Brent Venables Throws Shade At Rival With Spring Game Message

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Brent Venables is looking to turn things around for Oklahoma in Year 2. The first-year head coach underachieved in his debut season, leading to Sooners to six wins.

It was a disappointing year in Norman as fans had grown accustomed to College Football Playoff contention under Lincoln Riley.

In fact, 2022 was the first losing campaign for OU since 1998. In that time, the Sooners have won double digit contests 18 times, winning a national title and appearing in four CFP fields.

Venables’ path to get the program back to that level started this offseason. Fans got to see the team up close and personal on Saturday as the Sooners participated in the annual spring game.

Attendees were wowed by quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who completed 12 of 18 attempts for 139 yards and three scores. Freshman Peyton Bowen picked off a pass while defender Gracen Halton and wideout DJ Graham also shined.

At one point in the game, Brent Venables took the mic to address sold out crowd at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, and he took a jab at his rivals.

“For the naysayers who say spring game attendance doesn’t matter, they have a program that doesn’t.”

Who do y’all think Brent Venables is talking about?

pic.twitter.com/Qpu7nTkZve

— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) April 23, 2023

“For the naysayers who say spring game attendance doesn’t matter,” Venables began before continuing, “They have a program that doesn’t.”

Fans quickly chimed in on the cryptic remark, taking their best guesses on who he was talking about.

Many immediately jumped to instate rival Oklahoma State, who didn’t hold a spring game in 2023. The team cited having an unavailable playing surface due to construction at Boone Pickens Stadium.

He’s talking about Oklahoma State. Brent is obsessed with oSu

— CreekWater (@Hadyn_Ross) April 23, 2023

Rent free.

— The Oklahoma State Raccoon 🔸 (@TheoSuRaccoon) April 23, 2023

Others, though, pointed to USC.

The Trojans nabbed Oklahoma’s head coach last year, then nearly made the playoff. The Sooners, meanwhile, went backwards.

This shot could’ve been directed at SC, who had 33,000 attendees at the Coliseum for their spring game compared to OU’s 54,000. It was also a point of emphasis last year, as Sooner fans quickly pointed out the disparity between the two outcomes in April.