What Brent Venables must do soon begins with firing himself as Sooner defensive coordinator

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables directs his team during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Iowa State, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, in Ames, Iowa. Oklahoma won 27-13. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Let’s hope Brent Venables has done two things since his Sooners came up short in Lubbock all the way back on Nov. 26.

It seems long ago at least.

One, decompressed a bit.

Two, given some thought toward things bound to be on his plate on the other side of facing No. 13 Florida State at the wonderfully named Cheez-It Bowl on Dec. 29 in Orlando.

Because it’s bound to be no normal offseason. Or, if Venables takes into account the swirling winds of the college game, it can’t possibly be.

The 12-team playoff will be in place in time for the 2024 season, a playoff set to include the six highest-ranked conference champions and the next six highest ranked teams on the College Football Playoff’s list.

Also, 2024 will be the last season the Sooners remain in the Big 12 before leaving for the Southeastern Conference, a campaign that may reveal an easier road to the conference title game and playoff because 2024 is also the second and last year of the Big 12’s brief two-season run as a 14-team league — BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and Central Florida arriving in the fall of 2023, two seasons before OU and Texas finally depart.

Thus, if staff changes need making, the race is on to do it sooner, not later.