Clemson DC coaching search

by TigerNet Staff - Fri Jan 13 11:39:58 GMT-04:00 2012

From Dave Sittler of Tulsa World:

OU source with Venables update: "Clemson also now definitely in the mix."

Update from Football Rumor Mill: "Oklahoma's Brent Venables is considered a serious candidate to take over as DC at Clemson."

He is currently the associate head coach, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the University of Oklahoma Sooners football team. In 2006, he was one of five finalists for the prestigious Broyles Award for the nation's top assistant coach. He coached with Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops at Kansas State University and was brought to Oklahoma by Stoops.

Coached 12 NFL Draft picks and four NFL free agents. Linebackers under his direction have been named the Big 12 Defensive POY five times and Big 12 Defensive NOY five times. Also has two Butkus Award winners and two other Butkus finalists along with a Bednarik Award winner.

• The 2010 defense was No. 13 in pass efficiency defense, No. 7 in tackles, and it helped OU earn a No. 7 ranking in turnover margin.

• The 2009 defense was No. 2 in the Big 12 in both scoring and total defense (No. 7 nationally in both). The unit also ranked No. 5 nationally in sacks (3.08), No. 5 in red zone defense (71%), No. 7 in rushing defense (88.6), No. 8 in tackles for loss (7.8) and No. 10 in pass efficiency defense.

• Despite facing 11 of the top 50 scoring offenses, OU was among the top three in nearly every Big 12 category in 2008. OU was No. 4 nationally in sacks, No. 20 in rushing defense.

• The 2007 defense was No. 2 in Big 12 scoring (No. 5 NCAA) and total (No. 19 NCAA) defense despite facing four of the nation's top-nine offenses, three of the top five. OU defense led Big 12 in sacks (32) and scored six TDs.

• A Broyles finalist `06 when OU led the Big 12 in total (No. 16 NCAA), scoring (No. 19 NCAA) and pass efficiency defense (No. 13 NCAA) and was No. 2 in rushing defense (No. 16 NCAA) and No. 6 nationally with 32 takeaways.

• In 2005, OU's NCAA rank was No. 4 in rush, No. 13 in total defense.

• OU led the Big 12 in 2004 in total, rushing and scoring defense. The Sooners ranked No. 11 nationally in scoring and rushing defense, No. 13 in total defense.

• The 2003 Sooners ranked No. 1 nationally in total defense and passing defense, No. 2 in pass efficiency defense, No. 3 in scoring defense, No. 5 in turnover margin and No. 19 in rushing defense.

• In 2002, OU was No. 6 nationally in scoring defense, No. 7 in pass efficiency, defense, No. 9 in passing defense, No. 10 in total defense and No. 14 in rushing defense.

• In `01, OU ranked No. 4 nationally in scoring and total defense, No. 5 in pass eff., defense, No. 6 in takeaways, No. 7 in rushing defense and No. 11 in passing defense.

• All three 1997 K-State linebackers were all-conference.