Oklahoma football: Spring game breakdown – Key takeaways from the Red-White Game

This is the Stormin’ in Norman official Oklahoma football spring game breakdown.

It’s too easy to jump to conclusions following a spring football game. You may have read some articles that explained: “OUs defense dominated!” or “JA is the next coming of Caleb Williams!” – well, that isn’t what this article is. Instead, we wanted to write a realistic article that evaluated the Sooners’ spring game from a more “coaches”- like approach.

So… how was it? The environment was fantastic, the offense was methodical, and the defense was consistent. That is the best possible outcome for Sooner Nation. Believe it or not, coaches want to see a boring Spring game. Coaches don’t want to see huge bombs over defensive backs’ heads, and they don’t want to see a defensive line have eleven sacks. Coaches want to see a consistent approach from their offense and defense. No big plays, limited mental errors, and an uncommon effort – that’s precisely what Coach Venables got in this Spring game.

An article about a consistent, “no big deal” spring game would probably get you to check out. I’d rather you didn’t, so here are my top takeaways from the 2023 Oklahoma Spring game.

Defensive Consistency

The Oklahoma defense looked consistent. The offense didn’t get into the end zone until the second quarter. You want to see that. These defenders have been playing against this offense for the last month, they should do well, and they did. However, the defensive backfield looked good. The Sooner defensive backs were flying around with confidence which tells me they were mentally locked in.

Newcomers Peyton Bowen and Dasan McCollough looked excellent. Bowen had a pick, and McCollough was all over the place, making tackles and disrupting passing lanes. He seems like the clear starter for the coveted Cheetah position.

Kip Lewis KILLED IT. He had the best day out of all the Sooner defenders ending the day with 11 solo tackles (2 TFLs). He looked crisp and very confident with his positioning. I was highly encouraged to see Lewis’ effort on the field, and I look for him to force his way onto the field more and more next season.

Freshman P.J. Adebawore definitely passed the eye test. That man is massive, fast, and flexible, which is the perfect combination for a potential sack leader in the Big 12 next year.

Overall the defense looks promising and much improved. We didn’t see a dominating performance, but we did see confidence and mental consistency, two enormous accomplishments for a Spring football team. I was pleased to see great effort up front and consistency in the defensive backfield. If Sooner Nation’s biggest concern from last year was the defense, their worries are shrinking after watching the Spring game.

"“I have total confidence in Coach Venables and his defensive staff. They’ll continue to make upgrades and they’ll be ready to play come next season. Total confidence.” – Bob Stoops"

Quarterback Play

QB1 Dillon Gabriel looked like the true leader and the absolute starter we all knew he was. Gabriel went 11 for 17 for 140 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Phenomenal day against a defense you’ve been playing against every day for the past month. He made consistent throws and had zip on his passes. Gabriel also looked faster. He moved outside the pocket well and made good throws on the run. I was very impressed with Dillon Gabriel’s Spring game performance.

QB2 Jackson Arnold looked like an excellent freshman prospect. He didn’t take over the world and start a quarterback controversy. Still, he looked very good for a freshman, which is to be expected from a 5-star Texas high school quarterback. Remember this about Jackson Arnold, he is still supposed to be a senior in high school. He’s extremely young. All of that being taken into consideration, he looked great. Arnold showcased good athleticism, consistent decision-making, and good velocity on his passes. He also had a huge run for a touchdown called back on his first drive because he was touched. Real-world, this one is a house call, no doubt.

The quarterback play is an obvious focus for a team and a fanbase. The Sooners’ depth at the quarterback position is solid and not an area to be concerned about. Gabriel looks primed to have a great fall camp, and Jackson Arnold looks to be progressing exceptionally well for a freshman backup.

We still don’t know who WR1 is

No receiver took over the passing game, and I can’t say that surprises me much. Going into the game, we knew a massive hole at the WR1 position was left by Marvin Mims’ departure. We hoped to see a receiver jump up and stake their claim to the WR1 tag, but the Sooners’ offense spread the ball out a lot, and it didn’t let a receiver stick out. This is okay. It shows effective decisions by the quarterbacks by spreading out the ball. It also shows that our receiving core is deep and can have 6 to 7 different consistent receivers play, but still no WR1. Sooner Nation is used to having a clear-cut WR1 from Mark Clayton to Ryan Broyles, to CeeDee, to Mims. So, we still wait on the new WR1. Hopefully, one will emerge in Fall camp.

DJ Graham led receivers with 2 receptions for 74 yards. Gavin Freeman and Gavin Sawchuk had three receptions for 47 yards and a touchdown.

Jayden Hardy Commits

The Sooners 2024 recruiting class continues to skyrocket up the rankings. Just minutes before the Spring game, composite 4-star safety Jaydan Hardy (Lewisville, TX) committed to the Sooners. Hardy ranks as the 25th-best player from the State of Texas and a vital piece of the Sooners’ recruiting class.

Hardy’s commitment bumps the Sooners class from the mid-40s to 28th nationally overall. Hardy ranks as the Sooners’ 2024 top-rated recruit and one of the biggest defensive targets of the year.
The Sooners’ staff also had other top recruits visit the Sooners program during the Spring game. It is expected the Sooners will receive other commitments shortly following the Spring game.

Other Position Groups

This was a pretty conservative Spring game outing. The running back group looked solid. Tawee Walker, Dylan Smothers, and Gavin Sawchuk all had positive performances. Sawchuk looks to be the clear starter at the running back position.

The offensive line looked thin. Not their size, they were massive, but their depth is limited. Overall the group looked to be in sync, and they played fast. I am confident the line’s starters come fall camp will be Walter Rouse – Savion Byrd – Andrew Raym – McKade Mettauer – Tyler Guyton. Freshman C Joshua Bates had a productive day at the Spring game, as did fellow freshman Cayden Green. I’m excited for these two young men’s future in the crimson and cream.

Linebackers look like they are the leaders of the defense. Danny Stutsman, Jaren Kanak, and Dasan McCollough can really play. Kip Lewis had the best day of any Sooner, and Justin Harrington had a great day with 6 solo tackles.

I will wait to discuss the Sooner defensive line in this article. I feel this position is the most critical in determining the success of the Sooners’ defense in 2023, and I’m preparing an in-depth report on the Sooners’ defensive line’s Spring. It’ll be out later this week.

Sooner Nation is alive and well

Sooner Nation showed up in force for this game. From the pregame festivities to Kyler’s statue reveal and during the game, Sooner fans were outstanding. The weather wasn’t the greatest, but the Sooner fans didn’t care. It was amazing to see the crowd and the enthusiasm that was on display.

The future is bright in Norman, Oklahoma. This Summer can’t go by fast enough. Keep on the lookout for three big things during the Summer. 1) recruit commitments. 2) transfer portal arrivals and departures. 3) fall camp (which starts in August).

Stay tuned to Stormin’ in Norman’s Sooner Football coverage during the Summer. We won’t slow down covering the boys. This Summer’s coverage will include consistent updates on recruits, in-depth player profiles, and historical articles about the Sooner program. The enthusiasm surrounding Sooner Nation is enormous, and rightfully so. Team 129 had an excellent Spring. Several players made a name for themselves, and the Sooners’ coaching staff is pleased. We can’t wait to keep talking about Sooner football all Summer and count down the days until Arkansas State.

131 days until kickoff…