HerbSt: Venables had to "calm the waters" in year 1; set to make OU a factor

[jbcarol]

Kirk Herbstreit says Brent Venables had to "calm the waters" in year 1 and is set to make Oklahoma a factor in the Big 12 title race

Full conversation:

https://youtu.be/l3lwW4nJ_9M

[HotlantaHog]

I think this is right.

Venables has been a long-time favorite on Hogville as an assistant coach, and he has not lost his ability to coach.

The transition from one head coach to another can often be pretty rocky, but that doesn't take away anything from the long-term outlook.

Would definitely pay attention to Oklahoma the next few years.

[nationwish]

I don't know about "calming the waters" at Oklahoma. The fans, and I'd imagine many of the players and the administration, were upset with how the previous coach had left, but it wasn't like it was suddenly chaos over there. I think there was probably some culture clash last year going from Lincoln Riley to such an intense coach in Venables. I do think OU is served well in the long run by Venables, because I think they've lost a lot of their toughness since winning a championship, and that has shown up in their biggest games the last 20 years.

[jbcarol]

First and 10: Hugh Freeze wanted a challenge. He has it in Year 1 at Auburn
Matt Hayes | 1 MINUTE AGO

Texas and Oklahoma will arrive at their final Big 12 Media Days this week, the ceremonial 1-year point from their arrival in the SEC in 2024.

The final season in the Big 12 is critical for both schools, if for no other reason than recruiting momentum.

Texas produced back-to-back top-5 recruiting classes in 2022-23 and Oklahoma had a top-5 class in 2023 and a top 10 in 2022.

Neither is in the top 10 for the 2024 class, though both are still a factor.

It's no longer "early" in the 2024 process. The June and July months are typically where teams try to fill a majority of their signing classes.

Georgia, currently No. 1 in the 2024 class, already has 26 commitments. Florida (17 commits) is No. 3, Texas A&M (16) is No. 9 and LSU (18) is No. 10.

The outlier is Alabama, which has 12 commits and a No. 14 ranking. The Tide, though,(is high).

[jbcarol]

Greg McElroy finally explains decision to fade Oklahoma in 2023

"Now, I think Brent Venables is doing all the right things. I really believe that," McElroy said on Always College Football. "They attacked the portal. I think they're gonna be a more physical team this year. I think they're gonna be a more physically mature team this year."

It's a talented group, but will Oklahoma run out of steam?

"But, is the roster where it needs to be to be able to compete week in and week out at a consistently high level? I hope it is," McElroy said. "I genuinely hope it is. And I was very proud of the growth that they showed from their lowest point against the Texas Longhorns to how they performed against Florida State in the bowl game. They grew and they got better and I do think that in time that growth will continue.

"But I'm not sure the depth is there just yet and I think this year's version of the Big 12 is really deep and I think there's a lot of teams that could beat each other up. I really believe that."

Looking at the schedule, which includes some new Big 12 opponents after expansion, Oklahoma has the edge early on.

"So let's go through the schedule. Arkansas State. That'll be a win," McElroy said.

[jbcarol]

What should we expect from Oklahoma in 2023?

In their final season in the Big 12, Oklahoma finished third in the media poll behind Kansas State and Texas, the overwhelming preseason pick to win the league. It's the lowest OU has been ranked in the league since 2015.

Sooners, which last won the conference in 2020, garnered as many first-place votes as Texas Tech —

And, Oklahoma has the same preseason win total as Texas — 9.5 — and a second-year head coach who seems quite optimistic his program will return to championship contention as soon as this season.

"If we just get better on defense, we're gonna win 10-plus games and have a chance to compete and hang a banner up at the end of the year," Brent Venables said to a group of OU fans this offseason, according to The Athletic.

That's one big 'if'

[jbcarol]

Oklahoma's Brent Venables latest
Dan Mathews | 1 MINUTE AGO

"You talk about a culture change and resetting of the standard and what expectations are," Venables said. "I gave guys 12 months of grace, I was unlike Deion, I gave guys 12 months of grace to figure it out. Here's the 3: Go to class, live right off the field, you show up over here, you show up with respect and appreciation for your opportunity. And if you go 0-for-3 for 12 months you need a fresh start."

[jbcarol]

OU football landed a commitment from 2024 four-star running back Taylor Tatum on Friday

No. 1 RB in the '24 Class'll play baseball for the Sooners

[jbcarol]

Oklahoma OC Jeff Lebby says Jackson Arnold will soon be 'the face of our program'
Derek Peterson | 52 minutes ago

On one end of the eligibility spectrum is the quarterback of the present: Dillon Gabriel. On the other side of the coin is the quarterback of the future: Jackson Arnold. Gabriel is a redshirt senior and mostly entrenched as the team's starting quarterback. But depth was a significant concern at the position last fall and when Gabriel was briefly knocked out of the lineup by a concussion, things got hairy.

Even though Arnold will have to wait his turn for the main job, he should be able to see the field in some capacity as a freshman.

"He's, really, exceeded expectations," Lebby said at the OU coaches luncheon on Thursday, per Sooner Scoop's George Stoia. "At some point, that young man is going to be the face of our program, and everybody in this room and Sooner Nation is going to be dang proud of him."

The Elite 11 MVP threw for 3,476 yards and 33 touchdowns against only 2 interceptions as a high school senior at Denton Guyer.

[jbcarol]

There are burning questions about the SEC in 2023

Here's one

Connor O'Gara | 1 MINUTE AGO

How will we feel about Texas and Oklahoma at the end of their last non-SEC seasons?

Maybe Oklahoma's bounce-back year will lead to a New Year's 6 bowl berth....

What are the odds that the SEC adds a pair of top-15 teams? Alternatively, what are the odds that one of them actually moves on from their head coach?

We didn't really have much indication that A&M was going to be a threat in the SEC after 2011, and then Johnny Manziel happened in Year 1 in the SEC in 2012.

[jbcarol]

McElroy's 'optimistic' about where Oklahoma is going under Brent Venables in Year 2

"I don't think any of us could have envisioned them slipping back to the first losing season since 1998. The first three-game losing streak since 1998. The first time without consecutive 10-win seasons since 1998, the worst shutout loss since 1945," McElroy said. "We all know the low points, right? Oklahoma fans know the low points, they know the talking points, and it's understandable. There's a lot of reasons to be disappointed about how things went, especially when you take into account that you had 18 double-digit win seasons since 2000. That is pretty dang remarkable.

"Here's the positive: I am really optimistic about where he is going," said McElroy. "Now, I can't sit here and tell you, without a shadow of a doubt, that we're going to look back at Oklahoma and say this is the recruiting class that flipped it, this is the recruiting class that made their presence known. But, man, I feel so much more optimistic today than I did even a year ago.

"A year ago? It was like this is tough. They just lost such a great coach, they just lost their quarterback," McElroy continued. "Now I'm really optimistic because I feel like they've gathered themselves."

[jbcarol]

McElroy calls Oklahoma a 'sleeping problem' ahead of Year 2 under Brent Venables

Was 2022 a warning of what's to come for Oklahoma in the SEC? Or should the Sooners be treating it like a blip on the radar?

Only time will tell... McElroy is leaning toward the latter:

"Name a more consistent program over the last 20 years than Oklahoma as far as conference championships won," McElroy told Staples. "I'm all for Oklahoma having high expectations. When Lincoln Riley left, there was a void there and it was almost like a gunshot to the gut and the covered it with a band-aid. I'm not calling Brent Venables a band-aid, but there was a hurt there than no one wanted to acknowledge.

"A lot of people said [Oklahoma] would be better for this, but that was misguided. But we also glossed over the fact that the turnover that existed on the roster was challenging.

"There was a hurt there," McElroy said of Riley's departure. "You had to acknowledge, you had to process and then you had to move forward. What they've done is have really nice job assessing their weaknesses at the spots they need to get deeper at. Re-enforcing the line of scrimmage on the defensive side ... and now you have another year in the system offensively where Dillon Gabriel and company are going to feel more comfortable.

"I think Oklahoma is a sleeping problem. I'm not going to call them a sleeping giant, but they're a sleeping problem in the Big 12. No one is talking about them this year."

[jbcarol]

HerbSt says Texas is more prepared for SEC than Oklahoma

Would know.

Herbstreit will call his share of Texas and Oklahoma games when both teams move to the SEC in 2024. It will also be the 1st year of a landmark deal that will see ESPN become the exclusive home of the conference.

Herbstreit will be behind the mic with Chris Fowler on Saturday for a game between future conference foes as the Longhorns visit Alabama. On Wednesday, he held a Zoom call with reporters:

"Now, Brent Venables is a couple years behind where Sark is, but it just feels like when you look at Texas, they're closer to being where you need to be than I think where Venables is currently," he said, per The Tulsa World's Eric Bailey. "But I think he'll be there as well because he understands it probably as well as anybody.

"He'll get that program eventually there, but right now Texas, I think, is ... I think they're ready to compete. So we'll see how it goes."

[AHiD]

Highly skeptical either of these teams can compete in the SEC. But, we'll see.

[jbcarol]

Brent Venables claims he's unaware Art Briles was on sidelines, Oklahoma 'dealing with it'

Art Briles, who was the head coach at Baylor during its rise on the field and widespread sexual assault scandal in the early 2010s — one that ultimately resulted in him leaving in disgrace — made an appearance on a college football sideline on Saturday night. Briles, a Texas native, was spotted in Norman, Oklahoma, watching Oklahoma play SMU.

It was apparently not something that Sooners head coach Brent Venables was aware of. And Briles' presence was seemingly not entirely welcomed by the head man in Norman.

After the game, Venables said he learned about it once the game concluded and it was "being dealt with," according to SoonerScoop's Georga Stoia.

Jeff Lebby, Briles' son-in-law, is the Oklahoma offensive coordinator.

"He's my father in law. That's the grandfather to my two kids. He was down there with my entire family well after the game," Lebby said.

[jbcarol]

Joe Castiglione releases statement on Art Briles' presence at Oklahoma game

They had overnight to get their story together

Andrew Peters | 1 MINUTE AGO

"I was just as disappointed as many of our fans when I learned of the postgame situation tonight," Castiglione said. "It shouldn't have happened and it was my expectation it never would, based on boundaries we previously set. I've addressed it with the appropriate staff."

Jeff Lebby:

"He's my father-in-law. That's the grandfather of my two kids," Lebby said in a postgame press conference. "So he was down with our entire family after the game."

Lebby took his defense a step further on Sunday, changing his profile picture on Instagram to a photo with himself and Briles on Oklahoma's field.

Soon to be former OC Jeff Lebby

[jbcarol]

Venables punishes himself for sideline interference penalty on Saturday

"Brent Venables said on tonight's Coaches Show that he did 100 up-downs (burpees) at practice today as self-punishment for his sideline interference penalty on Saturday," Toby Rowland of THE REF 94.7FM/1400AM

Due to the penalty, SMU wound up scoring a touchdown.

"I was in the white and he ran into me," Venables jokingly said during his postgame press conference on Saturday. "I don't deserve a warning."

Wonder if he skipped leg day

[jbcarol]

Brent Venables offers injury update on sophomore LB Dasan McCullough
Ethan Stone | 1 MINUTE AGO

Oklahoma linebacker Dasan McCullough played in the Sooners' season opener against Arkansas State, but was forced to leave the contest with an ankle injury.

He has not seen the field since as the 2023 college football season heads into Week 4. He did dress out for the Week 2 game against SMU but did not take part in pregame warmups. He once again dressed out as the team prepared to take on Tulsa but did not see any action on the field.

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables provided an update on McCullough's status:

McCullough will be back this week vs Cincy.

[jbcarol]

Venables explains how Jackson Arnold has pushed Dillon Gabriel

Dillon Gabriel has Oklahoma blistering out of the gates this season, ready to prove 2022 was a fluke and that he's the quarterback that will set the tone for the Sooners' eventual move to the SEC.

That job is poised for 2023's No. 2 quarterback recruit Jackson Arnold, who is waiting in the wings, ready for his number to be called at any moment. It's not a matter of if, it's when Arnold will be the Sooners' starting quarterback. That thought isn't in the head of Gabriel, though, according to head coach Brent Venables.

Gabriel, a member of the 2019 recruiting class, is in his final season of collegiate eligibility. As Arnold adjusts to the speed of the college game, he can learn a thing or two under Gabriel —

"Competition should bring out the best in everyone if you're made of the right stuff, but I don't think Dillon has ever felt 'threatened,' but he certainly knows the young guys are watching him everyday and that he's extremely talented in their own right. Who wouldn't want to show off their stuff? I'm sure it's helped, but at the same time Dillon isn't looking over his shoulder, either.

"He's comfortable in his own skin and he's in the process to know what to do to play at a high level. I think that's helped him as opposed to paralyze him."

[jbcarol]

Oklahoma players celebrate Cincinnati win by drinking Skyline Chili


From the can

Sooners are celebrating in style after advancing to 4-0 on the season by virtue of defeating the Cincinnati Bearcats.

After defeating their freshly-minted Big 12 rival by a score of 20-6, Oklahoma's Jonah La'ulu and Dasan McCullough celebrated in the only way you possibly can when you're in The Queen City, they broke out the Skyline Chili.

"Love the fight, the courage, the toughness that they showed today," Venables said, regarding his defense's performance. "They just kept playing. Regardless of what was going on on the field, they just continued to keep the right mindset. Playing and competing to a standard. Every single snap. Really proud of them."

While the defense was stout for Oklahoma, welcoming Cincinnati to the Big 12 with a loss, Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel was tremendous as well, completing 26-of-38 pass attempts for 322 and a touchdown, adding 25 rushing yards and a touchdowns with his legs.

Continuing, Venables was pleased with Gabriel's performance, as he got his first ever victory against the Bearcats in his third attempt.

"He was fantastic," responded Venables, praising his quarterback. "There's a lot of different ways to win. I loved how we complimented each other. Again, there's going to be opposition. Things aren't always going to be easy. Our guys just focus on the next play. Having the mindset of what's next.

"I love the fight, the toughness. They came out in the second half and put together a couple of drives when they needed to. Dillon was fantastic. ... Really, really good, strong win for us on the road."

[jbcarol]

Difference between Oklahoma now and last year is 'night and day' heading into Texas game

by: Chandler Vessels
 

Oklahoma was not prepared to face Texas last season and it showed in the result. The Sooners entered the Red River Rivalry coming off of back-to-back losses and were run off the field in embarrassing fashion as the Longhorns won 49-0.

With the way things have looked early this season, however, OU enters this year's contest against Texas in a much better position. The Sooners are off to a 5-0 start and coming off a dominant 50-20 win against Iowa State in Week 5. They rank top five in the country in both scoring offense and defense, looking nothing like the team that finished last year 6-7.

George Stoia of SoonerScoop joined On3's Andy Staples on his Sunday podcast to discuss that difference, and why Oklahoma believes it can make last year's blowout loss to Texas a distant memory.

"It's night and day," Stoia said. "Last year, things were starting to crumble for Oklahoma. There was little hope going into that Texas game that they had any chance. Obviously, they didn't. That game was not even competitive a year ago. You were starting to see everything fall apart for OU.

"This year, they're playing their best football. I know they're 5-0 and they haven't really played anybody. You can argue their best win is at Cincinnati. Who knows how good Cincinnati really is, but they're winning these games and they're winning in dominant fashion. They've just been taking care of business all season."

Of course, as Stoia mentioned, the Sooners have yet to face a true test so far this season

[jbcarol]

Venables details need to beat Texas, prevent rivalry streak

Chandler Vessels

After losing to Texas last year, Oklahoma coach Brent Venables wants to make sure the Longhorns don't get a streak started against the Sooners. Much has been made of last year's 49-0 blowout loss, which marked Texas' largest win ever in the rivalry, but Venables is adamant that this year's OU team is much different.

For starters, the Sooners were without starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel in 2022, which partly explains the horrendous offensive performance (39 yards passing, 2 INTs). They're also much better defensively thanks to roster additions such as Peyton Bowen, Rondell Bothroyd and Trace Ford.

That being the case, Venables doesn't see there being any carryover from last season's result.

"Usually, you say the momentum a year ago shouldn't have anything to do with this year," he said. "We're a much different team. Many of the players in our locker room weren't here, but there's many that were. I don't wanna skirt over that issue. It's always important. I want to win every year, every game. Whether it's this week or last week."

The Red River Rivalry has historically been one of streaks, and Texas' win in 2022 snapped one of four straight wins for Oklahoma. Before that, the Longhorns won four of five games from 2005-09. Their win in 2005 snapped a five-game winning streak for the Sooners from 2000-04.

[jbcarol]

OKLAHOMA

Hayes: How a historic beatdown changed Oklahoma football for the better
Matt Hayes | 1 MINUTE AGO

This season of redemption began by addressing ever.

As in, the worst loss to Texas, ever. The worst shutout loss to any opponent, ever.

And the gut punch: The softest Oklahoma team, ever.

"This program has represented excellence for a long time," Sooners coach Brent Venables said after last week's rout of Iowa State. "Last year was a terrible representation of all that."

There's only 1 way to get it back —

[jbcarol]

Herbstreit believes Texas game will say more about who Oklahoma is

Sam GillenH₂O

Red River Rivalry is already going to be massive for a pair of Top-15 teams and their fanbases. To Kirk Herbstreit, though, this stage in the Cotton Bowl is the Sooner's chance to announce themselves to the sport.

Herbstreit spoke with Bob Stoops on 'Conversations with Coach':

"I've watched Oklahoma but I think, this week, at least as an outsider? I think all of us are, obviously, going to learn a lot more about who they really are.

"I'm a big fan of Jeff Lebby and what they do on that side of the football. You know what they're capable of doing, especially with Dillon (Gabriel)," said Herbstreit. "They seem to have more playmakers around him. They seem to be, in the second year, just playing faster on that side of the ball.

"Then, everybody knew – Brett learned under you and Mike (Stoops). I mean everybody knew his reputation, even with Clemson, as one of the better defensive minds, one of the more innovative defensive minds in the game.

"I feel like we know more about Texas just because of being tested a little bit. I feel like if OU wins this game? They're, all of a sudden, going to be a major splash on the scene in the college football world," Herbstreit explained. "Right now, after the year they had last year? I think the college football world is like, 'I'm not sure, yet, about who they are yet.'

"If they go out and win this game? Their entire world would change drastically because of the attention and the stage that they're about to step into on Saturday," said Herbstreit.

[jbcarol]

Venables feels the love as fans, media react to impressive turnaround
Grant Bricker | 1 MINUTE AGO

[jbcarol]

Follow FOX College Football

@CFBONFOX
·

Kansas fans break out in an "SEC" chant after taking a 14-0 lead vs Oklahoma 🔊

SEC! SEC! SEC!

They're in a weather delay

[jbcarol]

They're playing again and OU's in the lead.

[jbcarol]

Follow Yahoo Sports College Football

@YahooSportsCFB
·

Uh, did anyone else have a commercial break on Fox and come back to Oklahoma going for 2 after (apparently) scoring a TD?

[jbcarol]

Fox coverage at the moment:

Fox Business Channel is airing Oregon and Utah.

FS1 is airing Oklahoma and Kansas

FS2 is showing Purdue at Nebraska

Your local Fox affiliate is showing the dealer's choice: Of course mine is showing Oregon and Utah.

[jbcarol]

Some here thinking Lance got his TD too soon.

[jbcarol]

OU 33 KU 38  :55 4th

[jbcarol]

Final from Lawrence

Kansas 38  Oklahoma 33

[jbcarol]

Top 10 team no longer undefeated after Week 9 loss
Grant Bricker | 1 MINUTE AGO


The only wagon in that town

A top 10 team fell in Week 9 as Oklahoma went down after losing to Kansas in Lawrence.

The Jayhawks won 38-33 after stopping a late drive by the Sooners. Dillon Gabriel threw a prayer up towards the back of the endzone...

Fans rushed the field and started tearing down one of the goalposts as the clock hit zero. ...

[jbcarol]

McElroy explains why Oklahoma is still in 'great shape', especially after Kansas loss
Sydney Hunte | 1 MINUTE AGO

"Oklahoma's in great shape," he said. "Oklahoma still, as of right now, has the best win among the 1-loss teams, but it's obviously a little different now with how Oregon played on the road at Utah."

For the record, Oregon, Texas, Alabama, and Penn State are 6 through 9 in the Top 25, respectively, with Oklahoma sitting at No. 10. However, it will be interesting to see how the CFP committee ranks the teams keeping in mind McElroy's discussion about Oregon's blowout win at Utah.

As for the Sooners, they'll look to avoid a 2nd-straight loss — and falling out of the Playoff picture altogether —

[jbcarol]

Oklahoma State fans remove goalpost amid field-storming after Bedlam victory

It's bedlam

Nick Schultz

Oklahoma State fans took to the field Saturday to celebrate the Cowboys' Bedlam victory over Oklahoma. It was quite the celebration for what, at least for now, looks like the end of one of college football's most storied rivalry.

Amid the field-storming, the OSU faithful took down the goalpost.

A sea of orange took to the field at Boone Pickens Stadium, and multiple fans started to rip the goalpost out of the ground. They succeeded —

[jbcarol]

Venables not focused on Big 12 tiebreakers in final weeks of season

Dan Morrison

Despite taking two tough losses, Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners still have a path to the Big 12 Championship Game. However, tiebreakers could end up keeping the Sooners out of the championship thanks to a loss to Oklahoma State.

Despite not controlling its own destiny, Oklahoma isn't thinking about those tiebreakers in the final weeks of the season.

"I'm just trying to go win this week and that's it," Brent Venables said. "That's where I can utilize the time that I have in the best way. Obviously, everything starts and goes from me as the head coach. But what do we gotta do to win this week? And then, what is the turnaround on a short week next week to get these guys ready to play against TCU on that following Friday? Everything else falls, takes care of itself."

Texas currently leads to Big 12 standings with only one loss. After that, there are four teams with two losses. Oklahoma is among them...

[jbcarol]

Brent Venables trips running out of tunnel, players fall on him ahead of Oklahoma vs. TCU

By Steve Samra

Whether it's a bad omen or simply a comedic moment remains to be seen.

[jbcarol]

Staff Report: Dillon Gabriel's Alamo Bowl status not yet finalized, per Brent Venables


He probably should give the back up some reps during bowl prep

When Oklahoma takes on Arizona in the Valero Alamo Bowl at the end of December, the availability of star quarterback Dillon Gabriel will be key.

As of now, it's unclear whether Gabriel will be playing in the game.

Head coach Brent Venables was asked Thursday if Gabriel will play and he said "nothing is finalized," according to SoonerScoop's George Stoia III.

Gabriel has already entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal.

[jbcarol]

First and 10: Portal King? Lane Kiffin is bring in elite transfers as Ole Miss inches closer to Playoff contender
Matt Hayes | 20 minutes ago



8. Ask and you shall receive
We're all trying to believe in Brent Venables. He says all the right things, and he's consistently recruiting the top 10 players. Can OU win big with Venables?

Once you get to the level of an elite job — which Oklahoma most certainly is — there's no such thing as waiting and hoping. It must happen now.

Venables knows that, and the turn this season was a big start: 10 wins in Year 2 was a strong follow-up to a 6-7 record last year. The Sooners lost both games this season by a combined 8 points, and 7 of the 9 losses under Venables have been 1-possession games.

OU is 3-7 in 1-possession games under Venables, the games the Sooners owned in the heyday of former coach Bob Stoops. The problem now: There's heavy lifting ahead. The move to the SEC changes everything, beginning next season.

While it helps that the Playoff expands to 12 teams, unless the SEC and Big Ten get their way (and they very well could), there will still be automatic qualifying spots in the Playoff awarded to the ACC, Big 12 and the highest-ranked Group of 5 champion for the 2024-25 Playoff seasons.

Unless the format becomes 12 at-large selections (which the SEC and Big Ten want now, but more than likely won't get until 2026), OU and every other SEC team will be competing for 9 spots. The Playoff will be the true demarcation line for all SEC coaches.

Consistently miss the Playoff, and you won't last long at your job.

Especially an elite job.

[jbcarol]

Hayes: With SEC on horizon, is the Alamo Bowl a must-win for Oklahoma  

If so, what do you do when you wake up on Friday morning

It's almost laughable when you think about it, this idea of Oklahoma as the little brother.

Never mind OU's utter dominance of all things Texas in the history of the Big 12. Or the Sooners' elite national status since Bob Stoops arrived nearly 25 years ago (and long before that).

Or the fact that Texas has been lost in the college football hinterlands for much of the past 15 years.

In the prisoner of the moment world we live in, Texas is as hot as it gets.

And Oklahoma is muddling along — even tagging along — with Texas as they head into the SEC in 2024.

If you think that's lunacy — and no question, it is — wait and see the narrative take hold if the Sooners can't beat Arizona in the Alamo Bowl.

Wait and see what it looks like if OU, after a bounce-back season under 2nd-year coach Brent Venables — that included handing Texas its only loss of the season, by the way — loses to a team being trumpeted as the potential new heavyweight of the new Big 12.

An Arizona team that, before coach Jedd Fisch arrived 3 years ago, was among the most nondescript Power 5 programs

"We're always working to be better," Venables said last week after OU landed another top-10 recruiting class, his 3rd in 3 classes. "We certainly are competitive. We want more. And we're going to need more."

That's what this is all about: the future.

[jbcarol]

Hayes: With SEC on horizon, is the Alamo Bowl a must-win for Oklahoma  

If so, what do you do when you wake up on Friday morning

What will OU do now

[jbcarol]

First and 10: Power ranking the SEC head coaches in 2024 ... and more
Matt Hayes | 22 minutes ago

Quote to note
Oklahoma coach Brent Venables: "We've been in that process, though, for the last couple of years, the last 26-plus months in building a roster that can compete in the league we were in and certainly moving forward, what the demand's gonna be in the SEC."

The now: After a disastrous first season in 2022, OU wasn't wasn't that far from the Playoff in 2023. The Sooners lost 2 games (both on the road) in the regular season by a combined 8 points, and lost the bowl game after star QB Dillon Gabriel opted out.

Venables didn't panic after Year 1 (when he easily could have) and stayed true to his buildout. Get 1 of those 2 late road losses, and you're playing Texas again in the Big 12 Championship Game with a spot in the Playoff on the line.

The future: Recruiting has been elite, and the fan base is completely bought in after the rebound in 2023.

[jbcarol]

How Oklahoma will change in 2024 amid staff changes
by:
Nick Schultz
•

Last year, Oklahoma put together an impressive bounce-back year in the second season of Brent Venables' tenure. As the Sooners make the move to the SEC, though, they're undergoing some changes –

Offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby's now the head coach at State and defensive coordinator Ted Roof left the program after the 2023 season (to coach with Gus). Oklahoma then hired Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley as co-offensive coordinators, and brought Zac Alley aboard as defensive coordinator to replace them. With new voices in charge on both sides of the ball, it's worth wondering just how different the Sooners will look in 2024.

To Sooner Scoop's George Stoia III and Eddie Radosevich, the biggest transformation could come on offense as OU moves from Lebby's spread scheme to Littrell's Air Raid.

[jbcarol]

Is Oklahoma's 7.5 over-under 2024 win total is too low

by:
Sam Gillenwater
•

There's one win total in the Southeastern Conference that has caught several eyes, including On3's Andy Staples since he can't understand why it's so low.

During a mailbag question on his show on Thursday, Staples discussed the 7.5 win total, which originally opened at 6.5, for Oklahoma in 2024. He doesn't see how the Sooners would be trending toward being a team that would be barely scratching bowl eligibility. While he understand that the move to the SEC is having an impact, he doesn't think, based on direction or history, that their total should be so small.

"I was very confused by this win total. I was very confused that it was only 7.5 and that it was lower than that to start with," said Staples. "This team beat Texas last year. They should be as good or better, probably, than the team that beat Texas last year. I just don't see it.

"Now, they did lose to Kansas and you say they have the capability of losing to anybody in the SEC..."

[jbcarol]

First and 10: There's still 1 big thing college football needs to borrow from the NFL
Matt Hayes |

There's an argument to be made that Texas begins its first season with among the easiest of league schedules: Mississippi State, Oklahoma (Dallas), Georgia, at Vanderbilt, Florida, at Arkansas, Kentucky, at Texas A&M.

It's certainly an easier road than Oklahoma: Tennessee, at Auburn, Texas (Dallas), South Carolina, at Ole Miss, at Missouri, Alabama, at LSU.

[jbcarol]

Report: Brent Venables' wife, Julie, reveals she has 'zero cancer' after 2023 diagnosis

by:
Chandler Vessels
•

Oklahoma football coach Brent Venables received amazing news recently regarding his wife, Julie. After a battle with breast cancer over the past year, Julie has "zero cancer" according to a report from The Oklahoman.

"I'm doing routine blood screenings, but right now there's zero cancer," she said.

Julie was first diagnosed with breast cancer this past June. It was a tough moment for the Venables family, as she and Brent have been married since 1997 and have four kids together. Now they can celebrate together as things are starting to look up.

Julie still had to get her blood drawn Tuesday, but was able to make it out to her daughter Laney's playoff basketball game for Community Christian School.

[jbcarol]

Venables details where Oklahoma stands

Roster building

by:
Barkley Truax
•

Oklahoma and Texas are set to make the jump from the Big 12 to the SEC in a matter of months, and many have wondered how well the two stalwarts'll immediately adapt.

One bit of prep Venables wants to square away for the Sooners sooner than later is his roster. Oklahoma and Texas need SEC-level talent to succeed. That means recruiting the biggest, strongest and fastest out of the upcoming high school and transfer portal cycles.

"You always want more," Venables told On3's Andy Staples on Monday. It's just how coaches are and I think if you chase winning and chase success, I think that is a mindset but you always want more bigger, longer guys, you want more depth. That's, that's just the way it is. I don't know if we can ever satisfy ourselves, no doubt about it. We can compete at a really high level. We're working hard for just daily improvement, to get better so that we can compete with competitive depth in that conference (SEC), week in and week out.

"I think that'll be the biggest test of the program. Where we're at is playing Texas-type teams every year. We are used to Texas — or again, there's a lot of very successful programs right here in this conference (Big 12) as well. You look at two former Big 12 teams in Missouri and certainly Texas A&M."

Before Venables was named Oklahoma head coach ahead of the 2022 season, he was Clemson's defensive coordinator from 2012 through 2021 and even won the Broyles Award.

[jbcarol]

Oklahoma's first game as SEC school will be played on a Friday night

By Creg Stephenson |

Oklahoma's first football game as a member of the SEC will be played on a Friday night.

The Sooners have moved their 2024 opener vs. Temple up one day to Aug. 30, with kickoff set for 6 p.m. on ESPN. Oklahoma athletics director Joe Castiglione said the move came at the request of TV.

"We were asked to consider moving up the season opener by a day so ESPN could televise our first game as a member of the SEC in a primetime window," Castiglione said.

[jbcarol]

First and 10: Numbers

196.

Matt Hayes | 

Nearly every metric for the Oklahoma defense got better in 2023, a key factor in the Sooners rebounding in coach Brent Venables' 2nd season. Now, the problem: OU still gave up 195 plays of 10+ yards in 2023.

Why is this important, you ask? Only 1 SEC team (LSU) gave up more than 196 plays of 10+ yards in 2023. Vanderbilt, the SEC's worst defense, gave up 194. Florida had, statistically, its worst defense in more than 4 decades — and gave up 164.

If the Sooners are going to transition smoothly into the SEC, the defense must get significantly better.