Tag: Joe Jon Finley

Pro Football Focus comes in lower than polls in preseason power rankings

Oklahoma was ranked lower by Pro Football Focus than the US LBM Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25.

The Oklahoma Sooners were ranked No. 16 in the country in the initial Top 25 polls by both the Associated Press and the US LBM Coaches Poll to begin the 2024 season. Both polls had OU ranked eighth in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag], as did the SEC media poll. However, one site has Oklahoma ranked even lower nationally than the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.

Pro Football Focus revealed their preseason Top 25 rankings earlier this week. The Sooners checked in at No. 18, two spots lower than the two official polls. PFF did still have OU at eighth in the SEC, keeping consistent with most other lists. Here’s what PFF writers Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman had to say about [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ team in 2024.

Oklahoma might take some time to fully acclimate as it debuts in the SEC and with all of the new moving parts on its roster, but the Sooners can still compete for a playoff spot if they jell quickly. – Pro Football Focus

The Sooners will look to the defense to lead the way this season, a change from years past.

A talented, productive, and veteran defense breaks in new coordinator [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag], but has all of the pieces to dominate opposing offenses in 2024. Inside linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], defensive end [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag], cornerback [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] and new TCU transfer defensive tackle [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag] lead the way for a unit with high expectations.

Offensively, the Sooners are younger and have a few more concerns. They’re also breaking in new coordinators in [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag]. A much-discussed offensive line had to replace all five primary starters from last year’s team and is tasked with protecting new starting quarterback, sophomore [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag].

The former five-star prospect has plenty of weapons on offense, led by running back [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] and wide receivers like Purdue transfer [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] and returning players [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag], [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] and [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag]. If the new offensive line can gel and the tight end position can give the Sooners better production than last year, OU could once again have a high-scoring offense.

Special teams analyst [autotag]Doug Deakin[/autotag] is also new this year, and he takes over a unit that must be better in 2024. [autotag]Luke Elzinga[/autotag] is entrenched as the starting punter, but all of the other major positions within special teams seem to be up for grabs. Most notably, the kicker spot is still yet to be decided.

Brent Venables enters Year 3 as the head coach at Oklahoma and has been diligent in the process of turning over the roster. Only nine players remain on the 2024 fall camp roster that were on the roster at the end of the 2021 regular season. Slowly but surely, the Sooners have been rebuilt to defend the standard that has been set in place in Norman.

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Who steps up at wide receiver with Jayden Gibson out?

With Jayden Gibson set to miss the 2024 season, which wide receivers could step up for the Oklahoma Sooners?

Anytime you lose a player, it’s going to put the depth chart to the test. With Jayden Gibson set to miss the 2024 season, the Sooners will need to rely on their depth at wide receiver more than they anticipated.

Gibson was one of those players expected to have a huge breakout season. As part of the rotation in 2023, Gibson caught 14 passes for 375 yards and five touchdowns. As Andrel Anthony (knee) and Jalil Farooq (toe) were working their way back from injuries, Gibson was getting a great deal of run with the first team and was taking advantage of it.

Now that he’s out, who will step up in his place?

“You hate that for anybody when a season comes to an end prematurely,” Brent Venables said. “But that’s a group that we feel really good about.”

If everyone’s healthy, it’s likely Nic Anderson, Deion Burks, Farooq and Anthony are your top four wide receivers. Farooq is back and Anthony is expected to be ready for the season. In the event they’re not, the Sooners will need to go deeper into the wide receiver well.

One of the more unheralded figures on the wide receiver depth chart is former Missouri transfer and Tulsa native J.J. Hester. Hester arrived in Norman during the 2022 offseason, but dealt with injuries for much of his time with the Sooners. Those injuries limited his development. However, with a healthy offseason, Hester looks primed for a breakout season of his own.

He has great size and speed to be a difference-maker at every level of the offense. He can win in the intermediate part of the field with his size to box out defensive backs. Hester can also stretch the defense deep with legitimate 4.4 40-yard dash speed.

In addition to Hester, two other speedsters, though smaller in stature, have a chance to earn a significant role out of fall camp. Another transfer addition, Brenen Thompson, made an impact in a limited role, but he hasn’t seen many snaps with the Sooners. [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag], a four-star wide receiver in the 2023 recruiting class has the ability to work at several spots. He has the speed to threaten teams deep and the quickness to be a threat out of the slot.

Beyond the veterans on the roster, the Sooners have a nice group of prospects from the [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag]. [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag], and [autotag]K.J. Daniels[/autotag] provide a diverse range of abilities.

Though there may not be an answer right now as to who fills Jayden Gibson’s role in the offense, the Oklahoma Sooners have a number of options for [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], [autotag]Emmitt Jones[/autotag], [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] to choose from.

Projected Wide Receiver Depth Chart

X WR Nic Anderson Andrel Anthony Zion Kearney
Slot WR Deion Burks Jaquaize Pettaway Brenen Thompson
Y WR Jalil Farooq J.J. Hester Ivan Carreon

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What does CBS Sports think of Oklahoma’s offensive supporting cast?

New starting QB Jackson Arnold will have plenty of weapons to get the ball to in 2024.

Quarterback is one of the most important positions on any football team. It’s been called the hardest job in all of sports. Quarterbacks are often praised when their team wins and blamed when their team loses, regardless of how they played.

Most of the time, a great quarterback is only as good as the pieces around him. His head coach, offensive play-caller, offensive line, running backs, tight ends, and wide receivers can make or break his performances.

The Oklahoma Sooners are just three weeks away from beginning the 2024 season. OU has a new starting quarterback this season, as true sophomore phenom [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] takes the wheel after [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag]’s offseason transfer.

There’s no doubt that Oklahoma is Arnold’s team both in the present and the future and head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and the rest of the coaching staff have done their best to set the talented youngster up for success. After all, the duo of Venables and Arnold are the faces of the program more than anyone else. Their success or failure will be dependent upon each other and both are aware of that.

The other 133 FBS programs that are about to begin their seasons are also trying to set their QB(s) up for success heading into 2024. CBS Sports college football analyst Clint Brewster ranked the 12 programs that are doing the best job of it.

The Sooners landed at No. 10 on the list, sixth-best in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. Oklahoma enters their new conference with a new face under center who is getting a good deal of support from the rest of his offense, according to Brewster.

Oklahoma let Dillon Gabriel walk to turn the offense over to five-star sophomore Jackson Arnold. The Sooners easily have one of the top receiver rooms with newcomer [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] from Purdue and returning pass catchers [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag], [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag], and [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] to name a few. There’s also speed merchant [autotag]Brenan Thompson[/autotag], who could have a breakout season. At running back there’s [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] and [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag], but don’t forget about incoming blue-chipper [autotag]Taylor Tatum[/autotag]. On the offensive line, Oklahoma has some holes to fill (all five spots, actually) but picked up what could be one of the best centers in the country with [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag] in the portal. – Brewster, CBS Sports

OU’s loaded wide receiver room will be nursing some injuries as the season gets underway, but Burks will be a go-to wideout for Arnold. The two displayed incredible chemistry in the spring. The running backs will need to be better early than they were in the first half of the season last year, but Sawchuk looks ready to carry the load after playing well over the season’s last five games in 2023.

The offensive line has been the concern since the winter, but Venables seems confident in that unit’s ability to get the job done and keep Arnold upright. The Sooners may go as Arnold goes in 2024. Helping him make the big plays and avoid mistakes will go a long way towards a successful season.

New co-offensive coordinators [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] replace [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag], now the head coach at Mississippi State. Littrell is serving as the main play-caller. He’ll need to develop his young quarterback and support Arnold as best he can in his first season as a full-time starter in college.

Ohio State topped Brewster’s list with Gabriel’s Oregon Ducks coming in second. LSU was the best of the SEC’s 16 teams in this category.

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On3 expert thinks this unit will be the reason Oklahoma sinks or swims

Does Bill Bedenbaugh’s offensive line have enough to get the job done in the SEC?

You’ve heard about it all offseason if you’re an Oklahoma Sooners football fan. Can the offensive line mesh together well enough to get by in Year 1 in the brutal [autotag]SEC[/autotag]? Will the young players and [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] additions help or hurt OU in their pursuit of making the inaugural 12-team [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag]?

Elsewhere on the roster, Oklahoma looks pretty good on paper. [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] takes the reins at quarterback, a moment OU fans have been eagerly anticipating for a long time. Arnold is inexperienced, yes, but his talent and upside are evident to anyone who has watched him play.

The Sooners have an embarrassment of riches at wide receiver, with no less than five players who fans would trust to be on the field in pressure-cooker moments.

Running back is solid, with leading rusher [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] returning. Health will be key in the backfield, but that position group should have the horses to get the job done.

The secondary is another position that must stay healthy, but there’s plenty of experience at most of the starting spots and plenty of young talent behind the starters. Safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag]’s return makes the defensive backfield a strength.

Another strength comes in the form of [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and the linebacker group. Almost all of the key contributors from a year ago return and they complete a back seven that is seen by some as being among the best in the conference.

The defensive line is a bit more of a concern, but [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag] is back to lead the defense in the trenches. Oklahoma lost a lot of experience, talent and depth to graduation, the NFL and the portal, but they’ve worked hard to replace those exits. A major win in the spring portal window was the commitment of TCU transfer [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag]. He helps fortify one of the most important positions on the roster under Brent Venables’ vision and identity for the program.

The Sooners have other areas of concern. Tight end still needs to be sorted out. The same goes for the special teams. [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] is entering just his third season as the head coach in Norman and is breaking in brand-new coordinators on both sides of the ball. [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] comes over from Jacksonville State to lead the defense, while [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] and [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] were internal promotions who are now in charge of the offense.

But the biggest talking point this offseason, aside from OU’s brutal schedule in 2024’s journey to the SEC, has been that offensive line. Oklahoma had to replace the entire unit after last year and it’s one of the most valuable position groups on any football team. The performance of the o-line could literally make or break 2024 for the Sooners.

On his show, “The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell” On3’s college football expert J.D. PicKell gave his thoughts on Venables and the Sooners following [autotag]SEC media days[/autotag]. He laid out just how important one position group can be for the offense, and the entire Oklahoma team:

“I think the number one question we’ve all got to ask right now is can they protect Jackson Arnold because you bring in pretty much a whole new offensive line,” PicKell said. “Now I love (offensive line coach) [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag]. I think he’s going to be able to get the most out of whatever unit they have out there; I trust him. But at the same time if you can’t protect Jackson Arnold, in the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] that’s one thing, in the SEC that’s a completely other beast.”

PicKell also stated that it’s not all Arnold’s fault if the young quarterback struggles in the season’s early stages, while also laying out a path to early success.

“So if Jackson Arnold struggles early on in the year, make sure we evaluate the context for him,” PicKell said. “Make sure we’re assessing what he’s getting on that offensive line and how much time he has to deliver the football. Because if they can protect Jackson Arnold, if they do give him a chance to read the defense and feel comfortable confident back there in the pocket, they have, I believe, one of the most slept on wide receiver rooms in not just the SEC, in all of America. I’ll say it again. [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag], [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] … I love [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] I love [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] when he’s healthy, so all of those pieces I think make it very difficult as a defense to give the proper attention to all those weapons.”

PicKell went on to say that the offensive line’s success opening up running lanes will help take the pressure off Arnold and make OU’s offense more multi-faceted. He also highlighted the returning experience on Oklahoma’s defense and hypothesized that the Sooners could be in a few more low-scoring battles that fans are used to in Norman.

Simply put, the offensive line could be the reason that Oklahoma sinks or the reason the Sooners swim in 2024. The season is approaching quickly and Bedenbaugh will have fall camp to get his unit ready to gel together and compete in the SEC. The true mark of OU being an “SEC-ready” program would if the Sooners are able to overcome a weaker part of their roster by over-excelling at, perhaps, wide receiver or the defensive back seven.

The 2024 Oklahoma Sooners begin their season in less than six weeks. They’ll host the Temple Owls on Friday, August 30 at 6:00 p.m. on ESPN.

Where does 247Sports have Sooners in updated SEC power rankings?

Oklahoma could be one of the best teams in the country in 2024, but the SEC is a different animal than the Big 12.

The Oklahoma Sooners have been official members of the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] for two weeks now, but the process of getting “SEC-ready” began when [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] was hired as the head coach in December 2021. Venables arrived in Norman less than six months after news of the SEC move leaked.

The program had two-and-a-half years to get ready for the toughest conference in college football. Now we’re a few short weeks from the beginning of the 2024 season, OU’s first in the SEC.

Brad Crawford of 247Sports updated his SEC power rankings ahead of [autotag]SEC media days[/autotag] this week. He also included where each team ranked in his eyes pre-spring.

Crawford made sure to note how strong the league is, pointing to updated league-wide power rankings and the chance that more than half of the SEC will be ranked inside various preseason polls next month, a record for a conference strengthened by the additions of the Sooners and the Texas Longhorns.

Crawford dropped the Sooners to ninth in his preseason SEC rankings, one spot below his pre-spring ranking. He flipped Oklahoma and the Texas A&M Aggies on his list. Here’s what he had to say about the Sooners with six weeks to go until kickoff:

“This is not a ranking indicative of how we’re projecting teams will finish in 2024, but is more of a look at rosters approaching fall camp and which programs would win head-to-head matchups with each other if games were played next week. These power rankings could look very different by the end of September,” Crawford said. “The first of the SEC’s newcomers this fall, Oklahoma hasn’t received the same heightened level of preseason love as their cohorts from Texas. Part of that is based on the Sooners’ loaded schedule with a first-year starting quarterback in [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] who will see his share of bullets early. A few portal acquisitions will be immediate starters and the back seven for the Sooners is one of the league’s best with linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] returning, cornerback [autotag]Gentry Williams[/autotag] and hard-hitting safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag].”

Crawford certainly isn’t the first to praise OU’s back seven or have doubts about the offensive line protecting the new starter in Arnold. Ultimately, the schedule could be one of the keys to the season. If Brent Venables’ and [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag]’s defense can lead the way early on while [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag]’s offensive line gets settled, it could pay major dividends later in the year.

September and October games against Tennessee, Texas and Ole Miss loom large, interspersed with interesting contests against Auburn and South Carolina.

Arnold’s inexperience is real, but so is his ability and upside. He has the makeup and tools to be Oklahoma’s next great QB under center.

A good start by Stutsman, Bowman and the rest of the defense would take the pressure off Arnold and his new offensive coordinators [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag].

The end of the schedule is brutal with games against Missouri in Columbia, Alabama in Norman and LSU in Baton Rouge. If the Sooners are in a solid place record-, team- and program-wise by then, they’ll afford themselves a little wiggle room with the expanded 12-team [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag].

Starting fast will be the key for Oklahoma, and playing complementary football will certainly pay off if the Sooners can finish strongly. If pieces fall into place and the inexperienced parts of the roster grow up quickly, the Sooners could finish a lot better than ninth in the SEC in 2024.

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Who will be Oklahoma’s backup quarterback in 2024?

Oklahoma has options on the quarterback depth chart behind starter Jackson Arnold.

Backup quarterback is a position few fans or coaches ever want to think about. However, it’s an important role to have decided before going into any season.

The Oklahoma Sooners have zero doubt who their starting quarterback will be in Year 3 of the [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] era. [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] was tabbed long ago as the player who would be the face of the Sooners as they left the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] for the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

The quarterback room as a whole has seen a major reshuffle around the former five-star prospect. Former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] is the head coach at Mississippi State. Former offensive analyst [autotag]Matt Wells[/autotag], who worked with the QBs, is the co-offensive coordinator at Kansas State. Former assistant quarterbacks coach [autotag]Matt Holocek[/autotag] followed Lebby to Starkville.

[autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] were promoted to co-offensive coordinators to replace Lebby, with Littrell coaching quarterbacks and likely serving as the primary play-caller. Finley will continue to coach tight ends. [autotag]Kevin Johns[/autotag], who was the OC and QBs coach at Duke for the last two seasons, was hired by Venables as an offensive analyst this offseason to replace Wells. Johns has worked under Littrell before and received his coaching start working for former Oklahoma OC and current Tulsa head coach [autotag]Kevin Wilson[/autotag]. [autotag]Jack Lowary[/autotag] and [autotag]Ty Hatcher[/autotag] were hired in December as offensive support staff, and both have worked with QBs.

[autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag], [autotag]Davis Beville[/autotag], [autotag]General Booty[/autotag] and [autotag]Jacob Switzer[/autotag] left the program via the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] this offseason, leaving Arnold as the only player in the QB room who was here a season ago.

Behind Arnold, Oklahoma has four other quarterbacks on the roster heading into the 2024 season. Veteran transfer [autotag]Casey Thompson[/autotag], true freshmen [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Brendan Zurbrugg[/autotag], and late transfer enrollee [autotag]Steele Wasel[/autotag] make up the rest of the quarterback unit.

Which of these players has the best chance to be called upon if something happens to Arnold? After all, we saw the situation play out last season when Arnold’s redshirt year was burned because he had to replace Gabriel in the second half of a must-win game against BYU.

Casey Thompson has the experience you look for in a college football backup quarterback. The seventh-year “senior” has made stops at Texas, Nebraska and Florida Atlantic over the past few years. He’s Oklahoma royalty, having seen his father [autotag]Charles Thompson[/autotag] and his older brother [autotag]Kendal Thompson[/autotag] play for the Sooners before him. He joined the program as a walk-on transfer this offseason, and has been recovering from injury, meaning he was unable to participate in spring football.

Michael Hawkins Jr., another Oklahoma legacy, provides the young and uber-talented backup option. The true freshman hails from Frisco Emerson High School in Texas, and he could be the future of the position if he develops over the next two seasons behind Arnold. He’s a dual-threat quarterback, flashing his talent in the [autotag]2024 spring game[/autotag].

Brendan Zurbrugg was the second quarterback the Sooners took in the [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag], and his road to playing time is longer than his fellow true freshman’s. Zurbrugg is from Alliance, Ohio, and will be a depth player this season. He was taken by Oklahoma this year for a reason. He’ll have a chance to show what he has in practice.

Steele Wasel is the newest member of the group, transferring in from Akron in early June. He’ll be the fifth quarterback on the roster this season, and the in-state product will provide depth and a practice arm as a walk-on, getting the opportunity to practice against [autotag]Power Four[/autotag] players in Norman.

Thompson and Hawkins Jr. are the front-runners to serve as Arnold’s backup, but they’re on opposite ends of the experience spectrum. It may depend on the nature or severity of an Arnold injury to see which of them plays. Zurbrugg and Wasel are farther back in the competition, but college football has a way of making the unexpected the reality sometimes.

For instance, if Arnold is injured for part of a game and Littrell needs someone to finish the job, he might go with the steady hand of Thompson to help the Sooners win a close game, especially if it comes in a tough environment. If Arnold’s absence stretches multiple games, the talent and upside of Hawkins Jr. might be the way to go, considering the microscopic margin of error in the SEC. If either of those backups go down, Zurbrugg or Wasel could see an expanded role.

The competition will likely extend throughout fall camp, but Venables, Littrell and Finley need to have an answer at backup QB.

They’ll need to prepare either the experienced Thompson or the young Hawkins Jr. to hold the weight of Sooner Nation on their shoulders if the worst-case scenario happens. While they’re at it, it doesn’t hurt to get Zurbrugg or even Wasel ready to go just in case chaos reigns in 2024.

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Where does Oklahoma’s offense rank in EA Sports College Football 25?

How did EA Sports rate the Oklahoma Sooners offense for EA Sports “College Football 25?”

EA Sports is releasing “College Football 25” on July 19 and fans are excited for the return of the college football video game series.

On Thursday, EA released its offensive rankings for the 25 best offenses in the game, and the list featured the Oklahoma Sooners.

“College Football 25” has OU as the 23rd best offense in 2024, and the 8th best offense in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. This comes following the departure of [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] as offensive coordinator and the promotion of co-OCs [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag].

On the field, the Sooners lost quarterback [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag], who transferred this offseason. He leaves the job to [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], a more than suitable replacement.

Offensive line is the key for the OU offense, as the unit will see five new starters from a year ago. [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag]’s exit in the portal was the biggest blow of the offseason. Nationally, offensive line has been the biggest talking point for the Sooners this offseason.

In the passing game, [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] and [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag] are gone, but everyone else returns, including [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag], [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag], [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag]. Transfer [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] joined this winter to form a very dangerous unit.

In the run game, OU loses both [autotag]Tawee Walker[/autotag] and [autotag]Marcus Major[/autotag] to the transfer portal. However, [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] is expected to take full control at running back after leading the Sooners in rushing a year ago. [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] will get plenty of carries as well, as a change-of-pace back.

The Sooners will have an 83 overall offense in “College Football 25”, tied with Florida State, Virginia Tech, and USC. But they look like a group, that if the offensive line comes together, could see that rating skyrocket.

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2025 4-star TE DaSaahn Brame sets commitment date

Oklahoma target DaSaahn Brame sets commitment date.

[autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] has had an interesting first half of 2024. He went from solely being the tight ends coach at Oklahoma to being named to co-offensive coordinator this winter. He will be heavily invested in game planning and play design as the Sooners prepare for 2024, with [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] as the play-caller.

He is still in charge of recruiting for his position, and right now, the Sooners don’t currently have a true official tight end committed on campus. There’s a lot of belief that [autotag]Trynae Washington[/autotag] is set to be a tight end in college, and if so, that adds depth to the room for next year.

Oklahoma is currently in the final four for four-star tight end prospect [autotag]DaSaahn Brame[/autotag]. Brame is closing in on bringing his recruitment to an end on June 29. He is set to announce between Oklahoma, Tennessee, Oregon, and Ole Miss.

Oklahoma has been in on Brame for about two years, but with commitment day closing in, the Sooners may be on the outside looking in. Oregon has been one constant in his recruitment for quite some time, and the predictions and projections favor the Ducks.

Brame is a massive prospect, standing at 6-foot-6, and he is a natural catcher with plenty of noticeable athleticism. When watching his film, it’s easy to see why he’s a four-star prospect coveted by many Power 4 schools.

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Sooners overrated in ESPN’s Football Power Index per The Oklahoman

The Sooners placed fourth in the SEC in ESPN’s Football Power Index, trailing only Georgia, Texas and Alabama.

The Oklahoma Sooners football team was ranked fourth in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] in ESPN’s Football Power index prior to the 2024 season.

OU came in at No. 8 overall in the country; six of the top 10 teams are from the SEC. [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ team trailed only Georgia (No. 1), Texas (No. 3) and Alabama (No. 5) in the Southeastern Conference.

Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman took a look at each SEC team relative to the ESPN Football Power Index. According to Martinez, the Sooners are overrated by the FPI.

Martinez had this to say.

OU has given the keys to sophomore quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]. And while he has a lethal receiver group that features Purdue transfer [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag], he’ll be behind an offensive line that’s made up almost entirely of new pieces. The Sooners will lean on their defense, which boasts returners such as linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag]. But the No. 4 spot is high for a team that’ll likely be closer toward the middle of the pack. – Martinez, The Oklahoman

Martinez certainly has a point. Eighth in the country and fourth in the SEC would be a lofty finish for OU in Year 3 under Venables. The Sooners are transitioning from the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] to a much more difficult conference in the SEC. The schedule and quality of athletes they’ll have to face this year will be much stronger than in past seasons.

Oklahoma will also be breaking in new coordinators on both sides of the ball. [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] takes over on defense, while [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] will run the offense.

Then, there’s the often-talked-about offensive line, which will probably be the hinge point of the entire season. As Martinez notes, it has been entirely rebuilt.

But what if the offensive line jells in 2024? What if [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] is a star and has an all-conference type of year? What if the defense continues to improve in Year 3 under Venables? These are the questions that give OU fans so much reason for optimism heading into a new conference.

The culture and identity of the program under Venables is growing and building on top of the foundation set over the past two years. Culture, identity and defense are what brought Venables to Soonerland in the first place.

The 2024 season is fascinating in Norman because there are so may ways this year can go for Oklahoma. First impressions can be lasting impressions, so it’s almost time for the Sooners to announce their presence in the SEC early and often when the season begins.

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Sooners have a top 10 WR corps in the country according to PFF

Oklahoma is deep and talented at wide receiver this year, and Pro Football Focus ranked the Sooners as one of the ten best WR units in America.

The Oklahoma Sooners have an embarrassment of riches at the wide receiver position heading into the 2024 season. As OU football exits the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] and moves to the [autotag]SEC[/autotag], they’ll be leaning on their strengths in Year 3 of the [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] era. Wide receiver is one of the deepest and most talented units on the roster, even after losing [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag].

[autotag]Emmett Jones[/autotag] has been excellent since joining the Oklahoma staff from Texas Tech. He’s recruited very well and the unit improved noticeably in his first season as wide receivers coach.

Pro Football Focus agrees that the Sooners are very good at wideout heading into 2024, ranking the Sooners as one of their top 10 receiving corps in the country.

Oklahoma snuck onto the list at No. 10.

Oklahoma brings back five of its six leading receivers from a year ago, losing only Drake Stoops. [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] is the leader of those returners and was second in the Big 12 last year with 10 touchdowns to only Adonai Mitchell. [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] and [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] also came back and combined for 1,109 receiving yards this past season.

The Sooners also found a couple starting pass-catchers in the transfer portal in Purdue wide receiver [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] and Baylor tight end [autotag]Jake Roberts[/autotag]. Burks was second in the Big Ten with 18 forced missed tackles on receptions in 2023. Despite serving as Baylor’s backup tight end in 2023, Roberts was still ninth in the Big 12 at the position with 143 yards after the catch. – Max Chadwick, Pro Football Focus

Anderson, Farooq, Anthony, and Burks figure to be the four players who receive the most targets, but [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag] came on very strong as the 2023 season progressed.

Younger players like [autotag]J.J. Hester[/autotag], [autotag]Brenan Thompson[/autotag], [autotag]Jaquazie Pettaway[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag], [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag] and [autotag]K.J. Daniels[/autotag] are all providing plenty of depth and were all talented recruits.

At tight end, Roberts may not even start, as [autotag]Bauer Sharp[/autotag] got those snaps in the spring game. Four-star true freshman [autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag] joins [autotag]Kaden Helms[/autotag] and [autotag]Josh Fanuiel[/autotag] in the tight end room as well. [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] will be able to mix and match what he wants from that position, tasked with replacing [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag].

With a talented but unproven quarterback and an overhauled offensive line, look for the weapons in the passing game to be something the offense can lean on this season.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @AaronGelvin.