OU football coach Brent Venables previews Sooners' Week 2 game against Kent State
NORMAN — OU coach Brent Venables spoke to the media Tuesday to look back on the season-opening win over UTEP and preview Saturday’s game against Kent State.
Here are some highlights and takeaways from Venables’ press conference:
➤ Kent State is running an Iowa State-style of defense this season. The Cyclones’ defense has given the Sooners fits in recent years. Of course, OU’s offense is a different version than those that have been stymied by Matt Campbell’s teams.
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➤ Venables on Jovantae Barnes, the freshman running back who had four carries for 25 yards: “You saw how explosive he was the moment he touched the ball. … The game isn’t too hard for him. …. He’s got great instincts.”
➤ Venables began a meeting Tuesday telling his defensive players not to worry about what the offense was doing and vice versa. Tempo was a big topic of discussion, with Venables talking about how much things have changed in football since Kevin Wilson brought the up-tempo game to the Sooners in 2002. Venables said it hadn’t been an issue with his team, but he wanted to stop it from becoming one after the offense slowed in Saturday’s second quarter and the defense appeared to tire out a bit.
"Nobody's making excuses in our room, but I wanted to make sure there was no narrative, no chit-chat going on," Venables said.
➤ Venables on the expanded playoff: “I could care less. I really could care less. I don’t even know what that means, but I do know that it has nothing to do with today’s practice or nothing to do with Kent State.”
➤ Venables updated the status of several players, including offensive lineman Wanya Morris.
Venables said Morris, listed as the starter at right tackle, was "still working through a few things" related to an off-the-field issue but, "expect him back sooner rather than later."
Morris will slide back into the lineup when he's cleared to play, Venables said, noting that Morris has been practicing with the Sooners.
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Venables said tight end Daniel Parker was expected to play Saturday. "He had the sniffles this week," Venables said. Parker, a transfer from Missouri, is No. 2 on the depth chart behind Brayden Willis. Venables said freshman running back Gavin Sawchuk was available but did not dress out.
➤ Venables on Danny Stutsman, who had nine tackles and two pass breakups in the opener: "I think he's matured as much as anything." Venables noted he challenged Stutsman during an offseason conversation, saying Stutsman had relied on "instincts and toughness to be pretty good." Venables challenged Stutsman to expand beyond that to "be a person of excellence" instead of relying on talent alone. Venables told a story about Stutsman showing up to a meeting early without a pen or a pencil (though he noted that Stutsman was far from the only player not to show up with a writing instrument).
"He's just scratching the surface on what he can be," Venables said.
➤ Venables on freshman defensive end R Mason Thomas' potential: "He's going to be hell on wheels."
➤ Venables said he didn't spend much time when he was a defensive coordinator thinking about what his offensive philosophy would be as a head coach. He said the pairing with Jeff Lebby has been perfectly complementary to what he wanted to do.
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Venables talked plenty about the defensive improvement at Clemson when he arrived there. He said he was frustrated initially with the level of buy-in, but that it was built in part by being flexible and playing to strengths instead of staying rigidly in the system.
"A lot of it's just developing the mindset and the level of commitment," Venables said.
He said it was also about teaching the players the game beyond just what to do on specific calls.
"I think the better they understand football, not just understanding the assignment — not just the what but the when, the how (the better off they are)."
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Venables on captain selections:
"The season's long, and I don't want anybody to get comfortable, so this is a way to promote the opportunity to lead for the week and lead for the season."
The Sooners are rotating captains weekly, with the captains being "out front every day in front of the team."
Eric Gray, Reggie Grimes, Chris Murray, Theo Wease, and Woodi Washington will serve as captains against Kent State. In the opener, DaShaun White, Dillon Gabriel, Brayden Willis, David Ugwoegbu and Justin Broiles served as captains.
Venables said he wanted to develop more leaders, and the process was part of that.
He said the team would vote on permanent captains at the end of the regular season.
➤ Venables said Tyler Guyton "is going to have a big role," even after Morris' return. Guyton started at left tackle after Anton Harrison shifted to the right side to take Morris' spot in the opener.
"Hopefully he's fighting every day to be a starter," Venables said on Guyton.
➤ Venables on Gavin Freeman, who was committed to Texas Tech before Matt Wells' firing there led to him walking on with the Sooners: "Man, did we get a good one."
Venables said the film on Freeman from Heritage Hall made it easy to pull the trigger on bringing Freeman aboard, even as a preferred walk-on.
"When you watched Gavin compete, he's super sudden and explosive," Venables said. "He's a 4.5 guy and he plays at that level."
➤ After Monday's practice, Sooners wide receiver Drake Stoops said Mondays were known as "Mental Mondays" and Tuesdays "Tanoga Tuesdays" — takeaways no giveaways.
"Putting the name on it helps the guys lock in," Venables said. "They'll be using it for the rest of their lives."
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football: Brent Venables talks about Sooners’ game vs. Kent State
