Tag: 2024 Oklahoma Sooners Football

USA TODAY Sports argues defense leading the way for Oklahoma entering 2024

Though questions may linger about the Oklahoma Sooners offense, Brent Venables has a defense that can take the pressure off.

For much of the last decade-plus, questions about the Oklahoma Sooners focused on the defensive side of the ball. There was, no doubt, talent in the era following [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ departure to Clemson. However, it seldom matched the defensive units from the 2000-2010 seasons.

But that isn’t this Oklahoma Sooners team, which will head into 2024 led by its defense. There’s talent on the offensive side of the ball. A great deal of talent. At the same time, from a production and experience standpoint, the defense is the tip of the spear for the Sooners.

Ranked No. 16 in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll, the Sooners are a squad that will have more believers if they can answer the questions about the offense, namely [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] and the offensive line. The college football writers over at USA TODAY Sports provided an outlook for each of the top 25 teams in the US LBM Coaches Poll released Monday. Here’s what they had to say about Oklahoma.

In an unanticipated twist, there are more questions about the Sooners on offense as they transition to the SEC. QB [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] brings tremendous potential after serving as [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag]’s understudy. He will be working behind an offensive line with uncertainty. On the plus side, Oklahoma has a deep receiving group with Nic Anderson, Jalil Farooq and Purdue transfer Deion Burks among the standouts. Brent Venables has rebuilt the team’s defense ahead of his third year and is blessed with the return of LB [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and DB [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] after both considered the NFL draft. It’s a deep and aggressive group at all three levels that forces turnovers. – USA TODAY Sports

The Sooners may have upgraded at quarterback, but there’s no replacement for experience. That stuff matters, especially with the slate of teams Oklahoma will play in 2024. But Brent Venables and his coaching staff have been building this team so success isn’t solely dependent on the guy who throws the football.

They have a defense that is capable of carrying the load for this team for stretches if Arnold or the offensive line falters.

The Sooners have blue-chip players capable of making splash plays in both the run and pass game at every level. That will take some of the pressure off the offense to score 40 a game for Oklahoma to win. But, if the offense takes off like it’s capable of, the Sooners could very well have an offense that puts up big numbers while the defense stifles opposing offenses.

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Joel Klatt releases preseason top 25

Where did the Oklahoma Sooners rank in Joel Klatt’s top 25 heading into the 2024 college football season?

The Oklahoma Sooners 2024 season begins in 22 days when they take on the Temple Owls. There are issues to work out before the Sooners take the field.

Who starts along the offensive line? How the wide receivers will be deployed?

This is a talented roster that has the personnel to answer questions by Week 1 or, if need be, by Week 4 when they welcome Tennessee to Norman. As college football takes on a whole new look due to conference realignment, this season may be the most anticipated in the last 30 years.

Joel Klatt, an analyst for Fox Sports, released his preseason top 25, and the Oklahoma Sooners came in at No. 15.

Oddly, the Oklahoma Sooners come in one spot behind the USC Trojans. The Fox Sports analyst leans into the idea that the defensive coaching changes will be enough to make up for the loss of [autotag]Caleb Williams[/autotag]. Time will tell, but I’d be surprised if USC finishes this season ranked higher than the Oklahoma Sooners.

Among SEC schools, however, the Sooners are the sixth highest-ranked SEC team. OU comes in behind the Georgia Bulldogs, Texas Longhorns, Ole Miss Rebels, Alabama Crimson Tide and Missouri Tigers. Klatt sees the Sooners a bit more favorably than the SEC media and the US LBM Coaches Poll. Both had OU eighth among SEC schools.

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Sooners wide receiver among The Athletic’s freaks in college football

Potential breakout star among The Athletic’s freaks ahead of the 2024 college football season.

It didn’t take long for transfer wide receiver [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] to make his presence felt in Norman. He wowed onlookers in spring practice and stole the show in the Oklahoma Sooners’ [autotag]spring game[/autotag]. With fall camp in full effect, Burks hasn’t slowed. He continues to build on the connection he has with first-year starting quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag].

His speed and athleticism have been evident, even dating to his time at Purdue, but he’s looking to take that to another level and parlay it into a huge season for the Sooners.

Every year, Bruce Feldman of The Athletic (subscription required) reveals his top 100 “freaks” in college football, highlighting the nation’s best athletes and workout warriors from the offseason. Burks came in at No. 50 on the list.

The Purdue transfer was No. 95 on the list last season and then had a breakthrough season, leading the team with 47 receptions, 629 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns. The 5-9, 190-pound junior from Michigan was an excellent get for the Sooners. Burks proved to be their strongest wideout in the squat (540 pounds), the bench press (400) and the power clean (340). He also topped all receivers in jump height measured in force plates based off his velocity at take off. Burks’ propulsive force was remarkable in terms of his ability to generate forces of nearly four times (3.86) his body weight in a vertical jump. – Feldman, The Athletic

We knew Burks was fast, but his strength is a surprising revelation in Feldman’s piece. That strength is what allows him to be a wizard after the catch. Though the Sooners highlighted his deep threat ability during the spring, Burks will be able to use his speed, athleticism and strength to be a threat in the short area passing game and on jet sweeps and reverses.

He’s a big-time weapon [autotag]SEC[/autotag] teams will have to figure out a way to slow. The problem is by allocating resources to containing Deion Burks, [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag], [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] and [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] will get more favorable coverages, which should make things a whole lot easier for Arnold in the passing game.

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Sooners wide receiver suffers knee injury, expected to undergo MRI

According to a report from SoonerScoop’s George Stoia, Jayden Gibson suffered a knee injury Tuesday and will undergo an MRI.

According to a report from George Stoia of SoonerScoop and On3, Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag] is scheduled to undergo an MRI to determine the severity of a knee injury he suffered in practice on Tuesday.

After a strong 2023 season, Gibson looked headed for a significant greater opportunity in 2024. The Sooners have been slowly working back in [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] and [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag], a pair of wide outs that started last season. It’s anticipated they will be ready for the start of the season, but Gibson was expected to compete for a starting role in the OU offense.

In 2023, Gibson caught 14 passes for 375 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 26.8 yards per reception. He became a reliable fourth option in the passing game, showing improved hands along with physicality after the catch.

Gibson was a part of the 2022 recruiting class after decommitting from Florida. Originally committed to the Florida Gators under Dan Mullen, he flipped to the Sooners after Mullen was fired and has been on the verge of a breakout ever since.

Now Gibson and the Oklahoma Sooners wait on the results of the MRI to determine the treatment for the talented playmaker.

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2024 class top running back set to make an impact for Oklahoma

Former top running back turning heads early in his Sooners career.

Early in fall camp, the Oklahoma Sooners running back group is in a much better spot, simply because it’s healthier. Last August, both [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] and [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] were dealing with nagging offseason injuries, which kept them limited into the season.

As the Sooners prepare for 2024, the two four-star backs from the 2022 recruiting class appear healthy and ready to lead the way. But the running back position has better depth as well, with the development of [autotag]Kalib Hicks[/autotag] and the additions of [autotag]Sam Franklin[/autotag], [autotag]Taylor Tatum[/autotag] and [autotag]Xavier Robinson[/autotag]. Tatum was a summer arrival, but he has already stood out with his teammates.

“I mean, he came in here day one ready to work,” Barnes said after practice via OU Insider. “You know, just sits in the meeting room. Make sure we don’t skip past anything … just making sure he understands everything. You can tell he’s a guy that’s ready to compete and ready to play.”

Every meeting and practice rep is critical for Tatum to get up to speed after spending the spring on the diamond. The former five-star running back and No. 1 player at his position also stars in baseball. That he’s been able to make coaches and teammates take notice of his ability in just a few months speaks volumes to his talent.

“I thought he’s been really good,” Jackson Arnold said after Monday’s practice. “And I think Taylor adds a unique passing element to our game. Whether you can line up in empty or do whatever put him in the passing game. He’s very versatile. He’s definitely gonna be a good option for us this year, sort of along those lines.”

Though there may be a couple of veteran players in front of him on the depth chart, Tatum has the speed and athleticism to be a dynamic .weapon in the Sooners offense. Even if he’s not a featured back, [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag] will find ways to get him on the field whether on offense or on special teams.

The sky’s the limit for Tatum, and his Oklahoma career is on the runway, ready to take off.

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On3 analyst calls road trip a ‘pivot game’ for the Oklahoma Sooners

On3 analyst believes early road trip could make or break Oklahoma’s 2024 season.

The Oklahoma Sooners open their [autotag]SEC[/autotag] schedule with a home game against the Tennessee Volunteers. There will be a lot of eyes on the Sooners as they welcome the Vols to town. It’ll be a tough conference opener. But that following week, when the Sooners travel to Auburn, Alabama could be a significant moment in the season.

It’ll be OU’s first road game in the SEC as they travel to take on the Auburn Tigers inside the sometimes unfriendly confines of Jordan-Hare Stadium. On3’s Andy Staples called it a make-or-break game for both the Oklahoma Sooners and the Auburn Tigers.

This one won’t get anyone fired, but it definitely feels critical for both teams simply by virtue of where it falls on the schedule. Oklahoma opens SEC play in Norman against Tennessee on Sept. 21, so the Sooners either will come in riding high after notching their first win in their new league or desperate to avoid an 0-2 conference start.  The next time Oklahoma takes the field, it’ll be in the Cotton Bowl against Texas. Then the Sooners immediately face South Carolina and Ole Miss. (With Alabama and LSU waiting on the far end of the schedule.) – Staples, On3

Oklahoma’s coming off of a 10-3 season, while the Tigers are hoping to improve from a 6-7 mark in year one under Hugh Freeze. Auburn went 1-3 at home in SEC play last year and also lost at home to Conference USA’s New Mexico State by three touchdowns.

It’s a huge road game for the Sooners and an opportunity early in the season. If they can pick up a win on the road over the Tigers it’ll go a long way to setting them up to contend for a playoff spot in 2024.

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What are the Oklahoma Sooners chances to make the College Football Playoff?

The Sooners enter a whole new world in 2024, but can they make the expanded College Football Playoff?

The Oklahoma Sooners are less than a month away from opening the 2024 season against the Temple Owls on August 30. Fall camp is underway as OU readies for Year 3 of the [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] era.

College football looks a lot different than it did just twelve months ago, and the Sooners are right in the middle of all the changes. [autotag]Conference realignment[/autotag] has shaken up the sport, and one of the most notable moves is Oklahoma leaving the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] to join the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. The [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] has expanded from four teams from 2014 to 2023 to twelve teams for 2024 and 2025. [autotag]NIL[/autotag] and the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] continue to be shifting sands of the sport as well.

With all of the changes coming to college football in 2024, ESPN released their list of thirty teams they believe can reach the Playoff this season (ESPN+). The list was based off of ESPN analytics from the Football Power Index (FPI). 30 teams were given at least a 10 percent chance to make the [autotag]CFP[/autotag], according to ESPN’s calculations.

Here’s what college football analyst Heather Dinich, who wrote the article, had to say about the new possibilities in the Playoff.

“This is what the 12-team College Football Playoff is all about. Inclusion. Interest. A field so deep you need waders,” Dinich said. “Of course, there will be the familiar faces, as the SEC and [autotag]Big Ten[/autotag] have combined to win eight of the first 10 playoff titles, and that trend is expected to continue. According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, 12 of the top 15 teams are from those two leagues. The Allstate Playoff Predictor gives the SEC a 53% chance to win the national title and the Big Ten a 32% chance. They’re in good company, though. There are 30 teams — 30 teams! — with at least a 10% chance to make the CFP this year, according to ESPN Analytics. The CFP selection committee comprises 13 humans, though, who don’t always agree with the computers.”

Oklahoma made the list, and according to the numbers, the Sooners have a 36.6 percent chance to make the playoff. That number ranks No. 10 in the country. The percentage for OU to not only get in, but make a run through the playoff, and win a national title is 2.8 percent.

Half of the top 10 teams on the list are in the SEC. The Allstate Playoff Predictor gives the SEC a 53 percent chance for one of their teams to win it all.

Again, these numbers are based on the Football Power Index. That same FPI has predicted that the Sooners will go 8-4 in their first season in the SEC with a 5.1 percent chance at winning the conference. However, that model also has the Sooners as the eighth-best team in the country with a 17.2 FPI rating.

The road will be tough in the SEC but the Sooners won’t take a backseat to anyone. They relish the challenge of football’s strongest conference. [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] has spent two and a half years preparing the program for this moment and for the ones to come. We’re a few weeks away from seeing if the Sooners are “SEC-ready” or not.

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Nic Anderson says Oklahoma Sooners put through ‘toughest summer’

Nic Anderson spoke after practice Thursday about the work Oklahoma put in during the summer.

Coaches and players would argue that every fall camp is the most important. However, the Sooners are heading into a season with a whole new set of challenges. If they’re able to make the College Football Playoff in their first year in the SEC, Oklahoma will need to be physically prepared to handle the added number of games.

After their second fall camp practice, a select group of players met with the media, and Nic Anderson was asked what the offseason was like.

“(Jerry Schmidt) got after us,” Anderson said. “I feel like this was the toughest summer that we’ve had since I’ve been here. And I feel like we all handled it really well. He broke us down and built us right back up. So I feel like this is the best shape the team has been in a while.”

From the gains the team has made on the scales to the reputation that follows Schmidt, the Sooners put in the work this offseason to better prepare for their first venture through the SEC.

While a lot of the leadership responsibilities have fallen to the veterans like [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], and [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag], the younger guys are starting to develop as leaders as well. The group accountability is what takes a good team to a great team and Anderson shared that this is a motivated group.

“The standards were raised a little bit higher as they are every year,” Anderson shared. “And we just felt like we need to push each other, not just ourselves. And I feel like we had a lot of leaders step up and push everyone to the next level. So I feel that’s what made this summer a little bit tougher.”

For Anderson, who was limited in spring ball, he’s healthy and ready to roll after Schmitty put him through the paces this summer.

Anderson said, “Trainers got me right and threw me right back out there. Schmitty got me right. So just left it all to him and he got me good for the summer.”

This is a team that has a lot to prove. The media picked the Sooners eighth in the SEC preseason poll. On3’s J.D. PicKell has the Sooners struggling. Soon, it won’t matter. The Sooners will get to prove their worth on the football field. Physically and mentally, they’re ready to roll.

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Oklahoma punter Luke Elzinga named to Ray Guy Award Watch List

Oklahoma punter Luke Elzinga was named to the Ray Guy Award watch list.

The Oklahoma Sooners found their punter midway through the 2023 season as [autotag]Luke Elzinga[/autotag] took over for [autotag]Josh Plaster[/autotag] and never relinquished the job. Heading into 2024, he’s the lead punter for the Sooners and has a chance to earn some accolades.

On Friday, Elzinga was named to the Ray Guy Award watch list. The Ray Guy Award is given to the most outstanding punter in college football.

In 2023, Elzinga averaged 45.1 yards per punt, and 51.5% of his punts were downed inside the 20. Alabama’s James Burnip, who was Pro Football Focus’ highest graded punter, only had 42.3% of his punts downed inside the 20. Elzinga’s net of 40.8 yards per punt ranked No. 33 in the nation among punters with at least 19 attempts according to Pro Football Focus.

 

No Sooner has ever won the award named after the former All-American and All-Pro punter. If Elzinga can pick up where he left off in 2023, he’ll have a chance to bring home the schools first Ray Guy Award.

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Oklahoma Sooners running back named to Wuerffel Trophy watch list

Oklahoma Sooners running back Gavin Sawchuk named to Wuerffel Trophy watch list.

[autotag]Watch list[/autotag] season has begun in college football, and another offensive star is on award watch.

On Friday, Oklahoma Sooners running back [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] was named to the Wuerffel Trophy watch list. The Wuerffel Trophy is awarded to the player who best combines community service with academic and on-field success.

Sawchuk, who took over midseason for the Oklahoma Sooners, closed 2023 with five straight 100-yard games. On the season, he carried the ball 120 times for 744 yards and nine touchdowns. He also caught 14 passes for 94 yards.

Two Oklahoma Sooners have won the award since its inception in 2005. Former Oklahoma offensive linemen Gabe Ikard (2013) and Ty Darlington (2015).

Sawchuk is looking get off to a faster start in 2024 and with a healthy offseason, has a chance to have a big season for the Sooners.

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