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Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma to hire Brent Venables as head football coach: reports

The Sooners acted quickly to replace Lincoln Riley, who left for USC last week

Ryan Gaydos By Ryan Gaydos Fox News
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Oklahoma has reportedly found its new football coach after Lincoln Riley departed for USC last week.

The Sooners will hire Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables to replace the spot vacated by Riley, according to multiple reports Sunday. The Athletic and Yahoo Sports were the first to report the deal for Venables to take the gig was done.

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Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables looks on during the Tigers' game against the Louisville Cardinals on Nov. 6, 2021, in Louisville, Kentucky.

Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables looks on during the Tigers' game against the Louisville Cardinals on Nov. 6, 2021, in Louisville, Kentucky. (Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Venables comes to Norman with an established Oklahoma background already. He was an assistant with the Sooners from 1999 to 2011 under Bob Stoops. He was a part of the Sooners’ staff during their 2000 national championship run with Stoops at the helm.

He had served on the Clemson staff since 2012. He was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach when he first started then was named the associate head coach in 2018. His defense anchored two national championships for Clemson. He was also named the 2016 Broyles Award winner as the nation’s top assistant college football coach.

Clemson Tigers defensive coordinator Brent Venables during warmups before the South Carolina Gamecocks game on Nov. 27, 2021, in Columbia, South Carolina. 

Clemson Tigers defensive coordinator Brent Venables during warmups before the South Carolina Gamecocks game on Nov. 27, 2021, in Columbia, South Carolina.  (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

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Clemson had a down year in 2021. The team didn’t compete to get into the College Football Playoff. The Tigers finished 9-3 and 6-2 in the ACC and will play in the Cheez-It Bowl later this month against Iowa State.

Lincoln Riley yells to his team before the Oklahoma-TCU game on Oct. 16, 2021, in Norman, Oklahoma.

Lincoln Riley yells to his team before the Oklahoma-TCU game on Oct. 16, 2021, in Norman, Oklahoma. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams, File)

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Oklahoma started off with high hopes, but the team had some quarterback controversy and lost key games down the stretch to be taken out of the College Football Playoff conversation and the Big 12 title conversation. Riley bolted for USC last week and Stoops is set to coach the Sooners in the Alamo Bowl against Oregon.

Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.