HFBC Brent Venables on WVU
Jared Vallorani
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Brent Venables met with the press on November 7 and had some comments on the upcoming game with the WVU.
“Got a great challenge this week with West Virginia, who’s been playing really good football the last several weeks. Coach Brown, numerous times has said he feels like this is his best team that he’s had at West Virginia.
“They’re really running the ball well. Super efficient quarterback. Greene is playing really well both in run and the pass as a dual threat quarterback. Probably the strength of their team, as they will tell you, is their offensive line. They got great experience there and they did a great job in the transfer portal bringing in some additional receivers and tight ends. Defensively, playing really well. Playing with a lot of confidence; play with great effort. Got a good experience group back there and super efficient in the in the special team so going to be again, a really good opportunity for us.
You know we’re going to have to play well and we’re going to have to certainly play a complimentary football and clean football taking care of the ball being able to be efficient in all three phases. Couple of tough back-to-back games obviously but our guys have really responded well. They’ve got a great mindset. I love their leadership on this team and there’s been a real willingness to continue to work and invest and our players have invested a tremendous amount in the season so they’re anxious to have a really good strong finish.”
Question: Talk about that offensive line the West Virginia’s got; what makes them so good besides just like the experience that they’ had?
Venables: “Yeah they’re physical, they play with confidence there’s really good cohesion and chemistry there. They work together well kind of like that marching band, like you know it when you see and when they don’t. They’ve all got good chemistry out there on the field when you watch them. They do a lot of pre-snap communication and and they just don’t turn people loose. They got do a great job in protecting the passer. They’ve only given up nine sacks on the year which is the 11th in the country and second in the conference and very few tackles for loss. Disruptive type plays and there’s not a lot of leakage there.
Oklahoma started the season 7-0. They had an impressive win over Texas in the Red River Rivalry before squeaking by UCF 31-29 the following week. Over the past two weeks, Oklahoma ended up losing late in the 4th quarter to Kansas and to Oklahoma State. Both games could’ve easily gone the other way and ended up as W’s for the Sooners.
Needless to say, Oklahoma needs this win. WVU is hoping to come in and steal one from a team that had playoff hopes still alive just a few weeks ago. If Garrett Greene and company can play all three phases as well as they did against BYU, this could be one for the ages!