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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Brent Venables has always been considered a hot young name when it comes to potential head coaching candidates.

This year, he's one of five finalists for the Broyles Award, which recognizes the nation's top assistant coach.

Yet, with jobs at Miami, North Carolina, Arizona State and other locales opening and closing, it appears Oklahoma's defensive coordinator must wait for his opportunity.

And he's willing.

"I've got a job,” Venables said. "I try to do as good as I can. And then I've got a job with my family, probably in reverse order.

"I'm pretty simplistic.”

Venables, like most assistants, wants the chance to run his own program. But he said he's also witnessed enough things to convince him just any job won't do.

"Sometimes you better be careful what you wish for,” Venables said. "I've seen guys who have gone off and it's hard, it's not easy.

"Not that you want an easy way, but I'm a guy who brings it home with me sometimes. That's hard.”

Venables need look only to Bob Stoops, who waited patiently, turning down several seemingly attractive opportunities for his first head coaching job, before taking over the Sooners.

"I'm a firm believer in fate, too,” said Venables, who turned 36 this month. "I would never promote myself or seek or get on the phone or hire an agent to go put feelers out. That's just not me.

"I'm always looking for a challenge. Whether or not that's in the future, I don't know. It may be. And it may not be. And if it's not, that will not define me. And I'll get over it.”