ESPN Reports: Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables tipped to return to his former team, as former Sooners DB Jeremiah Criddell (ex-defensive back) set to return as assistant cornerbacks coach

ESPN Reports: Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables tipped to return to his former team, as former Sooners DB Jeremiah Criddell (ex-defensive back) set to return as assistant cornerbacks coach

 

NORMAN, Okla. — June 14, 2025 — In a surprising turn of events within the Oklahoma Sooners football program, head coach Brent Venables is being strongly tipped to return to one of his former teams, sparking speculation about a significant shift in leadership at the University of Oklahoma. The development comes just as former Sooners defensive back Jeremiah Criddell is set to join the coaching staff as the new assistant cornerbacks coach.

 

Venables, who has been at the helm of the Oklahoma football program since 2021, has been instrumental in revitalizing the Sooners’ defensive identity after taking over from Lincoln Riley. Under his leadership, the Sooners have consistently improved on the defensive side of the ball and returned to national prominence. His deep ties to both Clemson — where he served as defensive coordinator for nearly a decade — and Kansas State, his alma mater, have now become focal points of growing rumors about his potential departure.

 

Though no official confirmation has been made, sources close to the program have indicated that Venables is seriously considering a return to a former coaching destination, potentially reuniting with familiar colleagues and athletic staff. Clemson appears to be the most likely landing spot, especially with internal shifts occurring in the Tigers’ coaching hierarchy following recent changes in leadership.

 

Meanwhile, Oklahoma is preparing for a new era in its defensive backfield with the addition of Jeremiah Criddell to the coaching staff. Criddell, who played for the Sooners as a defensive back from 2019 to 2021 before stepping away from the game due to injuries, is returning to Norman in a coaching capacity. His hiring as assistant cornerbacks coach is being seen as both a symbolic and strategic move, bringing youthful energy and first-hand experience with the program’s culture.

 

Criddell has been steadily working his way through the coaching ranks, earning praise for his work with high school and junior college defensive backs in California. His return is expected to resonate with current players, many of whom view him as a peer and a mentor.

 

If Venables’ exit materializes, Oklahoma could face a pivotal offseason. The hiring of Criddell may signal an attempt to maintain continuity and player development on the defensive side while the program navigates what could become a major transition in leadership.

 

The Sooners are slated to begin fall camp in early August, and all eyes will be on Norman over the coming weeks as more clarity emerges on Venables’ future and the evolving composition of the coaching staff.

 

For now, Oklahoma fans will wait anxiously as one of the most influential figures in recent program history weighs a potential return to familiar territory — just as a new generation of Sooner coaching talent begins to rise.