OU Board of Regents approves Sooners football coach Brent Venables contract extension

The OU Board of Regents approved football coach Brent Venables’ contract extension during its Tuesday meeting.

Athletic director Roger Denny announced last month that Venables and the Sooners agreed to the new six-year, $63 million contract.

The contract pays Venables an average of around $10.5 million per year across the next six seasons. Denny didn’t immediately provide details of the buyout when asked but the figure will eventually become public record.

Venables holds a 33-21 overall record as OU’s coach and is fresh off a road loss to Michigan.

“I’m as disappointed as everyone (with what happened last Saturday),” Denny said Tuesday. “As disappointed as every one of our fans, as disappointed as every one of our players, as disappointed as every one of our coaches, including Brent Venables. But that doesn’t change how I feel about the long-term future of our program.”

OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. also stood firmly behind Venables.

“Anytime you look at a contract, you’re looking at all of it,” Harroz said. “I think the good thing with Coach Venables is he knows Oklahoma. Not only has he been our head coach, he was back here in ’99. His kids were born here.

“My answer is, let’s get to something that’s fair. And Brent’s a relationship-based person, as you all know, and it’s important for him to know we appreciate him, and so I just don’t typically navigate those elements. Let’s just make sure it’s fair and right.”

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The Board approved the naming of a new performance center at Kimrey Family Stadium as the “Toby Keith Family Performance Center.”

The project is part of a $49 million renovation and expansion of Kimrey Family Stadium.

The Toby Keith Family Performance Center is scheduled for completion in spring 2028. The facility is included in Project 2, which is scheduled to begin in fall 2026 and will also feature significant upgrades to the stadium’s seating bowl and fan amenities, including new concessions, restrooms and a dedicated fan plaza.

Colton Sulley covers the Oklahoma Sooners for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Colton? He can be reached at csulley@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @colton_sulley. Support Colton’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing adigital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU Board of Regents approves Sooners football coach Brent Venables contract extension