It seems as if it's become part of the morning routine this summer to wake up and make your coffee before checking which college football analyst released their college football coach hot seat rankings and included Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables.
On Wednesday, as the Sooners started fall camp and Year 4 under Brent Venables, On3's Ari Wasserman had Venables at No. 2 in his hot seat rankings behind only Florida's Billy Napier. And Wasserman is just one of many college football experts to point out how scorching Venables' seat is heading into the 2025 college football season.
2025 Hot Seat: College football coaches feeling the most pressure this season
— Ari Wasserman (@AriWasserman) July 30, 2025
Column: https://t.co/bNS0YNUl97 pic.twitter.com/BXaRt3nrbJ
Brent Venables included on multiple college football hot seat rankings
After three years of his first head coaching gig, Venables already has two losing seasons. Venables is one of only two coaches in OU's history during the last century to have more than one losing season during their tenure leading the program. The only other was John Blake, who was fired after his third. The Sooners haven't had to fire a football coach since Blake.
The Sooners went 6-7 last season in their first year in the SEC. There were certainly plenty of excuses to defend Venables and his job for last season. OU was without its five best receivers most of the season because of injuries. The offensive line also suffered from injuries. The offense was led by a first-year starter at QB. And all that while entering the toughest conference in college football.
But excuses don't save jobs at programs like OU. Look at Napier at Florida. The Gators ended last season on a four-game winning streak with a freshman QB to finish the season a respectable 8-5. Yet, maybe no one has a hotter seat than Napier in 2025.
That is life in the SEC. Just last week, CBS Sports listed eight coaches who have to win this season to save their job. Five were in the SEC, including Venables.
The frustrations of last season seem to be becoming a distant memory to some OU fans. Or maybe their glasses are just always half full. I've seen plenty of Sooner Nation argue against the fact that Venables is on the hot seat. Bless their hearts.
Make no mistake, these college football writers aren't just putting Venables on the hot seat for views and clicks. Venables has to succeed in Year 4 to stick around for a fifth.
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