Sadly’ after hiring a new coach Brent Venables part ways with Oklahoma! READ MORE….

Brent Venables’ first season as head coach at Oklahoma certainly did not meet expectations as the Sooners finished with a losing record for the first time since 1998. But it could have been worse, right? Five of their seven losses were one-score games including each of the last four by the slim margin of a field goal. At 2023 Big 12 Media Days on Thursday, Venables echoed the sentiment that last season was not up to standard at Oklahoma, while also noting the differences in losing records. He appeared to take a jab at Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes in the process, as the two programs are engaged in intense recruiting battles.

“6-7, none of it’s any good, right?” Venables said in an interview with College Sports on SiriusXM. “But had we gotten blown out by a Middle Tennessee, had we gotten beat by Florida State 45-3, the conversation is probably a little different.”

The two highly-specific examples Venables provided leave little room for doubt that he was making a reference to Miami.

Last season, the Hurricanes missed out on a bowl game, but like Oklahoma, finished with seven losses in Year 1 under Cristobal. One of those defeats was against Middle Tennessee, 45-31, and another, as Venables mentioned, was a blowout loss to rival Florida State.

The Seminoles were a common opponent for Oklahoma and Miami last season. The Sooners lost to Florida State, 35-32, in the Cheez-It Bowl.

So what was the reasoning behind Venables’ snarky comments? It could be as simple as recent high-profile recruiting battles between the two schools for coveted 2024 prospects.

Oklahoma won out for Davon Mitchell and Jayden Jackson over Miami and others recently,” said 247Sports Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong. “Those two are in the thick of it for five-star David Stone as well.”

Mitchell is a four-star tight end from Los Alamitos (Calif.) that committed to the Sooners on July 8, while also reclassifying from 2025 to 2024. He ranks as the No. 7 tight end and No. 85 overall prospect regardless of position in the current cycle.

Jackson is the most recent commit for Oklahoma having made his announcement on Thursday while Venables and the Sooners were at Big 12 Media Days. The three-star defensive lineman from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy is in the backyard of the ‘Canes’ recruiting territory and might not be the only prospect Oklahoma steals from the Sunshine State in the 2024 class.

Oklahoma won out for Davon Mitchell and Jayden Jackson over Miami and others recently,” said 247Sports Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong. “Those two are in the thick of it for five-star David Stone as well.”

Mitchell is a four-star tight end from Los Alamitos (Calif.) that committed to the Sooners on July 8, while also reclassifying from 2025 to 2024. He ranks as the No. 7 tight end and No. 85 overall prospect regardless of position in the current cycle.

Jackson is the most recent commit for Oklahoma having made his announcement on Thursday while Venables and the Sooners were at Big 12 Media Days. The three-star defensive lineman from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy is in the backyard of the ‘Canes’ recruiting territory and might not be the only prospect Oklahoma steals from the Sunshine State in the 2024 class.

The Sooners hold an edge in the 247Sports Crystal Ball Predictions for Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy five-star defensive lineman David Stone. The No. 10 overall recruit in the 2024 class took official visits to both Oklahoma and Miami in June while also making trips to Florida and Michigan State.

Stone is originally from Oklahoma and moved to Florida prior to his junior season.

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Miami does hold an edge in the 247Sports Composite Team Recruiting race with the No. 16-ranked class in 2024. Oklahoma currently ranks No. 26 nationally.