Tag: Brent Venables

Where does the Oklahoma Sooners defense rank in stop rate this season?

The Oklahoma Sooners are among the nation’s best in defensive stop rate.

The Oklahoma Sooners boast the best defense they’ve had in a long time this year. It may not be the elite unit that head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and defensive coordinator [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] are shooting for, but it’s still the best in years. Unfortunately, OU’s offense has fallen off a cliff, and the Sooners are just 5-5 in 2024 with two regular season games left.

One metric that shows how well the Oklahoma defense has played this year is stop rate. ESPN and staff writer Max Olson compiled all 134 FBS defenses in 2024, ranking them by their defensive stop rate.

What is stop rate? It’s a basic measurement of success: the percentage of a defense’s drives that end in punts, turnovers or a turnover on downs. – Olson, ESPN

Heading into the final two weeks of the regular season, Oklahoma ranks 18th in the country in stop rate, stopping the opposition 70.8 percent of the time. It’s one spot below Tulane and one spot about Northern Illinois. Remarkably, that’s only the sixth-best mark in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Even more remarkable is that the Sooners have faced five of the top 17 defenses by this metric in the country: Texas (fourth), Tennessee (fifth), Ole Miss (seventh), South Carolina (15th), and Tulane (17th). OU’s next opponent, Alabama, actually has a higher stop rate than the Sooners as well, as they sit at ninth.

Oklahoma allows just 1.50 points per drive, which is impressive considering the fact that the Sooners have defended the most drives in the country this season, according to Venables, and they’ve been forced to play with a lot of short fields due to turnovers on offense.

The job Venables and Alley have done with the defense this season has been excellent, especially considering the woeful place it was in when the head coach found it three years ago. No one can argue that he’s improved that side of the ball mightily.

However, it’s what he does on the other side of the ball that will determine whether or not the Sooners get back to the place they want to be alongside the elites of college football.

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Oklahoma Sooners promising freshman running back won’t redshirt this season

Oklahoma will put running back Xavier Robinson to work over the final two games of the season.

The Oklahoma Sooners will have the services of one of their youngest players over the final two weeks of the season. True freshman [autotag]Xavier Robinson[/autotag] broke onto the scene against Maine and Missouri, and as OU chases a bowl berth, the team has decided to burn his redshirt in 2024 and play him in the final two games.

Robinson spoke about his redshirt on Monday with reporters, saying that head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and running backs coach [autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag] approached him about the decision to shut it down or keep playing.”

I respect BV coming up to me asking, and DeMarco, you know, asking me about this decision,” Robinson said. “But I made the decision to keep playing, help this team out. I love this team a lot; and make sure the seniors leave on at least six…”

Robinson was the feature back on Oklahoma’s best offensive drive of the game against Missouri, as offensive coordinator Joe Jon Finley finally fed the young running back, and he responded by taking them down the field. That drive ended on the halfback pass from Taylor Tatum to Jackson Arnold that tied the game. It was the only touchdown OU’s offense scored all night.

Robinson elaborated on the process of his choice to use up the redshirt and continue to help this year’s team.

“It was a great feeling, them coming to me about it instead of me going to them,” Robinson said. “I feel like they’ve got a good understanding, just respect me about it … it took me a couple days to think about it, think about this decision.”

Robinson’s redshirt was only in question because Murray played him for two meaningless snaps in multiple-score losses against Texas and Ole Miss earlier this year. Counting the Maine and Missouri games, that’s four games, meaning if he played at all the rest of the regular season, his redshirt would be gone.

It’s a similar issue that faced Arnold last season. He had to come in against BYU when Dillon Gabriel was injured, burning his redshirt because the coaches opted to use Arnold on a handful of snaps running the ball against SMU and Iowa State.

Robinson will now be available for the Alabama and LSU games as OU tries to secure bowl eligibility in 2024.

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Oklahoma Sooners captains against Alabama Crimson Tide

The Sooners will be represented by some of their veterans on Senior Day in Norman.

The Oklahoma Sooners will be back at home this week for their final home game of the 2024 season against the Alabama Crimson Tide. It’ll be Senior Day in Norman, as plenty of veteran stalwarts will be playing their final game on Owen Field.

OU head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] announced his game captains for this [autotag]SEC[/autotag] tilt. Quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], offensive lineman [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag], defensive lineman [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag], linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and defensive backs [autotag]Billy Bowman Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] will represent the Sooners for this key contest.

Arnold will be a captain for the second straight game after a dismal performance against Missouri. His fumble at the end allowed the Tigers to win a comeback on their home field. Arnold’s standing as a captain would seem to indicate that he’s still Venables’ starter at quarterback.

Everett has become OU’s starting center, taking control of the job after getting healthy in the middle of the season. He’s one of the few veterans still healthy on the offensive line, surrounded by portal acquisitions and youth up front.

Downs is a steady presence at defensive end for the Sooners. He isn’t the flashiest player, but he’s always in the right place. He’s grown into a solid leader and clutch player for Venables over the last three seasons.

Stutsman is the heart and soul of this team. He’s the vocal leader and the enforcer at inside linebacker in the middle of the defense. He’ll play one more game at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, and his career in the crimson and cream has been excellent.

Bowman Jr. is another player who decided to return to school this past offseason, turning down a chance at the pros. If Oklahoma is makes a bowl game, it’ll likely be Bowman making a pivotal play to get them there. His scoop and score against Mizzou should have given the Sooners their sixth win two weeks ago.

Washington is the longest-tenured player on the team, having been a Sooner since 2019. He’s seen it all over his six years in Norman and is a respected veteran voice in a young locker room.

The senior group of Downs, Stutsman, Bowman and Washington are the only four defensive players that remain from the Lincoln Riley-Alex Grinch era at Oklahoma. They have been here for the transformation of OU’s defense over the last three seasons and have a huge hand in what that side of the ball looks like today.

As the season winds to a close for the Sooners, the coaching staff will clearly be looking to Arnold and the veterans to pave the way for Oklahoma to try to upset Alabama.

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Where do the Oklahoma Sooners land in USA TODAY Sports’ 1-134 rankings?

Where did the Oklahoma Sooners land in the most recent 1-134 rankings from USA TODAY Sports?

Following their second and final bye week of the 2024 season, the Oklahoma Sooners are preparing for a battle against the Alabama Crimson Tide. It’ll be the final home game of the year for OU, and it could be the penultimate game of the season if the Sooners can’t find a way to split their last two contests.

A 5-5 record overall and a 1-5 mark in Southeastern Conference play in head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ third season is a far cry from what is expected from this program. Year 1 in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] has been a disaster, and there are a multitude of questions surrounding the program going forward.

One area where the fall of Oklahoma can be seen is in USA TODAY Sports’ weekly 1-134 rankings of each team at the NCAA Division I FBS level of college football. A team regularly in the top five or ten in the past quarter-century has fallen completely out of the top 25.

Staff writer Paul Myerberg ranks the Sooners as the No. 44 team in the country, up one spot from a week ago, with OU on an open date in Week 12. That’s good for twelfth in the SEC, behind Texas, Alabama, Ole Miss, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M, South Carolina, LSU, Missouri, Vanderbilt and Florida. There are 13 of the 16 SEC teams in the top 50, with Arkansas at No. 46.

Oklahoma is, interestingly enough, listed between two programs who had coaches on the hot seat, before confirming that they will indeed return next year. No. 43 Florida will be retaining head coach Billy Napier and No. 45 Baylor will stick with head coach Dave Aranda.

It’s a generous ranking from Myerberg to say the least, as Oklahoma has looked like one of the worst teams in the Power Four at multiple points this season. It’s not a pretty sight to see yourself suddenly looking up at the Gators, who have struggled mightily for the last four years. The Bears, meanwhile, have cratered over the last three years before a bit of an uptick midway through this season.

That’s not where you want to be if you’re the Oklahoma Sooners. It’s just one more signal that things have to get moving in the right direction again, or else OU will fall dangerously behind the curve in the SEC.

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What did Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer have to say about the Oklahoma Sooners?

Kalen DeBoer and Brent Venables will meet for the first time when Alabama visits Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Sooners look to gain bowl eligibility on Saturday when they host the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday. OU is 5-5 and has the Tide coming to Norman for the final home game of the 2024 season.

This game has lost some of its luster due to the Sooners being as bad as they are, but it’s a measuring stick to see how far [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ team has to go if it wants to hang with the best of the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

The Crimson Tide have a new coach this season for the first time since 2007. Kalen DeBoer replaced Nick Saban after the legendary coach retired after last season. So far, it’s been an 8-2 season for ‘Bama with losses on the road against Vanderbilt and Tennessee.

Alabama is still right in the mix to play in the SEC Championship game and they can’t afford a loss against Oklahoma. DeBoer has had the tough task of stepping in for an icon, but he’s done well in his first season in Tuscaloosa. He gave his initial thoughts on OU during his Monday press availability.

“It’s going to take a great week of preparation,” DeBoer said. “A physical football team all around. Their defense is, I think, an extremely tough defense, always just what they do with their scheme and then their personnel and the way they fly around. We’ll have to get ready for their offense with a couple of quarterbacks, potentially, just some skilled players.”

DeBoer went on to highlight the number of close games the Sooners have been in this season, specifically their last loss against the Missouri Tigers.

“You look at the games they’ve played, a lot of close games going into the second half and even the fourth quarter,” DeBoer said. “The Missouri game obviously was a crazy ending and some plays made both ways just in the final two minutes. Each and every game takes on its own life and for us, we’re focused on the next play and for us, the next game and everything that goes into being our best and that’s what our recipe for success has been here over the last month.”

DeBoer and Bama will have a great deal of confidence as they swagger onto Owen Field this week. It’ll be up to Venables and OU to halt their momentum to get win No. 6 on the season.

Kickoff between Oklahoma and Alabama is set for 6:30 p.m. Central. The game will be broadcast on ABC.

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What happened the last time Oklahoma Sooners played the Alabama Crimson Tide?

Oklahoma Sooners welcome the Alabama Crimson Tide to Norman for just the second time in the history of the two illustrious programs.

There isn’t a much better helmet matchup in college football than the Oklahoma Sooners and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Two of the top five programs in the history of college football are now in the same conference, and they’ll meet for just the seventh time ever on Saturday.

Two teams used to winning, and winning a lot are on opposite trajectories right now. OU started 4-1, but they are now just 5-5 with two games left. Bama lost to Vanderbilt and Tennessee on the road earlier this season, but they’ve righted the ship with some key wins over the last few weeks against Missouri and LSU.

The all-time series between the two teams sits at 3-2-1 in favor of the Sooners. They first met in the Orange Bowl at the conclusion of the 1962 season. Alabama shut out Oklahoma that day, en route to a 17-0 victory. At the end of the 1970 season, they faced off in the Bluebonnet Bowl, with the game ending in a 24-24 tie.

There have been three matchups in the 21st century, beginning with a home game for the Sooners in 2002. Oklahoma won 37-27, highlighted by a couple of remarkable runs by Renaldo Works and a fumble return for a touchdown to seal the deal by Eric Bassey.

The next year, the teams met in Tuscaloosa, with OU winning, this time by a score of 20-13. Of course, the 2003 Sooners would end up in the BCS National Championship Game that year.

Eventual Heisman Trophy winner [autotag]Jason White[/autotag] (who was lost to a season-ending injury in the previous year’s game) hit Brandon Jones for a 47-yard touchdown in the third quarter on the game’s most series of plays. That throw immediately followed a gutsy successful fake punt call by Bob Stoops deep in his own territory.

But perhaps the matchup Sooner fans remember the most fondly happened in the Sugar Bowl after the 2013 season. The two-time defending national champion Crimson Tide were heavy favorites that night in New Orleans, but Oklahoma pulled off a huge 45-31 upset win.

Quarterback [autotag]Trevor Knight[/autotag] had the finest game of his career, throwing for 348 yards and four touchdowns against the vaunted Tide defense. OU’s defense harassed Bama QB A.J. McCarron all night, with Eric Striker and Geneo Grissom teaming up for a scoop and score touchdown to end a potential game-tying drive. It was one of the best wins of the late-Stoops era in Norman, as the Sooners took down the No. 3 team in the country on a truly magical and unforgettable night.

However, Alabama currently has bragging rights in this series, as the two programs met in the 2018 [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] Orange Bowl semifinal six years ago. Heisman Trophy winner [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag] and runner-up Tua Tagovailoa were primed for an offensive shootout in Miami, as Lincoln Riley and Nick Saban met for the first time.

Unfortunately for Oklahoma, this game was essentially over thirteen and a half minutes in, as Alabama rolled to a 21-0 lead, stifling Murray in the process. It was 28-0 Bama before the Sooners finally scored in the second quarter, and the Crimson Tide kept OU at arms length for the rest of the night. Alabama won 45-34, showing off a complete, star-studded team.

Murray and the Oklahoma offense got the Sooners as close as 11 points on multiple occasions, but OU didn’t have a good enough defense to handle Tagovailoa and an excellent Tide offense. Riley was outcoached by Saban, who knew that Oklahoma couldn’t stop his team.

It wasn’t Murray’s finest hour in his final collegiate game before being selected No. 1 overall in the next April’s NFL Draft. Riley would coach the Sooners for three more seasons before bolting to USC. Tagovailoa, Saban and the Crimson Tide were defeated by Clemson in the national championship game, as [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ defense put on a clinic against one of the best offenses in college football.

As the Sooners and the Crimson Tide prepare to meet again, Oklahoma is looking to get their fourth win in the series and improve to 4-1 this century. A performance like Knight’s at the quarterback position, coupled with a vintage 2018 Clemson performance from Alley and the defense would go a long way towards getting Oklahoma to bowl eligibility.

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Where do the Oklahoma Sooners land in updated ESPN’s SP+ rankings?

Oklahoma Sooners aren’t too far behind the Top 25 in SP+ rankings, despite a 5-5 record.

The Oklahoma Sooners watched the rest of the college football world in action in Week 12, as they were on their second and final bye week of the 2024 regular season.

OU’s record sits at 5-5 and just 1-5 in [autotag]SEC[/autotag] play, a disappointing mark for a program that is used to winning and winning big. In the third season under head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], it’s been a rough go of things in Norman in Year 1 in a new league.

But in at least one metric, Oklahoma may not be as bad as their record indicates. ESPN college football writer Bill Connelly released his weekly SP+ rankings (ESPN+)for all 134 teams at the FBS level.

Connelly defines SP+ as a tempo-and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency, intended to be predictive and forward-facing. It is not a résumé ranking, and is simply a measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football.

While the Sooners are far from sniffing the actual Top 25 and are a long shot to making a bowl game for the first time in 25 years, SP+ has them ranked all the way up at No. 27, sandwiched in between Colorado and Virginia Tech.

One saving grace of OU’s poor season, and the most likely reason for the top-30 ranking, is that they’ve played a very difficult schedule. Tulane is one of the best teams in the Group of Five, and Oklahoma beat them by 15 points. South Carolina is far better than anyone expected, and teams like Tennessee, Texas, Ole Miss, and Missouri have all had their moments in 2024.

Unfortunately, the schedule doesn’t get any easier, as Alabama comes to town on Saturday, and Oklahoma will face LSU on the road a week after that. The Sooners will have to win at least one of those matchups if they want to avoid missing a bowl game for the first time since 1998.

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Former Oklahoma Sooners star reveals his pick for offensive coordinator

Dusty Dvoracek has his thoughts on who should replace Seth Littrell at offensive coordinator.

It’s no secret the offense has performed well below expectations for the Oklahoma Sooners this year.

With Jeff Lebby leaving to become the coach at Mississippi State at the end of the 2023 regular season, Sooner fans hoped coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ decision to promote from within the program would pay off. Instead, it’s done the opposite.

Seth Littrell and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] were promoted to co-offensive coordinators. Littrell served as the quarterbacks coach and the primary play caller. Finley continued to coach the tight ends.

However, it only took seven games for Littrell to be relieved of his duties. The offense was (and still is) broken, and changes had to be made. Finley was installed as the interim play caller and offensive analyst [autotag]Kevin Johns[/autotag] was promoted to interim co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

After promising signs from the duo against Ole Miss and Maine, the offense sank against Missouri in a crushing loss. Finley and Johns will not be the answer next season, and the external search continues for Venables.

With questions over the choice at quarterback, [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] or [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag], looming and offensive line problems that have to be fixed, there are a multitude of issues for the new OC on the job to address this offseason.

In addition, the questions about what will happen to the other offensive position coaches on the staff will be interesting to watch. Emmett Jones (wide receivers/passing game coordinator), Bill Bedenbaugh (offensive line) and DeMarco Murray (running backs) will have a new boss, if they’re in Norman next season.

There are plenty of opinions on who Venables should hire, but one person who raises eyebrows is beginning to gain some steam. One former standout at OU has put his support behind a once-unlikely candidate.

Former star defensive lineman Dusty Dvoracek thinks former Mississippi State and Florida coach Dan Mullen should take the reins of the Oklahoma offense. He joined fellow OU standouts Gabe Ikard and Teddy Lehman on “The Oklahoma Breakdown with Ikard and Lehman” last week to voice why he would call Mullen if he was Venables.

“On my list, my No. 1 person I’m calling is Dan Mullen,” the ESPN college football color commentator said. “I have no idea, outside of a major head coaching opportunity, if he’d even entertain this conversation. If you’re asking me what I’d do, I’d pick up the phone and make him tell me no. … The dude can coach offense with anybody in the sport, and he can develop quarterbacks as well as anybody in the sport.”

Dvoracek and Mullen are colleagues at ESPN. The latter has been a studio analyst and color commentator since the 2022 season. It’s been his gig since he was fired by Florida late in the 2021 regular season.

Mullen was Florida’s offensive coordinator under Urban Meyer when the Gators won two national championships in the 2000s. He developed Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow during that time.

He became Mississippi State’s coach in 2009 and served their until 2017. The Bulldogs had some of their best years under Mullen, including the 2014 season where they reached No. 1 in the rankings and beat Alabama. He mentored Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during his time in Starkville.

He returned to Florida as the coach in 2018, leading to three good seasons before he was fired during a rough 2021 campaign. His supporters note his success as a play caller in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag], while his detractors call out his lack of a strong recruiting presence in his latter years with the Gators.

It’s absolutely imperative for Venables to nail this offensive coordinator search. His future and the program’s future ride so heavily on him getting this move right, heading into a make-or-break 2025 season.

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3 College Football games to watch in Week 12

Week 12 of the 2024 college football season features some impactful matchups.

The Oklahoma Sooners have arrived at the second of their two bye weeks this season. After a 4-1 beginning to the year, OU has slid to 1-4 in the past five weeks, with the only win coming over FCS Maine.

That means that the Sooners are just 5-5 overall and just 1-5 in [autotag]SEC[/autotag] play in 2024. They haven’t won a conference game since September.

[autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ team is licking their wounds after their latest defeat, and they’ll be back on the field on Nov. 23, when they host Alabama. The Crimson Tide essentially will be coming off of a bye week as well. They will face FCS Mercer on Saturday. OU vs. Alabama will be on ABC at 6:30 p.m. central time.

Even with Oklahoma off, the college football world doesn’t stop spinning in Week 12. If you’re like me, you’ll still be tuned in on Saturday, watching some of the biggest games this week’s slate has to offer.

Here are the three biggest games of Week 12 to watch while the Sooners are off.

Tennessee at Georgia

It’s easily the biggest game on the docket, as the Volunteers and Bulldogs both need a win in Athens. The Vols have just one loss (against Arkansas), but they haven’t always been their normal high-flying selves this year. Tennessee boasts a fantastic defense, and they hope to have quarterback Nico Iamaleava healthy in Sanford Stadium.

The Dawgs lost to Ole Miss last week, placing their College Football Playoff hopes in jeopardy. Georgia needs their offense to get back on track between the hedges, and they certainly don’t make it a habit to lose back-to-back games under Kirby Smart. In a loaded Southeastern Conference, this game could go a long way towards deciding who makes it to Atlanta for the conference title game.

Tennessee at Georgia will kick off on ABC at 6:30 p.m. central time.

Missouri at South Carolina

Two teams that have already beaten the Sooners this season will face off to find out who lives in the better Columbia. This one will take place in the Palmetto State, where South Carolina upset Texas A&M a couple of weeks ago. Shane Beamer’s Gamecocks are among the hottest teams in college football, and they aren’t that far away from being 8-1 this year.

Missouri hits the road after defeating Oklahoma, and the Tigers think they still have CFP chances. If they want to get back in the mix at the top of the SEC, they’ll have to go into Williams-Brice Stadium and take down South Carolina in a tough place to play.

Missouri at South Carolina will kick off on SEC Network at 3:15 central time.

Tulane at Navy

It’s not the most impressive matchup on paper, but these two American Athletic Conference foes should play a competitive game in Annapolis, Maryland. The winner has an easier path to their conference title game.

Tulane is undefeated in AAC play, and their only losses have come against Kansas State and Oklahoma. The Green Wave also feature offensive coordinator Joe Craddock, who has been linked to OU’s OC vacancy. His young quarterback Darian Mensah has been impressive in the offensive scheme, taking the reins as a redshirt freshman.

Navy has lost a couple of times since their blistering undefeated start, but the Midshipmen are looking to get back into the race in the AAC. With their annual bout with Army still on the schedule, they don’t want to get too many games back of their arch-rival when mid-December rolls around. The American champion could have a shot at a playoff spot if Boise State stumbles in the Mountain West.

Tulane at Navy will kick off on ESPN2 at 11:00 a.m. central time.

Oklahoma Sooners defensive back still has confidence in team with two games left

Oklahoma’s Peyton Bowen believes the Sooners have what it takes to get to a bowl game.

The Oklahoma Sooners fumbled away a golden opportunity to become bowl eligible last week, losing on the road against the Missouri Tigers. OU will have to win at least one of their final two games to make the postseason. If they fail, it’ll break a 25-year streak of bowl-eligibility.

It’s been quite a fall from grace in Norman over the last few years, as a program that was strong and a frequent contender under Bob Stoops became an explosive, yet ultimately flawed product under Lincoln Riley. Three years in under [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], the Sooners are just flawed.

From the elite ranks of college football to fighting to win as many games as they lose, no one saw quite this much of a regression from Oklahoma. But there’s still belief in the 2024 team from none other than some of the players in the locker room.

One such player is sophomore defensive back [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag], one of OU’s trio of safeties that have been very good this season. He was asked about this team’s mindset coming off of last week’s embarrassing loss, with chances at getting to six wins running out.

“We’ve still got a lot to play for,” Bowen said. “Bowl eligibility with these two games, we’ve got one more in The Palace and one more in Death Valley. Like I said at the beginning of the year, every game is winnable. We’ve got the guys to do it, and I think we can, I know we can, and we’ve just got to go out there and win them.”

That’s what you want to hear from a second-year player, even if OU fans don’t quite share the same sentiment. Bowen is about to have so much more responsibility placed on his shoulders next season when players like Danny Stutsman and Billy Bowman head to the pros. If Robert Spears-Jennings decides to go to the league as well, Bowen would suddenly be the leader of the safety position in 2025.

Oklahoma will host the Alabama Crimson Tide on Nov. 23 for Senior Day in Norman, and the final game of the season will be on the road against the  LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.