarco Murray and Justin Chaisson out of Bishop Gorman High School the last few years.
Working against the Rebels is that they are also trying to find an athletic director. Whatever coach they hire will be taking a giant leap of faith. Venables is in position to do better than UNLV for that reason and others.
Still, 11 years is a long time to serve an apprenticeship. Venables has proven his coaching chops during that tenure at OU, and shown an interest in running his own program. He's earned the right to take whatever shot he wants, like Chuck Long four years ago when he turned heads by wading into the muck at San Diego State.
Back on Oct. 14, the Football Rumor Mill Web site that follows the coaching carousel as well as anyone listed Venables among "college football's hottest assistants," and said he seemed "primed to get his own coaching job."
That was three days before Venables' defense played one of the most inspired OU-Texas games in recent memory.
Two years ago, even, Bruce Feldman of ESPN.com named Venables the "most intriguing" college assistant in the country.
"If Venables were more of a self-promoter, he'd probably be running his own BCS conference school by now," Feldman wrote. "He's sharp, energetic and charsimatic. Players love him and he's also a great recruiter with a keen eye for talent. He has learned a lot about game-planning from spending so much time around Bob Stoops."
Here's the biggest upset of the coming bowl season: Venables still coordinating the Sooners' defense at the Sun/Alamo.
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
