What Greg McElroy Said About Oklahoma Football Coach Brent Venables' Contract Extension

Greg McElroy on the Brent Venables Contract Extension

Oklahoma and coach Brent Venables have agreed to a six-year contract extension through the 2029 season. The new deal increases Venables’ total salary to $49.65 million and his annual take home to just over $8 million a year, up from around $7 million.

Venables is entering his third year as the head man in Norman. After a rough 2022, Venables and the Sooners bounced back in 2023, going 10-3 in the final year as a member of the Big 12.

Now the Sooners face a huge new challenges as a new member of the SEC. ESPN analyst Greg McElroy thinks the timing is odd.

On his podcast, Always College Football , McElroy explains: “I think Brent Venables has done a nice job. From year one and year two, there was massive progress made. My question is: Why now?”

The former Alabama QB continued, “That’s not a slight towards Brent Venables. That’s not a slight towards the decision makes at Oklahoma. But what if Brent Venables enters the SEC this year and it doesn’t go as planned? What if he enters the SEC this year and maybe there are some challenges that you don’t foresee.”

“Now, I think Oklahoma is going to be very good. You guys know where I stand,” McElroy said. “But was Brent Venables threatening to leave? Did Brent Venables have leverage to go onto the NFL or did he have head coaching opportunities elsewhere? What led to this extension?”

“I don’t think this is likely, but if Brent Venables goes out and goes 4-8 this year? Then guess what — he’s on the hot seat going into 2025 and you might be tied to him and owe him $45 million dollars if you have to let go early if he’s a guy that might not be taking you in the right direction.”

The Sooners start SEC play at home against Tennessee on September 21.