We are just a little more than six weeks since the offseason concluded. All offseason the talk was if [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] was the guy for the job for the Oklahoma Sooners.
The Sooners had their worst season since 1998 in 2022 and had a historically bad defense in Venables’ first year as a head coach. That led many to question if he was just a great coordinator but not a head coach.
In the offseason, Venables and his staff went to work to improve his group in year two. He talked over and over again about how they analyzed everything, including game management which plagued them a year ago.
How things change just six weeks later.
Oklahoma is 6-0 and coming off of a massive win in the [autotag]Red River Rivalry[/autotag]. Now On3 has Venables as one of their favorites for Coach of the Year.
With the looming move to the SEC, Venables entered this fall facing as much pressure as any second-year head coach, and the man has certainly quieted his critics by retooling the roster through the portal and leading OU to an upset over Texas and back into the Top 5. Through six weeks, it’s been a redemptive arc for Venables. The Sooners are again atop the Big 12, and the team has embraced Venables’ hair-on-fire attitude. – Jesse Simonton On3 Sports
The defense is much improved this season. The team currently ranks No. 50 in total defense, No. 12 in 3rd down defense, No. 2 in interceptions, No. 31 in rush defense, No. 11 in scoring defense, and No. 2 in turnovers. All of those are major improvements from a season ago.
But there’s still work to be done. The Sooners have only hit the halfway point of the season.
But can they overcome what’s been a common theme since 2004? Can they avoid losing to a team they shouldn’t lose to? Everyone is telling them how great they are after beating the Longhorns. It’s up to them to stay focused on the bigger goals of the season.
If they do that, the awards for players and coaches will come. Deservedly so.
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