Jim Nagy Explains Why Oklahoma's NFL-Style Setup Is PERFECT For Brent Venables

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TAMPA, Fla. – Sooners general manager Jim Nagy sat down on the On3's Ari & Andy Podcast and gave a really good explanation of how Oklahoma has structured things behind the scenes.

The bottom line is that giving head coach Brent Venables the ability to focus on what he does best — coaching defense — has made a massive difference for the program.

Nagy laid it out clearly when talking about last season: "I will say last year, the biggest value that our staff created for the Oklahoma team, Team 131 last fall, was that we allowed Brent Venables to coach the defense and do what he does. Now yes, we met every Sunday. There was a lot of times I had to pick my spots. He's in the defensive staff room right next door to my office. I would have to pop in, 'Hey Brent I need you for 10 minutes, you have some time?' Five minutes here, 10 minutes there. But it really allowed him to focus on the defense. Like I said, he's the best in college football at that, so let's create a structure where he can focus on that and be that."

That’s the key.

Instead of Venables having to micromanage the entire program, roster, and every little detail, they built a setup where he can zero in on the defense. Nagy handles the big-picture roster management, player acquisition through the portal and high school recruiting, and the front office side of things. Ben Arbuckle runs the offense. Everyone has a clear role, and it lets Venables be the best version of himself.

This is basically an NFL-style arrangement in college football, and it paid off big time last year. The defense was elite. Venables took back play-calling because he believed no one could do it better than him, and the results backed that up.

Oklahoma went from 6-7 the year before to 10-3 and a College Football Playoff appearance. You can’t argue with that kind of jump.

Nagy continued: "This year's team, there will be more players on the field. We went into the portal and got some good additions. We're excited to see what it looks like. But last year that was all on the coaches, and the job they did, and the players."

That’s important to remember. Last year’s success wasn’t just because of scheme or talent — it was because the staff structure allowed everyone to play to their strengths.

Venables wasn’t stretched thin trying to do everything. He could pour his energy into the defense, and it showed.

This makes a lot of sense. Venables is one of the best defensive minds in the game. Why have him waste time on things other people can handle better at a higher level?

Nagy has done an excellent job since he arrived, building relationships, managing the roster, and helping land top-tier talent. The 2027 recruiting class is already shaping up to be one of the best in program history. That’s not a coincidence.

This setup isn’t perfect for every coach. Some guys like Curt Cignetti at Indiana thrive doing it all themselves, leading the Hoosiers to a national title. But for Venables, this seems to be the right fit. He’s a defensive coach at heart. Letting him focus on that side while having strong support around him on offense and in personnel management is getting the best results we’ve seen since he got to Norman.

The on-field product backs it up. The defense carried the team at times last year, especially in November. The offense showed enough improvement down the stretch to get them into the playoff. Now with more experience returning, better pieces added through the portal, and Nagy continuing to stock the roster, things are trending in the right direction.

This NFL-style model is becoming more common in college football because the sport has changed so much with the portal and NIL. You need people who specialize in different areas. Oklahoma has done a good job of putting the right people in the right seats.

Nagy’s approach shows he understands his role is to make Venables’ job easier so he can coach at the highest level. That’s smart leadership. When everyone knows their job and does it well, the whole program benefits.

Right now, the Sooners' football program has clear roles, strong leadership, and everyone pulling in the same direction. If this structure helped get OU to the playoff last year, imagine what it can do with another year of experience and more talent on the roster.

Jim Nagy explained it perfectly — they built the program so Brent Venables can do what he does best. So far, it’s working.

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