Clemson reworks Venables contract to $2M for 5 years
Clemson has made a second major statement this year about how much it wants to hold onto defensive coordinator Brent Venables.
After upping his salary to $2 million a year in February, the school extended the deal to five seasons through 2022 and added retention bonuses that make the package worth $11.6 million.
"Brent's extremely excited. We're very happy to have him here," Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich said.
Venables, 47, has long been considered one of college football's top defensive leaders, helping Oklahoma win a national title in 2000 and doing the same at Clemson in 2016.
He turned the Tigers into one of the country's best defenses since arriving in 2012. They led the Football Bowl Subdivision in total defense in 2014, then were 10th, eighth and fourth the past three seasons.
Clemson should maintain its lofty position since three draft eligible defensive linemen in tackle Christian Wilkins and ends Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant all chose to return for another season this fall.
The school's compensation committee of the Board of Trustees approved the deal Thursday — the second time in five months Clemson has enhanced his contract.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Venables is among the best at what he does and deserves all he gets.
In recent seasons, Venables name has come up in head coaching searches across the country. So far, he's resisted the urge to leave.
Petrino likes redshirt rule
Louisville football coach Bobby Petrino is the latest ACC coach to rave about the new "redshirt rule." It allows schools to redshirted players if they have played four or fewer games in a season.
Petrino says his goal is to find a list of freshmen he thinks can play early and use them in the first four games of the year and evaluate where they're at after a month. He says if they are improving and feels they can help the team down the stretch, then they'll use up a year of eligibility. If not, they'll be redshirted, which allows another year of eligibility.
He says others who aren't ready to go early in the season will keep practicing with the team to get them ready for the final four games of the season, including a potential bowl. They can contribute and still maintain an extra year of eligibility.
Swofford discusses CTE
ACC commissioner John Swofford says "we have to respect the science" when it comes to the connection between football and the degenerative brain disease CTE.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Swofford says "football's not alone" in concerns over concussions in sports. But he says "football by its very nature is going to be looked at first."
Swofford says it's important to be willing to consider adjustments to improve player safety, whether it deals with rules, practice or equipment. He says: "If we're not looking at it that way, I think we've got our heads in the sand."
Swofford was asked about CTE after North Carolina coach Larry Fedora caused a stir Wednesday by saying he doesn't believe football causes CTE and believes the sport is "under attack."