re: Venables doesn't want players to commit if they gonna see Bama/UGA on the side...

About when BV left OU.

In 2011 his brother passed away a day after Austin Box (OU player) passed away. This took an emotional toll on Brent. He lost his focus and Clemson reached out. Bob was bringing Mike back in an advisor role as well, but Brent was to stilll be DC. There was no demotion and had there been any bad feelings BV would mot have come back. Go read up on how those deaths took a toll.

Here’s sime clips about his leaving when with Clemson and facing OU later on:

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“He described his 2012 move from OU after spending 13 seasons as the Sooners’ defensive coordinator.

“When I was in Atlanta making the connector, coach (Bob) Stoops and I were still texting and I almost turned around,” Venables recalled. “Not because of anything other than it’s scary and you’re wondering what you’re taking your family into.

“These people have been just fabulous. At the time, it’s unknown. You’re leaving your comfort zone and where you were at and what you were doing. You felt like this is what you needed to do in the bottom of your heart, but it’s a leap of faith.”

Venables sounded pained about facing his former boss in the Orlando, Florida, bowl game. The friendships he built weren’t severed when he left Norman.

He made sure to say his departure had nothing to do with OU and everything to do with Clemson.
“We’re not the only people who’ve had to move somewhere else and into new territory in the coaching profession,” Venables said. “Anybody that has can understand what I’m saying.
“I was incredibly excited about the opportunity to work with Mike (Stoops) again,” he added. “Without question, it would have been a great reunion, so to speak. I was really looking forward to that.”

Still, leaving Norman was difficult.

“It was a lot harder than it was easy. You just feel alone in your journey,” he said. “It’s been awesome, though. Those are all things that help you grow and mature and see things differently. It’s a feel-good-story now in that we’ve continued to have success.”

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