As linebacker Owen Heinecke wages a legal war against the NCAA for his career, Brent Venables is drawing a firm line in the sand. The Oklahoma coach has made it clear that until Heinecke gets official approval, Oklahoma cannot treat his return as a guaranteed one.

“I’m not gonna really deal in the hypotheticals,” Oklahoma’s head coach, Brent Venables, said. We know what caliber of player he is. For me, I’m just telling you, you have to let your spirit take you to whatever door that is, if that’s the NFL or if that’s back to Oklahoma. Obviously, if he wants to come here, I still think even if he got the injunction, he’s still got to make a decision; I’m gonna follow through with it.

But right now, it’s not an option because he doesn’t have the green light to come back to college. So I don’t wanna really put a whole lot more into it than that. But he’s a great player and great leader; that kind of goes without saying.”

Venables isn’t just talking about moving on. He’s actively practicing it. Throughout spring drills, the coaching staff has exclusively prioritized reps for the remaining linebackers. This approach mirrors the coach’s firm stance, ensuring the defense stays sharp while the legal process plays out off the field.

Owen Heinecke is trying to get one more year to play college football, which led him to sue the NCAA. His situation is urgent because his final court hearing is on April 16th, and Oklahoma’s spring game is just two days after that on April 18th. What makes matters worse is that the NFL Draft is just a week later.

While Oklahoma’s front office, including GM Jim Nagy, continues fighting for him behind the scenes, Venables has to separate the legal battle from the locker room. As a coach, he cannot afford to build a defensive scheme around a player who currently isn’t allowed to snap the ball.

But even with all the support, there’s a high chance things might go the other way. Heinecke’s eligibility issues trace back to his time at Ohio State in 2022, where playing in just three lacrosse games cost him a full year, a problem compounded when an injury forced him to sit out another season after transferring to Oklahoma. This made his college career more complicated and cost him valuable playing time.

After the NCAA denied Oklahoma’s waiver request in January and a subsequent appeal in February, Heinecke was left with no other option but to file a lawsuit to regain his lost year of eligibility. His lawyers say he should get another year because what happened was not his fault.

Heinecke’s lawyers also claimed that the NCAA treated him unfairly, stating, “The NCAA breached its duty of good faith and fair dealing owed to Owen and acted in bad faith in denying Owen an additional year of eligibility so that he can compete as an intercollegiate athlete in the year 2026-27.'”

He worked hard at Oklahoma and slowly improved over time. In the 2023 and 2024 seasons, he mostly played on special teams. But in 2025, he had a big breakout season, making 74 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and three sacks. So, losing a player like that is tough for the team. But right now, they are all focusing on the future.

Brent Venables’ team focuses on the next man up

Linebacker Owen Heinecke is still waiting for the NCAA to decide if he can get one more year to play. Right now, his future is unclear because he might either come back to Oklahoma or go to the NFL. Even with this situation, the team keeps working hard and focuses on getting better for the new season.

Defensive end Taylor Wein, who had his breakout year in the 2025 season, is now taking on a bigger leadership role in the team, filling in for him. He hopes Heinecke can come back, but he also understands that the decision is not in their hands.

“Selfishly, I’d love him to be here,” Wein said following practice on Wednesday. “But we know whatever God’s calling for him, he’s ready for. I hope we can get him back, but if the NFL is his next step, we’re excited for him.”

Wein completed the season playing in 13 games, recording 39 total tackles with 15 tackles for loss and recording 7 sacks with one interception and a forced fumble. This makes his resume strong.

Ultimately, Brent Venables is doing what any veteran coach must do in this era of college football. He respects the player’s fight against the NCAA, but he refuses to let uncertainty dictate his actions and pause the program. If Owen Heinecke returns, it’s a bonus, but if he doesn’t, Venables has already made sure the Sooners are ready.