“They won’t be all saved this time around,” Shaky Eight has given his biting opinion on Brent Venables’ Oklahoma this upcoming season. Coming off a 6-7 record, the Sooners find themselves at No. 18 in the AP polls. They are staring down at a tough schedule, playing Michigan, the Longhorns, and Auburn, to name a few. But more is the woe; Shaky Eight has come to categorize Venebles’ result as “scalding.” Adding on to USC’s Lincoln Riley, who left a celebrated career at Oklahoma to land in Los Angeles, Venables took the reins, and along with Riley, he is another face whose future hangs in the balance.

Already shouldering intense pressure, Venables’ Oklahoma had come under intense fire, starting this week, and it has all to do with star QB John Mateer and his gambling allegations. As Brent Venables is navigating that minefield, another fan uproar has got them stumped. And it’s nothing about the drills run or reps made on the turf. But rather off turf chaos, which has got the fandom upset.

OutKick reporter Trey Wallace pointed out this glaring detail. “Would you pay to sit in the Oklahoma postgame press conference following the Michigan game? It will cost $692.11 per person.” And for what purpose? Well… “Hear OU coaches and players address reporters moments after the final whistle.”

And to the fans’ “delight”, there’s more in the store. A High-Five Tunnel—be part of the tunnel run and welcome the roster as they head to the locker room before kickoff. Then there is the ‘Red-Rocket Ride,’ where you hop aboard the OU tradition, riding the Red Rocket down Lindsay Street. Another one is the ‘Photos on the 50,’ ‘Walk of Champions.’

And obviously, the fans are not pleased. One X user wrote, “Red Rocket ride??? Jesus Christ,” while another one pointed, “What are they raising money for…?” Another individual pondered, “But do you get to ask questions?” There was another user who wondered if the program gives students scholarships. “I know, how bout you give the student a scholarship, if they enroll in school and participate in athletics. I will buy a ticket and come watch them play. Fair?” So, the next most obvious question is….Why is that so?

As per Wallace, “Athletic departments are coming up with different activities for fans to raise money.” So, is the Sooners’ program struggling financially? Well, The Oklahoman painted a rosy picture. It reported that the program surpassed $200 million in both revenue and operating expenses in the 2024 fiscal year.

Meanwhile, A to Z Sports painted another reality, that the program might face a financial roadblock. Sooners’ Athletic Director Joe Castiglione is retiring after the 2025 season. But to fill the lacuna created by his departure, the program needs a new AD. As per A to Z Sports, the Sooners see a potential candidate in Mississippi State AD Zac Selmon, and to get him on board (if), they might need to pay 75% of his remaining salary for the buyout. And just so you know, Selmon earns $1.25 million annually, with $25K raised each year if his contract is renewed.

So, Venebles’ laundry list includes a couple of priorities. Keep a decent record posted, prove himself in the SEC, make his QB run in the Heisman race, navigate the Mateer gambling allegations, and lastly appease the miffed fans.

John Mateer and the gambling allegation

Looks more like a blast from the past. The context? A game between the Trojans and the Bruins three years ago. USC captured a win against UCLA in November 2022. Given Riley’s buyout rising to $90 million, his past achievement years ago is back and doing the rounds on the internet. But not for the reasons relished by the Trojan Nation. So, who’s under the heat? Well…it’s none other than Sooners’ star QB John Mateer.

On Monday, photographs surfaced of what appeared to be a Venmo payment (screenshot) by Matter. Yeah, a normal payment screenshot. What’s the worry? It wasn’t the payment alone that earned the uproar, but rather the labelling. “Sports Gambling (UCLA vs USC),” it read. Mind you! It’s a grave concern. The NCAA strictly prohibits student-athletes from indulging in betting on college games. If the allegations prove true, Mateer might come under serious legal trouble.

And what further filled the controversy was Matter’s response to the allegations, posting an alleged Notes app statement. “The allegations that I once participated in sports gambling are false. My previous Venmo descriptions did not accurately portray the transactions in question but were instead inside jokes between me and my friends. I have never bet on sports.” And he knows the seriousness of the issue. “I understand the seriousness of the matter, but recognize that, taken out of context, those Venmo descriptions suggest otherwise. I can assure my teammates, coaches, and officials at the NCAA that I have not engaged in any sports gambling.”

And the reason why the Notes app statement is fueling the fire is because of the deja vu factor. Baker Mayfield, a former Sooners star, whose controversial sideline gesture against Kansas caused an uproar. The QB then issued an apology on the Notes app. But then, he also won the Heisman Trophy that year, didn’t he? And that’s what Christopher Oven’s post pointed out. “The last Oklahoma QB to issue a notes app statement won the Heisman later that year, btw.” Let’s see how Brent Venables & Co. navigate this with barely two weeks remaining for the 2025 season.