Brent Venables, entering his fourth season as the head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners, is beginning to show just how much influence he wields over every inch of the program. Known for his meticulous attention to detail, relentless energy, and defensive genius, Venables has never shied away from pushing players who match his football values — grit, work ethic, selflessness, and high football IQ — into the spotlight. Now, in a development that underscores both his loyalty and his coaching instinct, Venables is reportedly using his full authority as head coach to ensure that one of the most overlooked yet valuable players on the Sooners roster gets more time on the field in the 2025 season.
In a football era increasingly defined by star power, NIL deals, and transfer portal headlines, this move might seem countercultural. But for Venables, it’s business as usual. The player in question is sophomore linebacker Kade McIntyre, a Nebraska native and former three-star recruit who arrived in Norman largely under the national radar. McIntyre didn’t enter the program with the fanfare of five-star studs like PJ Adebawore or Jackson Arnold. Instead, he brought with him a quiet intensity and a desire to contribute in any way possible — on special teams, in practice, or during mop-up duty when games were already decided. What’s become increasingly obvious, however, is that his time buried on the depth chart might be coming to an end.
Venables has always been a coach who relishes player development. Unlike some head coaches who delegate that entirely to position coaches or coordinators, Venables remains hands-on, especially with the defense. Those close to the program have noticed a shift during spring ball and the early parts of fall camp: McIntyre is getting more first-team reps, more schematic responsibilities, and more praise from the coaching staff. The writing is on the wall — Venables sees something in McIntyre that goes beyond measurables or recruiting pedigree.
Coaches talk constantly about culture, but Venables has made it the bedrock of his rebuilding process at Oklahoma. After a rough first season in 2022 where the Sooners went 6-7 and lost five one-possession games, Venables started emphasizing the intangibles in recruiting and development. He wants players who don’t flinch when adversity hits, who can adjust on the fly, who think like coaches on the field. McIntyre, it seems, checks every box.
Last season, McIntyre was used mostly in a special teams role and occasionally rotated in late during blowout wins. But in those limited reps, he flashed signs of a player who understood leverage, angles, and run fits far beyond what you’d expect from someone his age and experience. His tackling efficiency was high, and he rarely got caught out of position. More importantly, Venables saw how he handled meetings and walkthroughs — always the first to arrive, always the last to leave, often helping teammates get lined up correctly.
This upcoming season marks a critical one for Oklahoma. With their inaugural SEC campaign underway, the Sooners face an elevated level of weekly competition. Every snap, every substitution, every strategic wrinkle matters more than ever. And that’s precisely why Venables is doubling down on McIntyre. He doesn’t see him as a future contributor. He sees him as a now guy — someone who can offer stability in the linebacker rotation, especially in situations that demand discipline and sound tackling. Whether it’s on third-and-short against Alabama or covering tight ends against Georgia, Venables believes McIntyre can thrive when the lights are brightest.
There are skeptics, of course. In the modern college football world, fans often demand flashy production and viral highlights. McIntyre isn’t that kind of player. He’s not going to record a 20-sack season or hurdle blockers for a pick-six. But what he will do is execute his assignment with precision, make the tackle that prevents a first down, and provide the kind of cerebral consistency that every elite defense needs to function. Venables, who made his name as a defensive coordinator at Clemson crafting top-tier defenses out of disciplined parts, knows the value of such players.
By pushing McIntyre up the depth chart, Venables is sending a message to the rest of the team — and maybe to college football as a whole. Development still matters. Culture still matters. And sometimes, the most important contributors aren’t the ones who generate headlines, but the ones who make sure the other ten guys on the field are doing their jobs right. In a league filled with chaos and personnel turnover, McIntyre might become a symbol of the program’s stability.
There’s also a long game here. Venables isn’t just thinking about one game or even one season. He’s trying to build an SEC-ready roster that can win consistently over the long haul. And that means developing depth, trusting the process, and identifying glue guys who may never win individual awards but who hold the locker room together. McIntyre might not be the loudest voice in the building, but by all accounts, he’s one of the most respected — precisely the kind of player Venables wants more of in his program.
As Oklahoma continues its preparation for the brutal gauntlet of SEC play, don’t be surprised if Kade McIntyre starts showing up more and more — not just on the field but on stat sheets, in post-game breakdowns, and in quiet moments when a big stop saves a game. That’s Brent Venables’ vision in action. He’s not playing favorites. He’s playing football the way it was meant to be played: smart, physical, and with the kind of commitment that can’t be measured by star rankings or social media followers.
For McIntyre, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime. For Venables, it’s just another example of trusting what his football instincts tell him. And for the Sooners, it might be the kind of subtle move that helps define their 2025 campaign.
