OU's Brent Venables Hired As Clemson DC After Much Confusion

Brent Venables' Clemson Contract Among Nation's Biggest, According To Report

Brent Venables To Clemson, But Is Anybody Actually Happy About It?

Oklahoma Sooners defensive coordinator Brent Venables has taken over for Kevin Steele on the Clemson Tigers staff. His first order of business: don't ever give up 70 points in a bowl game. His second may be to win over unconvinced Clemson fans.

From before his drawn-out, confusing hire, here's Clemson blog Shakin' the Southland -- a blog with an excellent mind for defensive football, might I add -- with premonitions about the Tigers bringing him on:

Dabo was asked about his coaching search, which has at least four candidates. The first is known to be Oklahoma's Brent Venables, who I definitely do not want, and who OU fans want rid of, but he does follow the style that Dabo prefers on defense. Venables interviewed for the HC job before Dabo was hired.

Those OU fans who are believed to have wanted rid of Venables? They're concerned about waking up in a post-Venables world, actually, according to Oklahoma blog Crimson and Cream Machine:

Brent Venables was a good defensive coordinator. Was he perfect? No. Did he have tendencies that seemed to get a bit old and a bit predictable? Yep. However, there were a lot more good defenses under Venables then there were bad ones. He may be remembered for the 2011 defense because it was the last one he coached at Oklahoma but his legacy is much stronger than this last season. He had a great defense in 2008 and in 2009 along with some other defenses and defensive performances that were pretty salty.

Venables' exit, along with a wave of attrition and so forth, elsewhere has C&CM wondering just what Bob Stoops is up to these days, in his acknowledged wisdom.

For more on the parties involved, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson and Cream Machine and Clemson blog Shakin' the Southland.

Brent Venables Hired As Clemson Defensive Coordinator, Dabo Swinney Texts

Considering the events of Wednesday, this had to happen how it did. Dabo Swinney finally sent out a text blast to the media announcing Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables had been hired in the same capacity at Clemson. Throughout the day, texts were exchanged with various members of the media, leading to moments of confusion about Venables status with Oklahoma and/or Clemson.

Then again, Swinney also used shorthand, so BV could be Brent Venables, or it could be anyone else with the initials BV.

Just got a text from Dabo: "BV to Clemson. Go Tigers." Venables is Clemson bound

— Travis Sawchik (@travis_sawchik) January 19, 2012

In all seriousness, he's gone for real this time.

Venables just confirmed to me that he is gone. Done deal.

— Travis Haney (@TravHaney) January 19, 2012

The move has been expected for quite some time, with Bob Stoops' brother, Mike Stoops, rejoining the Oklahoma staff as defensive coordinator. Had he stayed at Oklahoma, Venables would've had to cede much of the defensive coordinator work to Stoops, in all likelihood, creating for a somewhat awkward situation.

Brent Venables Is Just Messing With Everyone Now

Brent Venables is going to Clemson. Or he's staying at Oklahoma. Or he's just messing with everyone involved in this circus right now. At this point, nobody has a clue what's going on, and maybe that's for the best.

Venables has been texting up a storm, apparently, and wires seem to be crossed somewhere along the line. To recap: multiple reports indicated Venables was Clemson-bound on Wednesday afternoon. Shortly thereafter, he sent a cryptic text to Dave Sittler, saying "I'm staying." Except, as Sittler later explained, it was part of a joking conversation in which Sittler threatened to visit Venables in South Carolina. Context matters.

Now, there's this:

Latest from source close to Venables: "Working through some details, nothing final either way." Best guess from that: He's gone.

— Dave Sittler (@DaveSittler) January 18, 2012

Only one thing left to do: Call in Rob Lowe, y'all.

Brent Venerables Tells Reporter 'I'm Staying' At Oklahoma

Wednesday afternoon, news broke that Oklahoma Sooners defensive coordinator Brent Venables was waiting for approval on a contract with the Clemson Tigers to become their new defensive coordinator.

Tulsa World sports columnist Dave Sittler reached out to Venables to get confirmatio and instead received a two-word text response:

"I'm staying."

That said, Sittler also confirmed that a contract for Venables is in fact in the hands of Clemson's compensation committee. So it's hard to say that his response merits an "end of story." Sittler seems to think that Venables is still going to lean Clemson at the end of the day.

You can also throw in this report that, when asked, a Clemson committee member said it was "news to him."

Venables has denied to Sooners beat writers that he's taking the Clemson job already, but there's still enough going on to give the story credence.

For more on the parties involved, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson and Cream Machine and Clemson blog Shakin' the Southland.

Brent Venables' Clemson Contract With Board Of Trustees, According To Report

Oklahoma Sooners defensive coordinator Brent Venables might soon become the Clemson Tigers defensive coordinator after all.

According to his source, Clemson reporter Roy Philpott is reporting that a contract for Venables has been sent to the Clemson Board of Trustees for approval.

Venables has denied to Sooners beat writers that he's taking the Clemson job, but it looks like that might just have been a misdirection.

Venables turned down the chance to become the new DC for the West Virginia Mountaineers recently. Instead, he might be the man to try and fix the defense that surrendered 70 points to the Neers in the Orange Bowl. Former Clemson DC Kevin Steele left the job (or was fired) following the lopsided loss.

Venables played for and began his coaching career with the Kansas St. Wildcats, so many believed he might return to his alma mater. However, that now sounds unlikely.

For more on the parties involved, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson and Cream Machine and West Virginia blog The Smoking Musket, plus Clemson blog Shakin' the Southland.

Brent Venables Not Leaving Oklahoma For Kansas State, According To Report

Is Oklahoma Sooners defensive coordinator leaving Norman for that Clemson Tigers job? We still don't quite know yet, but, according to Dave Sittler, he won't leave for the Kansas St. Wildcats gig. K-State? Wait, where'd that one come from?

Reports of Wildcats defensive coordinator Chris Cosh heading to USF stirred up speculation that Venables may have an opening elsewhere in the Big 12, should he feel crowded out by Mike Stoops' addition to the OU staff. And now we're all caught up.

It still appears to be either Clemson or Oklahoma, with all signs up until a couple days ago pointing to an exit to the Tigers. If any more rumors pop up in the interim that Sittler needs to go out of his way to put out, we'll stay on top of them.

For more on the parties involved, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson and Cream Machine and Clemson blog Shakin' the Southland, plus K-State blog Bring on the Cats.

Brent Venables Interviews At Clemson, But Hasn't Taken Job

We know Oklahoma Sooners defensive coordinator Brent Venables won't be leaving Norman to take over the West Virginia Mountaineers. But he spent much of his weekend with the Clemson Tigers, according to Tiger Illustrated, where he reportedly underwent a job interview and met with two Clemson recruits, Ronald Geohaghan and Shaq Lawson, who were on official visits.

Venables has denied to Sooners beat writers that he's taken the job, but doesn't appear to have made any show of not leaving OU. Formalities could remain in the way, as Clemson folks appear quite certain Venables is going to be their guy.

He's coached at Oklahoma since 1999. Wooing him out of Norman would likely require a significant raise, which one would be a little surprised to see Clemson pulling off, considering offensive coordinator Chad Morris is one of college football's most highly compensated assistants.

For more on the parties involved, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson and Cream Machine and West Virginia blog The Smoking Musket, plus Clemson blog Shakin' the Southland.

Brent Venables No Longer West Virginia Coordinator Candidate, According To Report

Oklahoma Sooners defensive coordinator Brent Venables is no longer interested in taking over the West Virginia Mountaineers defense, according to Tulsa World columnist Dave Sittler. Venables was presumed to be WVU's top target after losing Jeff Casteel to the Arizona Wildcats, with one theory having Venables being the odd man out of a OU coaching staff that now includes Mike Stoops, formerly of the ... Arizona Wildcats!

@DaveSittler Source: Venables has withdrawn from consideration at West Virginia.

He's also reportedly in the mix with the Clemson Tigers, though one has to wonder just how much they can afford to spend with Chad Morris getting ace coordinator money and Kevin Steele still on the payroll for one more year.

Venables played for and began his coaching career with the Kansas St. Wildcats. He's been at Oklahoma since 1999, long enough for our own Bill Connelly to call him "an honorary Stoops brother."

For more on the parties involved, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson and Cream Machine and West Virginia blog The Smoking Musket, plus Clemson blog Shakin' the Southland.

Will Brent Venables Leave Oklahoma For West Virginia Or Clemson?

Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables has found himself on a suddenly crowded coaching staff with the addition of Mike Stoops, head coach Bob Stoops' brother.

Kevin Steele Out As Clemson Defensive Coordinator, According To Reports

Kevin Steele is reportedly out as Clemson's defensive coordinator.