Venables.......

[Rush2112Sooner]

For sure people were calling for Venables' head back when he was here, and rightly so. His D's here were average to below average at best. It took a scenery change to turn into what he is today: top tier DC.

If you think about it, it was Bob's hiring of a string of OC's that changed the Big XII into the high-octane offensive league that it is today. We had success, and success leads to copy-cats. Had Bob stuck with a style similar to previous run-heavy offenses, we may not be suffering from the "Big XII has no Defense" stigma that we fight every year now.

 

[thatdude35]

[

Yeah I am not missing Brent or Mike, I think OU can do better and should be able to. Come to think of it I am not missing Bob either.
If you come to OU to win a National Championship as they say then its about time we get back to winning them. I think Bob and a lot of his staff got too comfy and lazy at times. Just my opinion of course.

Yes they got too complacent and bob was way too loyal. I loved bob but I was leaning towards a change and bob did it himself before I broke. So, he read my mind and probably others tired of 10+ wins but two loss seasons.

 

[thatdude35]

For sure people were calling for Venables' head back when he was here, and rightly so. His D's here were average to below average at best. It took a scenery change to turn into what he is today: top tier DC.

If you think about it, it was Bob's hiring of a string of OC's that changed the Big XII into the high-octane offensive league that it is today. We had success, and success leads to copy-cats. Had Bob stuck with a style similar to previous run-heavy offenses, we may not be suffering from the "Big XII has no Defense" stigma that we fight every year now.

I don’t think the change in scenery was what helped BV it’s his recruits. That south pipeline works wonders.

 

[sooners49]

[


Yes they got too complacent and bob was way too loyal. I loved bob but I was leaning towards a change and bob did it himself before I broke. So, he read my mind and probably others tired of 10+ wins but two loss seasons.

If you were around in the Blake era then you would know to NEVER be unhappy with 10 win seasons.My my are we spoiled or what?Only ONE team wins it all.We had a chance to win 3 more but it didn't happen.But we were in it.Its not all on the coach the players have some responsibility in those losses.

 

[Scottsdale.Sooner]

Past, present or future, OU's fate is in the hands of LR and what he will do to fill the OC spot. If he elects to keep McNeil then we know he does not have OU's best interest at heart. If he mans up, calls McNeil in and let's him know he is not the man for the job then we have ourselves a first class HC. Loyalty to mediocracy has no place at the top of college football. LR should have his "man I love you but these are not your shoes to fill right now" speech ready for McNeil.

 

[OUSOONER67]

For sure people were calling for Venables' head back when he was here, and rightly so. His D's here were average to below average at best. It took a scenery change to turn into what he is today: top tier DC.

If you think about it, it was Bob's hiring of a string of OC's that changed the Big XII into the high-octane offensive league that it is today. We had success, and success leads to copy-cats. Had Bob stuck with a style similar to previous run-heavy offenses, we may not be suffering from the "Big XII has no Defense" stigma that we fight every year now.

Its ironic you brought this up. I almost started a thread on this very topic last night, Did OU spell their own doom with the high octane offenses? Did we doom the defenses in the Big 12 and do we only have ourselves to blame? Did OU create the Frankenstein that is the Big 12 Defenses?
I am going to do the new thread now as I want to see what others have to say.

 

[OUSOONER67]

If you were around in the Blake era then you would know to NEVER be unhappy with 10 win seasons.My my are we spoiled or what?Only ONE team wins it all.We had a chance to win 3 more but it didn't happen.But we were in it.Its not all on the coach the players have some responsibility in those losses.

Bama fans are spoiled everyone else is just envious or jealous.

 

[JoeOU1]

Reading through this thread makes me realize how pathetic of a “fan”base we have.
Geez people. Lay off the glue.

 

[Crimson_Warrior]

We need the "Lincoln Riley" of defense coordinators.

A brilliant, young defense mind.

 

[humblesooner]

I think the issue Venables had as the DC at OU was Bob's hand in it.
If Brent can be the best around at Clemson, then he is doing something right.
I think Bob lost he River Boat Gambler persona as soon as he didn't need it any more.
To explain - When Bob came here in 1999, he was tasked with trying to compete with sub-par talent (85 men deep).
SO, he asked Mike Leach to bring his quirkiness to Norman and try to out-smart other teams. What did he have to lose? OU was terrible when he took them over. Why not try something off-the-wall until he was able to infuse OU with talent?
Once the talent started rolling in, Bob became Canoe-in-the-Creek Bob. He quit trying to out-wit other teams because he felt he had the better talent.
The irony in all of it is, when he didn't have the talent, he found a way to be successful.
Once he had the talent, others (OSU, TTech, KSU, etc) used his previous mentality against him.
They found a way to out-wit OU with lesser talent.
Point being, I think Bob told Brent to play straight up and let his talent win. Brent was reigned in by Bob, in my opinion.

 

[LawtonIke]

My truth is, I wish Bob Stoops would have never come to Oklahoma.

You are out of your ever lovin' mind. Do you remember the shape the program was in when he became coach? How soon people forget. Should he have cut his brother loose? Yes. Sooner Nation was ready to run Venables off too and where happy when he left. The Defensive side will get better. I see signs this year. Be careful what you wish for. Just look at Texas.

 

[veritas59]

I don’t think the change in scenery was what helped BV it’s his recruits. That south pipeline works wonders.

this

 

[Oklabama]

this

“And that’s what I like about the South”.....Coach Tom Wingo (Nick Nolte) in the The Prince of Tides.