OU football roster rebuild through recruiting, portal like ‘Christmas’ for Brent Venables

Brent Venables isn’t one to be glass-half-empty.

The OU coach wasn’t one to get too down on things last year when the Sooners stumbled to a 6-7 mark, their first losing record since 1998.

He certainly isn’t going to be down this year after a number of players — quarterback Dillon Gabriel among them — jumped into the transfer portal following a 10-2 regular season.

As Venables looks to add in the portal and on the recruiting trail as the early signing period opens Dec. 20, he’s savoring the process.

“For the next month, it’s kind of like Christmas every day,” Venables said Thursday in San Antonio in a press conference for the Alamo Bowl. “It really is, I say that. There’s a lot of work that goes into it, as Coach (Jedd) Fisch can attest to, as well.”

More: What OU football coach Brent Venables said about Dillon Gabriel, facing Arizona in bowl

Despite having several players enter the transfer portal, OU coach Brent Venables is savoring the process of rebuilding the Sooners’ roster.

Among the players entering the portal so far have been Gabriel, running backs Tawee Walker, Marcus Major and Daylan Smothers, safety Key Lawrence and offensive lineman Savion Byrd among others.

Others figure to follow in the coming days, while other players will also start making their decisions to enter the NFL Draft known, as linebacker Danny Stutsman reportedly will do.

But Venables isn’t fazed.

“I love relationships,” Venables said. “I love finding great people that also align in the values and the respect and appreciation for all the great things that Oklahoma has to offer.”

It’s not easy, but no one is going to feel sorry for his program either.

“It’s all hard,” Venables said. “I say this all the time, but it’s all good. It does present many challenges, but whatever challenges it presents Oklahoma,…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/ou-football-roster-rebuild-recruiting-130118646.html

Author : The Oklahoman

Publish date : 2023-12-10 13:01:18

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