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Oklahoma Hires Clemson's Venables As Coach

NORMAN, Oklahoma (CBSDFW.COM/AP) - Oklahoma has officially hired Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables as its head coach to replace Lincoln Riley.

Venables landed in Norman earlier tonight to greet his new team.

Dabo Venables
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, left, and defensive coach Brent Venables (Credit: AP Photo/Richard Shiro, File)

Riley departed the Sooners last week to take over at Southern California. Venables was on Oklahoma's staff under Bob Stoops as co-defensive coordinator from 1999 to 2003 and defensive coordinator from 2004 to 2011. At Clemson, he won the Broyles Award in 2016 as the nation's top assistant.

He has been on the staff of teams that have won three national titles and played in eight national championship games.

This is the first time 50-year-old Venables has been hired as head coach.

(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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