Why Oklahoma's 'different' style of recruiting and culture under Brent Venables has appealed to so many players

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Why Oklahoma's 'different' style of recruiting and culture under Brent Venables has appealed to so many players originally appeared on A to Z Sports.
As soon as Brent Venables assumed the role as head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners, he immediately brought in an entirely new culture to the Sooners. Nicknamed The SOUL Mission, Oklahoma's new culture is driven by faith and an honest approach, something the new staff isn't afraid to show and demonstrate to players.
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This approach has already resonated with several recruits, and it has played a major factor in Oklahoma's 2026 class.
Linebacker Beau Jandreau, a three-star and one of the top players from Arizona, said it was the coaching staff's expression of their faith that ultimately swayed him into committing to Oklahoma.
"They're just constantly outspoken about Jesus. And that's huge for our family. I don't know, it was always that feeling; having OU in the back of my mind, with Niko there. That's why I felt God called me. Even in talking to my mentors, every time we'd speak about the process, OU would always come to my mind because of the core values I had. That's what OU always aligned with."
The Sooners also have several coaches who are genuine and aren't afraid to be frank with recruits. While a lot of coaches will pay lip service to players, Brent Venables has built a staff that believes in genuineness when it comes to their players.
Matthew Nelson, another 2026 commit, noted defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis's approach in his recruiting process which was so different and refreshing.
"I think it was whenever coach Chavis offered me and we talked a little bit and I think like two days later he was down at Bryant. He came and we had dinner with my family and after that – I was like 'ok, Oklahoma does it different'..It was kind of like 'we'll see where this goes. Chavis is genuine and for real with everything he says. He will tell you straight up. Other coaches will tell you what you want to hear. He'll just tell you it straight. Another thing would be how much he talks about his faith. He loves his players, loves his wife, loves his kids, loves his recruits."
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Multiple commits in this class have openly cited the staff's faith playing a key part in their recruiting.
Wide receiver Jordan Clay, a currently uncommitted 2026 target but one the Sooners would love to have, told SoonerScoop that wide receivers coach Emmett Jones didn't play some of the "games" that a lot of coaches will do in recruiting. Jones told Clay straight up not to mess around with his future. Instead of simply going over film, Jones talked about life and his future with Clay.
I think this style of approach is an interesting contrast with how so much of college recruiting is discussed. Nowadays, any time a recruit is brought up, the conversation always inevitably turns into money and how much a school spent to bring a player in.
While the Sooners definitely are doing that, it's the rest of the approach that I think has established Oklahoma's new culture and played a key role in their success in recruiting. Rather than letting the money talk, the coaches themselves are talking and holding nothing back. I, for one, can appreciate the human side of a sport that's seemingly growing more business-like by the day.
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Related: Oklahoma Sooners vault themselves into contention for must-have recruit after successful major recruiting event
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This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Jun 29, 2025, where it first appeared.