Brent Venables‘ 2025 season went from high to low in no time. Just a few weeks ago, Oklahoma was being whispered about as a quiet College Football Playoff contender with their 5-0 record, ranking No. 6, and looking like a team that had finally found its swagger with a new QB in John Mateer. Then came Texas. Then came Ole Miss. And now, a national voice is saying they’re in trouble.

On the latest Cover 3 Podcast on October 29, Chip Patterson casually asked what no Sooner fan wanted to hear. “Is Oklahoma in trouble?” Bud Elliott played it cool, saying, “I don’t think so.” But Danny Kanell went for the jugular. “I do,” he said flatly, pointing straight at John Mateer. “He was getting away with it,” he added.

“I think his confidence has kind of been shaken now. Now he’s got to go on the road to Knoxville and do it. He has been too careless with the football and they have been able to take away his legs in the run game. I think Oklahoma’s in trouble.” And by trouble, he means Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, and LSU waiting on deck.

The Sooners’ 34–26 home loss to No. 8 Ole Miss was a gut punch that dropped OU to 6–2 (2–2 in the SEC) and shattered their playoff momentum. Brent Venables’ squad has to run the table on the road at No. 14 Tennessee, at home against No. 4 Alabama, and then Missouri and LSU just to have a prayer at 10–2. Even the most crimson-tinted fans know that’s bordering on fantasy. And at the heart of the chaos is John Mateer’s right hand, literally.

Before his hand injury in the Auburn game on September 20, Mateer looked like the next big thing. He threw for 1,215 yards, six touchdowns, and three picks in four games. Since then, a shadow of himself, just 575 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions in three outings while wearing tape and hesitation on every throw. And the Sooners’ offense is gasping for rhythm. Their upcoming trip to Knoxville feels like a test of faith. And if the pressure’s mounting for the QB, it’s nothing compared to what Brent Venables is feeling right now.

Brent Venables admits he feels the heat

Brent Venables entered his fourth season already walking a tightrope in Norman. Now, with losses to Texas and Ole Miss, the whispers are back louder this time. The Athletic’s Seth Emerson even floated the idea that he could be on the hot seat if Oklahoma stumbles in November. During his Tuesday presser, he addressed the uneasy climate across college football. “An exciting time, but an anxious time, in college football,” he said via On3. “There’s never been as much disruption as there is today… From a fan’s perspective, everybody is wanting a piece of that action. I get it.”

Brent Venables knows what’s being said, and he knows how short the leash is. His numbers don’t exactly silence critics. He’s 28-19 overall, 14-16 in conference play, and winless in bowl games. His best season was a 10–3 campaign back in 2023. Since then, it’s been mediocrity with a crimson tint. His challenge now isn’t just scheming for Tennessee. It’s convincing the OU fanbase that he isn’t the next Brian Kelly or Billy Napier, casualties of a win-now era that chews up and spits out even seasoned coaches.

If John Mateer’s hand doesn’t heal and the Sooners don’t start winning, forget hot, Brent Venables might soon learn how cold that Oklahoma seat can get.