Oklahoma is college football's most consistent winner since World War II, and that consistency has hit another level since Bob Stoops's 1999 hiring.
Following a 7-5 debut campaign, Oklahoma has yet to win less than eight games in their 22 completed seasons. And even then, OU has only dipped to the low-tide mark of eight wins on three separate occasions: in 2005, 2009, and 2014. So, a 7-win season would represent an almost historic downturn for Sooner football.
Yet Brent Venables would still get rewarded for it.
According to documents obtained by the Tulsa World, Venables' 6-year contract calls for a $25,000 bonus in the event Oklahoma reaches seven wins.
Granted, the bonus is for relative pennies on the dollar. A $25,000 bonus on a $7 million base salary accounts for 0.357 percent, the equivalent of a $178 bonus for someone earning $50,000 a year.
Elsewhere, Venables can earn $400,000 for leading Oklahoma to a national title, all the way to down to $25,000 for seven victories, as well as $25,000 in any semester in which the Sooners post a 3.0 team GPA.
Venables's salary breaks out to a $325,000 base, $6.075 million in "personal services" and a $600,000 payment toward his retirement fund. He will earn a $100,000 raise each Feb. 1.
Should Venables ever leave Oklahoma, he would owe $7 million through Jan. 31, 2023, $5 million through Jan. 31, 2024, $3 million through Jan. 31 of the following year, and then in amounts dropping $1 million per year, ending at $1 million through Jan. 31, 2027. The contract expires on Jan. 31, 2028.
As for his progress toward this year's 7-win bonus, Oklahoma is currently 4-3 with a trip to Iowa State on Saturday.