Sooner Report: Reunions and More Awards

Sooners Square Off Against Former Assistant

After years of pacing the sideline while donning the Crimson and Cream from 1999-2011, former OU assistant coach Brent Venables will be going against the Sooners for the first time as the defensive coordinator of the Clemson Tigers in the Russell Athletic Bowl on December 29 in Orlando, Florida.

The former Sooner wishes he did not have to face his former colleagues and friends but knows it will ultimately come down to the players on the field.

“Initially the emotions of it are you are playing guys you hate facing, guys you are close with and have incredible respect for,” said Venables. “I love those guys. But hey, we are going to go compete for a few hours and may the best man win and we will still be close and things of that nature afterward.

“This game is about the players and those guys that are out there on the field and these two programs. This game is certainly not about me by any stretch.”

Venables came to Oklahoma from Kansas State as part of head coach Bob Stoops' first staff when taking the reins of the program in 1999. Venables served in a number of roles in his 13-year stint in Norman, including associate head coach, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. In fact, Stoops was the one who recruited Venables to play at Kansas State.

While at OU, Venables was a member of a coaching staff that turned the Sooners back into the national powerhouse program it once was. Oklahoma won a national championship and eight Big 12 titles in the 13 years he was part of the program. Venables left OU in January 2012 to take the defensive coordinator position under Dabo Swinney at Clemson.

“My decision to leave had nothing to do with Oklahoma,” said Venables. “I was incredibly excited at the opportunity to work with Mike [Stoops] again and without question it would have been a great reunion. I was really looking forward to that but the opportunity to leave was very unique and had everything to do with Clemson and really nothing to do with Oklahoma.”

When asked if he has watched the Sooners play in 2014, Venerables said he has, but only through the eyes of a fan.

“I've seen [Oklahoma] play a little bit here and there throughout the year but I was definitely not studying them; pulling for them but not studying them.”

Sooners Return to Near Full Strength

After a long, tough regular season, the Sooners took their fair share of injuries in the 2014 season. OU finished its last regular season game without its starting quarterback (Trevor Knight), running back (Samaje Perine) and wide receiver (Sterling Shepard), not to mention a number of key other players along the offensive line and defense.

The three weeks in between games has been a welcome sign to Oklahoma, as the Sooners nearly return to full strength ahead of the upcoming showdown with Clemson in the Russell Athletic Bowl.

“It's a real positive, obviously, getting Trevor (Knight) back,” said Stoops. “He has practiced well. He had looked good after practice and felt good after practice, so that's moving in a positive direction.

“A bunch of other guys won't practice until we get out to the bowl, but are expected to play and are improving except Geneo Grissom is probably a week or 10 days short of his target date to return to play, so that's unfortunate for Geneo being a senior and not being able to compete there.”

AP All-America Second Team linebacker Eric Striker agreed with Stoops that it will be good for the team to be back near full health and mentioned how good it was to get extra time off.

“Yeah it will be nice,” said Striker. “We had a break, people are rehabbing, so it will be good to have people that are fresh. I am even feeling a little bit fresh.”

Perine

The Accolades Keep Coming

Another day, another slew of awards and recognitions for Sooner players, freshman running back Samaje Perine in particular. Over the past two days Perine has been named to the AP All-America Third Team and the Football Writers of America Association All-America Second Team to go along with being named to the Sporting News True Freshman All-America Team. These are the latest in an ever increasing long list of postseason honors bestowed on the freshman.

Junior linebacker Eric Striker was another Oklahoma player to receive recognition for his sensational season on the gridiron. The Florida native was also announced as an AP All-America Third Team selection this week. Striker was appreciative of the recognition but kept the focus on the team.

“I mean it's cool that people look at you that way,” said Striker. “I wasn't in awe or anything like that. Becoming a captain of this team was probably my biggest accomplishment, when my peers and my teammates look at me that way. I appreciate that more than anything. These are my guys that are with me every day and they look at me as that person. These are not writers and people who are not with you every day writing about how they think and stuff like that.”

Russell Athletic Bowl Info

For complete Russell Athletic Bowl coverage and to purchase tickets, go to the Oklahoma Bowl Center.

Pricing options for the Russell Athletic Bowl tickets are as follows:

· $60-75 – Terrace Level (200 Level)

· $100 - $110 – Plaza level (P36-P40)

The OU Athletics Ticket Office will also accept orders in person or via phone during regular business hours at (405) 325-2424 or toll-free (800) 456-GoOU.