Oklahoma Coach Brent Venables Talks Defensive Response, Bryce Underwood and More

NORMAN — Last season, Oklahoma used some strong road performances to boost its College Football Playoff resume.

Saturday, the Sooners get their first challenge away from home, playing in one of college football's most storied venues when they take on Michigan in The Big House.

Sooners coach Brent Venables said at his Tuesday press conference that he was excited for the matchup.

"It's something that gets everybody, the emotions going the right way over the last couple of years," Venables said.

The Sooners went 4-0 on the road last season, including wins at Tennessee and Alabama in November.

Monday, several players talked about how that experience would help going to Michigan Stadium. Venables echoed those thoughts.

"I think as a competitor, as a coach, you enjoy going on the road," Venables said. "You have an opportunity to help control the environment. ... The chaos of gameday is very real. You like the new challenge of what it can do for your team on the season. We're going to have to be a team that plays well on the road."

Here are several other takeaways from Venables' press conference, which touched on Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood, Kyle Whittingham and more:

Brent Venables Happy With Defensive Response

Venables said the defense has responded well after he called the performance "sloppy" after Friday's win.

He said it was more about cleaning things up than an issue of effort, grasp of the scheme, etc.

"I don't want it to be misinterpreted like our guys weren't ready to play or lackadaisical," Venables said. "That couldn't be further from the truth. Their hair was on fire. We just didn't play with the cleanliness and discipline that you have to play with and they got a little nosy, guys trying to make plays. We were overly anxious but got great, great effort. We just got to play a little cleaner fundamentally, trust our schemes and our systems and where the help is, things like that.

Bryce Underwood Draws Praise

Michigan Wolverines, Bryce Underwood — Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton hunts down Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

Venables was very complimentary of Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood.

"One of the most talented players at any position in all of college football," Venables said. "All of his best days are still in front of him."

Underwood was 9-of-24 for 142 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions against the Sooners last year.

In the Wolverines' opener the sophomore 12-of-22 for 170 yards and an interception and a Hail Mary touchdown pass that won the game 13-12.

During his career as a defensive coordinator and head coach, Venables has a strong track record against quarterbacks he's faced multiple times.

Venables said the difference here is most of those others were conference foes, giving him a wider knowledge base on their strengths and weaknesses as compared to a non-conference opponent.

Plus, Michigan's coaching staff is new.

"He's in a completely different system than he was in a year ago," Venables said.

Brent Venables Remembers Visit With Utah, Kyle Whittingham

In his second season as Oklahoma's coach, Venables and his staff made a trip to Salt Lake City to visit Kyle Whittingham's staff at Utah.

After being at Utah since 1994 and serving as the head coach there since 2005, Whittingham resigned after last season and was soon hired as Michigan's head coach.

Venables recalled that trip to see the Utes.

"I love watching those guys play for all those years at Utah, the physicality, the assuredness," Venables said. "... Just a level of consistency that is rare. ... He was gracious enough to allow me to spend some time with him as a head coach."

Brent Venables: New Additions Bring Experience

Venables was asked about the Sooners' recent roster additions and how quickly they could be expected to contribute.

"We've had lots of guys that transferred in here, I say lots — three years, junior college guys, this portal era, free agents that you bring in," Venables said. "They've come in and actually helped us right away. They're a little bit behind in that regard, the timing of it, but these are experienced guys that played a ton of football between their positions (and) that they play special teams. We feel like they'll bring us experience, depth right away."

While Venables' defense is notoriously complex, Venables said the new players would focus on learning the playbook for that week rather than soaking in the whole thing off the bat.

"When we go week to week, we don't carry a ton," he said. "We have a depth in our playbook, but we zone in, zero in on a tight package of what we're going to do, and so it makes it a little bit easier. But who knows? Not having worked with the new guys yet, I'm not talking about Danny (Saili). The other guys, I can't say what they can and can't do yet, but I do know that they've got great experience."

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