This is a big season.
Josh Pate Names Prominent SEC Coach on the Hot Seat in 2025 originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2024 college football season marked a decline for several prominent programs in the sport.
The Oklahoma Sooners faced a challenging season as they competed in the SEC for the first time after a decade of dominance in the Big 12. They finished the season with a record of 6-7. This outcome marked the second losing season for head coach Brent Venables in his three years at the helm.
In his first year, Oklahoma finished with a record of 6-7, marking its first losing season since 1998. However, the situation improved in his second year, when Oklahoma went 10-3. The Sooners struggled again in 2024.
College football analyst Josh Pate has expressed that there is significant pressure on Oklahoma and Venables this season. During an episode of "Josh Pate's College Football Show," he stated that if the Sooners do not show improvement, Venables may find himself seeking a new job.
"Brent Venables and Oklahoma have to win this year or they could be looking for a new head coach," Pate said. "I think that's fair. I think it's very fair. I don't know how you say it otherwise. He's had three years now, and this will be his fourth year. There are no sanctions there. There have been some questionable hires, and to their credit, they hit the dump button."
Pate mentioned that the Sooners have hired former Washington State Cougars offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle to replace Seth Littrell, who was fired during the season. Additionally, Arbuckle's former quarterback at Washington State, John Mateer, has chosen to follow him to Oklahoma.
Mateer passed for 3,139 yards, threw 29 touchdowns and had only seven interceptions, while rushing for 826 yards and scoring 15 touchdowns, making him one of the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal.
If Oklahoma decides to part ways with Venables, it would come at a significant financial cost. His buyout is set at $34.9 million after this season. This speculation from Pate arises just one year after Venables signed a substantial contract extension.
After the 2023 season, Venables signed a six-year contract, which was approved by the Oklahoma Board of Regents in June 2024. This contract guarantees him an annual salary of more than $8.5 million for its duration.
He initially signed a six-year contract worth $43.5 million with the Sooners in December 2021. Venables' contract is fully guaranteed, and following this season, his buyout will decrease by nearly $10 million each year until the contract expires.
Pate stated that the stakes are too high and Venables cannot afford to make another mistake with a coordinator hire. He doesn't believe it's College Football Playoff or bust, but he does believe the Sooners have to be noticeably better in 2025.
Oklahoma will begin the season at 6 p.m. ET on Aug. 30 at home against the Illinois State Redbirds.
Related: Paul Finebaum Names Prominent College Football Coach Running Out of Time
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
