Brent Venables contract: Oklahoma coach gets pay boost under new six-year deal ahead of SEC move, per report

Oklahoma and coach Brent Venables have agreed to a six-year contract extension that includes a significant pay raise and increased commitment to the football program, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. The deal is pending board approval. The Sooners are less than two weeks away from officially joining the SEC in all sports on July 1 ahead of the 2024 season. 

Venables, a former defensive coordinator and associate head coach at Oklahoma under Bob Stoops, was in the third year of a six-year contract paying him a fully guaranteed $43.5 million. He made his return to Norman from Clemson ahead of the 2022 season, succeeding Lincoln Riley. 

Despite his wealth of coaching experience and reputation as one of the top defensive minds in college football, this represents Venables’ first head coaching appointment at the collegiate level. He is 16-10 through two yeas with the Sooners, including a 10-8 record in Big 12 play. 

Oklahoma struggled in Venables’ first season with a 6-7 record, its lowest win total since 1998, but bounced back in 2023 by winning 10 games and finishing No. 15 in the final AP Top 25. The Sooners are 0-2 in two bowl appearances under Venables.