Oklahoma football: Sooners to get giant boost with Dillon Gabriel’s return

As bad as the Oklahoma football defense has been in blowout losses to TCU and Texas, the fact that the Sooner offense has been spinning its wheels and not able to offset the defensive struggles has only accentuated OU’s sudden performance spiral.

There’s no question there are issues on defense right now, but when the typically high-powered and explosive Oklahoma offense is not able to sustain drives or is forced into quick three-and-outs, it only puts more pressure on the defensive unit and adds to the time it has to be on the field.

Too many times, for example, in the game with Texas, especially in the second half, a quick Sooner three-and-out by the offense forced the defense right back on the field with short rest. Even the best of college defenses is prone to fatigue having to defend against long, clock-consuming drives. For a defense that also has some weak points to boot, quick possession turnarounds only magnify the problems that exist.

Oklahoma is expected to get starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel back for the game with Kansas on Saturday. Gabriel has missed the past six-plus quarters while being in the concussion protocol after sustaining a hard hit to the head midway through the second quarter against TCU.

While Gabriel’s return won’t be the panacea that will bring Oklahoma out of all its problems, the offense will definitely have more firepower at its disposal than its anemic nature during his absence.

Senior leaders are important for every college team, and for teams that are going through rough water like the Sooners are currently experiencing, leadership from the older guys on the team is especially vital in providing encouragement to players who are down and helping to ensure team chemistry and cohesion and the critically important task of sticking together when times are tough.

The last thing a head coach or team wants is to have players playing for themselves and not together as a well-oiled machine. Nothing good comes out of the former, and when nothing seems to be working despite all the hard work and effort that is put into it, it’s easy to slip into this funk, individually and collectively.

The season is now half over, but it’s not over, and there is still time for Oklahoma to come together and finish out the season strong. As head coach Brent Venables said in his game-week press conference this week, “You’re remembered by how you finish, not how you start.” That has to be the Sooners’ rally cry over the next six or seven weeks.

“Leadership is definitely essential right now,” said wide receiver Drake Stoops, one of OU’s senior leaders in an interview with FanNation’s All Sooners website, part of the Sports Illustrated media group.

"“We need to show the younger guys this isn’t the end of the world. We’re going to keep working hard and going back to work.”"

Stoops, the son of former OU head coach Bob Stoops, is just one of the Sooners’ senior leaders who knows that Brent Venables and his coaches are counting on guys like him to help rally the team get it headed back in the right direction and the right frame of mind.

"“We kind of all got together Sunday (a day after the historic 49-0 loss to Texas) and spent some time together talking through things, just going over what our goals are moving forward,” the younger Stoops said.“We’re just putting our best foot forward and really just keeping the locker room together.”"

Because of lingering injuries, the Sooners are thin at several positions. Getting Gabriel back and several other players will definitely be a step forward.

There may be a lot of factors that have played into Oklahoma’s sudden and sharp decline, but the solution starts at the top with the coaching staff. down through the team’s senior leaders and ultimately with the players themselves.

This team doesn’t have a real identity for the 2022 season. That will be determined over the next six-plus games.