By admitting failure, Brent Venables offers evidence he's growing into the job

Sooner coach Brent Venables walks into Owen Field with his team last Saturday night to face Alabama. (OU Athletics Photo/Morgan Givens)

There are any number of reasons to question Brent Venables’ fitness as the long term Sooner football solution.

There’s the way he’s romanticized his offense of the previous two seasons under coordinator Jeff Lebby, who’s yet to win a conference game at Mississippi State this season and who, though his Sooner offenses amassed yardage, did them no favors via poor situational play-calling and strategy he often apologized for later.

There’s the way Venables has saved all of his harangues for his defense, because he’s clearly been more interested, offended and affected by the unit nearer his heart than the one that’s been the problem over and over again.

There’s the fact his offense has struggled at every single position, which shouldn’t happen three years into anybody’s tenure.

Even a few days ago, when Oklahoma shocked the world, beating Alabama 24-3, Jackson Arnold tossed only 11 passes, completing nine for 68 yards.

Enough that night, but not bound to be again against a quality team.

Yet, Venables said something on Tuesday that should be seen as proof-positive evidence he possesses the reflection, thoughtfulness and judgment required to do what he hasn’t yet done, to finally become the guy everybody talks about when wondering if he’ll ever become the guy.

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