Pledger collects Big 12 honor
Oklahoma junior guard Steven Pledger has been named the Big 12 Player of the Week after scoring 30 points in a 63-60 win at then No. 22 ranked Kansas State.
For the week, Pledger averaged 23.5 points and 5.5 rebounds, including a loss to No. 6 Baylor.
Pledger, among the league scoring leaders, averaging 17.8 points a game, shot 56.3 percent in OU’s two games last week. He’s had six games with 20 or more points this season after having just three 20-point games his first two seasons.
One of the top 10 free throw shooters in the country, Pledger is 24-of-24 at the line in conference play and has missed only six free throws all season.
From NT: Transferring OU TE speaks
Former OU tight end Austin Haywood
CAMPUS CORNER — Some good stuff in this story about Austin Haywood from the Norman Transcript.
Of particular interest to me, though you had to read a ways to find it, was Haywood accepting blame for how things turned out at OU.
“The main reason was I wasn’t doing what I was supposed to do,” Haywood said. “I just had a bad attitude about things. It was my fault it didn’t work out.”
It’s nice to hear young people – heck, anyone – taking responsibility. We reported that, as a final straw, Haywood got into a shouting match with his position coach, Bruce Kittle. He left the team, attempted to come back and then ultimately told us he was heading to Central Arkansas.
I thought the Central Arkansas coach’s comment about what happened at OU was interesting, also.
“It was addressed directly,” Clint Conque said. “We are all human. We all make mistakes. But we live in a society of second opportunities. But his situation at Oklahoma was addressed directly.”
Tight end already would have been a recruiting priority for the Sooners, who lost James Hanna and Trent Ratterree to graduation, but Haywood’s departure made it an even bigger need. Freshman Taylor McNamara, who was cleared Wednesday for enrollment, is expected to help, as is JUCO transfer Brannon Green. OU is still targeting other tight ends, both in the 2012 and 2013 classes.
= Trav
Power Lunch Chat with Mike Baldwin
OU freshman tight end: “CLEARED!”
CAMPUS CORNER — Incoming freshman tight end Taylor McNamara told me last week he was hopeful the NCAA would clear him by Monday, at the latest. Took until Wednesday, but the Californian tweeted “CLEARED!” this afternoon. Guess that means he’s in.
Some sort of class credit required the NCAA’s attention, but it sounds as if McNamara – the only high school early enrollee – got a thumbs up for it.
McNamara, who was staying at a hotel with his family last week, was concerned about how long he would be holed up waiting. OU found a way to allow him to stay in Bud Wilkinson dorm, where McNamara told us all about his love of ping pong. He also reported his unfortunate defeat early Wednesday morning — at the hands of a, gasp, girl.
Now he can get to class and catch up on what he has missed the past week.
At last check, receiver Trey Metoyer was still tying up loose ends at Hargrave prep in Virginia. But he is expected to arrive and enroll any day.
Speaking of receivers, a note on top-rated Dorial Green-Beckham. According to his high school coach, Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino may have erred when he “bumped into” Green-Beckham in San Antonio. Petrino was in town for the coaches’ convention, Green-Beckham for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
The significance here is that Petrino will not be able to visit DGB this week as a result of whatever happened.
Here’s a thought: Don’t have hundreds of college coaches in the same place where high-profile recruits are playing an exhibition game. It’s a big country.
Earlier this afternoon, ESPN’s Tom Luginbill was on the Finebaum radio program in Alabama. He said DGB was down to Arkansas, Missouri and Texas as his final three. That’s something that has been going around the past week, but OU has not given up. Sooners coach Bob Stoops and co-offensive coordinator Jay Norvell went Monday night to Green-Beckham’s high school basketball game. It’s the second time in as many weeks that Norvell has done that. He went with co-OC Josh Heupel in the last visit.
= Trav
Sooners announce spring football dates
CAMPUS CORNER — Oklahoma has tentatively set its spring football dates.
The Sooners will begin March 5 and conclude April 14 with the annual spring game. OU will take a respite for spring break, which is March 19-23.
Pro Day will take place March 14 at 9 a.m. inside the Everest Center.
= Trav
Updated: Mike Stoops’ contract details
CAMPUS CORNER — Let’s just start over.
I cited a report earlier today that said Mike Stoops would make $245,000 a year as OU’s new defensive coordinator. It seemed way low, but I thought it might have had something to do with his Arizona buyout.
It didn’t. Turns out that was the base salary, and the reporter neglected to add the personal services/fundraising portion.
Splashing in that measly $355,000, Stoops will make $600,000 in 2012.
Yeah, that sounds more like it. I apologize for running with the wrong info while I worked on the Tim Kish story.
It’s a three-year deal. If Stoops stays for the 2013 season, he will earn a $50,000 bonus. He’ll receive another $50K the next year, if he stays.
That takes the total value of the contract to $1.9 million, or $633,333 a year.
One more incentive-based bonus: Stoops is also eligible for another $60K, should OU win a national championship.
= Trav
Report: Kish has accepted OU LBs job
CAMPUS CORNER — Was already working on a short story saying Tim Kish could soon officially become Oklahoma’s choice to replace Brent Venables and coach the team’s linebackers when a reporter from Phoenix spoke with Kish.
Here’s the short story I have filed.
—
By TRAVIS HANEY
NORMAN – Oklahoma is zeroing in on Tim Kish as its choice to replace Brent Venables as the team’s linebackers coach, and two sources said Tuesday an announcement could soon be on the way.
Kish is currently at OU, according to a Tuesday afternoon tweet from a Fox Sports reporter in Phoenix. She said she had spoken with Kish and he said he had accepted the position, vacated last week when Venables left after 13 years to become Clemson’s defensive coordinator.
Kish, 57, was thought to be the most natural fit all along, since he had worked extensively with new OU defensive coordinator Mike Stoops at Arizona. After Stoops was fired as head coach in October, Kish served as the Wildcats’ interim coach. He served as the team’s defensive coordinator prior to that.
The Stoopses had considered a few other candidates, including former Ole Miss and South Carolina defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix. Nix, upon a recommendation from Steve Spurrier, was here interviewing Saturday for the position.
= Trav
Clemson announces Venables hiring
CAMPUS CORNER — Here’s how Clemson released its hiring of Brent Venables. News conference is set for 3:30 CT. Thought it was interesting that my former colleague Travis Sawchik said Venables is now the third-highest-paid assistant in the country. His deal is believed to be worth $800,000 a year.
Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris, formerly of Tulsa, is No. 1 ($1.3 million). Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart is second ($850,000). Arkansas State coach Gus Malzahn was even with Morris until he left Auburn.
Brent Venables Named Clemson Defensive Coordinator
January 20, 2012
Clemson, SC—Brent Venables, a coordinator for the University of Oklahoma defense over the last 13 seasons, has been named defensive coordinator at Clemson University. The announcement was made Friday by Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney.
Venables, 41 and a 1993 Kansas State graduate, has been a full-time defensive coach at the FBS level the last 16 years. All 16 years the teams have played in a bowl game, including eight in BCS Bowls. Four of those bowl games have been for the National Championship.
Those 16 teams have an overall record of 170-40 for a .810 winning percentage, including a 111-25 record in conference play, a .816 winning percentage. Thirteen of the 16 teams he has coached have finished in the final top 20 of both polls, including 10 times in the final top 10.
Venables was co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2000 when Oklahoma posted a 13-0 record and won the National Championship with a 13-2 victory over Florida State in the Orange Bowl.
After Venables graduated from Kansas State in the spring of 1993, he became a student assistant coach and then graduate assistant coach on Bill Snyder’s staff at his alma mater for the 1993-95 seasons. He became a full-time assistant coaching the linebackers in 1996, a position he held until 1998.
In 1999, Venables became linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator under Bob Stoops at the University of Oklahoma. Just 29 at the time, Venables served as co-coordinator through the 2003 season. He became defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2004, a position he held until the end of the 2011 season.
“We are getting one of the top coordinators in the nation,” said Swinney. “I appreciate the commitment from the Clemson administration. This hire shows that everyone at Clemson wants us to be the best we can possibly be.
“Coach Venables has the experience of coaching in four National Championship games. He has had to compete against the best offenses in the nation over a long period of time. His resume speaks for itself, but it is certainly impressive that he has coached in eight BCS Bowls, four National Championship games and been a part of seven Big 12 Conference Championship coaching staffs.
“He is a great fit for this job. In addition to his experience as a coordinator, he has coached the linebackers position for 16 years and produced two Butkus Award winners and two others who were finalists.
“I am excited to see his impact on our players and can’t wait for the beginning of spring practice.”
In his 16 years as a defensive coach, the teams he has guided have ranked in the top 20 in the nation in total defense 11 times, the top 20 in scoring defense 12 times, the top 20 in pass efficiency defense 10 times and the top 20 in rush defense 10 times. That includes seven top 10 rankings in total defense and scoring defense, and nine top 10s in pass efficiency defense.
During his 13 years with the Oklahoma program the Sooners finished in the final top 10 of both polls eight times, including as recently as 2010 when Oklahoma posted a 12-2 record and defeated UCONN in the Fiesta Bowl and finished sixth.
Oklahoma has played in more BCS National Championship games (4) than any other program and played in the second most BCS Bowl games (8) behind Ohio State (9). Venables has coached in all of those bowl games for the Sooners.
Oklahoma won seven Big 12 Championships during Venables tenure, including every even numbered year from 2000 to 2010. Five of the seven Oklahoma Big 12 Championship teams in that time period had a top 20 scoring defense. In seven Big 12 championship game victories, Oklahoma allowed just 14.1 points per game.
Oklahoma had a 139-34 overall record during Venables time with the program, a .803 winning percentage. That included a 90-22 mark in Big 12 Conference play, a .804 winning percentage. The Sooners won at least 10 games in 10 of those 13 years and averaged 10.7 wins per season.
In 2011, Venables helped the Sooners to a 10-3 record and number-16 final national ranking in both polls. His defense led the Big 12 in scoring defense, the fifth time in his 16 years in the Big 12 he had been on a staff that won the Big 12 scoring defense title. The Sooners ranked second in the Big 12 in total defense and had 40 sacks, second best in the league.
Venables defenses featured an attacking style at Oklahoma. The Sooners ranked eighth in the nation in sacks and 12th in tackles for loss in 2011. The 2011 defense also ranked fifth in the nation in third down defense (.303) and was tied for 14th nationally in red-zone defense.
That was the fourth straight year Oklahoma ranked in the top 10 in the nation in sacks and the fifth straight year they ranked in the top 20 in tackles for loss. Since 2005, five of his defenses have ranked in the top 10 in the nation in sacks.
In 2006, Venables was named a finalist for the Frank Broyles Award, which is given to the top assistant coach in the nation. That year as defensive coordinator he helped the Sooners to the Big 12 Championship by coordinating a defense that ranked second in the nation in rush defense, sixth in takeaways, 13th in pass efficiency defense, 16th in total defense and 19th in scoring defense.
The native of Salina, Kansas has helped the careers of many outstanding players at Oklahoma. Twelve of his linebackers have been NFL draft picks. Linebackers under his direction have been named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year five times and Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year five times. He has coached two Butkus Award winners, two other Butkus Award finalists, and a Bednarik Award winner.
Prior to coming to Oklahoma, Venables helped Kansas State to a 31-6 record in his three years with the program (1996-98). That included a 21-3 mark in Big 12 Conference play. Kansas State won the Big 12 North with an 8-0 record his final year.
Kansas State was 11-1 overall and beat Syracuse in the Fiesta Bowl to finish with a number-seven national ranking by USA Today in 1997. That year Kansas State ranked fourth in the nation in total defense, fifth in pass efficiency defense and sixth in scoring defense. Kansas State ranked in the top 10 in the nation in pass efficiency defense, in the top 11 in scoring defense, and in the top 20 in total defense all three years he was in Manhattan.
Venables was an outstanding player at Kansas State in 1991 and 1992. As a senior he was an honorable mention All-Big Eight linebacker with 124 tackles, second on the team, including a team best 68 unassisted tackles.
Venables and his wife Julie have four children, sons Jake and Tyler, and daughters Laney and Addie.
Quick Facts on Brent Venables
Birth: December 18, 1970
Hometown: Salina, Kansas
Alma Mater: Kansas State, 1993
Family: Wife, Julie;
Sons, Jake and Tyler;
Daughters, Laney and Addie
Brent Venables year by Year as Fulltime Coach
Year School Position W-L Conf AP-USA Bowl
1996 Kansas State LB 9-3 6-2 17-17 Cotton
1997 Kansas State LB 11-1 7-1 8-7 Fiesta
1998 Kansas State LB/Run Co 11-2 8-0 10-9 Alamo
1999 Oklahoma LB/Co-DC 7-5 5-3 NR Independence
2000 Oklahoma LB/Co-DC 13-0 #9-0 1-1 *Orange
2001 Oklahoma LB/Co-DC 11-2 6-2 6-6 Cotton
2002 Oklahoma LB/Co-DC 11-2 #6-2 5-5 Rose
2003 Oklahoma LB/Co-DC 12-2 8-1 3-3 *Sugar
2004 Oklahoma LB/Def Co 12-1 #9-0 3-3 *Orange
2005 Oklahoma LB/Def Co 8-4 6-2 22-22 Holiday
2006 Oklahoma LB/Def Co 11-3 #7-1 11-11 Fiesta
2007 Oklahoma LB/Def Co 11-3 #7-2 8-8 Fiesta
2008 Oklahoma LB/Def Co 12-2 #8-1 5-5 *BCS Champ
2009 Oklahoma LB/Def Co 8-5 5-3 NR Sun
2010 Oklahoma LB/Def Co 12-2 #7-2 6-6 Fiesta
2011 Oklahoma LB/Def Co 10-3 6-3 16-15 Insight
*Denotes BCS National Championship games
#Denotes Big 12 Champions
Note: This release is issued pending final completion of one background check by the state of Oklahoma that should be completed next week. We do not anticipate any difficulties.
= Trav
Transcript: Brent Venables talks to Toby Rowland on Sports Talk 1400 AM The REF
Transcript of new Clemson and former Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables interview with Toby Rowland on Sports Talk 1400 AM The REF. You can listen to the interview here.
Toby Rowland: Joined now by Brent Venables. Coach, how are you doing?
Brent Venables: Good, Toby. How are you?
Rowland: I’m sad today with the news that you’re headed to Clemson, but I’m happy for you. I know this must be an exciting move. Just tell us off the top here why you made the decision.
Venables: Obviously I have the same mixed feelings that you have. It’s an incredibly exciting opportunity, um, but to look in the rear-view mirror and to leave behind the relationships, um, you know, the attachment to the University of Oklahoma and all the people and support, staff and administration, and relationships with the players and the coaches, yes, it’s a sad day, one that you never really think about until you have to face it. So, um, but I’ve, you know, got an incredible opportunity. It was a really difficult decision obviously. Anybody like yourself when you made the decision to leave the news station — this is no different. There’s pros and cons, and plusses and minuses. You’ve got people and relationships that are pulling you. That’s just kind of part of life. I felt deep down that this was the right thing for me to do at the right time in my life.
I was incredibly happy. I’ve been happy at Oklahoma, and I thought that next year we had a chance to have a really, really good football team and a great future, and the side that looked into staying here … I’ve got a fabulous relationship with Mike Stoops, and I thought together we are better, and I thought we could really rekindle the old magic, if you will. I was really looking forward to the idea of that.
But just the pull of Clemson, it’s just from a timing standpoint. Everything does have a time, and I just felt that this was my time, you know, at Oklahoma, and it was time to make a move.
Rowland: Talk about the pull of Clemson and plusses and minuses. You know how cynical we are in the media. All we talk about are dollar figures. What were the plusses at Clemson, what is the pull to Clemson after you met with Dabo Swinney and saw the campus and everything that led you to make this decision?
Venables: I have a lot of friends in the business, particularly in the Southeastern Conference, that have always talked highly of Clemson. Of course a couple years ago I looked into the idea of possibly going there when they had an opening (for a head coach) and did some research. But everybody has always raved about the opportunity to recruit players that’s in a recruiting hotbed, and location is everything in college athletics. It’s a beautiful part of the country. I think they’ve got a young team that’s very talented and a really good group of coaches who believe in what they’re doing. Coach Swinney’s got a magnetic personality, very infectious, high energy, attitude and really he’s a very genuine, sincere man, father, coach. I just really was attracted to that and what they’ve got going there right now.
And again I thought that, I’ve never been one, I’m kind of a be-here-now kind of guy. I always have been. I always believe in that mantra of worry about the job you’re doing today and enjoy and respect and appreciate what you do have. But at the same time I think if we have the kind of success ultimately that we all want to have this could be an opportunity for me down the road to potentially become a head coach one day as well.
Rowland: You know what everybody said when Mike came back was that your feelings must be hurt. It sounds like from the opening thing that you said that that wasn’t the case, but expound on that a little bit. What were your thoughts when Mike came back?
Venables: Oh, I was really happy. When we went through some of the scenarios that was the first one that I was in support of and suggested. I thought that we know each other. It’s not a new system. We’ve got great respect. We talk almost on a weekly basis since he left eight years ago. He gave me the shirt off his back to get into the coaching profession. (I) lived with him for a year. We’ve got a very deep long history and relationship together both professionally and personally. (I have) great, great respect for him as a coach and as a friend. It was very comforting. The easy, safe thing for me to do was to stay at Oklahoma.
You know, contrary to the media, if I had stayed coach and Mike and everybody else administratively wanted to put me in charge. But at the end of the day like he’s always said it’s going to be a collective decision-making process. It’s just how you do it, whether it was Mike here or Willie (Martinez) here or Bobby Jack or it was Bo (Pelini), it just doesn’t matter. That’s how you put together a game plan. You go through all the situations, scenarios for game day. “What do we want to go to in these different scenarios?” You get way too much credit when you win and probably a little too much criticism when you lose. But somewhere in between is probably about right.
It’s always a collective deal, and you work through all those situations and share in the success as well. The dynamics were going to be really just how they were when Bo and I were together, and really that’s how they insisted that it be. Oklahoma, I’m very humbled. I felt they moved mountains to change some philosophical approach on financial, on how they pay you — multi-year opportunity with virtually the same amount of money that Clemson was offering. At the end of the day it came down to feeling like really it was time for me to go pursue a really unique opportunity, one I didn’t know would maybe come up again.
Rowland: So OU was able to get close to matching the dollar figure?
Venables: Oh yeah. Years and dollar figure. So I couldn’t have been more humbled. Really, again, their actions and what they were willing to do for me and my family to keep me in Norman … believe me it was a really gut-wrenching process for me.
Rowland: So the fact that your name started popping up for these other positions (and) coincided with Mike’s return was coincidental more than anything. It wasn’t a fact that you were upset and started seeking other positions.
Venables: Absolutely not. I don’t have anything to be upset about. I’ll say this: I was very sad to see Coach Martinez go. He’s a terrific coach and an even better man. I thought he was really good for us. That’s part of the profession, but the flip side was I was incredibly excited about the idea of Mike coming back and being back here in Oklahoma and us working together. And I knew without question that we would do great things and get out on the recruiting trail and kick butt and just do terrific things on the field. And again, he and I both totally agree, along with Coach Stoops, that in he and I supporting each other is better than the alternative by a long shot. I know Mike is a high-energy, real aggressive personality, but he is transparent. He wants to win. He actually doesn’t have an ego. He’s just hard to please, just like myself, just in regards to really pushing and wanting the best and striving for excellence. I know, without reservation, that together it would have been a great dynamic situation for all of us. So again I felt I needed to make a decision based on what I wanted to do for the next 15-20 years of my career and the opportunities that may or may not come. And the other opportunities weren’t nearly as appealing as this one. Let’s face it, I have to always look at financial security for my family when it’s there. You’ve got to strike while the iron’s hot. At the end of the day too, you can’t make these decisions based on finances. I firmly believe that.
Rowland: Just a couple more questions. I know you’re incredibly busy. Take us inside your world a little bit. What’s the last week been like with, I know West Virginia came after you, I don’t know how much you can talk about that, but the Clemson thing and you’re recruiting out with Mike on the road. And I’ve got to imagine the last six or seven or eight days, however long it’s been, has been a complete whirlwind. And in between all that you’re sitting down with your wife trying to figure out what’s best for your family and everything. As much as you feel comfortable with, what’s your world been like the last week or so?
Venables: Well, it’s been really emotional to be honest because you have to look at it from these are some life-changing decisions and there’s a lot of people that are affected. Again, in a very selfish way, you don’t want to leave these relationships behind. And although the friendships won’t ever go away, it’s just that everything changes. So the idea of turning your world upside down is actually pretty scary. But again, I think you can’t get to third if you don’t take your foot off first, so, as they say. I guess it’s something I felt pulled, and like I needed to do. A lot of sleepless nights. I’ll be honest I don’t ever have a hard time sleeping. I mean I pass out — and it is easy for me to sleep. I have not been able to, as you can imagine. There’s a lot going on. I got great support and a lot of people look at it as “Whoa, what a great problem to have.” I actually thought it was a nightmare, to be honest with you.
I don’t know, just very emotional. I’m very much a people person and relationships matter to me, and a very loyal person, so yeah, a lot of traveling and a lot of sleepless nights. A lot of phone calls. I tried to, you know, all the while, go recruiting for Oklahoma because I gotta plan that’s where I want to be and at the end of the day if I’m going to be there I want to make sure we’ve got a loaded gun too. Until things were final and I found some clarity and a peace of mind at what I was going to do, things need to go on as though I was going to be here. And I’ll be honest, (the) couple days that I was with Mike was awesome. It brought up a lot of old times. It was good to be with him. I know this, Oklahoma is going to be in great shape. I really felt we’re going to have a great team. There’s a great deal of youth, but a bunch of talent and a bunch of coaches who are fired up and ready to get things back on track.
I know we were 10-3, not 3-10, but I do know a lot of guys around the office and the players to aren’t satisfied and are really looking forward to better days.
Rowland: Well, you’re going to knock it out of the park, man. I don’t have any doubt. I know you’re going to be a head coach in the very near future, and who knows, you may be the head coach at the University of Oklahoma someday. The one drawback to this is, well, there’s two drawbacks: The one is we’re losing a fabulous coach and a dynamic personality in Brent Venables. The second drawback is you realize that orange is a part of the color scheme at Clemson. You’re going to have don some orange shirts in the not-too-distant future.
Venables: I’ve heard. I’ve heard that that’s the case, so – and also purple (laughs). I think I’ll wear it just fine. I can’t thank you enough. Everybody associated with Oklahoma has just been first class. I’ve had my highest of highs professionally. I’ve had my highest of highs personally in my life and also the most difficult times of my life, both personally and professionally, it’s really had a profound impact on my family, and we’re incredibly blessed and associated with this great university and all the people and players. All my children are Normanites (long pause) and it will always be great memories, so, believe it or not I will still call this home.
Rowland: Well, we’re going to miss you man. I’ll be pulling for you big time. And you better keep in touch. We’ll be rooting for you. You know we love you and we’ll be pulling for you. Thanks for joining us for a few minutes today.
Venables: Love you, too. Thanks Tobe.
Power Lunch Chat with Mike Baldwin
