Report: Oklahoma HC Brent Venables Contract Details Released

Oklahoma’s new head coach is getting paid.

After some speculation as to what exactly new Sooners football coach Brent Venables contract would look like, that answer has now been provided thanks to reports from The Athletic’s Jason Kersey and The Oklahoman’s Ryan Aber.

Venables has been signed to a six-year deal, running through Jan. 31, 2028, that will begin at $7 million annually and increase by $100K every February.

While that is certainly a hefty paycheck, it would still put him just outside the top-5 highest paid coaches in the sport as of November of this year - which isn’t overly surprising given it is his first head coaching job.

In fact, for a first-time head coach, the contract is quite sizable and one of the highest ever given to a coach on his first stop as the leading man.

If Venables has early success, it can be assured he will see a handsome extension in the near future very similar to how Oklahoma handled Lincoln Riley’s tenure in the early going.

For those curious, Riley was earning just a hair under $7.7 million per season last year before departing Norman for the USC job.

Also included in the contract is a $400K bonus should the Sooners win the national title under Venables.

In response to an open records request, we learn #Sooners Brent Venables agreed to a six-year deal with an average annual value of $6.65 million. ($6.4 the first year, increasing from there). 400K bonus for winning a national title. Regents still must approve the deal
— Ryan Aber (@ryaber) December 10, 2021

#Sooners Brent Venables contract is one of the highest for a first-time head coach. After reviewing the document a bit more, the average annual value will be $7.25 million on the six-year deal, beginning at $7 million annually
— Ryan Aber (@ryaber) December 10, 2021

The contract is still pending approval by the OU Board of Regents.