Remember when convincing a college football player to return just meant staying another year instead of going on to the NFL?
Now, coaches must convince their stars from leaving to other college for more money and opportunity, even storied programs like Oklahoma. Nowadays, a program can turn around overnight, or nose dive in the other direction. Rome, could have fact been built in one day through the transfer portal and that kind of NIL funding.
If the Sooners want to improve on their 6-6 season and Brent Venables wants to keep his job beyond 2025, then there are five players they must convince to stay put to avoid falling below .500 next season. So far, though, none of these are in the transfer portal.
Kendel Dolby, DB
Injuries were a major contributor to OU's lackluster season, including Kendel Dolby. He injured his ankle Week 4 against Tennessee and was sidelined the rest of the season.
Before the injury, Dolby was a menace at Venables' hybrid cheetah position. That position takes a special kind of athlete that's hard to find, but Dolby on the roster, the Sooners already have what they need.
If Dolby were to leave, that might be the toughest spot to find a replacement for, even if OU looks to the portal.
Eli Bowen, CB
Even as a freshman, Eli Bowen played more snaps than any other defensive back on OU's roster this season. He wasn't always perfect, but as a 5-foot-9 rookie, he was already the best defender OU had in the secondary.
Bowen showed enough on tape, and considering he still has three years of eligibility left, he could get a lot of money thrown at him in the portal while playing a position that's hard to find reliable talent for.
If money is what it takes to keep Bowen, though, then pockets need to be deep to keep him. OU lost three defensive backs to the transfer portal on Monday, including Kani Walker, who played the second-most snaps in the secondary.
Even if the Sooners can't afford Bowen, they can't afford to lose him even more.
Michael Hawkins Jr., QB
The Sooners will likely look to the portal for their QB1, but they can't afford to lose anymore talent at what was a crowded position only a week ago.
Jackson Arnold is already in the portal after starting most of the season. Michael Hawkins Jr. was behind Arnold and even started three games as a freshman.
Hawkins could still use some development before he's the guy for OU, but that might not matter. If the Sooners can't lure a top talent from the transfer portal or if their new QB1 gets injured at some point next season, right now Hawkins is the only safety net.
And even if not 2025, Hawkins will one day be the QB1 at OU if he sticks around.
Kip Lewis, LB
There is no replacing Danny Stutsman, but you can dang sure try.
Stutsman was a generational-type talent, but something has to fill in at least some of what he left behind, and Kip Lewis is probably the only guy with a chance to.
Lewis is a play-maker, even returning an interception for a score in both of OU's SEC wins. He would be dire to OU's success no matter what, but even moreso in 2025 when Venables and Zac Alley have to figure out life without Stutsman at the center of their defense.
Jayden Gibson, WR
The Sooners' issues at wide receiver have been well-documented this season. Jayden Gibson was part of that as one of OU's top five receivers who missed most, if not all, of the season.
Gibson's season ended before it even got started because of an injury during fall camp. The impact of that injury was grossly undermined, especially once Nic Anderson was sidelined all season, too.
Anderson and JJ Hester are in the transfer portal now, leaving Gibson left as the only receiver on the roster taller than 6-foot-1. Gibson brings essential size at 6-foot-5, which is hard to find, even in the portal.
The Sooners have speedsters all over the place, but if Gibson were to follow Anderson to the portal, they would lose the only size they have on the outside, and there's no guarantee at replacing that.