Opinion: Brent Venables gets the keys to the Oklahoma football kingdom at age 50. Seems like the perfect time.

NORMAN, Okla. — Brent Venables is 50 years old. Hard to believe. 

Hard to believe because you figured those bulging neck veins meant a short life expectancy. You remember. Every time those grand old Sooners would give up four yards on first down, Venables’ neck would bulge like an overstuffed Christmas stocking. 

And hard to believe because Venables has one of those forever-young personas. We haven’t been around him in 10 years; our only exposure to Venables these days has been Clemson games and the occasional sideline shot of the human inferno, imploring the Tigers to defend every inch. He seemed the same Venables we’ve known since 1999.