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Brent Venables, Oklahoma reportedly agree to new contract ahead of SEC move
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Brent Venables and Oklahoma have agreed to a new longterm contract extension, according to a report.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel was first to share that news on Friday morning. Venables’ new deal goes for 6 seasons and includes a “significant” raise, according to Thamel’s report. It also includes an “uptick in overall program commitment,” per the report.
Sources: Oklahoma has agreed to a new six-year contract for coach Brent Venables. The new six-year deal includes a significant raise for Venables, and there’s been an uptick in overall program commitment as OU heads to the SEC. pic.twitter.com/Poq859eg40
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) June 21, 2024
Venables would have been entering Year 3 of his original contract with Oklahoma. His original deal went for 6 seasons as well and was fully-guaranteed for $43.5 million.
Per the Tulsa World’s Mason Young, Venables’ raise doesn’t kick in until the 2025 season. His salary on this deal peaks in 2029 at $7.925 million:
Brent Venables is extended through 2029. He’ll make $7.2 million this year and the raises kick in beginning in 2025.
2025 salary: $7.625 mil
2026: $7.725 mil
2027: no raise
2028: $7.825 mil
2029: $7.925 mil#Sooners— Mason Young (@Mason_Young_0) June 21, 2024
It’s unclear if Venables’ new contract will also be fully-guaranteed. If it is, it gives him some additional job security going into the SEC in 2024. The Sooners are set to face one of the nation’s toughest schedules this upcoming season — a slate that includes Texas, Alabama, Tennessee, LSU, Ole Miss and Missouri, amongst others.
Venables had a rough first season at Oklahoma, as the Sooners went just 6-6 during the regular season before losing their bowl game to Florida State. It was the first time OU went 6-6 or worse in a single campaign since 1998 — the year before Bob Stoops took over in Norman.
Oklahoma rebounded nicely in 2023, winning 10 regular-season games. The Sooners were in the mix at the top of the Big 12 until late in the year and just missed out on a New Year’s Six Bowl appearance.
Looking ahead to 2024, Oklahoma returns plenty of production on the defensive side of the ball but has some major question-marks on offense. Oklahoma lost all 5 starters on its offensive line and will be turning to redshirt freshman Jackson Arnold at quarterback following Dillon Gabriel’s departure.
Oklahoma’s win total for the 2024 season is currently set at 7.5, per the latest odds from FanDuel. The same book also has Oklahoma at +4200 to win the SEC in 2024.
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Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
