Oklahoma has two regular season games left on the schedule, but with today’s college football schedule, Brent Venables must already be looking to the future, especially with major recruitment to be carried out.

During his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Venables received several direct questions about his position regarding the hiring of OU’s next offensive coordinator, and whether all the rumors and speculation about Dan Mullen are true.

“We’ve spoken to several people and so we think we’re in a good position where we need to be,” Venables said. “I have not set a deadline for making this decision. Do the process with due diligence. There’s a lot of levels, as you can imagine, and very sensitive to what we’re trying to do here to finish the year, give ourselves a chance to win our last two regular season games and continue to improve. and then I have to do it, there has to be a sense of urgency. There is certainly one, finding the best solution where we are currently.

“But there is a real thing called a regular season that has to end. And if I talk to the right people, which I believe they will, then they’ll care about finishing what they start and being loyal to their players and the people they work with, things of that nature. But I want this to be over as soon as possible. But I want to do it right, and so that’s our goal.

One name that continues to pop up in the Sooners’ offensive coordinator search is Mullen, the former head coach at Florida State and Mississippi who also served as Tim Tebow offensive coordinator in Gainesville. Florida fired Mullen during the 2021 season and he has not had a college coaching job since, instead working as an analyst for ESPN. Before becoming a head coach, Mullen was a successful offensive coordinator at Florida and also coached quarterbacks at Florida, Utah and Bowling Green.

Venables was specifically asked about Mullen during Tuesday’s press conference, and it seemed like Mullen was not only a target for Venables now, but was also before he promoted Littrell from offensive analyst to coordinator offensive last year.

“I’m not going to comment on the details of the research,” Venables said. “I contacted him a year ago, then.”

Oklahoma Hot Board 2.0 Offensive Coordinator

Venables offensive coordinator fired Seth Littrell midseason after Littrell called it quits to play for the Sooners for just seven games. Co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley has since then had playcall functions. Offensive Analyst Kevin Johns was also promoted to co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach with the move.

“Seth is an all-time great Sooner,” Venables said in a press release after the decision. “He has a deep love for this university and this football program, and has invested his heart and soul in both. Despite this, our offensive performance this season has not at all been up to the standards of the OR and I felt a change was needed now.”

Theoretically, the early firing gave OU a head start on finding Littrell’s replacement, which will be a crucial hire for Venables and his future at OU. The Sooners now enter a critical period, although they still prepare for Alabama and LSU on the schedule. The early signing period is just a few weeks away, starting Wednesday, December 4.

The transfer portal window also opens on Monday, December 9. Not having an offensive coordinator at this time or depending on who it is could play a huge role in who stays and who jumps into the portal from the OU offense.

With those dates fast approaching, with two games still to play, Venables was asked about the search for his next offensive coordinator during Tuesday’s weekly press conference.

Other possible candidates include names like Ben Arbuckle, Jake Spavital, Joe Craddock And Mike Shanahan.