Another Brent Venables Thread

[FaninAma]

I come not to praise or bury Brent. I am just curious what others feel are his strengths and weaknesses as OU's defensive coordinator.

[rawlingsHOH]

Most felt his weakness was he loved his linebackers too much, and was too resistant, to nickeling them out of the game. Now, he socks, because he plays too much nickel. LOL. He can't win!

[Breadburner]

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w193/Quick_Brick/misc/double-facepalm.jpg

[Mad Dog Madsen]

I love Brent Venables!!!

[gaylordfan1]

He has Chuck Norris' cell number, so I would tally that as a strength.

[TahoeSOONER]

BV has Walker Texas Ranger's vaj, um I mean badge.

[goingoneight]

One of the top DC's in the country with a solid recruiting rep in Texas. Has had some games throughout the years where the defense just kinda takes a game off or doesn't seem to care, but most programs have that problem.
Could have won it all in 2008 and 2009 if not for bad breaks the rest of the te suffered.

[soonerboy_odanorth]

Could have won it all in 2008 and 2009 if not for bad breaks the rest of the te suffered.

2009? Don't think so. Without a more dominant o-line, Gresham or not, Bradford or not, we were still looking at at least a couple of losses. Surely, it would have been a better season. Just not NC-caliber.

Agree on the recruiting, though.

[Sooner04]

I thought the D was championship caliber in 2009, for the most part.

[Rickety_Syd]

I thought the D was championship caliber in 2009, for the most part.

It was the best since 2001.

Points allowed 2009: 189
Points allowed 2001: 169

[rawlingsHOH]

Definitely championship caliber. Though I'm not sure it was better than the 2003 unit, I'd have to further consider that one.

[SoonerLB]

He saves the game and KW's *** on a regular basis, I'd hate to think what could have happened the past few years without him, and I don't think it would be easy to replace him with anyone that could do the job better.

[rawlingsHOH]

DTs...
2003- Harris, Dvoracek, McGruder, Klein (I think?)
2009- McCoy, Taylor, Cordero Moore(?)
03 by a landslide, though I'd rank McCoy probably first overall. 09 just had no depth, at all. Showed up against Miami and Texas.

DEs...
2003- Cody, Jackson, Birdine, Thibodeaux
2009- Beal, Alexander, English
Pretty close, but I'd take 03, again on depth, and because English was destroyed by injuries at this stage. Both had strong groups.

LBs...
2003- Lehman, Allen, Jackson, Chambers (injured), Mitchell (injured)
2009- Lewis, Reynolds, Clayton, Box
I'll go with 09. The injury to Lance was a killer, he was phenomonal prior. Gayron was tiny, and Pasha was limited athletically. 09 had a couple good athletes and a field general in the middle.

DBs...
2003- Strait, Perkins, Everage, Nicholson, Pool, Shelby, McCoy (I think?)
2009- Franks, Jackson, Carter, Proctor, Nelson, (anyone else play much?)
2003, very deep. I think that was the year Pool played a centerfield nickel position and had a bunch of picks. Shelby was a dime blitz specialist. Though 2009 had no glaring weakness.

[goingoneight]

There may be some out there who can bring a 2000-2003 defense year in, year out... but with a young HC still in Bob Stoops, how long will we have that guy? How good will he recruit OU territory and sell the program? Is he gonna get us in trouble?
BV won't be here forever IMO, I don't think it's fair to always throw him under the bus like some do. The BIG 12 is also a lot stronger offensively in recent years than it was in early Stoops time. Doesn't mean you shouldn't expect good defense in Norman, but that you face more than just one good offense a year.

[rawlingsHOH]

There may be some out there who can bring a 2000-2003 defense year in, year out... but with a young HC still in Bob Stoops, how long will we have that guy? How good will he recruit OU territory and sell the program? Is he gonna get us in trouble?
BV won't be here forever IMO, I don't think it's fair to always throw him under the bus like some do. The BIG 12 is also a lot stronger offensively in recent years than it was in early Stoops time. Doesn't mean you shouldn't expect good defense in Norman, but that you face more than just one good offense a year.
No doubt. In 2008, the conference was ridiculous!

[FaninAma]

I actually think he has learned to make better in-game adjustments(with the exception of the AFA game.)

I do think he sometimes gets too cerebral with his schemes and assignments. I get the impression that sometimes the players are playing a bit tentative as they try to run through their assignments. This in turns negatively affects the aggressiveness of some of the players which in turn decreases some of the athletic advantages OU has against a lot of teams.

As long as turnover is held to a minimum and players spend 4+ yearts in Brent's schemes the defense should excel.

As a comparison, I would point to Alabama who is replacing 10 starters from last year's defense. How would Brent's defense be playing this year with 10 new starters?

[Sooner04]

Gayron Allen may have been small, HOH, but the guy was where he was supposed to be. I remember Venables raving at how high he graded out from week to week.

How early did Mitchell get hurt? Fresno game?

[AzianSooner]

I believe this year Brent got one help. It comes from the experience of the coordinator from Georgia.

Just a strategy and a solid assessment to one gameplan.

[Peach Fuzz]

I berieve this year Brent got one herp. It comes from the experience of the coordinator from Georgia.

Just a strategy and a sorid assessment to one gamepran.

this :D

[rawlingsHOH]

Gayron Allen may have been small, HOH, but the guy was where he was supposed to be. I remember Venables raving at how high he graded out from week to week.

How early did Mitchell get hurt? Fresno game?

Yep, I think about halfway thru that Fresno game. Game 3.

[My Opinion Matters]

I think Brent's most consistent shortcoming as a coordinator has been that he sucks.

[Curly Bill]

I think Brent's most consistent shortcoming as a coordinator has been that he sucks.

LOL :D

That goes even further than my less than high opinion of him.

I don't think he sucks, I think he's good to average, but he happens to be at a program where that shouldn't be good enough.

[JLEW1818]

CB what's been up man? making it to any games this year?

[Curly Bill]

CB what's been up man? making it to any games this year?

Probably not, my recliner is way more comfortable than bleachers are. :D

[JLEW1818]

my face still hurts from Saturday... hot

[Soonerjesse27]

the guy has produced some quality linebackers, calmus, rufus, Ingram, lewis,Lofton and Wort will be the next one.

[Curly Bill]

I don't think peeps, even his critics (like me) have a problem with his work with linebackers, it's his coordinating that pains some of us.

[JLEW1818]

what about your boy Bobby Jack?

[Curly Bill]

what about your boy Bobby Jack?

Really good recruiter.

Largely sucks as a coach. :P

[JLEW1818]

:D

[mehip]

The only problem I have with him is that we can't seem to consistently get off the field on 3rd downs. Last year was much better than recent years and I hope that it is abeginning of a trend.

[oudavid1]

his only weakness is when people post "Fire Venables" on soonerfans.com.

[FaninAma]

The only problem I have with him is that we can't seem to consistently get off the field on 3rd downs. Last year was much better than recent years and I hope that it is abeginning of a trend.

Nice observation. This problem raised it's ugly head against Air Force. Hopefully it was a one game abberation attributable to the style of offense the Zoomies ran.

[OUmillenium]

The only problem I have with him is that we can't seem to consistently get off the field on 3rd downs. Last year was much better than recent years and I hope that it is abeginning of a trend.

Yes, and somebody should have told him to cover Shipley in 08 Uterus game. Then to cover Shipley and not to forget about Shipley.

[mehip]

Yes, and somebody should have told him to cover Shipley in 08 Uterus game. Then to cover Shipley and not to forget about Shipley.

I think we have gotten much better in our secondary since then. I don't mean put any of those kids down but the overall group from last 09 was much better in coverage and seem to be this year as well. We will see when we hit the meat of the conference schedule.

[C&CDean]

I think some people are just haters and ignoramouses and will find fault with whoever we have since nobody can stop everybody all the time. These are sad little people who have lives that suck. You know who you are.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

Gayron Allen may have been small, HOH, but the guy was where he was supposed to be. I remember Venables raving at how high he graded out from week to week.

How early did Mitchell get hurt? Fresno game?

allen elevated the play of that defense more than mitchell did. he was small, but he did the little things. and as long as you have average athletic ability, the little things will let you be a pretty good player in college. for him, he covered receivers, he took on blockers, he gave the extra effort to make the play, he gave the extra effort to let someone else make the play.

there was the 4th down goal line stop against, i think, pokey state. there were several times where he'd give himself up to take out 2 blockers and give lehman a free pass to the ball carrier.

[StoopTroup]

Somebody should go back and tell Sam to miss last years opener.

It's your fault if you don't do it.

You Bastages. I can't believe you got him hurt.

[Leroy Lizard]

I think some people are just haters and ignoramouses and will find fault with whoever we have since nobody can stop everybody all the time. These are sad little people who have lives that suck. You know who you are.

My life sucks, but I still support the coaches.

Those who hate on BV and KW must really have a low opinion of Stoops. After all, he hired them and hiring the right staff is probably his most important job.

[rawlingsHOH]

allen elevated the play of that defense more than mitchell did. he was small, but he did the little things. and as long as you have average athletic ability, the little things will let you be a pretty good player in college. for him, he covered receivers, he took on blockers, he gave the extra effort to make the play, he gave the extra effort to let someone else make the play.

there was the 4th down goal line stop against, i think, pokey state. there were several times where he'd give himself up to take out 2 blockers and give lehman a free pass to the ball carrier.

I'd take the healthy version of Lance over any MIKE backer we've had here, with the exception of Lofton.

[madillsoonerfan5353]

I'd take the healthy version of Lance over any MIKE backer we've had here, with the exception of Lofton.

Ryan Reynolds was pretty damn good when healthy! See 2008 before the *Saxet* game.

:gary:

[NormanPride]

Allen was a smart man. He was in one of my upper level econ classes with Wes Sims as well. Wes was a goofball about the size of a train, and Allen was constantly playing drums on his notebook. The prof would ask him a question to catch him off guard, and he'd answer without missing a beat. :D

He was one of my favorites!

[rawlingsHOH]

Ryan Reynolds was pretty damn good when healthy! See 2008 before the *Saxet* game.

:gary:
Yes, early '08 Reynolds was right up there with them! Though '07 and '09 he simply didn't move around as well.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

I'd take the healthy version of Lance over any MIKE backer we've had here, with the exception of Lofton.

neither one of those guys made the defense better than the sum of its parts. having one or 2 role players on a defense that succeed in making the players around them better than they are is something that makes a defense special.

its why guys like roger steffen and corey heinecke and ryan fisher will always get nods from me. they weren't the most talented, but they did things that made the other guys around them excel at being superstars.

the superman play? what isn't caught on tape is corey heinecke stepping in front of the screen forcing sims to hold onto it allowing TGRW to get there. i'm not so sure a beal or one of our other superstar ends does that.

i'm also not going to sit here and say that we have to have a "glue" player at every position. however, having 2-3 of them on the field makes a defense much, much better than it appears on paper.

[Peach Fuzz]

Allen was a smart man. He was in one of my upper level econ classes with Wes Sims as well. Wes was a goofball about the size of a train, and Allen was constantly playing drums on his notebook. The prof would ask him a question to catch him off guard, and he'd answer without missing a beat. :D

He was one of my favorites!

Wes was indeed a goofball... his senior year in high school the dummy threw a water baloon off a interstate bridge which happened to destroy my windshield and got his *** on the news... wasnt mad I was just like wtf did you think would happen???

[C&CDean]

My favorite Wes Sims story:

As some of you know, we host the football team on Friday nights before home games. Anyhow, on the first Saturday morning when Wes was a baby-faced freshman with rosey cheeks and peach fuzz he comes up to me and goes "sir, do you have any bigger plates?" I go "no we don't, but you can just use a tray if you want." He goes "OK, thank you sir."

I look over a minute or two later and he has about 8 pancakes, a half-dozen eggs, a pile of bacon and sausage, and I think some biscuits and gravy all on a serving tray with syrup poured all over the mess. He ate it all.

Another funny thing that year was one of my conference coordinators comes up and goes "sir, what is "seereo?" I go "no clue. why do you ask?" She goes "a couple of the players keep asking for seereo." I go over there and ask them what they're wanting. I don't know who it was, but he was a small guy and he goes "yay man, y'alls be havin' any seereo." I go "what kind?" He goes "Cap'n Crunch or Chocula." I cracked up.