NORMAN — OU coach Brent Venables held his weekly press conference Tuesday ahead of the Sooners’ home finale against Alabama on Saturday (6:30 p.m., ABC).

Venables touched on a variety of subjects, including the offensive coordinator search, progress during the bye week, the struggles of the season, quarterback play and more.

“Even with just two weeks in the regular season left, believe it or not you can get a lot done in a day,” Venables said.

Here are several takeaways from Venables’ press conference:

Brent Venables has ‘sense of urgency’ with OU’s OC search

Venables said he felt good about the state of the offensive coordinator search.

“Feel like we’re in a good position where we need to be,” Venables said. “Haven’t put a hard deadline on having to make that decision. There’s a lot of layers to it, as you can imagine.”

Seth Littrell was fired earlier this season after the Sooners struggled offensively, with Joe Jon Finley taking over the playcalling duties on an interim basis.

With signing day and the transfer portal window opening in early December — moving the calendar up from recent years — the hire figures to happen quickly after the end of the regular season.

“There’s got to be a sense of urgency,” Venables said.

Later, Venables was asked directly about former Florida and Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen and if the job was Mullen’s if he wanted it.

“I’m not going to comment about the details of the search,” Venables said. “I reached out to him a year ago.”

Jackson Arnold ‘one of (OU’s) best leaders’

Despite his struggles against Missouri, sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold is one of the Sooners’ captains for Saturday’s game.

Venables was asked whether that was a signal that Arnold was OU’s quarterback for the rest of the season and beyond.

Venables didn’t exactly address the future.

“I don’t know what the future holds. We love Jackson. We believe in him,” Venables said. “It’s a sign he’s one of our best leaders that we have on the team. There’s plenty of guys going through rough spots that still have the ability to lead and fight and compete.”

Xavier Robinson making great strides

A few weeks ago, Venables said the plan was to redshirt freshman running back Xavier Robinson.

But with Robinson’s success of late and the injuries to Jovantae Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk, that has changed.

Robinson said Monday night that coaches had approached him about playing in the last two games, which would take him out of redshirt territory.

“Xavier got his opportunity, did a great job with it,” Venables said. “Some things that he showed maybe in the Maine game — what a big, strong, physical, explosive guy like him could do.

“He earned a lot of trust through that experience.”

Brent Venables’ visit policy hasn’t changed for commits

Five-star offensive lineman commit Michael Fasusi is set to visit Texas this weekend, raising the question over whether or not Venables policy on committed players visiting other schools had changed.

“If you’re visiting other schools in the present moment, you’re not committed,” Venables said.

Venables was asked if that meant a player visiting elsewhere would have his scholarship offer pulled.

“I never said that,” Venables said.

Roster contraction going to be ‘carnage’

Venables was asked about the changing NCAA calendar and its effect on the offensive coordinator hire.

While Venables answered that, he said that wasn’t the only serious challenge over the next few weeks.

“The real carnage is getting our roster down to 105,” Venables said. “You’re going to have several players that don’t have a spot. … I’m not sitting her complaining. My job is to make the best decisions (for the team).

“But the collateral damage is real. These are human beings that have dreams and are valued members of our team and our locker room. … Everything’s getting ready to change. There will be more of a business-type approach that we will operate under.”