Oklahoma Sooners head football coach Brent Venables didn’t hold back during his post-practice press conference on Friday afternoon, finally shedding light on the source of his visible frustration following……

Oklahoma Sooners Head Coach Brent Venables Reveals Root of Frustration After Tough Loss

NORMAN, Okla. June 21, 2025

Oklahoma Sooners head football coach Brent Venables didn’t hold back during his post-practice press conference on Friday afternoon, finally shedding light on the source of his visible frustration following last weekend’s disappointing 31-24 loss to Kansas State.

The visibly agitated Venables, who stormed off the field and skipped his usual postgame media availability, had left fans, analysts, and players alike wondering what had triggered such an uncharacteristic display of fury. Now, nearly a week later, the head coach has offered a candid explanation.

“It wasn’t just about losing a football game,” Venables said, speaking with an uncharacteristic edge in his voice. “It was about the lack of discipline, the lack of urgency, and frankly, a lack of pride in wearing that OU jersey.”

Venables, who took over the Sooners in 2022 following the departure of Lincoln Riley, has built his program on intensity, accountability, and defense-first toughness. But according to the coach, those standards were nowhere to be found in Saturday’s loss especially in the second half, when Oklahoma surrendered a 10-point lead.

“We had multiple players freelancing on key defensive downs. Guys ignoring their reads. That’s not how we’ve practiced. That’s not how we’ve trained,” Venables continued. “If one or two guys do their own thing, it unravels everything. It was personal for me because I know what this program stands for.”

Several sources within the program confirmed that Venables lit into the team in the locker room following the game louder and more pointed than at any other time during his tenure. Some players reportedly called it a “wake-up moment.”

Veteran linebacker Danny Stutsman, a defensive captain, acknowledged the issue on Wednesday. “Coach is right. That wasn’t Sooner football. We didn’t play with discipline, and that’s on all of us,” he said. “He’s passionate because he cares more than anyone. We’ve had hard conversations this week, and we’re responding.”

Venables also called out the coaching staff  including himself for not having the team better prepared.

“I take responsibility. If they’re not locked in, that’s on us as coaches. But there’s a standard here, and I won’t lower it for anyone,” he said.

Perhaps more alarming for Oklahoma fans was Venables’ admission that he’s been battling recurring issues with focus and effort from certain players for weeks.

“We’ve seen warning signs in practice, in meetings. You can’t just flip a switch on game day. Culture has to be lived every day,” he added.

The Sooners (4-2) now face a critical stretch in their schedule, with matchups against Texas Tech and Oklahoma State looming  games that could define their season. Though still mathematically alive in the Big 12 title race, Oklahoma can’t afford another slip-up.

Asked how the team has responded in practice this week, Venables offered a cautiously optimistic tone.

“They came out Monday pissed off in a good way. We’ve had a much better week. There’s urgency. There’s accountability. I think the message got through.”

Still, the head coach made it clear that changes possibly in the starting lineup  are on the table if improvements don’t translate on the field.

“I don’t care what year you are, how many stars you had in high school. If you don’t play the right way, you won’t play here,” Venables said bluntly.

As the Sooners try to right the ship heading into the back half of the season, one thing is certain: their head coach isn’t afraid to demand more and he expects nothing less than excellence.