Why Oklahoma Coach Brent Venables Never Stops Chasing Perfection for His LBs

NORMAN — When Oklahoma breaks into individual position drills and the Sooner linebackers gather in the northeast corner of the Switzer Center practice fields, things get pretty intense.

Graduate assistant James Skalski is in each player’s ear, shouting instruction, encouragement and, occasionally, admonishment. Linebackers coach and defensive coordinator Ted Roof is behind the group, glancing at his paper and giving reminders about technique and details.

And head coach Brent Venables is there, too, demonstrating how to take on a block, yelling about footwork, pointing to a patch of grass where he sees something apparently no one else sees, moving cones here and there but not really moving them at all, and uplifting players with mental checks between drills.

It’s the smallest details that drive Venables, the never-ending chase for his players to have one perfect rep, and then another. Perfection might never arrive, but the OU linebackers are better at the midway point of spring than they were at the beginning, and they’re better at this point of 2023 than they were this time last year.

“It's better,” Venables said. “I’m just trying to create as much game-like experience for those guys in the best way you can. Stress them and teach them.”

Venables has one linebacker — rising junior Danny Stutsman — he knows he can count on. Stutsman led the Big 12 Conference in tackles last season and became the Sooners’ most consistent defender over the course of 2022.

Behind Stutsman, Venables is trying to lock down the other inside linebacker spot as well as the slightly nebulous cheetah position — and his challenge is real due to OU’s improved talent and depth.

“It's a really hungry group of guys,” Venables said. “They've been fantastic in the meeting room. The depth of our knowledge, even with guys who haven't played a substantial role, is really good. I've been pleased with that. I don't think that can be better than what it is today.

“Now, it's got to translate to the field nonstop. You've gotta fail your way to the top. That's what I let these guys know because, as I've said before, that whole process of improving can be incredibly tough and discouraging. You don't want guys to stay in a great space mentally through it all. The most successful people, the greatest achievers, they fail their way to the top. That's a hard thing for anybody, adult or young people, to understand. Especially when you're dealing with young guys who've had a lot of success playing the game.”

Dasan McCullough has all the ability in the world, but he’s the former safety in high school and edge rusher at Indiana is still learning how to play linebacker — cheetah — at OU. Venables and Skalski had to interrupt the line a couple times during a recent practice to show McCullough how to properly attack the blocking sled.

“Man, he’s just getting better every day,” Venables said. “And we’ve worked him both outside and then up close to the line of scrimmage. And so, teaching him all the ins and outs of that. He’s been really good. He’s got the right mindset. He’s got the humility and he’s coachable. Very tough-minded. Coach’s kid. And he’s hungry to learn. We’ve been really pleased with his progress.”

Jaren Kanak also played safety in high school and was the backup at cheetah last year. He’s moved inside this year, replacing David Ugweogbu, and is a quick study — but still just intrinsically behind the curve.

“There’s a lot that goes into it,” Kanak said. “Film study will take your game to the next level. Time management and getting in there and watching film and getting the guys in to watch film as much as we can, it’s a big staple and part of what we’re trying to do.”

And senior Justin Harrington is still learning the nuances of cheetah after coming up as a cornerback and safety.

“I had to really learn how to not lean on athletic ability,“ Harrington said. “With Coach Venables and Coach Roof, it was just learning football 101. I just felt like I went from learning it myself to actually be able to teach it to guys coming in. I had to teach it to myself first. You have to be able to know it inside and out.“

Venables last week pointed out the growth of several of his younger linebackers.

“Phil Picciotti, he’s played really good behind the ball,” Venables said. “He’s learning how to control his body. He was a runaway train the first few days of mat drills and out of control. He’s got a big ol’ body. And now he is, again, he’s not where he’s gonna be soon. But he’s in a much different place than he was when we started in January. So really excited about his big, athletic body.

“Kobie (McKinzie)’s really made some improvement in all the ways that you’ve got to. And Kip Lewis as well, we’ve got to continue to get weight on him. Shane Whitter, we’re working him in more and more at linebacker (due to a shoulder injury); may not go full speed with him and risk (it), you know, but he’s really done a nice job getting back closer to heathy.”

Physical ability is great. But the coaches in OU’s linebacker room — Venables and Skalski in particular — are personal testaments to playing the position mentally first, and then letting one’s ability fill in the gaps.

“It's a lot of little things,” Venables said. “Maybe it's a step of the wrong foot, a false step. ‘I still made the play, but he gained four yards.’ If it's a step of the right foot and you're playing behind your pads, it's a one-yard gain. That's the difference. We got punished last year, the difference between winning and losing. That's a very, very small margin for error.

“Our guys have improved fundamentally from where we were a year ago, and our football intelligence has been really good. Still, we don't have great depth there. But I like the improvement that I've seen top to bottom from that group.”