With former Oklahoma cornerbacks coach Jay Valai headed to the NFL for a new gig with the Buffalo Bills, Brent Venables now has a hole to fill on his defensive staff, and he has plenty of options.
Venables, who also serves as OU's defensive coordinator, shouldn't have any trouble luring a top candidate to Norman after all the success the Sooners had in 2025 as a College Football Playoff contender thanks to their elite defense. Whoever steps in for Valai will also have the benefit of two returning starters at cornerback in Eli Bowen and Courtland Guillory, plus some added depth from the Transfer Portal.
Although many could jump at the opportunity in Oklahoma, five candidates immediately emerged as top targets for Venables.
Hot board for Sooners next cornerbacks coach
Xavier Brewer, OU senior defensive analyst
If Venables decides to hire internally, Xavier Brewer would be the top option. Brewer has been a defensive analyst at OU since Venables took over in 2022, and the relationship goes back even further than that with Brewer serving as a graduate assistant under Venables at Clemson in 2019-20. Between those stops, Brewer was the cornerbacks coach for Louisiana-Monroe in 2021, so he already has a little bit of experience in the role to go along with his extensive knowledge of Venables' system.
Dominique Franks, Tulsa CB coach
Dominique Franks is a name OU fans will instantly remember. Franks was a Second-Team All-Big 12 cornerback at OU with Venables as his DC before becoming a fifth-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. After a four-year NFL career, Franks got into coaching as a defensive backs coach for the New Jersey Generals of the USFL. He then became a defensive quality control analyst for Tulsa in 2023 before getting promoted to cornerbacks coach in 2024. OU offensive analyst and offensive line coach Kevin Wilson gave Franks his first college job while Tulsa's head coach.
OU fans have become hesitant about making a hire just because someone is a former Sooner (see Joe Jon Finley and DeMarco Murray), but Franks has proven himself quickly as a coach.
Mike Reed, Clemson CB coach
Mike Reed has been at Clemson since Venables got him there in 2013 as defensive backs coach. His role has changed since as assistant head coach, special teams coordinator and cornerbacks coach, but Venables' prior relationship and the Sooners' recent success could be enough to finally pry Reed away from Clemson after over a decade under Dabo Swinney.
Mark Stoops, Former Kentucky head coach
Mark Stoops, the brother of OU legend Bob Stoops, would instantly provide an insane amount of experience for a position coach. He's back on the market since Kentucky fired him after 13 seasons as its head coach. He's also been a defensive coordinator at Florida State, Arizona and Houston while coaching defensive backs along the way.
Chip Viney, Arizona CB coach
Chip Viney keeps finding himself in Oklahoma, and maybe he could again. Now Arizona's cornerbacks coach and previously in the same role at San Jose State, Viney has had two previous stops at OU in various roles, including Director of Player Development and scouting analyst (2021), defensive analyst and recruiting analyst (2018-20), special teams analyst (2016), and graduate assistant (2013-15). However, despite all that time in Norman, it was never at the same time as Venables. Still, though, Viney has the right experience for the opening and recruiting ties to California, where the Sooners have started hitting hard for talent.