NORMAN — Oklahoma is locking in Brent Venables for the long run.
The program on Thursday agreed to a new contract for Venables that will keep him with the Sooners through the 2031 season, athletics director Roger Denny announced. Venables’ new contract is a six-year deal that features an average annual value of $10.5 million, according to a report by ESPN. The deal adds two years to the head coach’s previously existing contract, which was put in place prior to the 2024 season.
The contract is pending approval of Oklahoma’s Board of Regents, which will next meet in mid-September.
“Since I arrived at Oklahoma, I’ve had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with Coach Venables, his staff and our student-athletes,” Denny said in a statement. “It didn’t take long to see how well suited he is to lead Oklahoma Football. Coach Venables is elite at building culture — not just in the locker room, but throughout the entire program. Our players are drawn to him. They trust him, they believe in him and he has a unique ability to connect with young men and bring out the best in them. What I hope this extension says to our players is that in an environment that changes every day, we’re investing in stability for our program. Amidst the disruption of college sports, Oklahoma will be a place where student-athletes will find consistency.
“The work on his extension began shortly after our team’s run to the College Football Playoff, and one of my top priorities in my first several months as athletics director was to make sure we saw that process through. I believe strongly in Coach Venables, in the culture he has built and in the structure we have in place around our football program. There simply isn’t a better ambassador for Oklahoma Football than Brent Venables. He represents this university and our program with incredible passion and authenticity, and I’m excited to continue building with him. Adding two years to his contract gives us the stability and continuity we need as we pursue championships for all of Sooner Nation.”
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Venables’ extension comes on the heels of his most successful season to date and just ahead of the beginning of his fifth year at the helm of the program. Venables guided Oklahoma to a 10-3 record last season and secured the team’s first College Football Playoff appearance since 2019, as the Sooners hosted a first-round playoff game at Owen Field for the first time ever.
The Sooners are 32-20 in Venables’ first four seasons as head coach, with a pair of 10-win seasons in 2023 and 2025, along with a pair of six-win seasons in 2022 and 2024.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the trust, belief and support of President Joe Harroz, Athletics Director Roger Denny, Chair and Special Advisor for OU Athletics Randall Stephenson and our Board of Regents,” Venables said in a statement. “It is truly an honor and a privilege to serve as the head coach at the University of Oklahoma and to represent a place with such a proud tradition, an incredibly passionate and loyal fan base and expectations that match our own.
“This opportunity and commitment reflect so many people. None of it would be possible without the tremendous investment, hard work and dedication of our players, coaches and staff. I’m incredibly thankful for each of them and for the belief they have in what we are building together. Most importantly, my family and I love Oklahoma. This is our home, and we are deeply grateful for the way the Oklahoma family has embraced and supported us.”
Venables’ last extension came prior to Oklahoma’s first SEC season in 2024, when he was given a six-year deal that ran through the 2029 season and paid out an average of $8.6 million per year. His new deal, which adds two years to his former contract and bumps his average annual salary by nearly $2 million, is set to make Venables one of the highest-paid coaches in college football. His $10.5 million average annual salary would have ranked sixth in the country last season, according to the most recent data collected by USA Today as part of its annual football head coach salary database.
Venables’ latest extension comes just 15 days before Oklahoma is set to open the 2026 season, as the program looks to build off the success of 2025’s CFP appearance.
The Sooners enter the 2026 season ranked 10th in the preseason AP poll and armed with a defense that’s again expected to be among the nations’ best — returning seven starters and several other contributors from a group that finished last year ranked fourth in defensive SP+, according to ESPN — along with a retooled offense that returns starting quarterback John Mateer, All-SEC receiver Isaiah Sategna, four starting offensive linemen and its top two running backs. The Sooners, who struggled offensively last season, also upgraded the supporting cast around Mateer, bringing in two proven Power Four receivers in Virginia transfer Trell Harris and Texas transfer Parker Livingstone, along with an overhauled tight end room led by a trio of transfers, including Florida’s Hayden Hansen and Colorado State’s Rocky Beers. The team also brings back reigning Lou Groza Award winner Tate Sandell and All-SEC punter Grayson Miller.
Oklahoma opens the season Sept. 4 at home against UTEP as it kicks off one of the nation’s most daunting schedules.
“We understand the responsibility that comes with representing the University of Oklahoma,” Venables said. “We don’t take that responsibility — or this opportunity — for granted. We are incredibly excited about the future of Oklahoma Football and remain fully committed to building a program that our university, our former players and our fans can be proud of; one that consistently competes for championships and represents Oklahoma the right way.
“We’re grateful, we’re hungry and our best is still in front of us.”
