NORMAN — University of Oklahoma head football coach Brent Venables has been named the Honorary Head Coach on the 2025 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, the American Football Coaches Association announced Tuesday.
Each year, one honorary head coach is selected for the Good Works Team. Venables, who was one of 16 head coaches nominated, was chosen as this year's honoree for transforming his program while championing service and leadership off the field. He is the first OU head coach selected for the Good Works Team.
Venables, who is in his fourth season as OU head coach, has ingrained service into the Oklahoma football program and lives through the spirit of service every day. From his longstanding 212 Foundation to his establishment of OU's SOUL Mission player-development program, Venables works to ensure that he, the members of his staff and his players each understand their role in the world around them and live up to a high standard of citizenship.
When he was named head coach, one of the first things Venables did was establish SOUL Mission to serve the holistic development of each football student-athlete. The mission is to equip and empower OU football student-athletes with the tools needed for their present and future success, on the field, in the classroom and beyond. Venables' 212 Foundation supports single moms, breast cancer research and education, and operates with the mission to care just one extra degree by raising awareness and providing educational opportunities to those faced by the challenges of abuse and health concerns across the state of Oklahoma.
Working through SOUL Mission, Venables created multiple service opportunities for student-athletes throughout the year, establishing national and international trips, bye-week service projects and a Martin Luther King Jr. Day of service. Over his three full years as OU head coach, players have traveled to South Africa, Rio de Janeiro, Hawaii and Miami Gardens, Fla., working to improve the local communities through schools and ministries.
During OU's fall open weeks over the last three years, Venables and his players have built bunk beds for 111 Project, a ministry serving foster and adoptive children in Oklahoma, prepared meals to be shipped to Haiti, built benches for community parks and held a free kids camp day. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, football players have delivered meals via Meals on Wheels and served single-mother homes, homeless shelters, Oklahoma foster homes, the Norman SPCA and local churches. Venables has also consistently supported the OU Children's Hospital and Art with a Heart (a philanthropic event benefiting the Oklahoma Children's Cancer Association, Cavett Kids Foundation and the K Club).
Venables is the ninth Oklahoma football representative named to the AFCA Good Works Team. Eight players have received Good Works Team recognition: Jacob Gutierrez (2006), Nic Harris (2007), Gerald McCoy (2008), Quinton Carter (2010), Caleb Kelly (2018), Chanse Sylvie (2020), Ethan Downs (2023) and Gavin Sawchuk (2024).
The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team was established in 1992 by the College Football Association to recognize extra efforts by players and student support staff off the field. AFCA became the governing body of the award in 1997 and continues to honor players who go the extra mile for those in need. Allstate became the presenting sponsor starting with the 2008 season.