Brent Venables is Focused on Improving Oklahoma's 'Pathetic' Rushing Attack

Brent Venables is set on flipping a trend for Oklahoma in 2026.

The Sooners have struggled to run the ball consistently the past two years, but Venables believes OU has made the necessary additions throughout the offseason to make a major improvement.

“We’ve declined in our rushing yard average these last four years. And last year we were just under three and a half yards per carry, just pathetic,” Venables said in an interview on The Oklahoma Breakdown podcast. “And we’ve got to get better.”

There’s not one single thing that will magically fix OU’s ground game, but Venables’ program are working to improve every aspect of the rushing attack.

“A lot goes into that. You’ve got to have a commitment to it,” Venables said. “You’ve got to scheme to it, there’s fundamentals to it, there’s a mindset. You’ve got to have a kick-ass mindset if you want to kick ass.”

First, the Sooners have to stay healthy.

Both Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock battled through injuries a year ago, and while they played through the pain, the production took a clear hit.

The Sooners have battled injuries up front the past two seasons as well, something everyone in Norman hopes will be less of a factor in 2026.

But general manager Jim Nagy and Venables also took a look at the roster.

Oklahoma revamped its tight end room, bringing in a trio of transfers, to have a group more capable of helping the offensive line open up lanes for OU’s running backs.

The Sooners signed a pair of guys with SEC experience in former Florida tight end Hayden Hansen and former Tennessee tight end Jack Van Dorselaer, as well as another experienced hand in former Colorado State transfer Rocky Beers.

Kade McIntyre is back after missing a majority of the 2025 season, and Venables said redshirt freshman Trynae Washington has made major physical gains over the last year.

“Trynae Washington, all of 270 pounds, he’s 6’4”… He finished last year about 255 and he and Manny Choice were arguably our two offensive MVP’s on the scout team,” Venables said. “They were fantastic. Two of the best scout team guys I’ve ever had. Just their attitude, edginess, competitiveness. And they don’t have any other choice. You’re gonna be on that scout team and you’re going to show up and fight back and compete and you’re going to make people better. And they did. Trynae’s going to do some great things. He’s a great athlete.”

Future NFL Hall of Famer Jason Witten will guide the tight ends, and the Sooners also upgraded at running backs coach.

DeMarco Murray left to join the Kansas City Chiefs coaching staff, and while he notched big wins on the recruiting trail, Murray hadn’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since Eric Gray.

In Murray’s place is Deland McCullough, who has a long track record of improving running backs at Indiana with Kevin Wilson and at Notre Dame before joining the Las Vegas Raiders coaching staff in 2025.

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McCullough will have a pair of talented freshmen in Jonathan Hatton Jr. and DeZephen Walker as well as former Colorado State running back Lloyd Avant along with Robinson and Blaylock.

Another year in the strength and conditioning program will benefit offensive linemen Michael Fasusi, Ryan Fodje, Eddy Pierre-Louis and Heath Ozaeta, as will Jake Maikkula’s return for a second season in Norman.

Nagy signed former Arkansas offensive tackle E’Marion Harris, Georgia Tech’s Peyton Joseph and Western Kentucky’s Caleb Nitta to add to the depth, but the biggest difference will come in the mindset of Ben Arbuckle’s offense in 2026.

“I challenged the offense, and just the team too, we’ve got to be a tougher team,” Venables said. “In the fourth quarter of our three losses, we weren’t good enough in any phase to go win the game. We didn’t do it in any of the three losses. We did in some other games, but I’m not trying to do it in some. I want to do it in all. That’s who I want us to be.

“So we’ve got to be tougher. We’ve got to be more timely. We’ve got to be there. We’ve got to be more efficient. The higher the pressure and the moment, the better we’ve got to play and execute. Physically dominate people.”