Brent Venables Expects a 'Clean' Showing in Oklahoma's First Fall Scrimmage

Saturday will mark the first time the offense has to run itself with the coaching staff fully on the sideline, Venables said, offering a chance for new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle’s unit to impress. 

“I want a clean scrimmage,” Venables said. “Procedural things, presnap, penalties, sloppiness, take care of the football, make good decisions.”

While Venables hopes to see quarterback John Mateer and OU’s revamped receiving corps run like a well-oiled machine, he only wants the offense to pick up the yards they earn on competitive catches and gritty runs. 

“Defensively… tackling and preventing explosive plays. If they make big plays, they do it by earning it,” Venables said. “… I really want to see a team that communicates well. And that’s both sides — there’s a lot going on before the ball’s ever snapped. Get everybody on the same page. 

“That’s when you give yourself a chance to have success. When you have you’re hand in the dirt, you know where to put my eyes, you play with great fundamental technique, effort, those types of things, you did a great job communicating, everybody is on the same page. So you want to see all those things.”

The pressure will be on for new kicker Tate Sandell, who transferred to Norman from UTSA after spring practice concluded, and new punter Jacob Ulrich. 

Special teams coach Doug Deakin will put his new kickers in some pressure-filled situations to see how his new specialists respond.

Saturday will also serve as an opportunity for young pieces on the team, like freshman cornerback Courtland Guillory, to earn trust from the coaching staff in a more chaotic environment.

“I'm just trying to show everybody what I can do,” Guillory said. “I’m a freshman. To me, I honestly don't think like that. I come out here, I just compete. I don't just look at myself as a freshman or a younger guy. 

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“I’m just trying to come out here and compete and get better. When the time comes, game one, I'm just trying to be ready to play.”

The scrimmage will move Oklahoma into its next phase of camp, and while there’s still plenty of work Venables wants to see his team get done, he’s enjoyed how the Sooners have approached practice in the leadup to the season. 

“That’s what we’ve seen — the hunger, the attitude, the energy,” Venables said. “If I’ve been impressed with anything about this football team, it’s exactly that. Very, very driven, super competitive, great energy, humility to let you coach them hard. 

“You don’t have to pull teeth to get them to come to meetings — a team meeting at 8 o’clock in the morning — these guys are ready to go. 

“They’ve got a lot to prove and are hungry to do that. We all do.”