SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Brent Venables knows how to work an audience.
Clemson’s defensive coordinator entered the media room at the J.W. Marriott Camelback Inn and Resort on Tuesday morning sporting a crisp navy blue suit with a striped orange and purple tie. He flashed smile after smile and confidently answered questions on an array of topics: Ohio State’s offense, defending Curtis Samuel and J.T. Barrett and his overall defensive philosophy just to name a few.
There wasn’t a single question thrown Venables’ way he didn't handle.
And this is precisely what it’s like when you’re one of the top assistant coaches in the country.
“Intense is the word I would use,” Clemson defensive tackle Carlos Watkins said of Venables. “He don’t change. He’s always going to be intense. He’s a perfectionist and he wants to be the best and he challenges us to be the best and that’s why I love him as a defensive coordinator.”
On Dec. 31, Venables will be tasked with slowing down Barrett, Samuel and the rest of Ohio State’s offense. It’s a tall order, for sure, but it’s one Venables is certainly capable of tackling. The 2016 Broyles Award winner — given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach — will do anything and everything to slow down the opposition.
“They’re very multiple and they’re very unorthodox about when it’s called,” Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer said. “I’m glad we have this much time because we’re spending a lot of time on those multiple looks.”
Perhaps nothing illustrates Venables’ ‘unorthodox’ style more than a particular play in the ACC championship game against Virginia Tech. Clemson dropped all 11 defenders into pass coverage and rushed nobody at Hokies quarterback Jerod Evans.
Virginia Tech gained 42 yards on the play and Watkins admitted Tuesday it was a scheme mistake on Clemson’s behalf, but it just showed Venables’ unpredictability as a play caller.
Ohio State has to be ready for anything.
“I think that’s a big part of the game: not letting people get comfortable,” Venables said. “From week to week people are studying what you’re doing so you’ve got to try to stay a step ahead and I think you’d be naive if you don’t.”
Venables was a longtime assistant coach at Oklahoma before he moved to Clemson in 2012 to become the defensive coordinator for Dabo Swinney. Since then, the Tigers have emerged annually as one of the top defenses in college football, churning out NFL talent left and right.
This year is no different as Clemson’s defense — led by Watkins, defensive lineman Christian Wilkins, cornerback Cordrea Tankersley, linebacker Ben Boulware — ranks eighth nationally allowing just 313.9 yards per game.
Venables is the mastermind behind the entire thing.
“He does a great job of mixing up defenses and applying pressure,” Ohio State co-offensive coordinator Ed Warinner said. “Brent is an outstanding football coach and he’ll have his team ready to go. It will be exciting to see what they bring to the table because they’ll have some wrinkles for us.”
Those new wrinkles are almost guaranteed with Venables calling the shots. That’s just the way he operates, and Ohio State is prepared to expect the unexpected.
“They send a bunch of different blitzes, come at you in different ways,” Samuel said. “They don’t make many mistakes and I feel like that’s what makes a defense good, not making too many mistakes and playing together.”
