FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Brent Venables doesn’t exactly look the part of Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield, but he’s happy to play the role in practice.
Venables routinely takes snaps and tosses the ball around against Clemson’s defense in practice, giving the team a look at what’s in store in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl. It’s just that he’s hardly a natural at the position, according to linebacker Ben Boulware.
“His throwing motion is so ugly,” Boulware said. “I don’t know how he hasn’t changed it in all his years of coaching. It’s bad.”
It’s a sidearm, wonky approach that causes laughter among the defensive backs -- right up until Venables zings one into the arms of a receiver downfield. Then the tune changes just a bit.
“He can throw some dimes,” Boulware said. “Surprisingly, he can make some throws. He’s beat our DBs, and it’s funny, because they get so mad when they get beat on a deep ball by Coach Venables, because his arm is just terrible.”
Of course, it’s not just Venables’ arm that upsets the players on the practice field. It’s his mouth, too. Few coaches ride their teams harder than Venables, but to his credit, he gives the players a chance to exact some revenge.
Last week, Venables was again playing QB -- a live target for the D-line. All-American Shaq Lawson took advantage of the opportunity.
“Shaq sacked him, threw him to the ground,” Boulware said. “He was cussing us all practice, then Shaq blasts him.”
The team loved it. So did Venables, who hopped up and shouted his approval.
“It shot a fire into him,” Boulware said.
It’s part of what endears Clemson’s defensive coordinator to his team so much. He gets down and dirty at practice -- even if it’s at the expense of his physical well-being.
“It just shows what he’s willing to do,” Boulware said. “He’ll get tackled by Shaq Lawson because he wants to win so bad. He’ll do anything for his team.”
