Oklahoma football: Changes abound in 2017 version of Sooners

The oft-heard idiom expression ,”The more things change, the more they stay the same,” belies the 2017 edition of Oklahoma football and a program that has long prided itself on consistency and sustained success.

Yes, there are a few things that remain constant — like third-year starting quarterback Baker Mayfield, 16 returning starters, including the entire offensive line, and most all of the coaching staff — but other than that, change is pervasive as the Sooners prepare to kick off their 122nd season of varsity football. And Sooner fans are hopeful that the many changes will produce more of the same, including another conference championship and potentially more.

The biggest change of all heading into the new season, of course, is the departure of Bob Stoops after 18 highly successful seasons and the elevation of Lincoln Riley from offensive coordinator to head coach. The 33-year-old Riley (who will turn 34 next week) takes over as the youngest head coach among FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) schools.

History will determine how well Riley will perform following a Sooner coaching legend like Stoops, whose 190 wins in 18 seasons is the most all-time by an OU football coach. Other than the addition of Ruffin McNeill, who joined the staff over the summer as assistant head coach and defensive line coach, the remainder of the coaching staff remains the same, which is a very important factor in an effort in maintaining program continuity during the transition of a new head coach.

The changes are a plenty on the offensive side of the ball, where the Sooners lose three of their four biggest weapons. Running backs Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon have moved on and taken their enormous skills to the NFL, as has sensational wide receiver Dede Westbrook. I can imagine Sooner fans are tired of hearing about who they have lost — I certainly am — and are more interested in hearing about who is going to be next up.

It certainly is not as if Oklahoma is back to square one retooling an offense that was the second best in the nation a year ago in total offensive yardage. How can you count out an offense that returns a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist at quarterback, arguably the most important position on any championship-caliber team?

In the next two weeks, we should know exactly what the Sooners have in the run game, and from all indications in training camp, and running behind arguably the best offensive line in the country, Mayfield should be well equipped with a talented quartet of backfield weapons named Adams (Abdul), Anderson (Rodney), and newcomers Sutton (Marcelias) and Sermon (Trey). Get familiar with them because you are going to be seeing them a lot, particularly in the early going as they compete for playing time.