The Oklahoma Sooners have faced a ton of turnover this offseason. From the head coach to the defensive coaching staff to the roster, Oklahoma is in a huge transition year. Facing a ton of turnover, year one of the Brent Venables era has a chance to be a successful one.
Brad Crawford over at 247Sports ranked the six easiest schedules for 2022 contenders and the Oklahoma Sooners came in at No. 6.
It’s debatable in the Big 12 where several teams inside various preseason top 25s have a shot next fall to represent the league in the College Football Playoff, but Oklahoma’s journey might be the most favorable given the Sooners get Baylor and Oklahoma State in Norman under first-year coach Brent Venables. That being said, those two matchups lose some luster if Oklahoma stubs its toe early against TCU (on the road) or Texas, who is set to begin the Quinn Ewers era at quarterback in Steve Sarkisian’s second season. – Brad Crawford 247 Sports
247Sports currently has the Sooners ranked at 12 in their preseason rankings, and considering the turnover the program has seen, it’s a fair assessment.
It’s always hard to determine strength of schedule in the preseason, but an “easy schedule” in 2022 would be more ideal than an early move to the SEC with a first time head coach and lots of new faces on both sides of the ball.
That’s not to say that Venables isn’t the man for the job, he absolutely is. I do think, however, that a year or two in the Big 12 would be a good opportunity for Venables to mold the program into what he wants it to be before going into the meat grinder that is the SEC.
Another team seen on 247’s list of easiest schedule’s was USC at 4. Isn’t that something? The Pac-12 isn’t exactly “Murderer’s Row,” but Utah is going to be a tough out for Lincoln Riley’s new squad.
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