Oklahoma Coach Brent Venables Talks Portal Departures Who 'Did Not Contribute in Any Way'

You can’t fault Brent Venables for being blunt.

Ask him a question about how he’ll get Oklahoma ready for the Cheez-It Bowl 3 1/2 weeks from now with a dozen players in the transfer portal and you might get a commentary about the real value of those who left.

Players, Venables said, who “really had not been able to carve out a niche and did not contribute in any way in regards to on-the-field play.”

Venables’ first season didn’t go according to plan, to be sure. The Sooners couldn’t win close games and stumbled to a 6-6 record. Now — on the first day of the official opening of the NCAA Transfer Portal — Venables is missing 12 players (so far) from the 2022 roster.

OKLAHOMA SOONERS PLAYER TRACKER

“I’m excited about all the guys that will be part of the team and are not in the portal,” Venables Sunday said on a 15-minute video call with media to talk about the Cheez-It Bowl against Florida State. “We have a great opportunity sitting in front of us.”

Venables’ assessment of the defectors is, of course, spot-on. Most of the players who are transferring simply didn’t make a significant impact on the team in 2022.

Theo Wease did, as Venables pointed out. He played 366 snaps on offense and seven on special teams this season, by far the most of anyone who hit the portal.

“He’s looking to be a starter somewhere,” Venables said.

It’s only the first day of the portal period, and players have until Jan. 18 (45 days) to declare their intentions. So others could still leave.

But as of Portal Day One, the contributions of quarterback Nick Evers (six snaps on offense), quarterback Ralph Rucker (no snaps), offensive lineman Brey Walker (three snaps on offense, 69 on special teams) wideout Brian Darby (15 snaps on special teams), cornerback Joshua Eaton (20 snaps on defense and 29 snaps on special teams), defensive back Kendall Dennis (47 snaps on defense and five snaps on special teams), defensive back Bryson Washington (four snaps on special teams), linebacker Clayton Smith (66 snaps on defense and two snaps on special teams), defensive back Jordan Mukes (one snap on special teams), defensive lineman Cedric Roberts (one snap on defense) and defensive tackle Alton Tarber (no snaps) were, as Venables suggested, minimal.

Venables confirmed Sunday that those who either declared for the NFL Draft (left tackle Anton Harrison) or accepted invitations to the Senior Bowl (running back Eric Gray, right tackle Wanya Morris and defensive tackle Jalen Redmond) will not play in the Cheez-It Bowl against Florida State.

But neither would many of those who hit the portal, at least according to their Pro Football Focus snap counts.

The Sooners may have lost some depth and some once-promising recruits, but the impact on the result against Florida State will be negligible.

“We’ve been preparing for the end of the season,” Venables said. “This is the last year where you can have the opportunity to sign more than 25 guys. Building a roster how we see fit and where our needs are and the things that need to transpire transactionally with guys looking for other opportunities — and for us, to continue to add value to our roster.

“It’s complicated in many ways, but something that we as a staff have been working on for several months now in preparation for this opportunity. We feel like it’s going to be great for everybody in terms of guys finding a fresh start and for us to continue to fill the holes and needs of our roster and get the depth that we need as we see fit.”