Sooners' head coach Brent Venables speaks to the media on Dec. 15, 2023.
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00:00 I'll say I'm not talking about anybody that's not here.
00:03 Just so y'all know.
00:03 All right, so save everybody's questions.
00:05 You get to your next one.
00:06 All right, go ahead.
00:07 But this has still been a crazy December for you.
00:09 I mean, December's crazy for all coaching staff.
00:12 You lose a guard, and you've got to replace him,
00:14 and all that stuff that's got to go on.
00:16 How's it going?
00:17 Yeah, it's good.
00:17 It's great.
00:18 We had a great practice today.
00:20 I kind of focused on the things that we can control.
00:22 And got a great couple of days already under our belt
00:27 as far as preparation's concerned.
00:29 I was able to go out the last two weeks
00:32 and see every player that's high school-wise that's
00:36 coming in at mid-year.
00:37 So that was a lot of fun to travel around the country
00:40 and see where they grew up and where they're from.
00:43 And we've got a great group of high school players
00:46 combined with a few transfers that
00:48 will be coming in in January, mid-January.
00:51 So it's a really exciting time.
00:53 It's an exciting time to--
00:55 I think we have 18 graduates that are going
00:57 to participate in the ball game.
00:59 And so that was really cool.
01:01 We have a few guys that are graduating today.
01:03 A few guys are still taking finals.
01:05 And so helping the players finish strong in the classroom
01:07 is what we've been doing academically,
01:10 getting them prepared to have a great week
01:12 and finishing their finals.
01:15 And again, I think today was practice number five for us.
01:19 We had a few practices the first week, a couple of practices
01:24 this last week, and then we'll go five straight days here
01:26 in preparation for Arizona and then let them off
01:30 for a few days and then circle back and get here and head
01:33 on down on the 24th.
01:34 So again, got a lot of enthusiasm and energy,
01:38 excitement, and opportunity to win
01:40 11 games against a really good Arizona team.
01:43 And we've done our homework.
01:46 This is a really good football team.
01:47 They lost in overtime at Mississippi State.
01:50 They lost in triple overtime to Southern Cal.
01:52 And they lost by a touchdown to an undefeated 13-0 Washington
01:56 team.
01:56 And so that's their three losses.
01:58 I think they have eight players that have ever
02:01 been to a bowl game.
02:02 And so they haven't been to-- Arizona
02:03 hasn't been to a bowl game since '17,
02:06 but only eight players on their roster.
02:07 So they had 110, and they've got 102 guys
02:10 that have never been to a bowl game.
02:11 So they'll be excited to be there.
02:14 I think they have one gentleman that opted out.
02:16 They're left tackle.
02:17 And otherwise, up to this point, I
02:19 think everybody on their depth chart will be in San Antonio.
02:23 So it's a great venue.
02:25 They run the game first class.
02:27 It was in the game in 1998, and we're back there again in 2007.
02:31 And we're thrilled to be there and thrilled
02:34 to go compete again with this team one last time.
02:36 And we've got several new guys that'll
02:38 be playing a bigger role.
02:40 And that's exciting to me.
02:42 And they've got to learn how to play.
02:43 And the way you learn how to play and improve and get better
02:46 is by playing.
02:47 So that's where we're focused right now.
02:51 This time last week, you didn't know Danny was going to be back.
02:53 Can you take us through that back and forth process
02:56 and the conversations you had with him?
02:58 I know he spoke about it.
02:59 I think Steve, he's interviewed with you all several times.
03:03 And again, it's really exactly what they've said.
03:08 I'm here to be a vessel and a piece of the process
03:12 when they see fit.
03:14 These are life-changing decisions.
03:17 A lot goes into it.
03:19 I'm here to help however I can.
03:22 Here to support the guys in whatever they decide to do.
03:25 And I think Danny's focused on all the things
03:28 that he's already said.
03:29 He's coming back.
03:30 And Danny, as you all know, when it's time to work,
03:32 there's nobody that's more committed.
03:34 And he knows he's got work to do.
03:36 He's trying to improve his opportunity.
03:38 You get one opportunity to go to the NFL, the toughest
03:40 league on the planet.
03:41 And so you don't want to go prepared.
03:43 You wouldn't show up to a Saturday game
03:44 if you didn't practice on Monday and Tuesday.
03:47 You've got to put all the work in, be as prepared as you
03:49 can possibly be.
03:50 And I think that's amongst other reasons.
03:53 He wants to finish college.
03:56 He wants to have his degree in hand.
03:58 He wants to be a senior.
03:59 He wants to lead and help us transition going to the SEC.
04:04 Like I said, I want to speak for him.
04:07 I know he has spoken.
04:08 And we're excited to have him back.
04:10 And we're committed to helping him every step of the way,
04:13 giving him an opportunity to continue to get better.
04:16 And that's the thing that I love about Danny.
04:17 He's hungry.
04:18 He's never satisfied.
04:20 He recognizes where he wants to make some improvement.
04:23 And he'll be committed to do so.
04:24 But he's a leader.
04:27 There's an emotional part of him that other guys can step up.
04:32 And they will when that day comes.
04:34 But he brings a lot to the table.
04:36 Prince, not just Danny, Billy, but--
04:38 Yeah.
04:39 What does that mean to all those guys coming back?
04:41 I mean, they hear you're going to head down.
04:43 Well, my experience has been the older you are,
04:47 the more you've played, the better you play.
04:49 And guys that are playing that fourth or that fifth
04:51 or that sixth year, they just play more consistently.
04:54 Their focus is a little different.
04:56 They don't get as distracted.
04:58 These guys are coming back.
04:59 And they're focused on mission, the mission of this program,
05:03 and certainly on the team, and then themselves.
05:06 And so it's a very committed group of guys.
05:08 Again, Ethan, DT, Lacey, Billy, Danny, amongst others.
05:14 That's a great group of guys.
05:16 They're incredibly committed.
05:17 They love the locker room.
05:18 They love each other.
05:19 They love to compete.
05:20 And they like to work.
05:22 And that's a great recipe.
05:23 So transitioning-wise, we have some good--
05:26 all three levels have a good deal of experience
05:29 coming back.
05:30 And again, with the guys with the right leadership
05:33 and the right focus.
05:34 Brady, you talk about recruiting.
05:36 I know, obviously, you've been recruiting to the SEC
05:38 since you got here.
05:39 But how different is that dynamic,
05:43 you're recruiting to that league and coming up
05:45 with that first official?
05:47 So again, you always want to play.
05:49 You want great competitive depth.
05:52 You want to be strong and physical.
05:54 That's the name of the game.
05:55 So it's not-- the SEC are those things.
05:58 There's great skill.
05:59 There's great depth.
06:00 The lines of scrimmage are a real thing.
06:02 But if you've been coaching football, offense or defense,
06:06 you're going to try to build your team or your program
06:09 and your locker room on the lines of scrimmage
06:11 and dominating there first.
06:13 You usually don't get whooped at the line of scrimmage
06:15 and then win most games.
06:16 It's actually the opposite.
06:17 So that's going to be a challenge.
06:20 And it's being as big and strong and fast and instinctive
06:23 and skilled as we can possibly be at all three levels--
06:28 in all three phases, rather.
06:29 And again, it's a process.
06:33 And you're never going to go in there, oh, man, we got it.
06:36 We're exactly where we want to be someday.
06:41 You're always going to want for more.
06:42 And you're always going to build.
06:44 Again, as I've said before, it's never going to be good enough.
06:47 But I like where we're at.
06:48 But we've got a lot of work to do, a lot of improvement to do.
06:51 That's what these next 10 practices are going to be about
06:55 is improving and trying to be good in this moment.
06:58 And then that moment will come.
06:59 And hopefully, all that has a cumulative effect to it
07:01 as well as we develop and recruit and develop
07:05 the guys that are here and coach and develop the guys that we're
07:08 recruiting.
07:09 And again, I think that we've recruited a really mature group
07:12 of young players.
07:13 And again, the few guys that we get in the portal
07:15 are guys that align with the values
07:17 that we've talked about for the last 25 months, guys that
07:21 have a blue-collar mindset.
07:23 They value education.
07:24 They're going to run towards accountability and discipline.
07:27 They have a great deal of toughness to them.
07:30 And they want to be a great teammate.
07:33 And they know that they're going to be
07:36 expected to leave a deposit and to be a giver and a doer,
07:40 not just a taker.
07:41 And so if they're not interested in that,
07:44 this isn't the spot for them.
07:46 And so that process will probably
07:50 carry on for several weeks.
07:51 Brandon, your offensive line, you're
07:53 going to have to make a couple of changes.
07:54 So who are some of the young guys
07:56 that are the guys you're going to count on in this game?
07:57 Yeah, I mean, it's the guys you know.
08:00 Again, we've got Walter Rouse and McCade,
08:04 Troy Everett, amongst others.
08:06 And then we've got Jacob Sexton, started the last couple
08:11 of games and has done a really, really nice job in the role
08:13 that he's played in.
08:16 Caleb Schaefer and Josh Bates, some of the young guys
08:21 that will have an opportunity as well, Jake Taylor.
08:25 And again, we've got several good players
08:28 that we've recruited.
08:28 Well, I mean, these are guys that are certainly
08:31 going to be part of the depth.
08:33 And we're really excited about that group of freshmen
08:36 that most of them redshirted.
08:38 And it's a really good group, the physical, the athletic,
08:43 whether it's Holland or Oseida.
08:46 That's the Bates.
08:47 That's a really, really good group of freshmen.
08:49 Probably left somebody off, but really good group.
08:53 Brent, you're going to sign a class of scholarship guys
08:55 next week, but preferred walk-ons.
08:57 How has your approach there changed over the last 25
08:59 months, and how does NIM impact the kind of guys you can get?
09:03 Again, I think just showing that, look,
09:05 there's guys on the team that have earned scholarships,
09:08 that have earned opportunity.
09:11 We're going to value production.
09:13 And regardless if you're a walk-on or you're a scholarship
09:17 or you're a no-star or you're a five-star,
09:19 we treat everybody the same.
09:20 Everybody's going to have the same opportunity.
09:22 Everybody's going to have the same value.
09:23 I think there's a holistic approach that's
09:25 attractive to both scholarship and non-scholarship players.
09:31 In regards to the walk-ons in our roster,
09:34 we're always trying to get better.
09:37 You can't just be a walk-on or a scholarship guy
09:39 and just hang out.
09:40 Everybody is held accountable.
09:42 Everybody has a role, and it's all important.
09:45 So it's not just hanging out and then
09:46 showing up on the sideline and wearing the jersey.
09:48 It's a lot deeper than that.
09:50 And my job is to make sure that everybody's bringing value.
09:53 And my job is to bring in the most competitive roster
09:58 that I can.
09:58 And I tell the starters, the scholarship guys,
10:01 the guys that play, my job is to find somebody better than you.
10:03 And your job is to compete with them.
10:05 When you leave Oklahoma and you're in the workplace,
10:08 you're in a locker room in the NFL,
10:10 it's going to be the same thing.
10:11 Actually, it gets even harder.
10:13 Here you might have a little more grace
10:15 than the outside world.
10:16 And so that's what it should always be about for everybody.
10:19 Everybody should be pushing and striving to get better.
10:22 And so I'm constantly evaluating that, too.
10:24 Guys that are here already, guys that we're bringing in,
10:27 are these guys that are going to be hungry, self-driven,
10:30 self-motivated, ambitious, got something to prove?
10:34 Are they going to bring value?
10:35 And then once they're here, are they going to sustain that?
10:38 And when guys relax and put one hand on the wheel
10:41 and take things for granted and get complacent and feel
10:44 entitled, then sometimes guys need a fresh start.
10:49 And so there is no coach and there's
10:52 no player that's entitled to be here.
10:54 This is Oklahoma.
10:55 And so we should all have a great appreciation and respect
10:58 for our opportunity to be here.
11:00 It's a special place to play.
11:01 Does NIL and the ability to cover academic things
11:04 or whatever you guys can help in terms of the quality
11:07 of the players?
11:08 Yeah, you got to earn everything.
11:11 So I'm sure any time you can have more money in your pocket--
11:17 I took out student loans.
11:18 That was my NIL.
11:19 I got a scholarship.
11:20 My mom couldn't give me any money.
11:22 So I took out student loans and paid them back
11:24 until I was 37 years old.
11:25 That was my NIL.
11:26 So having some money in your pocket helps in every way.
11:29 People have cars.
11:30 They got to pay insurance.
11:32 Maybe you got to help out at home.
11:35 You need stuff.
11:36 So again, NIL is a great space.
11:41 Take advantage of it the best you can,
11:42 but not get distracted by it.
11:43 And know that the real return on investment, ROI,
11:46 is getting my degree, becoming a strong man,
11:49 having a great college experience,
11:52 learning what facing adversity looks like,
11:57 and being a part of a team, and creating value for yourself.
12:01 And again, networking.
12:03 And so obviously, our sole mission does all those things.
12:06 That's part of NIL.
12:07 It's financial literacy.
12:09 It's career development.
12:11 We had 38 companies from around the country here a week ago.
12:15 Our guys have an opportunity to network and create
12:17 opportunities through the University of Oklahoma.
12:21 And to be able to create a pathway,
12:24 carve a path for what they want the rest of their life
12:26 to look like, because the game don't last long.
12:29 And again, this is a short period of their life.
12:34 And really, in a vapor, it's all gone.
12:36 And so to me, becoming a strong competitor, a leader,
12:43 again, a great husband and father, leader,
12:46 all those things, you're acquiring a tool belt here
12:48 that's going to help you for the rest of your life.
12:49 There's got to be an eternal mindset to all of it.
12:52 And so that's all part of the NIL.
12:54 And I think it's very attractive,
12:55 whether you're taking guys to Hawaii over spring break,
13:00 or going to Johannesburg and Rio de Janeiro in May.
13:05 Or again, last spring, we had 44 players
13:09 do paid micro-internships, making money, but earning it.
13:12 You got to take time.
13:13 Money didn't just fall out of the sky.
13:16 It takes what it takes.
13:18 It costs what it takes.
13:20 And you got to pay a price for it.
13:21 And so these guys, our job is to help them mature and learn
13:25 to fight for everything that they're going to get.
13:28 And as I've told them today, I've
13:32 had to earn everything I've been given in my life.
13:35 And I've been a great example of loyalty, patience,
13:41 of doing the uncommon thing, not taking the--
13:45 whether it's the interview, or the better title, or more money,
13:48 and try to be great where I'm at,
13:50 and have a great self-awareness.
13:52 And so if that's, hey, I'm not ready to be a head coach
13:55 at 27, 28 years old, no thanks, but no thanks.
13:58 It'll happen on down the road.
14:01 When I've had opportunities for generational wealth,
14:05 that's good for some, but it wasn't good for me at the time.
14:07 And don't screw up happy.
14:10 Be great where you're at.
14:11 The grass is greener where you're watering it.
14:13 And your life will be favored.
14:16 To me, if you keep your head down, you bring value,
14:19 you have a sense of thankfulness and appreciation
14:22 for whatever opportunities you got,
14:24 and you always keep the mindset of I'm not entitled to anything.
14:27 I'm going to get what I earn.
14:28 And sometimes that's anti-world thinking.
14:33 And that's OK.
14:34 I'm not-- that's just my opinion on what it should look like.
14:40 And I've lived a favored life as a result of that.
14:43 Brent, how do you guys balance a more traditional model
14:47 of developing young players and seeing how they improve
14:51 over the course of years, and always having
14:54 an eye on the future versus with the transfer portal
14:56 now you can just remake your team almost overnight?
15:00 What kind of conversations do you all have about that?
15:02 Well, just stick to your values that
15:06 are relational as opposed to transactional.
15:08 And there is a roster fluidity that is a real thing.
15:16 And so we've got to always be prepared.
15:19 The portal allows you-- we've benefited from the portal.
15:23 More often than not, we've benefited
15:25 from guys that are starters where they're leaving.
15:27 They've left rosters where they're starters
15:28 and having good careers.
15:30 So I'd be a hypocrite if I said it's bad.
15:34 And what I like about college football,
15:39 what the game gives you, it teaches you
15:41 to have some stick to it.
15:42 This is the opposite of that in some ways.
15:45 If things aren't going your way, it
15:46 was free to just pack up and roll down the road.
15:48 And that's cool.
15:49 Everybody has an opportunity to do that.
15:52 And so I want to create a connected, healthy environment
15:55 that is way beyond the X's and the O's,
15:57 and tackling, and catching, and blocking.
15:59 And that's who I've been since the day I got here.
16:03 I've lived a career that way.
16:04 And so I'm not going to change in that regard.
16:08 So we try to do a good job of conveying that and living that,
16:15 being about it, and nurturing, again,
16:18 the concept of team and family, and again,
16:23 holistic development.
16:24 And the game is going to end shortly for all these guys.
16:27 So to me, that's just continued to be who we've been.
16:32 How do you convince younger players to stick to it
16:36 and be in it for the long haul?
16:37 You recruit the right guys.
16:39 They got the right stuff.
16:40 They're not expecting something for nothing.
16:42 So you try to filter that in the recruiting process.
16:45 Look at their network, whatever village they have,
16:49 and what their support system looks like.
16:51 And make sure that they have a clear vision how difficult.
16:55 This would be the hardest thing you've ever done in your life.
16:57 If you're not ready for that, this ain't the spot.
17:00 This is going to be the hardest thing you've ever done
17:02 in your life, but it's going to be worth it.
17:04 And this is a developmental game.
17:06 The more you play, the better you get.
17:08 What were you like as a freshman?
17:09 What were you like?
17:10 How old are you now?
17:12 I turn 30 tomorrow.
17:13 30 tomorrow.
17:13 Happy birthday.
17:14 Thank you.
17:15 How do you think?
17:16 So we promote that.
17:18 There is opportunity.
17:19 We're trying to get everybody ready to play.
17:21 We're not trying to redshirt nobody.
17:22 And you either show that you need a little more development
17:25 or you don't.
17:25 But just because it's not about where you start,
17:27 it's always about where you finish.
17:29 And so you constantly stay connected.
17:31 Just the talk I'm having now is the talk that we--
17:34 that's just who we are.
17:35 That's our environment.
17:36 And then there's I'm only one person.
17:39 The coach has got to do a great job of constantly educating
17:43 and nurturing growth and development, improvement,
17:48 the hard work, and the ability to persevere.
17:51 That's things that come easy don't last long, period.
17:54 And there aren't no shortcuts.
17:56 And so guys are looking for a hole in the fence,
17:58 I'm going to help them get over the fence.
18:01 And we don't really have that problem.
18:03 And I think, again, whatever guys' numbers in the portal,
18:06 I think seven of them were seniors.
18:08 We weren't counting on them coming back.
18:10 And some of them chose to go play.
18:12 I think that's great.
18:14 I think that's a wonderful thing.
18:15 And I say, play the game as long as you can.
18:19 That day's coming to an end.
18:20 So play it as long as you can, but make sure
18:23 that you're prepared for what's next,
18:25 because that day's coming too.
18:26 And if you look at what the NFL stats are,
18:28 guys that within three years of leaving the NFL,
18:34 guys that have left the NFL within three years,
18:37 they're either bankrupt or divorced.
18:38 It's like 80%.
18:40 It's a terrible number.
18:42 Just a lot of them have lived their whole life being catered to,
18:45 living a life where people do a lot of things for them,
18:49 and then they're not thinking about what's next.
18:51 And again, just being around a college locker room for
18:55 30 plus years as a player and a coach, I know the value of trying to create
19:00 a pathway and an opportunity beyond the field.
19:04 And that's not real popular in some places, but
19:07 I do think it's attractive to the guys that we recruit.
19:09 And so we find families that are looking for a little more than just ball.
19:13 And I love ball.
19:15 Nobody loves it more than me.
19:18 I love to compete, I love to win.
19:19 But it's dysfunctional if that's all it is 24/7 when you come into the building.
19:24 >> In this age of fluid rosters that you're talking about,
19:28 would you be in favor of contracts for players?
19:30 >> I don't know. >> One, two, three, four years, whatever.
19:33 >> I don't know.
19:35 I just, there's pluses and minuses to all of it.
19:40 There needs to, at some point in time, there's gonna be something that's
19:42 equitable, players gonna get everything that they deserve,
19:48 cuz they're not getting it right now.
19:50 And that day's coming, I know that.
19:53 And when it does, things will probably, to some degree,
19:57 there'd be a little more equitable for everybody that's competing within
20:01 the same rules, and whether there's two different divisions in college football.
20:05 Those things are all probably very real, the toothpaste is out of the tube.
20:10 And they're gonna need to do something to give a little better guardrails for
20:15 everybody, players and coaches alike.
20:19 Just there's some aspects of how this is going, the timeliness.
20:24 It's very difficult if you look at the NFL model.
20:28 The NFL, they don't have free agency before the Super Bowl.
20:32 [LAUGH] Until the season's over, free agency,
20:36 can you imagine the playoffs and free agency's going on?
20:39 And that's what's going on.
20:41 And so we gotta clean that up.
20:44 It's not good for anybody.
20:49 But they're not asking me.
20:51 And then right now we're treating the last game of the season
20:55 like it's the first game.
20:55 And it's just kind of wild.
20:59 But anyway, I don't know what all the answers and solutions are.
21:03 You just try to adapt and adjust, and do the best you can.
21:06 And try to stay, again, just try to still continue to stay in your lane and
21:12 continue to not allow the extenuating circumstances change who we are and
21:17 the things that, again, we value.
21:19 >> How much of a challenge is it to go into a bowl game with new offensive
21:22 coordinators and a new starting quarterback?
21:23 Two most important positions.
21:25 >> You say challenge, I just look at opportunity.
21:28 And so it's better now, kinda work through all that the next year.
21:33 I don't wanna get baptized going into the SEC.
21:36 So no, it's exciting.
21:37 I'm excited to see.
21:39 There's some newness to it.
21:40 Yeah, you have a small amount of time in a perfect world.
21:44 You have more time, but that's just not where college, we're not the only team.
21:48 It's across the country.
21:49 And so we'll adjust and adapt.
21:54 And the guys are getting, the coaches are excited, the players are excited.
21:58 And there's some newness to it.
21:59 And again, just an opportunity to go out and play another game together.
22:03 >> Brent, there's one guy that's said that he's gonna go in the portal.
22:06 I don't know if he's in there officially yet.
22:08 It's Tawi, I know he's been practicing too.
22:10 I guess what's his status?
22:12 Is he somebody that could come back?
22:15 >> Again, you'd have to ask him.
22:16 Certainly, he'll be, that's not the case for everybody.
22:22 But Tawi, if he's gonna look at some opportunities and
22:25 doesn't get what he wants, it's more than welcome to be a part of the team.
22:28 >> I was thinking about the running back,
22:30 Scavin's guy who last year's ball game really burst onto the scene this year.
22:33 Kind of going into it as the lead back.
22:36 What have you seen on him on a day to day basis that's allowed him to get to
22:38 that position?
22:40 >> Just consistency in all of his habits.
22:43 Habits leads to game reality, and I think he's really gotten to a good groove,
22:50 confidence, healthy, gotten to a good rhythm in the last several games.
22:56 So I think the confidence comes with that, and so you see a more confident guy.
23:00 >> Brent, how's Julie doing?
23:03 >> She's doing great.
23:04 Yep, she's doing really good.
23:05 I appreciate you asking.
23:06 >> Yeah, good to hear that.
23:07 >> She's six weeks post-surgery, and she's getting around.
23:11 She's doing a lot better, thank you.
23:12 >> Good, good to hear.
23:13 >> This is not why you hired Seth, but how cool is it that he's got
23:17 the OU lineage that goes back three decades before he ever got here?
23:20 >> Yeah, I know, you see me grinning.
23:22 I think that's, and it's kind of a, it's an and, another reason.
23:27 It's not the reason.
23:28 I would never, it's not my responsibility.
23:31 Let me find the guys that have OU lineage to hire him.
23:34 I know you're not saying that, but he's incredibly qualified.
23:39 But it's super cool for me.
23:40 He's one of my, I just had such admiration and
23:42 respect when he was here as a player.
23:44 And I got him, that's what I want my kid to be.
23:46 That's what I want my linebackers to be.
23:48 And that's what a captain should be, a guy that loves it, loves to compete,
23:51 shows up every day with appreciation,
23:54 the toughness that you want the game to represent.
23:56 His dad, having been a great player here too,
24:02 it's been a dream of his to watch him walk into that dream every single day.
24:07 These are the good old days for Seth Luttrell.
24:09 And then as a real brotherhood to him.
24:11 So whether it's Jerry Schmidt that helped mold him in college or
24:16 some of his best friends that he's on staff with, the players benefit from all of that.
24:21 And to see, maybe you don't have a whole room that want to be the coach at Oklahoma,
24:26 but I bet you there's a handful.
24:27 And it's cool to see these dreams coming true.
24:30 They're living in those blessings.
24:33 So really cool for me to see the chemistry and the dynamics.
24:37 And then again, the players benefiting from what that looks like.
24:41 It's a real thing.
24:43 >> Brent, with somebody like him becoming the offensive coordinator,
24:47 having just a few practices before the Alamo Bowl, what's maybe the priority for
24:50 him or the things that are important for him to do right now with it happening?
24:55 >> It's a combination of everybody together.
24:58 All right, let's figure out what these guys can do well.
25:01 Let's remind each other what we can do well, what we've done well all season.
25:05 So it's about players, not the schemes.
25:09 And again, sometimes you can be in a bad scheme, but
25:11 make sure that it's player-centered.
25:13 And then go from there, and don't overcomplicate it.
25:16 There's that kiss technique that everybody talks about.
25:22 So make sure that these guys have, by the time we
25:27 leave here on next Tuesday, that when the game plan's in, we feel great about it.
25:31 We're gonna go down to San Antonio, enjoy ourselves, and
25:34 polish up the game plan, and be ready to play really aggressive,
25:37 attacking fundamental football.
25:40 >> You gotta wrap up, one more?
25:42 >> Here's one.
25:44 >> I got one.
25:46 With all the movement of guys, the guys that are coming back we know, and
25:50 the guys that aren't, is your new mission to build an offense
25:56 that the defense can be proud of?
25:59 >> I don't look at it like that.
26:01 I mean, I want a locker room that everyone else in our nation would be proud of.
26:05 And again, we're working on that daily.
26:09 And I love the group of guys that are coming back.
26:11 I have incredible thankfulness and appreciation for all the guys,
26:15 even those that aren't here that were a part of it last year on team 128.
26:19 And the guys that are going to the NFL, or
26:22 maybe even a new opportunity with a new team, I'm thankful for everybody.
26:26 Everybody played a part.
26:27 And so I got great thankfulness for that.
26:30 That's my perspective there.
26:32 And again, we've recruited really well.
26:35 And we got an excellent football staff that knows how to coach and
26:37 develop and get the most out of guys.
26:39 And so again, just like when we started in January,
26:42 we had 97 players out of our 123 that are either in the first or
26:46 second year at Oklahoma.
26:49 And when I asked them how many guys had never been to a bowl game,
26:53 we had 63 guys that for the first time were at Oklahoma in January.
26:57 So I don't know what the number was, but I bet it was over 30,
27:00 maybe 40 guys that never been to a bowl game.
27:02 So we have a good group of guys that haven't been, and
27:05 this will be a great opportunity to reward them and have some incredible effort.
27:10 And a group that when they compete, you can see humility and
27:14 a group of guys that love each other.
27:16 So I think that's what Oklahoma football has represented for a long time.
27:20 And we have an expectation to meet that standard.
27:23 >> Thanks, Coach.