Brent Venables offered from WVU

The latest name to surface in WVU’s hunt for a defensive coordinator is former Oklahoma University Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach Brent Venables. Mike Stoops is now the new Oklahoma DC.

This name surfaced as of today, and what do we need to know about Venables. Also, Joe DeForest of Oklahoma State has been offered a job at WVU as well.

Here’s the info on Venables, after the jump.

Venables has a long list of accomplishments during his time in Oklahoma…

Coaching Accomplishments 
• Coached 12 NFL Draft picks and four NFL free agents. Linebackers under his direction have been named the Big 12 Defensive POY five times and Big 12 Defensive NOY five times. Also has two Butkus Award winners and two other Butkus finalists along with a Bednarik Award winner.

• The 2010 defense was No. 13 in pass efficiency defense, No. 7 in tackles, and it helped OU earn a No. 7 ranking in turnover margin.

• The 2009 defense was No. 2 in the Big 12 in both scoring and total defense (No. 7 nationally in both). The unit also ranked No. 5 nationally in sacks (3.08), No. 5 in red zone defense (71%), No. 7 in rushing defense (88.6), No. 8 in tackles for loss (7.8) and No. 10 in pass efficiency defense.

• Despite facing 11 of the top 50 scoring offenses, OU was among the top three in nearly every Big 12 category in 2008. OU was No. 4 nationally in sacks, No. 20 in rushing defense.

• The 2007 defense was No. 2 in Big 12 scoring (No. 5 NCAA) and total (No. 19 NCAA) defense despite facing four of the nation’s top-nine offenses, three of the top five. OU defense led Big 12 in sacks (32) and scored six TDs.

• A Broyles finalist `06 when OU led the Big 12 in total (No. 16 NCAA), scoring (No. 19 NCAA) and pass efficiency defense (No. 13 NCAA) and was No. 2 in rushing defense (No. 16 NCAA) and No. 6 nationally with 32 takeaways.

• In 2005, OU’s NCAA rank was No. 4 in rush, No. 13 in total defense.

• OU led the Big 12 in 2004 in total, rushing and scoring defense. The Sooners ranked No. 11 nationally in scoring and rushing defense, No. 13 in total defense.

• The 2003 Sooners ranked No. 1 nationally in total defense and passing defense, No. 2 in pass efficiency defense, No. 3 in scoring defense, No. 5 in turnover margin and No. 19 in rushing defense.

• In 2002, OU was No. 6 nationally in scoring defense, No. 7 in pass efficiency, defense, No. 9 in passing defense, No. 10 in total defense and No. 14 in rushing defense.

• In 2001, OU ranked No. 4 nationally in scoring and total defense, No. 5 in pass eff., defense, No. 6 in takeaways, No. 7 in rushing defense and No. 11 in passing defense.

To see a “who’s who” list of players he has coached during his time at Oklahoma, click here.

It seems like Coach Holgorsen is wasting no time looking for Jeff Casteel’s replacement. With DeForest being offerend a job, and potentially Venables, it seems like WVU could have co-defensive coordinators for the first time since 2002 when Casteel was a co-Defensive Coordinator with, yep, Todd Graham. Yes, that Todd Graham.

Yesterday, we profiled DeForest, along with Brian Stewart from Houston and Randy Shannon from Miami.

Stay tuned, we’re eventually going to have a new defensive coordinator, complete with a new scheme (most likely 3-4 or 4-3) that’s more fit for the Big 12.