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NORMAN — Oklahoma’s Brent Venables and Baylor’s Dave Aranda have adopted comparable paths as they evolve as first-time head coaches.
Aranda is in yr three in Waco, whereas Venables remains to be getting underway in his first yr in Norman.
They match wits for the primary time as head coaches on Saturday when the Bears (5-3 total, 3-2 Big 12) meet the Sooners (5-3, 2-3) at Owen Field.
Aside from their showdown as defensive coordinators within the 2019-20 nationwide championship recreation — Aranda and LSU received that one 42-25 because the Tigers laid declare to the one best season in school soccer historical past — they’ve crossed paths various occasions through the years.
Venables stated he likes what Aranda is about and what he stands for.
“Oh, yeah. Yeah,” Venables stated. “Great guy, first of all, a great person. Just — he’s a good dude. And really smart. Really good teacher.”
Venables, 51, and Aranda, 46, each come from humble beginnings — Venables began out in Salina, KS, and Aranda in Redlands, CA.
Both performed linebacker — Venables at Kansas State, Aranda at Redlands High School.
Aranda tried to hitch the Navy (his utility was declined due to the identical soccer accidents that ended his taking part in profession), whereas Venables’ father was within the Air Force.
But the actual similarities lie of their defensive genius.
Aranda turned the highest-paid defensive coordinator in school soccer when he was given $2.5 million a yr at LSU in 2018. That title was additionally held a number of occasions by Venables, who was bumped to $2.5 million a yr in 2021.
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Both males received a nationwide championship as coordinator — Venables received two at Clemson (and performed in two different nationwide title video games), whereas Aranda fueled Ed Orgeron’s LSU workforce to the title in 2019.
And each had been tasked with slight makeovers after they took over their first head teaching gig.
Aranda had the inspiration that Matt Rhule constructed following the Art Briles debacle. After a dropping document his first season (the Bears had been 2-7 through the COVID season), Aranda guided Baylor to the Big 12 championship in 2021.
Venables inherited a tradition at Oklahoma that he helped set up when he was Bob Stoops’ defensive coordinator. But like Aranda, Venables’ first activity was implementing his personal model of toughness and accountability and physicality.
Following Rhule, although, is completely different than following Lincoln Riley.
“I think it starts with your beliefs and your values,” Venables stated, “certainly the things that you believe in.”
Aranda even as soon as recruited Venables oldest son, Jake, to play linebacker at LSU.
“And so we started to get to know each other that way,” Venables stated Tuesday throughout his weekly news convention. “We never ended up taking a trip there. His momma won that recruiting battle. Dave didn’t make the cut.”
But the mutual respect between two high-level defensive geniuses — now defensive-minded head coaches — has been a function of their relationship.
“We’ve visited on the phone a number of times over the years,” Venables stated. “Again, we’ve seen him on the recruiting trail. Some of our downtime, we’ve been able to visit, but not the travel visit.”
Like Venables, Aranda wears his values on his sleeve.
“He’s just this first-class guy, you know?” Venables stated. “Everywhere he’s been, he’s got a great reputation — does things the right way. Good man. Excellent football coach.”
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