Oklahoma president, AD pledge support for Brent Venables

The Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of "unwavering" is "continuing in a strong and steady way: constant, steadfast." The essence in something being "unwavering" is that it is immune to changes over time: my belief that evening follows morning is unwavering. 

Which is why Oklahoma president Joe Harroz said Tuesday that his belief in embattled head coach Brent Venables is "unwavering right now." 

Harroz and Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione meet with the media following a board of regents meeting, two days removed from a new low point in a season full of them. Leading 23-16 with two minutes remaining, Oklahoma lost 30-23 to No. 23 Missouri in regulation. The loss dropped the Sooners to 5-5 on the season and 1-5 in SEC play; the one win came via a pick-six over Auburn, who is also 1-5 in SEC play. 

"We have the right coach. This is our coach," Harroz went on to say. "We knew that it was going to be a tough year, the first year in the SEC. You add all the things that have taken place around the shifting NIL landscape with hopefully more certainty coming next year... we knew there was going to be some turbulence. Obviously we'd love to have more wins, but our confidence in the coach is as steady as it's ever been."

Castiglione went a step further.

"We're mindful that we haven't met the Oklahoma standard for 2024," he said. "That said, we truly believe in Coach Venables and our team and are completely focused on supporting them and looking at all the ways to address the needed improvements now, as well as in preparation for next year." 

Oklahoma signed Venables to a new, 6-year contract in June that would cost a reported $44.8 million to get out of after this season. With direct NIL payments for college football programs expected to come online for next season at an expected cost north of $20 million, Oklahoma's brass may have all the reason in the world to keep Venables, but the financials certainly incentivize keeping him as well. Florida came to an identical conclusion last week on Billy Napier. 

Oklahoma's offense has been a revolving door from top to bottom and beginning to end. The offensive line, which broke in five new starters, has cycled through a new lineup nearly every week due to injury and performance; the wide receiver room spent five consecutive games without its top five players; starting quarterback Jackson Arnold was benched and reinstated; and just last week, leading running back Javontae Barnes did not make the trip to Mizzou due to an ankle injury suffered during the Maine game, despite him coming back into that game and rushing for 203 yards and three touchdowns. 

And then, of course, Venables fired offensive coordinator Seth Littrell last month. The next hire will be Venables's third offensive coordinator in as many years, after Jeff Lebby's departure a year ago to become the head coach at Mississippi State. 

Oklahoma is off this week before closing with No. 10 Alabama (7:30 p.m. ET Nov. 23, ABC) and at No. 20 LSU. The Sooners need to win one of those two and a bowl game to avoid their second losing season in three tries under Venables.

As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.