Brent Venables honeymoon period ends with Oklahoma seeking answers after blowout loss in Red River Showdown

DALLAS — More than 30 minutes after Oklahoma’s 49-0 loss to Texas in the Red River Showdown, the Sooners still had not shown up for media interviews. The losing team typically participates first to give the victors ample time to enjoy the trophy celebration. 

But even after Texas left the stage, the Oklahoma contingent was nowhere to be found. An inconspicuous tweet went out from the OU football account simply noting “Final: Texas 49, OU 0.” Finally, more than an hour after the 2:12 p.m. CT final whistle, coach Brent Venables and Oklahoma players shuffled into the interview room. All five participants wore suits, with two defenders wearing black, an unwitting tribute to the funeral that just took place at the Cotton Bowl. 

“We were good enough on both sides of the ball to be a lot more competitive and have a chance to win the game than what we displayed,” Venables said. “From coaching and getting them ready, that responsibility starts with me. I obviously did a very poor job of doing that.” 

Turn the calendar back as far as you want — the Sooners have never lost to Texas like this. Not during the John Blake years. Not under Gary Gibbs. Not even under Adrian Lindsey in the formative days of the then-Big 6 Conference. In fact, this is the biggest shutout loss in the history of the Oklahoma football program regardless of opponent, and first time in program history that it has lost back-to-back games by 30 points. 

Prior to Saturday, Texas had not shut out Oklahoma since the Lyndon B. Johnson administration. The largest previous loss against the hated ‘Horns was a 33-point decision, matched in 1941 and 2005. This isn’t a bad stretch by Oklahoma standards. It’s a waking nightmare. 

“Hearing that you’ve done something that hasn’t been done in a long time,” said Texas linebacker DeMarvion Overshown with a grin, “that means you’re doing something right.”

Texas simply crushed Oklahoma, and to the winner goes the spoils, but any honeymoon feeling about the Venables era that might have lingered is officially over after the Red River Shutout. No player on the roster has ever lost three games in a single season at Oklahoma, much less three in a row. This is no longer Lincoln Riley’s program, and that’s a scary look so far as every part of Oklahoma football has bottomed out during the Venables era. 

“This is uncharted territory for us,” tight end Brayden Willis admitted. “At the end of the day, a lot of us guys up here have played a lot of ball. I think the biggest thing for us right now is to lead a little bit harder.” 

The Sooners have given up a combined 1,762 yards and 145 points over the last three weeks, more points than the much-maligned defenses coordinated by Alex Grinch or Mike Stoops ever surrendered over a three-game period. A team that led the nation in sacks over the first three weeks of the year has one sack since opening Big 12 play. 

While the defense struggled at the tail end of the Riley era, there was plenty of offensive talent leftover. Receiver Marvin Mims is an NFL talent, along with running back Eric Gray and Willis. Offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh ranked as one of four offensive assistants who returned in 2022, though receivers coach Cale Gundy resigned in August after using a racial slur during a team meeting. But with offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby tying everything together in place of Riley, the offense has been putrid in Big 12 play. 

The Sooners accumulated just 195 yards on 3.7 yards per play against a defense that allowed more than 366 yards per game in prior games. Quarterback Davis Beville was miserable in his first start with only 38 yards, but the offensive game plan didn’t give him much leeway. After one failed drive, the Sooners gave up on the pass and ran plenty of Wildcat. 

With starting QB Dillon Gabriel in the lineup, there probably isn’t a goose egg in the Oklahoma column. But ultimately picking Beville in the transfer portal and leaving him unprepared for primetime is on the coaching staff, too. 

“The outside world just sees this game as big plays, touchdowns, us not scoring,” linebacker David Ogwoegbu said. “I know everything — and we know everything — that we need to know to fix that.” 

It’s a nice sentiment but one that’s difficult to believe. Through the first half of Venables’ first season at Oklahoma, neither the players nor coaches seem to have any answers. With Baylor and No. 7 Oklahoma State on the schedule — and three additional road games — Venables appears to have brought Oklahoma from the ceiling to the cellar in less than one season. 

Venables coordinated Oklahoma’s defense during the glory days, and was a staffer when the Sooners won a national championship in 2000. He coached on the Sooners’ squad that handed Texas a 65-13 loss in 2003, the worst in the history of the rivalry. He preaches not getting too high and too low. 

“Having been on the right side of it three or four times, it’s never as bad as it seems and it’s never as good as it seems,” Venables said. “But right now, it’s not good. I’m not trying to mask that. We’ve got to do a better job of helping our guys.” 

After a loss like this, everything is on the table.