Sooners' Brent Venables says 'unlike' Deion Sanders, he gave players 'grace' period in first year as coach

Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.

Oklahoma head football coach Brent Venables knows what it is like to take over a program in the current era of college football. 

Venables is preparing to enter his second season in Norman, Oklahoma, following a disappointing 6-7 record in his first year. 

Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables coaches from the sidelines in the second half of play against the Iowa State Cyclones at Jack Trice Stadium on Oct. 29, 2022 in Ames, Iowa. The Oklahoma Sooners won 27-13 over the Iowa State Cyclones. (David Purdy/Getty Images)

Venables was hired in December 2021 following Lincoln Riley’s departure to USC, inheriting a roster that went 11-2 the year before. 

NOTRE DAME QUARTERBACK TO MAKE SURGICALLY REMOVED RIB INTO NECKLACE

Despite the record, Venables said a "resetting of the standard" was needed in a recent interview on "The REF 1400 Podcast."

"Eighteen months ago when I got here, we weren’t going to class like we needed to," Venables said. "We weren’t living right off the field like we need to. So, you talk about a culture change and a resetting of the standard and what the expectations are." 

Venables then took a dig at Colorado head coach Deion Sanders for how he has reshaped his roster as he prepares for his first season in Boulder, Colorado.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders plays to the fans in the first half of the team's spring practice NCAA college football game Saturday, April 22, 2023, in Boulder, Colorado. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

"I gave guys 12 months of grace. I was unlike Deion," Venables said. "I gave guys 12 months of grace to figure it out. Here’s the three: Go to class, live right off the field and when you