Oklahoma's anemic offense is at an embarrassing 25-year low

Oklahoma's longtime success as one of college football's best teams has largely been the result of outstanding, even record-setting, offensive performance

Of course there have been some very good Sooner defensive teams mixed in as well, but offense has always been the engine that has fueled Oklahoma's success on the gridiron.

Who would have ever imagined that an Oklahoma football team would perform so badly on offense and statistically go into a free fall to the point that at halftime of the 2024 season the Sooners are nearly at rock bottom in all of college football in terms of offensive numbers.

What's so perplexing about the current situation is that just a few seasons ago, we were having similar concerns and discussion about the Oklahoma defense. Now the tables are obviously reversed, and what's so surprising, even shocking, is how quickly an exceptional offense became so sub-standard.

For two seasons in a row, in 2017 and 2018, Oklahoma was No. 1 among FBS teams in total offense, averaging close to 600 yards per game. And just last season, the Sooners ranked third nationally in total offense (507 yards per game), 35th in rushing offense (182.2 ypg) and sixth in passing offense (324.8 ypg).

One year later, the Oklahoma offense is no where near that level of production. The Sooners are averaging only 288 yards of total offense, which ranks 125th out of 134 FBS teams. Oklahoma has produced only 13 plays all season that have gone 20 yards or longer. That is just 3.4 percent of all the plays (385) the Sooners have run all season.

The only FBS team that is worse than OU in that category is Kennesaw State, which is winless (0-5) this season. ESPN college football writer Max Olson pointed out that, by comparison, both Miami and had 13 plays of 20-plus yards this season in a single game. That's how bad things are right now for Oklahoma offensively.

Through six games this season, no Oklahoma players has run the ball for more than 250 total yards, and no Sooner receiver has eclipsed 250 total receiving yards. The Sooners' average yards per play is just 4.5, which is the lowest for an Oklahoma team in 40 years. As a point of reference, just last season, OU averaged nearly 7.0 yards per play on offense.

Inability to convert third-down plays and keep drives alive has been a major problem area this season and one of multiple reasons the offense is performing at its lowest level in decades. In 2023, the Sooners converted close to 50 percent of their third-down attempts. This season they are at a 27-percent success rate on third down.

An offensive collapse of this magnitude should not be happening at a program like Oklahoma. Sure, it would help to not be without the team's five best receivers, all of whom are out with injuries, have an offensive line that has played together as a unit more than three or four games, a running back or two who can reel off seven or eight yards at a pop, not to mention a pass receiver who can find a way to get open and then catch the ball when it comes his way. These are all symptoms of an offense that has lost all confidence in its collective ability and trust in one another to execute at an effective and consistent level.

It's not because of lack of talent. The number of blue-chip recruits (5- and 4-star recruits) Oklahoma has brought in over the past three years ranks among the best in college football.

It's not all on the players, either. The coaches have an even greater responsibility and accountability to get the offensive performance and the decisions and development therein back to Oklahoma standards.

Head coach Brent Venables said in his weekly press conference on Tuesday that he does not believe in making staff changes in the middle of a season, but if things continue as they are -- and it is hard to see how things could dramatically improve to an acceptable level with as difficult a remaining schedule as the Sooners have -- you can pretty well seal the fate of several of the offensive coaches at season's end.

The Sooner head coach also indicated there are no plans to make a change at the quarterback position. The job belongs to Michael Hawkins Jr., he said. What this means for the future of former five-star QB prospect Jackson Arnold at OU is the subject of a whole different discussion.

Buckle up, Sooner fans. It's shaping up to be a bumpy, winding ride the remainder of the season.