Brent Venables looks to secure respect entering 2026 season

Brent Venables begins his fifth season as head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners in 2026, seeking to build on last year's success after a 10-3 finish and College Football Playoff appearance. Despite the internal confidence in his program, external respect remains elusive, with Venables ranked 23rd among FBS head coaches, still trailing Lincoln Riley. Venables has been criticized for two disappointing 6-7 seasons but made significant changes, including hiring offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and starting quarterback John Mateer, to strengthen the offense. The Sooners aim for continued progress this season and another playoff run to further bolster Venables' status in college football.

• 12:01 PMYahoo Sports — Brent Venables still has respect to earn nationally in 2026