CLEMSON — While his dad is getting a new contract in Oklahoma, Tyler Venables is considering a move into coaching once his playing career at Clemson is over.
“I have a political science degree, but I am not going to law school,” the Tiger safety said. “That is my desire, to be a GA (graduate assistant), analyst or whatever. I want to be a part of a team somewhere.”
He could join his dad, Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables. The older Venables and the Sooners agreed to a new six-year deal on Friday. Of course, Brent Venables was Clemson’s defensive coordinator for 10 seasons before leaving for Norman following the 2021 regular season.
Tyler Venables, of course, has one more season remaining in Tigertown, as he enters the 2024 campaign as a graduate senior. He was granted a redshirt season after appearing in just two games last year due to injury.
But Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney and defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin did not waste Venables’ raw abilities while he was on the sideline. Understanding Venables has coaching in his blood, they put a headset on him last year.
And, as expected, he was a natural.
Mike Dooley, who has worked on Swinney’s staff as a director of football since 2009 and has been at Clemson since 2005, approached Venables prior to the Tigers’ win over Notre Dame last fall.
“He was like, ‘You are going to be on the headset.’ I was like, ‘What do you mean?’ So, they just threw me on the headset,” Venables said. “Most of the games, I did not put a helmet on, and when I wasn’t healthy enough, I was wearing that.”
With Venables on the headsets for the first time, he helped Clemson upset the then 14th-ranked Irish, 31-23.
“It was a really cool experience. I have never done that before,” he said. “I kind of felt like I was inside a video game, while also listening to somebody play chess. Listening to Coach Goodwin talk, here is why he is thinking this and here is what is going on here and what set they are in and what call we are going to do and here is why.
“It was just stuff like that. It was just a really cool experience to hear all that goes on behind the scenes. I had never had that experience before, ever. Being as close to the game as I have been in my life, it was just a whole other experience I have never had.”
Venables said listening to Goodwin’s and the other coaches’ strategies was addicting.
“It was pretty cool,” he said.
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