New Oklahoma coach taking classy approach with Clemson recruits

Brent Venables helped Clemson recruit some of the best talent in the country for a decade, but the new Oklahoma head coach is not in the business of poaching.

Venables, who spent 10 years as the defensive coordinator at Clemson, was named the head coach at Oklahoma earlier this month. Several recruits have now decommitted from the Tigers after both Venables and former offensive coordinator Tony Elliott left to take head coaching jobs with other programs. Venables was asked on Wednesday if he will go after some of those players now that they have re-opened their recruitment. He said he has too much respect for Dabo Swinney to do that.

Brent Venables said he has not tried to recruit any Clemson decommitments

Said he has too much respect for Dabo Swinney and wants to do things “the right way” #Sooners

— Josh Callaway (@JoshMCallaway) December 15, 2021

It’s frowned upon in college football for a coach to take committed recruits with him upon landing a new job. In this case, Venables would be recruiting players who no longer want to play for Swinney, anyway. He obviously doesn’t feel comfortable even doing that.

Brian Kelly was asked if he circled back with Notre Dame recruits after he left for LSU, and he seemed insulted by the question. Coaches don’t want to be perceived in that light. Venables has a very close relationship with Swinney, so it’s no surprise he considers any current or former Clemson commits to be off-limits.

Photo: Doug Hoke/The Oklahoman/USA TODAY Network