It is safe to say that Year 2 in the SEC will need to improve for the Oklahoma Sooners.
It has been quite a while since Oklahoma posted back-to-back losing seasons, and Brent Venables cannot afford to do so again. There is hope on the horizon, however, as the Sooners have been active in the transfer portal this offseason and look to put last year's introduction to the SEC behind them and start playing Oklahoma football again.
There are three reasons for optimism in Sooner Nation for OU's second season in the SEC.
Transfer portal leading to quarterback stability and offensive firepower
Coming into the SEC, it was known that it would be a much tougher test than what the Big 12 had provided. Offense was the elephant in the room last year in what seemed to be as bad an offense the Sooners have had since maybe Howard Schnellenberger’s only season in Norman.
Transferring quarterback John Mateer, with his dual-threat ability, should help the offense stay more consistent. His familiarity with new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle should also pay dividends for the Sooners.
Isaiah Sategna, who transferred after a productive season at Arkansas, along with transfers Keontez Lewis and Javonnie Gibson, will give the Sooners a receiving corps capable of producing massive numbers on the offensive side of the ball. Transfer running back Jaydin Ott will provide a spark running the ball that seemed to be missing last season for the Sooners.
Defense should be even better under Venables
Last year’s defense played pretty well and kept OU in most games throughout the season, even when the offense stagnated. In 2025, Venables will return to calling plays on the defensive side of the ball, and with that, he hopes the defense will play more like a Brent Venables defense throughout the season.
Transfer defensive end Marvin Jones Jr. should add experience and be a good pass rusher on the edge. Gaining another year of experience for the returning defensive starters, who should take a defense ranked 19th in the country last year and possibly put Oklahoma in the top 10 on defense, would be huge for the Sooners.
All the championship teams at Oklahoma were known for their tenacious defense. Venables taking responsibility by becoming a play-caller again should increase the chances of the defense performing even better this season.
Job status on the line
First, I want to say that I still believe Venables is the right man for the job, as he is a tireless worker and has had to clean up the mess he inherited after Lincoln Riley’s departure. With that said, however, there is no beating around the bush that this season will be a make-or-break year for Venables' time in Norman.
Entering the SEC was tough enough, and with the transfer portal opening up, college football success has never been harder to attain. Venables knows firsthand the tradition of Oklahoma football and what is required of the head coach in Norman. The fact that Venables was a part of the resurrection of Sooner football under Bob Stoops leads me to believe that he will get this ship turned around.
Currently, using the transfer portal will help the Sooners remain competitive, and by adding some top recruiting classes, it’s a safe bet to say that the Sooners will be competing for a national championship sooner rather than later.
The wins have not been as consistent as Sooner Nation would like, but this season could be where you see the tide has started to turn for the Sooners. For a university with the most wins since World War II, you become accustomed to winning.
Barry Switzer always said he needed to feed the monster that is OU football year in and year out. Being the head coach at the University of Oklahoma is a coveted position with significant responsibility to the university, its players and the fans who support the program year after year. A winning record is the first step for the Sooners to regain their status as an elite football school.
Those old enough may remember the silver shoes that Joe Washington wore to go along with Billy Sims carving up defenses in the mighty wishbone offense. Josh Heupel transferred into an Oklahoma program that was in shambles during Stoops' first year, and in Year 2, they helped produce national championship No. 7.
Mateer has more weapons to work with. Not saying we see a replica of Heupel’s first two seasons, but the possibility is there that Oklahoma could be better than most expect heading into Year 2 in the SEC.
Sooner Nation has 90 days left to see exactly what this year's edition of the Sooners will look like. This season will determine Venables' future in Norman. I predict that Sooner Magic returns to Norman, and this year's Sooners shock all of us in a good way.
Read more about OU football