The Oklahoma Sooners boast a blue-blood faculty soccer program. Even within the wacky world of school soccer alignment — the place custom now not appears to imply something — the Oklahoma model has stayed robust.
We’ll see if the Sooners can preserve that up now that they are heading to the SEC, however there’s little doubting the truth that Oklahoma is one in all faculty soccer’s most constant contenders on a year-to-year foundation.
That was true within the Barry Switzer and Bob Stoops eras, and now third-year head coach Brent Venables is attempting to maintain it true below his watch.
A lot of that’s recruiting gifted gamers, and the Sooners have accomplished a terrific job of that. Venables’ 2024 class was ranked No. 8 within the nation, whereas his 2025 class is ranked No. 4.
That is an enormous deal, and recruiting stars is what is going to preserve Oklahoma related within the SEC. Venables just lately relayed that star energy is not all he is on the lookout for in recruits, although. In truth, he appears to understand the grittiness that comes with underrated and underappreciated gamers.
“I nonetheless consider to find guys that perhaps not lots of different folks suppose lots about, however on the lookout for gamers in constructing a roster that there’s a sure share or a sure group of men which have intrinsic values that perhaps aren’t nicely thought-of in recruiting circles, however they’ve bought the best stuff,” Venables defined, per On3. “And I believe that’s extra vital now than ever as you’re on the lookout for continuity in your rosters and guys which are motivated by the best issues.”
Venables is referencing recruits who are actually solely in it for the NIL cash, which is actually a difficulty these days. Nevertheless, as somebody who labored his manner up from being a group faculty linebacker to enjoying at Kansas State below Invoice Snyder, Venables appears to understand the hustle a bit greater than others.
“These are issues that you just actually most likely foundationally study from, and once more I used to be a man that needed to earn my manner, so I’ve a terrific appreciation for that as a coach. I’ve a terrific appreciation for guys that worth these issues,” Venables stated.
There’s, after all, a high-quality line that needs to be walked in big-time faculty soccer. You possibly can recruit a workforce filled with five-stars, but when they do not have coronary heart, you will not accomplish a lot. Then once more, you possibly can recruit a workforce filled with “dawgs,” but when they haven’t any expertise they will not get that far.
Finally, that looks like the stability Venables is attempting to strike at Oklahoma.