College Football: Top 3 defensive coordinators available in 2017

Brent Venables is probably the hottest commodity in the college football world right now. The only reason he is not No. 1 on my list is because Bud Foster is still the best in the game at defense.

Venables is a two-time national champion, one with Oklahoma (2000) and one with Clemson (2017). He is the 2016 Broyles Award winner and two time finalist for the award. Also in 2015, he won Rivals’ National Recruiter of the Year award.

While at Oklahoma, he coached four Butkus Award finalist and two were winners. Also , hehas coached five Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year winners.

Arguably, he’s best season with Sooners came in 2003. His defense was first in passing and total defense, second in passing efficiency, third in scoring defense and he coached Teddy Lehman, the 2003 Butkus Award winner.

After his 12-year stint in Norman, he took the defensive coordinator job at Clemson. Since his first year, the Tigers have led the nation in total tackles for loss. And his best season in Clemson was in 2014. The Tiger defense led the nation in total defense (260.8 yards), passing efficiency (98.3), first downs allowed (185), third-down defense (27.4 percent) and tackles for loss (131).

In the past two years, his defense has accumulated 89 sacks, tops in the nation.

He is a great recruiter and a great coach. Any team looking to find that edge and energy, Brent Venables is your man. Better back up the Brinks truck, he is also one of the highest-paid college football assistants.