Brent Venables acknowledged that Oklahoma’s performance against Auburn was far from flawless, but he sees plenty of positives from their gritty fourth-quarter rally. The Sooners outscored the Tigers 17-7 in the final quarter, turning around a 21-10 deficit to claim their first SEC road win.
Speaking at the weekly SEC teleconference, Venables emphasized that perfection isn’t a requirement for victory. “Things don’t have to be perfect in order to win,” he noted. “You can play poorly in some spots and still have an opportunity to overcome a deficit, that’s the game of football. You just keep swinging, keep your head down, control the controllable … understand there’s a complete team, it’s not just you.”
Venables’ mindset reflects a belief in resilience and teamwork, something the Sooners will need as they prepare for bigger challenges, including the upcoming Red River Rivalry. His focus on persistence and controlling what’s within the team’s power is a message that will resonate as Oklahoma looks to build on their Auburn win and continue their strong season.
Brent Venables sees the Oklahoma Sooners’ gritty win against Auburn as a defining moment, especially given the adversity they faced. Despite a far-from-perfect performance, Venables is optimistic about the future, emphasizing that when his team plays at its best, “there’s no limits on what we can do.”
Ahead of the Red River Rivalry against No. 2 Texas, Venables has acknowledged the flaws in their performance, including a host of injuries. He admitted that if he had been told the Sooners would be without seven or eight starters and still win their first SEC road game, he wouldn’t have believed it. However, overcoming that adversity is what he sees as the biggest takeaway from the game.
Injuries have hit Oklahoma hard, particularly on offense. Venables is hopeful that junior wide receiver Deion Burks and freshman running back Taylor Tatum, who missed the Auburn game, will return against Texas. The status of wide receivers Nic Anderson and Andrel Anthony remains uncertain, though kicker Tyler Keltner is expected to play.
Oklahoma is taking a cautious approach during their bye week, with only three practices scheduled, as they aim to get more players healthy, especially on offense, where they have been hit hardest.
On the defensive side, Venables sees room for improvement. The Sooners allowed Auburn to gain 278 yards of offense in the first half and struggled with tackling, which had been a strength earlier in the season. Additionally, the secondary’s fundamentals need tightening. Oklahoma’s defense forced a crucial turnover late in the game — a Kip Lewis pick-six — but Venables knows they need to raise their game against Texas, which boasts one of the best defenses and offenses in the country.
Despite their victory, Venables is well aware of the challenge that lies ahead against a Texas team firing on all cylinders. Still, the historical significance of the Red River Rivalry has his team eager for the challenge.
“We’ve got a great challenge in front of us going into the Cotton Bowl,” Venables said, emphasizing the tradition and intensity of the rivalry. “Texas is playing really, really well right now in all three phases… We’ll get our sights set on that when we come back here from an extended weekend.”