Nick Saban identifies Brent Venables as elite defensive coordinator

Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban designated Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables as one of the best defensive coordinators in football history during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. Saban highlighted the aggressive nature of schemes employed by Venables, which frequently rely on disguised coverages and pressure packages to force negative plays. This praise arrives as Oklahoma prepares for an upcoming game against the Michigan Wolverines. The Sooners defense enters the matchup following a shutout win where the unit tallied four sacks and 10 tackles for loss. While Venables continues to lead the defensive play-calling at Oklahoma, he has identified a need for increased precision in tackling and containment moving forward. Oklahoma faces a Michigan offense that struggled in its season opener against the Western Michigan Broncos, with the Sooners front line expected to test Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood.

• 12:03 PMYahoo Sports — Nick Saban praises Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables