If even just for a moment, football will soon be back in Norman, Oklahoma, and this spring, everything is different because it's the same.
When does spring camp start for the Sooners and when is OU's spring game?
The Sooners will begin spring camp on Monday to officially turn the page to the 2026 college football season and Brent Venables' fifth year leading OU. And unlike last year when OU introduced the infamous Crimson Combine in place of the spring game, the camp will end with an actual spring game at noon CT Saturday, April 18, at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
Also unlike last year, the Sooners' spring camp won't revolve around acclimating an entire phase of the roster, but instead building off the foundation that was already laid during a 2025 season that had the Sooners go 10-3 and get back to the College Football Playoff.
This time last year, Venables had just hired Ben Arbuckle as OU's new offensive coordinator, so the spring revolved around implementing Arbuckle's system. Venables had also just taken over as defensive play-caller, so the 2025 spring camp was his first experience juggling head coaching duties while also commanding the defense.
Quarterback John Mateer had also just followed Arbuckle from Washington State to take over as QB1 with an almost entirely new wide receiver group and offensive line around him. Mateer's top target Isaiah Sategna III, who transferred from Arkansas last year, is back and joined by new transfer additions Trell Harris from Virginia and Parker Livingstone from Texas.
The Sooners also returned four of five starting offensive linemen from last year in Michael Fasusi, Eddy Pierre-Louis, Jake Maikkula and Ryan Fodje. Fasusi and Fodje had just gotten on campus after signing in December ahead of last year's spring camp. Maikkula had also just joined the team after transferring from Stanford.
That offensive front will not only protect Mateer, but also pave the way for two returning running backs with Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock, who signed at the same time as Fasusi and Fodje. That duo will be led by new running backs coach Deland McCullough after DeMarco Murray left for the NFL to be the Kansas City Chiefs' new RB coach.
McCullough was one of three staff changes this offseason after tight ends coach Jason Witten and cornerbacks coach LaMar Morgan. However, it should still be business as usual, even with three new position coaches on the staff.
There will be few debuts when the Sooners taken Owen Field for the spring game, but OU fans will still be happy just to have football back and something in front of them that has to be better than the Crimson Combine.
Tickets for OU's spring game are already on sale for $17, but $12 for season ticket holders and Sooner Club members. OU students will be able to attend for free.