Kendal Daniels is Finally Feeling at 'Home' in Brent Venables' Oklahoma Defense

After four years at Oklahoma State, Kendal Daniels is open to play wherever he can help for the Sooners.

Oklahoma linebacker/defensive back Kendal Daniels | NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NORMAN — Just over three weeks remain until the 2025 season begins for Oklahoma, and Kendal Daniels is still figuring out his role.

But he doesn’t see that as a bad thing.

Daniels, a defensive back and linebacker who previously played at Oklahoma State, said his ability to play at multiple spots is a major reason why he chose to transfer to Oklahoma.

“It’s not hard at all,” Daniels said. “I'm just trying to learn one position at a time, but the summer helped me tremendously.”

Daniels redshirted his true freshman year in 2021 before breaking out for the Cowboys in 2022.

He finished that season with 71 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, five pass breakups, three interceptions and a forced fumble to win Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors. Daniels was an All-Big 12 honorable mention as a redshirt sophomore in 2023 after registering 105 tackles and two interceptions.

And while Oklahoma State struggled and went winless in Big 12 play last year, Daniels was still one of the Cowboys’ more reliable defenders, logging a career-best 10.5 tackles for loss.

Over the summer, Daniels settled into life in Norman.

"Had a couple years under my belt playing football and I feel like me actually moving away from Stillwater was the biggest thing because Stillwater, it was home for me for so long," Daniels said. "So that was the biggest thing.

"The football part is just football, so learning new schemes — I learned a new scheme every year I was at OSU, so learning a new scheme was another thing. I feel like just moving towns was the biggest (thing) and adjusting to it."

With life settling down around him, he could focus on finding a home in Brent Venables' defense.

Daniels saw most of his action at linebacker while at Stillwater but also played safety. His experience at multiple positions makes him a candidate for OU’s cheetah position. (Cheetah is a position in Venables’ defense that combines the roles of a linebacker and a defensive back).

But Daniels is OK if he isn’t nailed down to one spot. Diligence throughout the offseason has allowed him to better understand how to use his versatility in Venables’ defense.

“I had a meeting with (Venables), and he told me to live in the facility,” Daniels said. “That was the biggest thing that I've learned moving here from there, is watching more films and understanding coaches and understanding everybody around me.”

---

READ MORE OKLAHOMA SOONERS

• Oklahoma Lands First Commitment of 2027 Recruiting Cycle
• Oklahoma DE Marvin Jones Jr. Embracing 'Welcoming' Atmosphere at OU
• Oklahoma QB John Mateer Lands on Another Preseason Watch List

---

While Daniels has seen the most snaps at different positions, he’s far from the only versatile player on OU’s defense.

Sammy Omosigho primarily played cheetah in 2024 but is competing for the starting middle linebacker job. Cornerback Reggie Powers III said he has split time between cornerback, linebacker and cheetah throughout the offseason. And Daniels thinks plenty of other Sooner defenders can move around to help the unit perform at its best.

“I think everybody in the back end can play,” Daniels said. “Right corner can play cheetah, the cheetah can play corner, or vice versa with the safeties. I feel like everybody can switch around, even the linebacker group. 

“Even our D-ends… like Marvin Jones can play D-tackle if he wanted to. I feel like that’s good for our defense.”

With so many players who can slot into different spots, it could be tricky for OU to form its most cohesive defense. But with Venables’ pedigree, Daniels feels confident that the unit will still be elite.

Venables won two national championships as Clemson’s defensive coordinator from 2012 to 2021 and earned the Broyles Award — given to college football’s best assistant coach — in 2016. After 2024 defensive coordinator Zac Alley left OU in favor of West Virginia after the season, Venables will call the Sooners’ defensive plays in 2025.

And Daniels believes that will get the most out of OU’s defenders and their versatility.

“To be under that, sometimes I’ll just sit back and just be like, ‘I’m really under coach Venables,’ and it’s crazy just to see him talk sometimes,” Daniels said. “It’s been really good. I think it's gonna keep going up from here.

"... I'm not even the same person. Being with Coach V and just learning who I am and being around him, a guy like that and the way he coaches, he's taken me from right here to right here already and I can already feel it. I wouldn't say I wish I was a Sooner from the get, but I wish I was with coach Venables for way longer than I have been."