Venables praises Jackson Arnold’s efforts, turns focus to Auburn matchup

Brian Schaible

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Venables praises Jackson Arnold’s efforts, turns focus to Auburn matchup image

Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman/USA TODAY NETWORK

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables knows the Sooners face a major challenge as Auburn visits Norman this weekend. Speaking at his weekly press conference, Venables said the difference will come down to discipline and details.

“The basics are what win for you. The basics are also how you get beat. It’s the little things, never the big things.”

Venables pointed directly to Auburn’s statistical dominance early in the season “They’ve got great balance in their offense…they’ve passed for 10 touchdowns and rushed for three. They’ve outgained their two opponents by 600 yards. They’re third in the country in pass efficiency, 71% conversion rate on third downs and nine out of nine in the red zone.”

For Venables, managing success is just as important as preparing for Auburn’s efficiency. “There’s a balance… it’s handling success. It’s staying hungry, staying motivated, staying detailed, staying committed to a process and how you play well. And I’ve always felt like it’s harder to manage a team that’s doing really well as opposed to a team that doesn’t think much of themselves.”

The Auburn matchup also brought up a chance to reflect on former quarterback Jackson Arnold, who started games for Oklahoma in 2023 and 2024 before moving on. Venables expressed appreciation for what Arnold meant to the program.

“Jackson was a competitor. He loved the game and gave everything he had to this program. We’re grateful for the time he spent here. Sometimes paths go in different directions, but that doesn’t change what he meant to Oklahoma football.”

Looking ahead to Saturday, Venables said the Sooners must return to their foundation “We’ve got to start completely over, learn new DNA and do the things that winning requires and success requires, and that’s go right back to work and focus on what’s in front of us.”

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Brian Schaible

Brian Schaible is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is an award-winning journalist with over 25 years of experience covering college and professional sports. Brian holds a master’s degree in journalism/public relations from Kent State University.