Brent Venables notebook: Time to hit the recruiting trail

It didn’t take long for OU head coach Brent Venables to turn the page to what’s next for his Sooners. There’s no question he is celebrating the 34-30 victory against Texas. As he has said, you celebrate hard but not long.

The bye week being here for the Sooners means time to rest up. For the coaches? It means it’s time to hit the recruiting trail.

“It’s a good time to recruit,” said Venables on Monday evening. “The bus ride to the airport is a good time to recruit. That was fun having some different type conversations. That’s what happens. Emotions are a real part of the process.”

OU is faring well on the recruiting trail, but this 6-0 start couldn’t have happened at a better time. The Sooners might be ready to strike even more.

“I told the coaches in the out-of-season going into this season that there’s going to be handful of people that either them or their advisors or family or other coaches that are recruiting against us,” Venables said. “We have some credibility but there’s also that, ‘but.’

“But is part of the conversation and I don’t blame them. We don’t want guys that have just one toe in the deep end. If we really like who these people are and they’re about the right stuff, and they just need to see if we’re going to be about what we say we’re going to be about, then we have to reel a couple of really great ones in if we have the start we feel like we have the opportunity to. We’ve done that and we’re in position now.”

Before OU plays its next game, two top-tier targets are making their announcements. Offensive lineman Daniel Akinkunmi will announce Thursday. And Junction City (Kan.) High linebacker/safety Michael Boganowski said Monday he will make his choice next Thursday.

OU is the heavy favorite for both heading into this week.

About getting better

OU fans are probably still going nuts about what happened in Dallas. But Monday was that reality check that Venables hopes the team is able to accept.

It was good. It was fun, but there is so much for the Sooners to improve on in the second half of the regular season.

“They’ll probably tell you they felt like we might have lost,” Venables said. “We got a lot to clean up and a lot to get better from and it’s great to do that after a win. Again, there’s a lot more that was good than not, but we have to focus on the things that we can get better at. And they will be the first to tell you there’s a lot, especially on defense. All things considered, we had too many busts, too many missed tackles, not enough urgency to execute with the precision and the timeliness that we have to have.”

Managing expectations the rest of the way is going to be critical for the Sooners. And it will be the first time since Venables has been a head coach where this will be a real issue.

“Mismanaged success is a very normal thing when you are in these positions,” Venables said. “Keeping two hands on the wheel, white-knuckle grip with both hands is something that we’re focused on. I’m counting on the leaders on this team to stay hungry, driven, humble, willing to show up every day and work their butts off and try to get better.”

Game management strides

Improved play is easy to recognize. But give some kudos to Venables and company with how they’ve handled in-game situations.

It was apparent again vs. Texas in the final minutes of the first half and the game how much better they’ve become here.

OU wasn’t about to lose five games by one-possession ever again.

“We all spent a lot of time,” Venables said. “There’s a lot of material that’s out there that help teach you all those moments within the game. We spent a lot of time teaching our players all the same moments. Here’s a lot of different scenarios in football, both collegiately and in the professional football even through now.

“So we did that all through the spring, in the summer and even this fall, try to learn from other people and learn situations. That was something – when you lose five games by one score, everything matters.”

Running back remains a mystery

Perhaps the biggest concern for the second half of the season is going to be running back. Dillon Gabriel has become a vital member to the rushing attack.

But the Sooners are going to need a back to step forward and become the guy heading down the stretch.

“Again, I think we can be better,” Venables said. “We need to get better. You want somebody to pull away. Hoping that happens at some point in time. We were efficient. We rushed for 4.7 or so, and they rushed for under four yards. But we’ve got to continue to get better there. We’ve got to make more guys miss.

“Everybody’s had their different times, where you say, ‘man, that was nice, good protection, good job catching the ball and running with it.’ All those things. We love the guys that are in there, we just gotta get into a better rhythm.”

Tawee Walker had two touchdowns in the win Saturday.

Green was ready for his number being called

It’s not a coincidence that OU’s rushing game vs. the Horns made a leap once Cayden Green was put in at left guard.

The true freshman flashed some big-time potential in the game and continues to be someone the Sooners have tremendous faith in. Now and going forward.

“We look at him as a guy that’s a quality, starter-type player, he just hasn’t been in. He’s a true freshman. But again, he’s mature beyond his years. He’s got great power and size, super smart, very competitive, easy to coach.

“He was ready for the moment. It’s not surprising. He’s got a disposition that’s perfect for that. He never gets too high, too low. Is really consistent from a mindset standpoint and really performed well.”

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