Tag: Marcus Stripling

Oklahoma Sooners up 3 spots in latest ‘way-too-early’ ESPN Power Rankings

In ESPN’s latest “way-too-early” power rankings, the Oklahoma Sooners moved up three spots to No. 14.

The spring game for the Oklahoma Sooners football program served as an opportunity Christen the ship as it readies to set sail in the Brent Venables era. The four-month process of building the boat that the 2022 Oklahoma Sooners will board to venture into the college football season was at the dock.

On Saturday, [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag], and Sooner Nation broke their champagne bottle against the vessel that will carry Oklahoma into open waters as they embark for their future home in the SEC.

More than 75,000 fans gathered inside the friendly confines of Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium for the spring game. Brent Venables put out the challenge to “Pack the Palace” and the Sooners faithful responded in a resounding fashion.

The Sooners did some nice things on the football field as their fans looked on. There were big plays from the offense and the defense forced several turnovers and got after the quarterback. It was good competition that will serve Oklahoma well as they chart their course into the 2022 college football season.

As spring ball wraps up, ESPN updated their way-too-early top 25 power rankings for the 2022 season and the Oklahoma Sooners have moved up three spots to No. 14.

The Sooners’ roster was decimated by players leaving for the NFL draft and transferring after Riley left for USC. But first-time head coach Brent Venables has done a nice job of reloading through the transfer portal. Gabriel threw for more than 8,000 yards with 70 touchdowns in three seasons at UCF. Coldon, a transfer from Wyoming, and Morrison, from North Carolina, were nice additions to the secondary. Laulu had eight tackles for loss and four sacks at Hawai’i last season. Venables will get things fixed on defense, and the offense will be good enough to outscore most teams in the Big 12. The Sooners will play Kansas State, Baylor and Oklahoma State at home. – Mark Schlabach, ESPN

The Oklahoma Sooners strategically attacked the transfer portal during the winter to fill needs and add some depth to the roster. Veteran players like Dillon Gabriel, Trey Morrison, Jeffery Johnson, and Jonah La’ulu will help bridge the transition from the starters lost to the transfer portal or the NFL draft to the younger guys that were sitting behind them.

As we saw in the spring game, the Sooners have talent in Reggie Grimes, [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag], [autotag]Marcus Stripling[/autotag], [autotag]Jalen Redmond[/autotag], [autotag]Kendall Dennis[/autotag], and others. With four starters off to the NFL on the defensive side of the ball, the guys that were rotational players in 2021 have had a chance to shine in the Alamo Bowl and the spring game.

In the initial aftermath of [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag]’s departure from the Oklahoma Sooners to USC, the sea was choppy. The rough waters were difficult to manage in the early going. The steady leadership of Joseph Harroz, Joe Castiglione, and Bob Stoops helped Oklahoma find a captain capable of righting the ship that was abruptly thrown off course.

The 2022 spring game was more than a football game for the Oklahoma Sooners. It was a celebration of a program that waded through some adversity in the early going to put itself on a championship trajectory.

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From Baker to Brent, here are 8 takeaways from the Oklahoma Sooners spring game

From the return of Baker Mayfield to the beginning of the Brent Venables era, here are 8 takeaways from the Oklahoma Sooners’ spring game.

The 2022 Oklahoma Sooners wrapped up spring ball with a spring game that had a record crowd, a Heisman statue presentation, more than 200 former players, and more than 50 recruits on hand. Oh, and some football was played.

It wasn’t a clean spring performance with several turnovers and other miscues, but it was a fantastic way to end the spring in the Red’s 21-17 win over the White.

For the last four months, Brent Venables has been rebuilding a foundation of a program that while successful under the last coaching staff, had begun to lose its edge, missing the College Football Playoff in back-to-back seasons and failing to qualify for the Big 12 championship.

On a windy April day in the spring, the Sooners stood out and provided a lift for a program and a fan base eager to turn the page and begin the Brent Venables era of football.

As the Sooners begin pursuit of National Championship No. 8, here are 8 takeaways from Oklahoma’s spring game.

Brent Venables, Dillon Gabriel steal the show in front of record-breaking crowd for Oklahoma’s Spring Game

In front of more than 75,000 fans, the Oklahoma Sooners put on a strong performance in the first Spring Game of the Brent Venables era.

After a mountain of hype, the Oklahoma Spring Game delivered on many fronts for the Oklahoma Sooners. The loyal fans of the Crimson & Cream packed out The Palace on the Prairie with just over 75,000 fans for the start of the Brent Venables era.

The game showcased what the new regime in Norman has been cooking up as they prepare the Sooners for the 2022 season. While there were many familiar faces from the past few years, the Sooners had new faces donning Oklahoma jerseys for the first time. The roster was split into two teams led by defensive ends coach [autotag]Miguel Chavis[/autotag] for the white squad while running backs coach [autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag] led the red team.

New quarterback [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] did exactly what you want your veteran quarterback to do. He looked calm and poised under duress and stepped up and made some nice throws to a plethora of receivers. The tempo of the offense was indeed as fast as advertised and gave Sooners fans a glimpse of what the offense can look like under offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby.

Gabriel was 19 of 28 for 250 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He looked sharp in his first appearance for the Sooners.

The anticipation of seeing running back [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] did not disappoint. Barnes carried the ball 17 times for 60 yards and two touchdowns. He looked explosive, physical and decisive.

Presumptive starter [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag]’s biggest highlight came when he broke out for a huge run for the white team that is certain to have people salivating about his upcoming season. Gray carried the ball four times for 53 yards, including the 50-yard run.

[autotag]Marcus Major[/autotag] didn’t participate but [autotag]Tawee Walker[/autotag] ran the ball well in his absence. Walker has turned heads in practice and capped off an eye-opening spring with a solid performance in the spring game.

The offensive line play was solid, considering the likely starters were split between the two sides. They opened up some lanes for the backs and gave time for the quarterbacks to throw the ball.

The only notable player missing was [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag] who didn’t participate. [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag], one of the transfer offensive linemen the Sooners landed looked pretty comfortable at guard as he made a key block that sprung Gray loose for his big gain.

[autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag] and true freshman [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag] scored touchdowns out wide for the receiver group. [autotag]Theo Wease[/autotag], who returned from an injury-filled 2021 also made a nice grab for a 48-yard gain that led to a touchdown early in the game. [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] saw his number called quite a few times and has a chance to be a major contributor on the heels of his electric performance to end the season in 2021. Farooq would finish with two receptions for 17 yards.

Jayden Gibson’s 95-yard touchdown helped him lead the way at receiver on the afternoon. He finished with 113 yards on three receptions and a touchdown. Marvin Mims picked up right where he left off the 2021 season with two receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, guys like defensive end [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag] and defensive back Kendall Dennis stood out as both forced turnovers during the game. Downs would punch out a fumble and Dennis intercepted a pass in the second half of the game. There wasn’t too much to be made of the Sooners’ new defensive system as [autotag]Ted Roof[/autotag] kept things largely vanilla for good reason.

However, guys like [autotag]Jeffery Johnson[/autotag] and Jordan Kelley made plays from the defensive interior while [autotag]DaShaun White[/autotag] roamed at the second level making their impact felt. On the back end, Woodi Washington, Joshua Eaton made some plays on the ball. Eaton recovered the Downs forced fumble and broke up a possible touchdown in the end zone too. In the end, the red team led by DeMarco Murray got the win as they won 21-17.

Though they weren’t taking quarterbacks to the ground, Ethan Downs and [autotag]Marcus Stripling[/autotag] were credited with two sacks apiece and [autotag]Jalen Redmond[/autotag] added a sack for the red team. Johnson, Kelley, White, Jonah La’ulu, and [autotag]Reggie Grimes[/autotag] combined for five sacks for the white team.

While the football was the main focus, it was incredible to see the alumni turnout as the Sooners did everything in their power to get every Sooner to Norman that they could. Big names like [autotag]Adrian Peterson[/autotag], [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag], [autotag]Mark Clayton[/autotag], and [autotag]Jamelle Holieway[/autotag] were all in the building. [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag]’s Heisman statue ceremony took place at halftime with the unveiling in Heisman Park.

The pageantry, emotion and the excitement of the day delivered in spades and with no significant injuries to report, the first spring game of the [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] era can be considered a huge success.

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Oklahoma Sooners Spring Game: Stream, broadcast info for Saturday

How to watch or listen and start time for Oklahoma’s spring game on Saturday.

The Oklahoma Sooners will play their annual spring game this Saturday, April 23, and if you’re wondering how you can watch the action live, you’ve come to the right place.

It’s a dawn of a new era for the Oklahoma Sooners. Though [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his coaching staff have been in town for four months now, the Sooners’ spring game marks a seminal moment to kick off the Venables era. It’s the coaches’ and fans’ first opportunity to see the team play in a game-like situation.

“We’re going to split the squad up. I’m going to have a Red and White team. Dillon (Gabriel) will play a little bit of quarterback for both sides, but otherwise, we’re going to split it evenly,” Venables shared with the media on Tuesday. “Coaches as well. We’ll name the head coaches here another day, as well. We’ll let the players know by Thursday who’s on what team, and then we’ll have it all juiced up on different sidelines.”

With 12 players declared for next week’s NFL draft and quite a few who departed via the transfer portal, the Sooners have quite a few snaps up for grabs as they close out the spring. Saturday’s game will prove to be a big-time opportunity for someone to assert themselves in their position battles ahead of the 2022 college football season.

Here’s when you should tune in to see the game:

  • Date: April 23
  • Time: 3 p.m. CT
  • Live Stream: SoonerSports.com (Subscription Required)
  • Listen: Streaming on The Varsity Network App
  • Ticket Info can be found at SoonerSports.com
  • Replay of the event will be shown on Bally Sports Saturday night at 10:30 p.m. CT and on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. CT.

Oklahoma injury report:

No injuries have been disclosed.

Players to watch:

At quarterback [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] is expected to play for both the red and the white teams during the spring game. Sooners fans will get their first opportunity to see highly-regarded freshman [autotag]Nick Evers[/autotag]. Evers is the favorite to win the quarterback job.

In the passing game, Oklahoma’s looking to replace four of their top five pass-catchers from 2021, but the return of [autotag]Theo Wease[/autotag], who sat out nearly all of 2021 bodes huge for this team.

Running back has a lot of talent led by [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag]. [autotag]Marcus Major[/autotag] is bouncing back from a 2021 season marred by academic ineligibility. [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] has been turning heads in camp for his progression during his first semester with the Sooners.

The offensive line returns three of their five starters and picked up a huge addition via the portal in [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag]. How this unit improves from last season and gels together for 2022 are huge storylines to follow in the spring game and this summer.

On defense, how they replace the production from the defensive linemen who departed for the NFL draft is the biggest question Oklahoma’s facing. [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag], [autotag]Reggie Grimes[/autotag], [autotag]Marcus Stripling[/autotag], and Jonah La’ulu figure to make up the defensive end rotation while newcomer [autotag]Jeffery Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Redmond[/autotag] appear to be the starters along the interior defensive line.

Linebacker appears to be the deepest position group on the roster led by [autotag]DaShaun White[/autotag] and [autotag]David Ugwoegbu[/autotag]. [autotag]Shane Whitter[/autotag] and [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] will play significant roles and newcomers [autotag]Kobie McKinzie,[/autotag] Jaren Kanak, and [autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag] could factor into the rotation in 2022.

In the secondary, the Sooners have to replace [autotag]Delarrin Turner-Yell[/autotag] and [autotag]Pat Fields[/autotag], two players with a ton of experience. They’ve got potential answers in [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag], [autotag]Justin Broiles[/autotag], and [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], but who starts for the Sooners at safety remains to be seen.

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Oklahoma Sooners’ Ethan Downs among 247Sports ‘rising stars’ in 2022

Mapping out rising stars ahead of the 2022 season, Oklahoma Sooners defensive end Ethan Downs comes in at No. 9 according to 247Sports.

With the departures of [autotag]Nik Bonitto[/autotag] and [autotag]Isaiah Thomas[/autotag] to the NFL, there’s a sizable void on the edge of the Oklahoma Sooners’ defensive line. Bonitto and Thomas combined for 30.5 sacks over the last two seasons and 14 in 2021.

Who steps up to fill the shoes of the Sooners’ defensive leaders is one of the biggest question marks facing Brent Venables and Oklahoma’s defense in 2022. They aren’t devoid of options with up-and-comers like [autotag]Reggie Grimes[/autotag], [autotag]Marcus Stripling[/autotag], and [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag] expected to factor in heavily coming off the edge.

It’s easy to see how each of these guys could be an impact player for the Oklahoma Sooners, but Ethan Downs has received the most buzz. Just last week, when he met with the media, [autotag]Wanya Morri[/autotag]s talked about the effort Downs brings to every practice.

Over at 247Sports, Brad Crawford picked 22 players he sees as “rising stars” heading into the 2022 season, and Ethan Downs came in at No. 9.

[autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag] is the kind of player defensive-minded Oklahoma coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] has loved throughout his career — hard-nosed, physical, and unafraid to put his face in the fan off the edge. He only made 14 tackles in 13 games last season, but insiders point to Downs being Oklahoma’s breakout player on defense this fall because of how he fits within Venables’ scheme, one that caters to his obvious strengths. – Crawford, 247Sports

It remains to be seen how the snaps will be divided among the top edge players. That competition will linger into fall camp and possibly throughout the season. But Ethan Downs is undoubtedly a player to watch as Oklahoma’s spring game comes on April 23.

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Oklahoma Sooners 2022 football schedule

Oklahoma Sooners 2022 football schedule.

The 2022 season for the Oklahoma Sooners marks a new beginning for one of the most storied programs in the history of college football.

Returning to help the Oklahoma Sooners embark on the next chapter is [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], who will make his head coaching debut against the UTEP Miners in Norman on Sept. 3. There’s no doubt that the Sooners’ fanbase will be fired up to watch and support their new head coach.

Also returning is former student assistant, now offensive coordinator [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag]. Lebby’s bringing his high-octane offense to the Sooners and brings along a former quarterback with him in [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag].

Gabriel’s experience helps the Sooners avoid a drop-off at quarterback with both starters from the 2021 season transferring out. Gabriel and the Oklahoma offense get a boost from the return of [autotag]Theo Wease[/autotag] who was out for 2021 due to an injury and initially entered the transfer portal only to return. The receiving yardage leader from the 2020 and 2021 seasons, [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag], is back as well to give Oklahoma a nice duo on the outside.

The biggest question facing the Sooners is how they retool a defense that lost six starters from the 2021 season. But with support in the transfer portal from [autotag]Trey Morrison[/autotag], [autotag]Jonah Laulu[/autotag], and [autotag]Jeffery Johnson[/autotag] and some rising stars in Ethan Downs, [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag], [autotag]Reggie Grimes[/autotag], [autotag]Marcus Stripling[/autotag], [autotag]Jalen Redmond[/autotag], [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag], and [autotag]DaShaun White[/autotag], the Sooners have answers.

Despite all of the turnover, the Oklahoma Sooners are still a contender for the Big 12 and if things go right could find themselves in contention for a College Football Playoff berth.

Some game times and broadcast information are still to be determined. Times are listed in the central time zone.

Week
Date
Opponent
Time
1 9/3 vs. UT-El Paso Miners TBA
2 9/10 vs. Kent State Golden Flashes TBA
3 9/17 at Nebraska Cornhuskers TBA
4 9/24 vs. Kansas State Wildcats TBA
5 10/1 at TCU Horned Frogs TBA
6 10/8 vs. Texas Longhorns in Dallas  TBA
7 10/15 vs. Kansas Jayhawks TBA
8 10/22 at. BYE WEEK
9 10/27 at Iowa State Cyclones TBA
10 11/5 vs. Baylor Bears TBA
11 11/12 at West Virginia Mountaineers TBA
12 11/19 vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys TBA
13 11/26 at Texas Tech Red Raiders TBA

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5 position battles to watch as the Oklahoma Sooners begin spring practice

With key losses on both sides of the ball, the Oklahoma Sooners will have a lot of competition for starting roles this spring. Here are 5 position battles to watch.

The Oklahoma Sooners are set to stage the next phase of their offseason preparation for the 2022 season; spring practice.

With the team putting in winter workouts with returning strength and conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt, Oklahoma starts fresh with a new coaching staff, which has brought it in a new culture, hoping to return Oklahoma to national prominence.

Most of the coaching staff was retained on the offensive side of the ball for new coordinator Jeff Lebby. Lebby brings a new approach to offensive football, looking to return Oklahoma to a fast-paced, balanced, and efficient offensive identity. The only change came at wide receiver, where Dennis Simmons moved on to USC, and Cale Gundy took over as the Sooners wide receivers coach.

Despite the losses, excitement has followed the Oklahoma Sooners in the locker room and the fan base for the start of the Brent Venables era. On defense, it’s a whole new crew, with a new defensive scheme and a new energy. Heading into 2022, more than half of the defensive starters will be new for the Sooners.

With spring practice set to kick off, let’s look at five key position battles this offseason.

5 players the Oklahoma Sooners need a breakout season from in 2022

The Oklahoma Sooners have a ton of talent to mitigate the transfer portal and NFL draft departures, but which players are in need of a breakout 2022 season?

While there have been no padded practices, the Sooners’ coaching staff has already looked up and down this roster and is trying to decide which guys they can count on as they head into the 2022 season.

The Sooners lost a number of pieces to the transfer portal and NFL draft. The losses can be felt in all three phases of the game; special teams took a hit when All-American kicker Gabe Brkic declared for the draft.

To say there are holes to fill would be an understatement. However, this is Oklahoma, and Oklahoma has an incredible pool of talent that can rise and replace those who are no longer with the program.

Where will these stars come from, and why does their ascension matter? We’ve got that covered below as we compiled a list of five players the Sooners need a breakout season from in 2022.

Oklahoma Sooners 20th in NCAA.com’s way-too-early top 25

In their way-too-early look ahead at the 2022 season, NCAA.com had the Oklahoma Sooners 20th in their top 25.

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They’ll be in somewhat unfamiliar territory when the Oklahoma Sooners open the 2022 college football season. With the turnover in the coaching staff and on the roster, analysts across college football are unsure of what to expect from the new-look Oklahoma Sooners. They’ll have a lot to prove.

It’s fair to wonder what the Sooners will be with a first-year head coach. At the same time, that first-year head coach has been a star in the making for what seems like a decade. He’s been one of the best coordinators in all of college football since leaving Oklahoma for the Clemson Tigers. Venables isn’t the trendy assistant coach getting his first opportunity. He’s been patiently biding his time for the right job after working under legends of the sport for the last 30 years.

But it isn’t simply the changes on the coaching staff that have people selling the Oklahoma Sooners in 2022. They lost a ton of talent off of an 11-win team from 2021. That’s why Stewart Mandel from The Athletic left the Sooners out of his way-too-early top 25 and why the Sooners are just inside NCAA.com’s early look at the 2022 season.

The Sooners played in close games seemingly every week but impressed in the bowl game. New coach Brent Venables will have to deal with major changes to the roster, though UCF transfer QB Dillon Gabriel is now a Sooner. But Oklahoma is Oklahoma — the Sooners expect to compete for titles every year. – Wayne Staats, NCAA.com

Did the Oklahoma Sooners lose a lot this offseason? Absolutely. At the same time, they found players in the transfer portal and in their bowl game win over Oregon that should step in and mitigate the losses.

Losses along the defensive line will be the most difficult to recover. In most NFL draft projections, Nik Bonitto and Perrion Winfrey are top 60 talents. Isaiah Thomas was one of the most important players on the roster as a pass rusher and run defender. Losing those three at the same time creates a massive hole on the defensive line.

Jalen Redmond stuck around for one more year and will be the leader of the unit. Reggie Grimes, Marcus Stripling, and Ethan Downs played well in the Alamo Bowl win over Oregon. Their performance provides optimism that the Sooners pass rush will be in good shape despite the turnover.

The additions of Jeffrey Johnson and Jonah Laulu from the transfer portal provide experience and production that can step into the defensive line rotation and help immediately.

At quarterback, the Sooners went back to the transfer portal after the last couple of seasons of using “homegrown” talent in Spencer Rattler and Caleb Williams. Dillon Gabriel comes to the Oklahoma Sooners with a ton of experience and production at UCF. With 26 starts, more than 8,000 yards passing, and 79 total touchdowns, the Sooners offense should maintain its level of production despite the change in offensive play-caller.

We’re a long way from the start of the 2022 college football season, and with winter practices underway and spring ball right around the corner, the Sooners have some questions to answer. However, with Venables leading the way, there is little doubt in Norman that the Oklahoma Sooners can contend for the Big 12 title in 2022.

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Year by year sack leaders during Brent Venables tenure with the Clemson Tigers

Getting ready for the Brent Venables era, which players led the Clemson Tigers in sacks during his tenure as the defensive coordinator.

It’s a new era for the Oklahoma Sooners, and the biggest change comes on the defensive side of the ball. Brent Venables and a new defensive staff look to take the Oklahoma Sooners back into the top 10 of the national rankings.

One position group that will benefit greatly from the transition to Venables and his group of coaches is the defensive line. During Venables’ time as the defensive coordinator for the Clemson Tigers, their sack leader had double-digit sacks four times. Only once did a Clemson Tiger have fewer than eight sacks.

For comparison, in 2021, Nik Bonitto and Isaiah Thomas each had seven sacks. Back in 2015 for the Clemson Tigers, Kevin Dodd and Shaq Lawson had 12.5 sacks a piece.

Jalen Redmond, Reggie Grimes, Marcus Stripling, Ethan Downs and other defensive linemen will benefit greatly from the hiring of Venables and the additions of Todd Bates and Miguel Chavis.

To look forward and create expectations