Oklahoma’s dumbest decision wasn’t hiring Brent Venables. It was doubling down

The origin of this inevitable consternation began a few months ago, long before a wild season playing out week after week.

The moment in August when Oklahoma, based on four uneven seasons, decided to throw millions in guaranteed money at coach Brent Venables with a contract extension.

After two seasons with seven losses, and two seasons with 10 wins.

Fast forward to last weekend, and Venables and the Sooners lost again at home to South Carolina, this time by 17 points — after losing by 25 in 2024.

“Nobody’s required to be here Monday,” Venables said in his postgame news conference, after he’d seen enough (again) of an underachieving offense and a defense that finally gave out.

He was frustrated, and at a loss for an explanation. He followed up that give-in statement — because that’s what it was — with if you’re showing up Monday, you better bring it.

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This after Oklahoma doubled down on Venables, extending his contract and leaving the university on the hook for nearly $52 million in buyout money if it went horribly wrong. And buddy, if you can’t see horribly wrong from here, you’re looking at the wrong team.

But don’t blame Venables. He was minding his own business this offseason, trying to figure out how Oklahoma lost a first-round College Football Playoff game in Norman, and how to get the Sooners to look more like the glory days of the past — instead of the program that has been overwhelmed by inconsistency since its move to the SEC.

The OU administration decided to pay him like Bud or Barry or Bob. Decided to mortgage the future on a coach who hadn’t proven anything.

The Big 12 isn’t the SEC, but Oklahoma isn’t, well, South Carolina. Or Kentucky or Missouri.

The moment Oklahoma began dropping games to that group, was the moment a giant crimson flag should’ve been raised. To say nothing of losing not once, but twice to Ole Miss.

All in the past three years under Venables.

So now we’re shocked that four-loss Oklahoma is struggling again, rolling into Gainesville on Saturday to play a Florida team that may actually be more inconsistent than the Sooners. Earlier this week, Venables fired offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, whom he hand-picked two years ago from Washington State.

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His offense, and his quarterback at Washington State (John Mateer) would bring the Oklahoma offense back into the passing lane. Only it didn’t, so now the job of coordinating an offense and finding a way to score point falls on former NFL star tight end Jason Witten — who hasn’t called plays since his time at Liberty Christian School in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools.

It’s not like those in charge at Oklahoma didn’t know this was coming. The Sooners were 12th in the SEC in scoring offense last season (26.2 ppg.), and worse in eight SEC games (21.8).

But instead of forcing Venables to prove he could figure out the offense, the OU administration doubled down and extended Venables’ contract two years to 2032. He went from making $7.5 million annually to $10 million, and left the university with little wiggle room if things went bad.

Then the offense actually got worse, and the losing returned and the next thing you know, Venables is daring players to not show up on Monday. That, everyone, isn’t dumb.

This is: a year earlier, OU officials gave Venables a $1 million pay cut for the 2025 season after his second 7-loss season in three years. They called it a voluntary, one-time give-back to the university — initiated by Venables — to help fund player retention efforts.

Sure, however you want to dress it makes no difference. Venables went from a pay cut, to a massive pay raise in a span of one season.

So let’s recap: lose seven games (again) and get docked $1 million (by Venables’ own hand, no less), then win 10 (again) and get a $2.5 million raise — and a buyout that makes you untouchable until after the 2028 season.

Unless, that is, Oklahoma is interested in paying one of the top five contract buyouts in college football history.

These things happen because of a lack of leadership at the top of the food chain. Venables wasn’t going anywhere, and there was no need for the OU president and athletic director to throw more money at him — especially with his uneven history.

Even if Venables had another job offer, you’ve seen his track record. You must be unwavering in your ability to find another coach in case yours walks for whatever reason.

Universities get caught in these brutal buyouts because none have the inner fortitude to say no. But look at the bright side, there’s no chance the Sooners lose three of their final four games — at Florida, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, at Missouri — and reach seven losses again. Right?

And even if OU did, surely Venables would step up and take another hit.

“I’m incredibly pissed at myself,” Venables said. “And for all of us, it’s just embarrassing. It’s embarrassing in every way.”

From a give-in moment to another give-back move.

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB. Listen to him daily, from 12-2 p.m., on 1010XL-Jacksonville.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Oklahoma’s dumbest decision wasn’t hiring Brent Venables. It was doubling down