Every angle of the Brent Venables-Jackson Arnold relationship is being dissected this week, from the quarterback's departure from the Oklahoma Sooners via the Transfer Portal after Ben Arbuckle's hiring, to the multiple benchings against the Tennessee Volunteers and Auburn Tigers last year the head coach used to send a message.
CBS Sports' Brandon Marcello revealed an interesting one: Arnold doesn't want to speak at length about it. At least not with CBS Sports.
Marcello another interesting wrinkle.
The two want this one to prove a point to the other.
"No one quite knows the emotions running through Venables and Arnold, or how their dynamic as exes will affect the game, but there's no doubt their shared history is the underlying current steering the narrative. Bragging rights are on the line, and somewhere deep down, both want to show they're better off without the other," Marcello wrote.
"Both Arnold and Venables have tried to block out the noise before the top-25 showdown Saturday afternoon in Norman. Venables expressed his admiration for Arnold and his family during SEC media days in the summer. Arnold twice politely declined interview requests from CBS Sports over the last two weeks."
Between Venables and Arnold, there's no bad blood, per se. There's a polite version of that, though.
Venables' job security was a major question mark coming into this season because his mishandled Seth Littrell hiring. Arnold's reputation took a major hit for the same reason.
The middle man is irrelevant right now with both on undefeated teams. Serious early-season momentum is on the line for both teams when the two collide at Gaylord Memorial, Arnold's former home, in front of fans who used to see him as the future of their program.
How Arnold responds to the adversity Venables' coaching tenure created for him is the main storyline for the SEC's main event offering in Week 4.