Oklahoma Coach Brent Venables Lands on Dodd Trophy Watch List

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables is projected by many to have a strong season in 2025.

That’s one reason why Venables is among 26 coaches Tuesday’s preseason watch list for the Bobby Dodd Trophy.

Venables is coming off his second 6-7 season in three years as a head coach. Despite facing arguably the nation’s most demanding schedule this year, the Sooners have emerged as a trendy preseason pick to bounce back this fall.

Two years ago, after OU went 6-7 in his first season, Venables’ squad finished year two with a 10-2 regular season record.

Venables is 0-3 so far in bowl games as a head coach.

This year's Dodd Trophy watch list includes 26 of the nation's top college football coaches from all Power Four conferences as well as the AAC, Mountain West and an independent.

The Dodd Trophy is college football's most coveted national coaching award, celebrating the head coach of a team who enjoys success on the field while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity – the three pillars of legendary coach Bobby Dodd's coaching philosophy. 

Now celebrating its 50th anniversary this season, the award was established to honor the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division 1A) head football coach whose program represents the highest ideals on and off the field.

The watch list was created through a selection process by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. taking into consideration each program's Academic Progress Rate (APR), Graduation Success Rate (GSR), commitment to service and charity in the community, as well as projected success for the 2025 season.

Coaches in their first year at their current school are ineligible to receive The Dodd Trophy until their second year with their program. Head coaches named to this year's watch list were also required to have an APR above the national average of 969.

In three seasons in Norman, Venables has posted a 22-17 record. He was arguably the nation’s top assistant coach during his 10-year stretch as defensive coordinator at Clemson under Dabo Swinney. Before that, he was one of Bob Stoops’ top aides for 13 years at OU. The former Kansas State linebacker got his coaching start at his alma mater under Bill Snyder. Both Snyder and Stoops are in the College Football Hall of Fame, and with two national championships, Swinney will soon join them.

Venables, 54, is a native of Salina, KS. Last June, Venables agreed to a six-year contract extension that will pay him $8.5 million a year for a total value of $51.6 million through the 2029 season.

Swinney is also on this year’s Dodd Watch list, and Venables is one of eight coaches from the SEC: Kalen DeBoer of Alabama, Eli Drinkwitz of Missouri, Mike Elko of Texas A&M, former OU quarterback Josh Heupel of Tennessee, Brian Kelly of LSU, Steve Sarkisian of Texas and Kirby Smart of Georgia.