So what that the 2025 season is yet to lift the curtains? The preseason lists are here to give us a trailer of how the season is going to turn out. For instance, ESPN released a list, ‘Ranking the best coaches in college football for 2025.’ While Georgia head coach Kirby Smart held the No.1 spot, few teams must be crestfallen after not finding their head coach’s name. 

One of the many from the cancelled out head coaches is Oklahoma’s Brent Venables. Hold on! Shaky Eight stirred some more fear, listing Venables in the list, stating, “They won’t all be saved this time around.” In that list, the Oklahoma head coach’s seat heat meter is “scalding.” So, one can fathom that Venables’ boys must be in dire need of some motivational juice to sip on. And here came JJ Watt, who had an NFL career earning of $129 million, as their savior. 

The fact that there is no favoritism for Venables and co. and pure genuine feedback is something that touched the Oklahoma legend, Gerald McCoy who gave a shoutout. The 2007 Freshman All-American tweeted, “Legends that have walked, bled, sweated, cried, on those same grounds have preached this message more times than I can count. But when a legend of legends that hasn’t understand what it means to wear those colors preaches it………. TIME TO LISTEN UP YOUNGINS!! Yall have no idea how special it is to have a guy like  @JJWatt take the time to do this. I appreciate you my brother!! 🙏🏾🫡.” 

The Sooners gathered together for a team meeting, and Watt’s message was played on the big screen. In the video message Watt said, “Take a second and just realize how special this was. You are in the Oklahoma Sooners team meeting right now, telling the world that who you honor in your homeland, and represent all of these great teams that came before you, and represent all the people that love and support that program. It’s an honor, it’s a privilege, it’s the coolest thing in the world. Think about when you run out of that tunnel and eighty ninety thousand people are expecting for you.”

Well, Watt has never been part of the Oklahoma fam. He played college football for the University of Wisconsin Badgers after transferring from Central Michigan University. Later on, he got drafted by the Houston Texans. It’s indeed been an honor for Venables’ squad to be morally uplifted by the 3x Defensive Player of the Year and 5x First-Team All-Pro. Not having any Oklahoma connection, he knew exactly where to hit the Sooners’ fam to rev up the hunger within them.  

“I know you guys have the walk upfront with the Heisman winners…walk down that, look at all the great players that came before you guys… you guys are at a place that has a standard…there is an obligation to the players who came before you and after you to hold Oklahoma to the standard that it belongs at,” shared Watt. Well, it’s true. Venables’ Oklahoma is truly privileged since it never has to look beyond its camp for motivation. They have had seven Heisman winners, the latest being Kyler Murray, who lifted the trophy in 2018. But all this rich history just adds on to Venables’ hot seat.             

The pressure cooker situation for Brent Venables 

While Venables might have high expectations of setting a praiseworthy record in the Oklahoma camp, the tables turned. Instead, he ended up gifting Sooners the worst three-year performance since the regrettable John Blake era from 1996–98. Stepping into 2025, there are new faces all around in the coaching roster. New GM Jim Nagy, new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, and new special teams coordinator Doug Deakin. Amidst all this newness, something is still like before.

The pressure situation on Venables. What’s the narrative that the Oklahoma Sooners are sipping on before their 2025 season unfolds? Lance Taylor came up with a hot question on The Next Round podcast. He asked, “So, there is a chance that next year we could have major turnover in this conference. And I’m talking about as many as six or seven job openings up. More pressure though coming into this year. Is it Brent Venables or Hugh Freeze?” While Andy Staples initially tried to be rational, stating both are under tremendous pressure, he finally let the cat out of the bag. 

“I think Oklahoma, the last seven games of the Oklahoma schedule are the hardest seven games I’ve ever seen a team have to play. Now, that’s before the season, and maybe some of those teams will play differently. But I think it’s a pretty safe bet that those seven teams, like five or six of them, are going to be really good,” shared Staples. Poor Oklahoma! 

Their boat is already sinking. In such a situation, they got burdened with a bias- they are the only SEC team that will be facing nine teams that currently have odds to win the national championship. But amidst all this pressure, other programs are envious of Venables’ Oklahoma. Thanks to their quarterback, John Mateer.