ESPN College Football

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma linebacker Joseph Ibiloye kept hearing his coach scream his name.

"Joe! Joe!"

He turned around, heard his coach's demands and applied them to the next play. The problem? At least a few times, it would put him out of position or ruin a defensive rep.

That's what happens when he takes direction meant for cornerback Joe Powell.

Mike Stoops is back coordinating Oklahoma's defense, a job he held in 2000 during Oklahoma's last national title run, and there are bound to be a few mixups as he gets used to his new surroundings.

"He’s calling me Ibi now, so we’ve got everything squared away," Ibiloye said.

Stoops' arrival, after eight seasons as Arizona's head coach, was cause for Sooner-fan celebrations. Last year's defense had high-profile struggles in the secondary in losses to Texas Tech, Baylor and Oklahoma State.

Stoops' specialty? Defensive backs.

Safety Javon Harris didn't know much about Stoops when he met his new position coach and coordinator, but he knew that much.

"The one thing I knew is when he was here, he put out a lot of All-American DBs and guys who went on to the next level," said Harris, who endured the toughest struggle of anyone in the loss to Baylor, but re-earned a starting position this spring. "I was really excited to know he was coming in here."

The word of the spring for Stoops' new troops was simplification. Brent Venables fielded a whole lot of good defenses before leaving for Clemson this offseason, but the change was welcomed, especially by the Sooners' most scrutinized unit of 2011.

"In talking to some of my other teammates, I think everybody is liking the new defense and knowing exactly what they need to do. One of the things we were lacking last year was just not knowing exactly what’s going on," Harris said. "Now we’re learning those things and we feel one step ahead."

Step one in fixing what ailed the Sooners in 2011? Prevent the big play.

"We’re just trying to get our players in the right positions to be more efficient and more effective players. That’s the consensus of what we saw a year ago. How much we can simplify things, that’s hard to say," Stoops said. "We’re going to do what we need to do to be successful."

Stoops installed most of his defense this spring; the fall will be dedicated to perfecting it. The spring was about finding what the defense did well, establishing an identity, and putting everyone where he needs to be.

"The way he approaches things is easier to learn," Ibiloye said.

The biggest position move? Tony Jefferson is headed to traditional safety after holding down Oklahoma's nickel-back spot the past two seasons, including 2010, when he shared Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors.

"We’re going to have flexibility. Our linebackers give us a lot of flexibility to do some things, and I think we have some secondary guys that give us some flexibility to get our best players on the field," Stoops said. "That’s ultimately, that’s what we’re trying to do, is find the best 11, 12, 13 players and then take it from there."

Said Harris: "He wants to get players to know the defense and know their position and be able to play loose and not think as much."

That'll come with time, but Stoops made one thing clear when he met each of his new defenders.

"I’m not going to put you in those positions where, if I’m not sure you can do something, I’m not going to make you do them," Harris said Stoops told him. "That’s one thing I appreciated from him, that I’ll have that chance to come out here and do what I do best."

Players, particularly experienced seniors, had their doubts about the new coordinator, but the comfort level is high as doubts have receded. One place there's no lack of confidence? The top, where Stoops' brother, Bob Stoops, holds down the head job.

"I’ve got great confidence in him of course and what he sees. It’s been great to have him back," Stoops said. "It gives me a strong sense of security that we’re doing things the best way we can."

Oklahoma will be the fourth Big 12 team (TCU, Texas, Texas Tech) to open spring camp when practice begins later Monday.

Here's a closer look and an idea of what to watch for.

Schedule: Oklahoma kicks off the first of its NCAA-allowed 15 practices Monday, leading up to the spring game on April 14. Practices are closed to fans and media.

What's new: The Sooners made the biggest Big 12 offseason acquisition when they brought back Mike Stoops as co-defensive coordinator. He dropped the "co-" after longtime coordinator Brent Venables took the DC job at Clemson after 13 years on Bob Stoops' staff in Norman. The Sooners will miss his presence, but hopes are high that Stoops can revitalize an Oklahoma defense that paved the way for the Sooners' last national title back in 2000, coordinated by none other than Stoops. He was fired by Arizona in the middle of the 2011 season, his eighth at Arizona.

New faces: Stoops is obvious, but Oklahoma is also welcoming six freshman or junior college transfers this spring to get practice time in before the 2012 season. Tight end Taylor McNamara and 2011 signee Trey Metoyer highlight the group. McNamara was the nation's No. 2 tight end and Metoyer was the nation's No. 8 receiver and No. 51 overall prospect in the 2011 class. He enrolled in military school after failing to qualify last fall, and could help boost a receiving corps in need of reinforcements. Junior college transfers Kass (pronounced "KAHss") Everett, Brannon Green and Chaz Nelson join 2011 signee Jordan Wade on campus this spring, too. Tight ends McNamara and Green should have some impact. Oklahoma returns no tight ends from its 2011 team, thanks to injuries and player exits.

Big shoes to fill: Kenny Stills. Ryan Broyles tore his ACL late last season, and the Sooners' receivers disappointed in the absence of the FBS all-time leader for receptions. The offense was punchless in an embarrassing blowout loss to Oklahoma State with the Big 12 title on the line. Especially without Jaz Reynolds (kidney) this spring, Stills need to prove he can be a reliable, top-tier receiver for Oklahoma's Big 12 title dreams to come true in 2012.

On the move: Safety Tony Jefferson. How will Jefferson be used in Stoops' defensive scheme? It's a big question for the Sooners. Jefferson's one of the team's most talented players, but he moved around a lot in 2011, seeing time at nickel back and moving to traditional safety after Javon Harris had some high-profile struggles in the loss to Baylor. Jefferson can play and excel at both spots. What the rest of OU's defense looks like depends on where he plays.

Question marks: What does OU's running back spot look like? Dominique Whaley is still rehabbing after breaking his ankle midseason, an injury that birthed the Belldozer formation. Backup quarterback Blake Bell rushed for 13 touchdowns in the second half of the season, but look for Oklahoma to try and find a way to run between the tackles more traditionally this spring. Who can be the man? Brennan Clay, Roy Finch and Danzel Williams are the only healthy scholarship running backs for the Sooners. Will we see fullback Trey Millard get some run, too?

All eyes on: The defense. Quarterback Landry Jones actually played well in a loss to Baylor, but Oklahoma's defense was clearly the weak link in losses to Texas Tech, Baylor and Oklahoma State that turned a year with national title aspirations into an average 10-3 season that finished in the Insight Bowl. The defense played well in the bowl win over Iowa, but Iowa's offense is nothing like what awaits the Sooners in the always-dangerous Big 12. Mike Stoops' work is cut out for him.

Spring football is already under way at Texas Tech, but in the coming weeks, the Big 12's other nine programs will join the Red Raiders in taking the field as a team for the first time since January, December or November for some.

Here's a preview of what to expect:

BAYLOR BEARS

Spring practice start date: March 19
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Nick Florence: It's not official, but the Baylor quarterback job is Florence's to lose. That means he inherits the unenviable task of replacing the school's first Heisman winner. He replaced RG3 in 2009 with mixed results, but showed some major potential in a win over Texas Tech when RG3 took a shot to the head and sat out the second half. Can he keep the bowl streak alive at Baylor? We'll get an idea this spring.
• The defense's progression: You didn't need to see much more than the 67-56 Alamo Bowl win over Washington to know the Bears needed some work on defense. In the month of November, Baylor became the first team in FBS history to win four consecutive games in a single season while also giving up at least 30 points in each of those games. The defense can't make Florence pick up the slack to that level. Year 2 under Phil Bennett must be better. Baylor has no excuses. The Bears have the athletes on campus necessary to be at least a decent defense.
• The team's attitude/motivation: Baylor played with a lot of purpose the past two seasons, and made history in both, cracking a 16-year bowl drought and winning 10 games this year. Is that fire still there? Baylor has to prove it is without RG3 (and Kendall Wright) carrying the team on the field, emotionally and mentally.

IOWA STATE CYCLONES

Spring practice start date: March 20
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• The quarterback battle: Or is it? Jared Barnett looked like the man of the future in Ames late in the season, leading the Cyclones to an historic upset of No. 2 Oklahoma State. But in the ugly Pinstripe Bowl loss to a mediocre Rutgers team, Barnett's inaccuracy posed big questions. He was benched and Steele Jantz stepped in, though he didn't play much better than Barnett. Turnovers were an issue for Jantz early on, but Barnett has to bounce back in the spring to make sure the job doesn't come open.
• The receivers: Darius Reynolds was the big-play man for the Cyclones, but he's gone. It's going to be tough to replace him. Slot receivers Aaron Horne and Josh Lenz were productive, but did little to stretch defenses like Reynolds did. Can ISU find someone to fill the void?
• The new man at left tackle: Iowa State had the luxury of having a future pro, Kelechi Osemele, at left tackle for the past three seasons. He earned All-Big 12 nods in each of those seasons, but he's gone now. Junior Carter Bykowski was behind Osemele on the depth chart, but will the converted tight end be the new man at tackle for the Cyclones?

KANSAS JAYHAWKS

Spring practice start date: March 27
Spring game: April 28

What to watch:

• Uh, everything?: I mean, what's not to watch at KU? Charlie Weis steps in for the fired Turner Gill and tries to build KU up from nothing. The Jayhawks were one of the worst teams in Big 12 history last season, losing six games by at least 30 points. Weis will speak his mind and watching him rebuilding the Jayhawks is going to be fun. It all starts next month -- on the field, at least.
• KU's new pass-catch combo: Dayne Crist is on campus, and so is Oklahoma transfer Justin McCay, a former blue-chip recruit who didn't quite catch on in Norman. Quarterback and receiver were arguably the two biggest positions of need for KU last year, and we'll get a preview of what could be a productive combo next season. McCay isn't officially eligible for the 2012 season yet -- he needs the NCAA to waive its mandated redshirt year after a transfer -- but the coaching staff is confident he'll have it granted.
• The uncertainty on the depth chart: When a new staff comes in, you never know what to expect. Kansas' leading rusher in its final season under Mark Mangino, Toben Opurum, is now one of its best defensive linemen. Look for Weis to shake things up, too. Where? Who knows?

KANSAS STATE WILDCATS

Spring practice start date: April 4
Spring game: April 28

What to watch:

• Collin Klein's maturation: Kansas State's quarterback could be fun to watch this spring and next fall. His throwing motion isn't pretty, but his accuracy improved in a big way throughout the season. If that continues at a pace anything close to what we saw last year, K-State's going to be a load for everyone. Look out.
• Developing depth at running back: John Hubert is back, and so is seldom-used Angelo Pease. Bryce Brown is gone, though. Klein handles a lot of the heavy lifting in the running game, but it'd be some nice insurance if K-State could establish some more depth in the backfield. Making Klein carry the ball 300 times again is tempting fate.
• Stars becoming superstars: Kansas State brings back more starters than all but seven teams in college football, so this team is going to look remarkably similar in 2012 to the way it did last year. However, it should get better. And its two transfers could look dominant this spring. Cornerback Nigel Malone and linebacker Arthur Brown emerged as stars last year, but we could see the duo emerge as true game-changers this spring. Look out, Big 12 offenses.

OKLAHOMA SOONERS

Spring practice start date: March 8
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• New faces on, off the field: Mike Stoops' arrival as the defensive coordinator was the biggest news this offseason in the Big 12, and Brent Venables, who had been at OU for all of Bob Stoops' tenure, left for Clemson rather than become co-defensive coordinator. Hopes are high that Stoops can revitalize Oklahoma's defense. He was in charge when the Sooners rode a dominant D to the 2000 national title, and the Sooners have the talent to win it all in 2012. Receiver Trey Metoyer joins the team this spring, and could be a major contributor immediately. Two of the team's four new tight ends are also enrolled early.
• QB Blake Bell's role: The Belldozer is back … but so is full-time quarterback Landry Jones. How will the balance between the duo look this spring? And what new wrinkles will we see in Oklahoma's simple, yet near-unstoppable short-yardage formation that scored 13 touchdowns in the second half of 2011?
• The battle at defensive end: Oklahoma must fill two huge holes at defensive end. Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Frank Alexander is gone, as is possible first-round pick Ronnell Lewis. R.J. Washington contributed late and has potential, but David King filled in for Lewis in the final three games of the season. The duo could be great, but it could also be pretty pedestrian. We'll get an idea this spring, but Lewis and Alexander set a high, high bar.

OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS

Spring practice start date: March 12
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• The quarterback battle: This will easily be the highest-profile, highest-quality quarterback battle in the Big 12. It won't be at the level of Texas Tech in 2010, but it won't be too far off. Clint Chelf, J.W. Walsh and Wes Lunt will go head to head. All have plenty of potential, though Lunt may have the most. The big-armed true freshman also has the least experience. Anything could happen here.
• Which receivers rise: Justin Blackmon and Josh Cooper leave huge holes behind. It's not every day a two-time Biletnikoff Award winner walks on campus. Hubert Anyiam is gone, too. Michael Harrison is unlikely to play for the 2012 season, but the school has offered no confirmation on his status. He had the most potential, but OSU is deep at the position. Who emerges as the top target? Isaiah Anderson? Tracy Moore? Josh Stewart? Anything could happen there, too.
• Defense needs a leader: Safety Markelle Martin has been the heart of the defense the past two seasons, but his big-hitting days are over. Who becomes the new voice of the defense? It needs to find leadership this spring heading into summer voluntary workouts.

TEXAS LONGHORNS

Spring practice start date: Feb. 23
Spring game: April 1

What to watch:

• The quarterback competition: I still think having a competition at the spot, which Texas says it will, isn't the best option, but David Ash and Case McCoy will go at it alongside early-enrolling freshman Connor Brewer. If Ash secures the job, expect an announcement heading into summer officially anointing the sophomore.
• More sophistication on both sides of the ball: The progression is natural and likely. Offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin and defensive coordinator Manny Diaz had good first years in Austin, but this is Year 2. The spring won't be devoted to learning the playbook. It's time to master it. Both units could look markedly different, and much more refined next fall. Deny it all you like: Texas is back on its way to the top after a rough two years.
• Maturing offensive weapons: Last season, the Longhorns relied on two true freshman running backs (Malcolm Brown/Joe Bergeron), a freshman/sophomore rotation at quarterback and its top receiver (Jaxon Shipley) was a true freshman. No. 2 (Mike Davis) was a sophomore. I hope I don't have to tell you what freshmen and sophomores do in college football. Look. Out.

TCU HORNED FROGS

Spring practice start date: Feb. 25
Spring end date: April 5

What to watch:

• Can TCU shut out the scandal? Four team members were arrested in a recent drug sting and kicked off the team. How much of a distraction will that be for a program undergoing the most monumental change in its history? Quantifying the effects of the scandal will be pretty impossible, and we've got no idea how they'll handle the change, but will it be on players' minds?
• The offense tightens up: The Horned Frogs' offense is absolutely loaded and ready to go for 2012. Quarterback Casey Pachall returns and brings his top three weapons (Josh Boyce, Skye Dawson and Brandon Carter) with him. Running backs Waymon James, Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker each topped 700 yards rushing in 2011 and all return. The spring will be all about fine-tuning an already stellar offense, and it'll be fun to watch.
• Replacing departed starters: All-America linebacker Tanner Brock was among the four football players arrested and booted from the team, as was all-conference defensive tackle D.J. Yendrey and likely starting safety Devin Johnson. Those were unforeseen losses, but TCU can't feel sorry for itself. Gary Patterson has no choice but to find new faces to fill those holes.

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS

Spring practice start date: Feb. 17
Spring game: March 24

What to watch:

• Once again, a new defense: Texas Tech sounds like a broken record these days when it comes to defensive coordinators. This time, Art Kaufman will be stepping to the microphone as the fourth defensive coordinator in Lubbock in four years. He's bringing a 4-3, a shift back to what Ruffin McNeil ran in 2009. Chad Glasgow's 4-2-5 and James Willis' 3-4 failed miserably in 2011 and 2010, respectively, the first two years under Tommy Tuberville.
• The battle at running back: No one knows yet if Eric Stephens will be back next season. There's still a long way to go in his rehab from a dislocated knee he suffered last season in a loss to Texas A&M. DeAndre Washington is also out this spring after tearing his ACL against Missouri. Harrison Jeffers hung up his cleats. Who will prove to be reliable this spring? Look for the Red Raiders to try to use sophomore Bradley Marquez, freshman Javares McRoy and junior SaDale Foster in a manner similar to the way Oregon uses scatback De'Anthony Thomas, with lots of short passes and bubble screens to get them the ball in space, where they can use their speed and shiftiness to make plays.
• Team health: Tuberville said earlier this month that the team is missing 15 players this spring. It can't afford any more injuries. It's already going to be tough to get enough done this spring, but Tech can't start getting banged up.

WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS

Spring practice start date: March 11
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• Dana Holgorsen's offense in Year 2: Holgorsen didn't get a chance to coach his talented offense at Oklahoma State in its second year. The results could have been crazy. They might be at West Virginia in 2012, and the beginning steps will be taken this spring as Geno Smith & Co. get more and more comfortable with the system and Holgorsen adds more wrinkles.
• The battle at running back: Sophomore Dustin Garrison hurt his knee in practices leading up to the Mountaineers' 70-33 Orange Bowl win over Clemson, and won't be there for the spring. What does senior Shawne Alston have in store for the spring? Garrison was the featured back last season, but a big spring could help Alston earn a few carries next year.
• Defense needs help: Najee Goode leaves a big hole at linebacker, and defensive back Eain Smith's exit means the Mountaineers enter the season without two of their top three tacklers from a year ago. Bruce Irvin and Julian Miller's talents on the defensive line will be tough to replace, and in a league that requires a great pass rush, Irvin, Goode and Miller's 19 combined sacks must be replaced somehow.

Signing day has come and gone.

NFL decisions have been made.

Coaching staffs -- the major moves, at least -- have been settled.

The league membership looks close to being settled.

With all that stuff behind us, it's time to update our Big 12 Power Rankings with spring football quickly approaching.

I mentioned this in our last update, but I'll reiterate just how wide open the Big 12 is going to be in 2012. That won't change for awhile. In 2011, the league only had three teams that could realistically win the Big 12: Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M.

This year, I could see each of the top six teams winning the league. Oklahoma's the favorite, but nowhere near as heavy a favorite as it was in 2011. The preseason voting should be interesting.

Here's how I slate it:

1. Oklahoma: The Sooners brought in old defensive coordinator Mike Stoops but lost Brent Venables to Clemson. Stoops' biggest task will be fixing a secondary susceptible to big plays by big offenses in 2011, but Oklahoma will need its strong recruiting class of receivers to contribute immediately.

2. Kansas State: K-State, in accordance with the founding principle of Bill Snyder's coaching method, should be a much-improved team by the fall. Snyder will keep his squad close to the vest this spring, but there won't be nearly as many new faces on the field in 2012. This 10-game winner will be a Big 12 title contender in 2012.

3. West Virginia: The Mountaineers are still fighting the Big East to leave for the Big 12 in 2012 instead of 2014, and it may cost them more than the $5 million exit fee they originally planned to pay. On the field, though, the Mountaineers have tons of returning offensive talent, a play-making QB and an innovative mind running it. Even if your defense is awful, Baylor proved that offense will get you a long way in this league.

4. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys' program has stabilized, and even while breaking in a new quarterback and new top receivers, the defense should be improved and the running backs are capable of carrying the offense. The Cowboys won't throw the ball 595 times this year like they did in 2011, but this is probably an eight- or nine-win team that has some upside.

5. TCU: TCU's definitely a Big 12 title contender, but in a deep league, there's no telling how it'll handle the jump from the Mountain West to the Big 12. The offense is loaded. The defense should be better. But the transition will be a bit easier for West Virginia. We'll see how TCU handles the week-to-week grind.

6. Texas: The Longhorns must develop some offensive consistency, but I'm banking on UT having the best defense in the Big 12 once again. Texas' D was dominant at times in 2011, which is difficult in a league with the kind of offenses the Big 12 has. The running game will be great, but the QB spot must be settled and excellent for UT to have any chance to actually win the league.

7. Baylor: Baylor has the athletes on defense, and it should be better in Year 2 under defensive coordinator Phil Bennett, but without Robert Griffin III elevating the team and making plays, it'll be tough for the Bears to win more than 10 games like they did in 2011. Nick Florence has experience and should be a good replacement, but he's no Heisman winner.

8. Texas Tech: Tech has a lot of upside, and should get back to a bowl game in 2012, but it'll have to prove it for now. Injuries have hounded this team for two years, but the Red Raiders have more returning starters than any team in the Big 12 and all but one team in college football. They'll be missing 15 players in the spring, but Tech's time at the bottom of the Big 12 would seem to be ending.

9. Iowa State: Iowa State's trying to build, and it slid in another good building block in 2011 with six wins, a bowl berth and two benchmark wins over Iowa and Oklahoma State. The Cyclones will return a solid team, but in a deep Big 12, its athletes will be tested.

10. Kansas: The Jayhawks' road back up begins now. Is Charlie Weis the man to make it happen? Plenty of folks don't think so, but that doesn't matter all that much. For now, he's already provided an instant talent upgrade at important positions like QB and receiver. KU needs a lot more after losing six games by more than 30 points in 2011's 2-10 campaign.

From Bob Przybylo: In-depth Oklahoma recruiting news and notes.

From Brandon Chatmon: Breaking down some of Brent Venables' best -- and worst -- recruits.

Roundtable: Who was Oklahoma's special teams MVP for 2011?

Mailbag: Jake Trotter answers questions, including his thoughts on who will replace Brent Venables.

Brandon Chatmon writes: Defensive end recruit Charles Tapper is not affected by Brent Venables’ departure.

Bob Przybylo writes: Oklahoma has firm commitments from Eric Striker and Daniel Brooks.

Brent Venables called the decision to leave Oklahoma for Clemson a "really difficult" one full one of "pros and cons" in an emotional interview Thursday morning on KREF Sports Talk 1400 with OU play-by-play radio voice Toby Rowland.

"I've been happy at Oklahoma," Venables said. "But I felt deep down this was the right thing for me to do at the right time."

Venables said he was excited about the team the Sooners had returning next season, and actually was "really happy" about the chance to work with Mike Stoops as co-defensive coordinators again. But Venables said the opportunity to improve his chances of one day becoming a head coach prompted him to make the move.

"I've got a fabulous relationship with Mike Stoops and felt together we are better," Venables said. "I thought really we could rekindle the old magic if you will and was really looking forward to that.

"But it was time to make a move. This could be an opportunity for me down the road to become a head coach as well."

Venables had been an Oklahoma assistant under Bob Stoops since 1999. All four of his children were born in Norman. Underscoring the difficulty of the decision, Venables broke up at the end of the interview talking about how special Oklahoma and Norman has been to he and his family.

"All my children are Normanites," he said before a long pause. "This will always be great memories. Believe it or not I'll still call this home."

Kansas State's defensive coordinator search is now official.

Chris Cosh is headed to South Florida.

South Florida has hired Kansas State assistant Chris Cosh to be its defensive coordinator, reuniting him with coach Skip Holtz.

Cosh served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Wildcats since 2009. Kansas State improved in a big way in 2011, cutting almost 100 yards per game off of its rushing defense to rank 37th nationally.

Holtz and Cosh worked together as assistants at South Carolina under Lou Holtz from 1999-2003. In all, Cosh has been a defensive coordinator for 15 of his 28 seasons as an assistant, with stops as well at Maryland, Michigan State and Illinois.

More on this story here.

It's clear that Brent Venables won't be heading back to Kansas State, but Bill Snyder's got a big void in his staff to fill with Cosh's exit.

NORMAN, Okla. – When Bob Stoops brought his brother back to Norman, he envisioned recapturing the magic that generated some of the best defenses in Oklahoma history.

Instead, Stoops will now have to hire a linebacker coach.

Wednesday night, co-defensive coordinator Brent Venables announced that he has left Oklahoma to become the defensive coordinator at Clemson, leaving the Sooners with another coaching vacancy.

In hiring Mike Stoops last week, Bob Stoops believed he was getting the band back together.

With Mike Stoops calling the defense and Venables co-coordinating, the Sooners ranked third nationally in fewest yards allowed in 2003. In 2001, Oklahoma ranked fourth.

And in the 2000 national championship game, the Stoops brothers and Venables devised a defensive game plan for the ages as the Sooners kept Florida State’s high-powered offense from scoring.

Too much time, however, had passed. And Bob Stoops’ hopes proved to be short-lived. After Venables and Mike Stoops took a recruiting trip together to Florida, Venables and his wife flew to Clemson. And the allure of a new challenge, a massive pay raise and the chance to call his own defense again won out.

Because of the success the Sooners endured while Mike Stoops was the senior partner in the relationship, Venables was never fully appreciated by the Oklahoma fan base. Moreover, the explosion of Big 12 offenses after Mike Stoops left made it virtually impossible to produce top five defenses.

But Venables still coordinated some gems that helped catapult the Sooners to Big 12 championships in ’06, ’08 and ’10.

In 2008, the Sooners wiped out second-ranked Texas Tech by holding one of the nation’s top offenses to a single touchdown in the first half. OU went on to play for a national championship that season.

But perhaps his most memorable coaching job came in the final game of the ’10 regular season against Oklahoma State. Faced with the task of slowing down the high-powered Cowboys, Bob Stoops and Venables elected to revamp the entire defense, going to a 3-4 scheme. The shift stunned the Cowboys, and Oklahoma State managed only three offensive touchdowns as Oklahoma prevailed.

But as much as the Sooners will miss Venables as a coordinator and linebackers coach, they will miss him just as much as an ace recruiter.

Ronnell Lewis, Demontre Hurst, Tom Wort, Corey Nelson, Austin Box, Jamell Fleming and DeMarco Murray are just a few of the standouts Venables had a hand in recruiting to Norman in recent years.

He also was the assistant who secured two of OU’s top verbal commitments in this recruiting class: safety Eric Striker and running back Daniel Brooks. Venables also was the primary assistant recruiting California cornerback Brandon Beaver, who is scheduled to visit OU this weekend.

Bob Stoops tried to get the band back together. With his brother and Venables blazing the recruiting trail as a tandem, then forging those ferocious defenses again on the field.

Instead, the Stoopses will be on their own. Turned out, the band didn’t get back together.

Brent Venables is saying goodbye to Oklahoma, his home since 1999, the entirety of Bob Stoops' tenure in Norman.

He's accepted a job as the defensive coordinator at Clemson.

Colleague Jake Trotter of SoonerNation has the story:

NORMAN, Okla. -- Last week, the Sooners added a defensive coordinator.

This week, they lost one.

Brent Venables, an assistant at Oklahoma under Bob Stoops since 1999, is leaving to take the defensive coordinator job at Clemson.

Venables was co-defensive coordinator at OU from 1999 to 2003, before taking the defensive playcalling over after Mike Stoops left. But last week, Stoops brought his brother Mike back to the staff, relegating Venables to being a co-coordinator again.

Looks like the K-State faithful will have to look elsewhere for their new defensive coordinator ... and head coach?

Bill Snyder famously returned to Kansas State with the intention of "calming the waters" and restoring stability to Kansas State's program.

Well, it appears the seas at Kansas State are notably less stormy these days, fresh off a 10-win season and returning a team with the pieces to win a Big 12 title.

Down south in Oklahoma, though, the seas look a bit rockier.

Willie Martinez was let go to make room for Mike Stoops, whose arrival paved the way for what can only be classified as a demotion for Brent Venables. He's gone from the man in charge of Oklahoma's defense since 2004 to the man sharing coordinator duties with Stoops, the exact spot he sat in back in 2003.

Between now and then, head coaching opportunities have surfaced but were never consummated.

Now, it's a little different.

The new arrival at Oklahoma has Venables mulling a reported offer from Clemson, an unthinkable move in any other scenario. In this situation, it's understandable. Stoops, through no one's fault, now stands as a rather large deterrent to Venables ever becoming a head coach.

Until, well, Monday.

News out of Clemson has been quiet, and Monday night, a report surfaced that sent Kansas State DC Chris Cosh to South Florida.

Venables has a decision to make. But after a new opening at Kansas State, it should be easy for both sides.

Hire Venables immediately. Do whatever it takes to bring him back to his alma mater and have Snyder walk away from Kansas State one more time on top.

Then hand the program off to Venables.

After Will Muschamp left Texas, no coordinator in the Big 12 was more ready for a head coaching job. Venables spent six years at Kansas State coaching linebackers from 1993-98 before leaving to join Bob Stoops at Oklahoma.

Now's the time to come back. It's fallen into place for both sides.

Venables' head-coaching opportunities have slimmed a bit, but the man can still coach and put together a defense. Why else would programs like Clemson be chasing him? His road to a head coach job becomes clearer under Dabo Swinney.

But it won't be clearer anywhere else than if Snyder decides to bring his pupil back on board and hand him the reins to the program in 2013.

The dead period is over in recruiting, and the late move complicates matters on the trail, but in coaching, coaches do what's best for themselves. No one would blame Venables for leaving, just like no one blames Bob Stoops for demoting Venables in favor of a veteran head coach who's also his brother. Kansas State would get an ideal candidate for the job, someone familiar with Snyder's ways and knowledgeable about the challenges the program has to overcome to be successful.

Snyder mastered that. Venables seems the most likely to continue it.

That leaves three big questions:

• Does Kansas State want to take the leap and go down the coach-in-waiting role that has failed others?

It should. The problem that derailed Muschamp at Texas was the open-ended time frame for Mack Brown to step down.

One or two years makes sense at Kansas State.

What about West Virginia? Please. Snyder's not going to be spreading salacious rumors about his understudy, and this is only a good idea if Snyder is on board. Bill Stewart was forced into handing his duties to Dana Holgorsen.

• Does Venables want to take the leap?

Kansas State is a different place than Oklahoma. He won't have the nation's top talent to craft his defenses anymore. Life's going to be more difficult in The Little Apple, but is anyone more ready to handle it than Venables?

• Is Snyder ready to leave again?

He hasn't exactly offered many hints that he is. That's another big hurdle to clear, and something Snyder has to eventually decide. The 72-year-old just finished his third season back at Kansas State.

But for both sides, this move makes too much sense. If Venables wants to be a head coach, Kansas State is the best and quickest option for him to do it.

If Kansas State wants the best coach to succeed Snyder a second time, the Snyder disciple and Kansas native, Venables, is their man.

You might be the luckiest man in the world ... and not even know it.

• The age-old debate — Can TCU compete in the Big 12 — is over. Time to quit debating, and start playing, writes Randy Galloway of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
• Missouri's ready for the SEC, but is the SEC East ready for Missouri? Paul Myerberg of Pre-Snap Read says this is not your father's Mizzou.
• Travis Haney and Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman have dueling looks at the decision facing Brent Venables. Here's what he must weigh. And ultimately, it's about money and prestige vs. comfort.
• The change at OU means one thing, too: Bob Stoops can no longer say he's never fired an assistant.
• Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman looks back at the preseason predictions he made and, well, it's not pretty.
• Kansas quarterback Brock Berglund was dismissed on Monday for missing a mandatory team meeting he told officials he wouldn't be able to attend, reports Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World.
• Texas A&M and Missouri aren't locked in as permanent cross-division rivals in the SEC. Arkansas is "on the table" reports Vahe Gregorian of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
• K-State fans were ready to run defensive coordinator Chris Cosh out of town this time last year. Now, he's the main target to replace Mark Snyder, who left for Texas A&M, at USF. Greg Auman of the St. Petersburg Times has the story.
• Kansas added three junior college transfers to its recruiting class in the past few days.
• Don't look now, but an ex-Texas quarterback is the favorite to win the job at Colorado in 2012, writes Kyle Ringo of the Boulder Daily Camera.
• Texas has confirmed the six players who'll be joining the team this spring.
• Tom Keegan of the Lawrence Journal-World has more on the reuniting of Charlie Weis and Dayne Crist at Kansas.
• Iowa State takes you on a virtual tour of its new facility building.

It’s official. Mike Stoops is coming back to Norman.

Oklahoma announced the hiring in a release Friday. Stoops will serve as co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach along with Brent Venables. OU also announced that secondary coach Willie Martinez has resigned.

“Mike and Brent were out the door recruiting together within two hours of Mike’s hiring so we’re off to a good start,” coach Bob Stoops said in a statement. “Mike and Brent have a long history and comfort level working together, and have together led some great defenses.”

Clemson reportedly has made a push to hire Venables to be its defensive coordinator. The Tigers fired defensive coordinator Kevin Steele this week.

OU hasn’t announced yet whether Venables or Mike Stoops will call the plays.

If Venables stays, he and Mike Stoops will be co-coordinators for the second time in their careers. The two coordinated the OU defense from 1999-03 until Stoops took the head job at Arizona. Mike Stoops was fired from that job after the Wildcats got off to a 1-5 start this season.

“We feel very fortunate to have Mike on our staff. Over the past few months, because of the reputation he has built among his peers, he was a highly sought-after coach,” Bob Stoops said. “People across the country recognize his tremendous knowledge of the game and great energy. He will have a very positive impact on our program.”

Bob Stoops said that Martinez will pursue “attractive options” at other schools.

“I appreciate all of Willie’s work here,” Bob Stoops said. “He represented our program in the right way and will continue to do well in our profession.”

Mike Stoops is joining his brother Bob's staff as the co-defensive coordinator at Oklahoma. Former Jim Thorpe Award winner Derrick Strait, one of the best players Mike Stoops ever coached at OU, spoke to SoonerNation about the move.

Jake Trotter: What do you think about Mike coming back?

Derrick Strait: I think it’s a good idea. The pass defense wasn’t up to par like it should be. I think he’ll come in and do a great job.

JT: What will Mike bring to the table?

DS: His attitude and what he expects from you as a player. There’s something about him that brings out the best in the players. He puts you in the right situation.

JT: It seems like the players enjoyed playing for him at OU?

DS: You like playing for him. He doesn’t put you in bad situations. He never put you in a situation where you didn’t feel comfortable with the game plan. We trusted in what he was saying. He trusted us enough. And he put you in the right situations. We didn’t have guys out there confused about anything. A lot of games this season it seemed the secondary was in limbo with what it should do. With us, it was more like we knew what we were doing and were confident about it. There was no second-guessing.

JT: You thought the secondary this season played confused at times?

DS: They just didn’t look as sure as needed to be in some games.

JT: How critical is that when you’re the last line of defense?

DS: When you’re the last line of defense, you have to be confident in the things do. When you’re thinking, you play slower, that’s when guys get behind you. That’s when big plays happen. You can’t afford that in the secondary.

JT: How intense was Mike when you played?

DS: More or less, it’s all about how you receive what he’s saying. Not how he’s saying it. You can’t take it personally. He’s not telling you something to hurt you. You just have to take it in stride.

JT: What is your advice to the current defensive backs?

DS: Just listen. If you don’t feel comfortable, just ask him. He does a great job teaching you, explaining the defense and how it should work. I sat next to him in the meeting room, and always asked questions.

JT: How did Mike and Brent Venables get along?

DS: They got along good. If there were any arguments, it was over a situation. It was never personal. They were both good guys. They worked great together, actually. I hope coach Venables stays.

Oklahoma will see a different Justin Blackmon on Saturday.

The Oklahoma State receiver was slowed by a ankle injury during last year’s meeting but still finished the game with eight catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. This season, the Cowboys wideout is healthy heading into the Bedlam matchup.

“I’m excited,” Blackmon said. “You don’t want to go into any game hurt. I’m healed up, ready to go.”

A healthy Blackmon should be the biggest test for the Sooners secondary. Fortunately for OU, they have two of the Big 12‘s best cornerbacks in Demontre Hurst and Jamell Fleming.

“It’s going to be a challenge for myself and Jamell,” Hurst said. “He competes in everything he does.”

Blackmon brings terrific size (6-foot-1, 215 pounds) and athleticism to the table. He is in line to win the Biletnikoff Award for the second time as the nation’s most outstanding receiver.

“He’s very physical,” Hurst said. “The main thing for me and our defense is to match what he does. We just have to match his physicalness.”

And Consider Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables thrilled that Saturday will be the final time he’ll have to deal with Justin Blackmon.

“He’s got great strength and he’s a great competitor, too,” Venables said. “He likes when the game is on the line and wants to be the guy.

“Whether you double team him, triple him, single him, it doesn’t matter. It’s usually the same results. He’s a fabulous player.”

Blackmon, a redshirt junior, will be honored during senior day activities Saturday.

A Big 12 coach won't win the Broyles Award this year, given to college football's top assistant coach. Here are the five finalists:

• John Chavis, DC, LSU
• Paul Chryst, OC, Wisconsin
• Greg Mattison, DC, Michigan
• Garrick McGee, OC, Arkansas
• Sal Sunseri, AHC/LB, Alabama

That's a pretty solid group there. Not sure the Big 12 has an argument.

Oklahoma DC Brent Venables, Oklahoma State OC Todd Monken, and Texas DC Manny Diaz were the only Big 12 candidates from the list of nominees, but I'd take Diaz as the best of that bunch this year. I don't think he warrants taking any of the five candidates off this list.

Oklahoma State's Dana Holgorsen was a candidate for last year's award, and though he should have won, the award was given to Auburn OC Gus Malzahn.