'Dude of Dudes': Oklahoma Jason Witten Draws High Praise from Brent Venables for Offseason work

NORMAN — Brent Venables had high expectations for new tight ends coach Jason Witten after the legendary future Pro Football Hall of Famer joined Oklahoma’s coaching staff shortly after last season.

Witten was brought in to help boost a position group that has struggled mightily in recent seasons under previous coach Joe Jon Finley.

While the Sooners have yet to play a game with Witten coaching, Venables said the difference in the group has been readily apparent.

“That room has probably grown as fast as any room I’ve seen since I’ve been in coaching in that amount of time,” Venables said last week at SEC Media Days in Tampa, Fla. “He has been fantastic. He’s just a great dude to do life with.”

Witten has never coached in college football, and much of the time, great players who get into coaching struggle. But Witten started his coaching career as a high school coach, leading Liberty Christian School to a pair of state championships before making the leap to Norman.

Witten’s coaching style has quickly made an impression on Venables.

“The thing that stands out to me is his passion and humility,” Venables said. “It resonates. He’s not only a Hall-of-Fame type player — not every Hall-of-Fame player is an amazing coach and mentor — he has got ‘it’ in every way. Instincts for the game. Incredible communicator. He knows how to inspire and challenge his guys. He knows what the player should ask before the player asks it. He has a rhythm on how he coaches.

“I think the best coaches, if they do something well, they anticipate what’s around the corner. ‘Here comes the max blitz, it’s that time.’ Jason has tremendous instincts just from a coaching standpoint, anticipation standpoint.”

Oklahoma’s tight ends combined for just 55 catches for 615 yards and one touchdown last season after having just 20 catches for 252 yards and two touchdowns in 2024.

Much of last season’s production came from Jaren Kanak, who converted from linebacker before last season.

The Sooners overhauled that room in the offseason, not only with the addition of Witten at the front of it, but with the transfer portal additions of Rocky Beers, Hayden Hansen and Jack Van Dorselaer, plus the signings of Ryder Mix and Tyler Ruxer in December.

Venables is confident the tight ends will play a much more integral role in the offense in 2026.

He also praised Witten for the way he’s gelled with the rest of the coaching staff and with the way he’s interacted with Venables during meetings.

“He knows when to affirm, when to ask the right questions and when to assert himself respectfully,” Venables said. “You don’t want a room full of ‘yes’ guys, that doesn’t do anything for anybody. This is a dude of dudes. I’m not trying to gas him. He is what he is. I ain’t trying to be right, but I am. He’s a great one.”

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