Former Sooners QB predicted to reunite with former offensive coordinator

On3 predicts former Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold to land with Mississippi State and former OC Jeff Lebby.

Former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] may reunite with a familiar face via the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag]. On3’s Pete Nakos issued a prediction for Arnold to land with Mississippi State and former offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby.

Lebby recruited Arnold to Oklahoma, and shortly after his arrival in Norman, the former five-star quarterback committed to the Sooners. As a true freshman under Lebby, Arnold completed 75% of his passes for 202 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 78 yards and a touchdown.

The Mississippi State Bulldogs went winless in SEC play in Lebby’s first year at the helm. The offense averaged 25.3 points per game, which was good for 14th in the SEC, one spot ahead of Oklahoma. The Bulldogs averaged 377.2 yards per game, which was 12th in the SEC.

For much of the year, Mississippi State was led by Michael Van Buren, who showed a great deal of promise in his first season in Starkville.

Reuniting with Lebby could be what the doctor ordered for Arnold. He struggled to throw the ball in the Sooners’ offense while working with a banged-up wide receiver corps and behind an inconsistent offensive line.

Arnold flashed his toughness in the win over Alabama and made several big throws, but like much of the offense, he couldn’t find a consistent rhythm throughout the season. With an opportunity for a fresh start, can Arnold find the talent that made him one of the best quarterbacks in the [autotag]2023 recruiting class[/autotag]?

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Oklahoma Sooners pursuing electric transfer portal wide receiver

Oklahoma Sooners offer electric transfer wide receiver out of the MAC.

The Oklahoma Sooners are looking to add to their wide receiver ranks via the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag]. It was reported that the Sooners were set to host Indiana transfer wide receiver Donaven McCulley on Monday, but he isn’t the only wideout Emmett Jones and the Sooners are pursuing.

On Monday, Miami (Ohio) transfer wide receiver Reginald Virgil revealed the Sooners issued an offer on the opening day of the transfer portal.

Virgil had a breakout season in 2024 with 41 receptions for 816 yards and nine touchdowns. He averaged 19.9 yards per reception this season, which was tied for ninth in the nation and led the MAC.

He had a stretch of seven straight games with a touchdown in 2024, including a two-touchdown game against Eastern Michigan (3 catches, 113 yards).

Virgil also had 100-yard days against Ball State and Northern Illinois. That’s the Northern Illinois team that beat Notre Dame.

He’ll go into his senior season in 2025, but the Sooners need experience and a track record of production to solidify the position in 2025.

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Oklahoma Sooners center enters the transfer portal

Oklahoma Sooners center enters the transfer portal.

The [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] has opened, and the Oklahoma Sooners have had several key players enter the portal, including quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] and wide receiver [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag]. On Monday, On3’s Hayes Fawcett reported center [autotag]Joshua Bates[/autotag] was also entering the portal.

Bates was a four-star prospect by 247Sports in the 2023 recruiting class and was the No. 3 player in the state of Colorado. He made five appearances for the Sooners and two starts in 2024. Amid inconsistency along the offensive line, the Sooners opted for the more veteran presence of [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag] during the second half of the season. Everett will return as an incumbent starter for the Sooners’ offensive line.

Out of Durango, Colorado, Bates held offers from Colorado, Colorado State, USC, Miami, Michigan State, Oregon and USC while in high school.

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Oklahoma Sooners learn destination, opponent for bowl season

Oklahoma Sooners learn bowl destination and opponent.

The Oklahoma Sooners earned bowl eligibility with their win over the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Sooners’ win over the Tide likely kept Alabama out of the College Football Playoff. While the Sooners aren’t heading to the playoff, they will play in a bowl game for the 26th season in a row.

On Sunday, the Sooners learned they’ll play in the Armed Forces Bowl against the Navy Midshipmen. The game will occur on December 27 at 11:00 a.m. CT in Fort Worth, Texas, at Amon G. Carter Stadium, the home of the TCU Horned Frogs.

It will be the first time OU and Navy have met on the gridiron since 1965, a 10-0 loss for the Sooners.

It will be a battle of strengths as Navy brings one of the best rushing offenses in the nation to Fort Worth. Navy is averaging 247.4 rushing yards per game, which is good for eighth place in the nation. The Sooners’ run defense has been one of the best in the country, holding teams to 105.8 rushing yards per game, which ranks 12th in the nation.

Navy is 8-3 on the season and went 6-2 in the American Athletic Conference. This season, they earned a win over Temple, but were shut out by Tulane 35-0. In their most recent outing against East Carolina, the Midshipmen beat the Pirates 34-20.

The Oklahoma Sooners are hoping to avoid their second losing season in three seasons under Brent Venables.

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From OU Athletics Department

ARMED FORCES BOWL TICKET INFORMATION

OU season ticket holders will be notified via email with information on purchasing tickets for the Armed Forces Bowl. Beginning at 10 a.m. CT on Monday, Dec. 9, season ticket holders can log into their online account to purchase tickets. Bowl tickets will be allocated by Championship Points within 2024 Sooner Club membership levels. Large orders may be allocated into various seat blocks and price levels.

OU student football season ticket holders will be notified via email and social media regarding the process for student bowl ticket purchases. Tickets for students will be available online beginning at 10 a.m. CT on Tuesday for Sooner Club Collegiate members and 1 p.m. for all other student football season ticket holders.

If tickets remain, a public sale will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. CT.

Oklahoma Sooners expected to host transfer wide receiver target per On3 report

According to a report from On3, the Oklahoma Sooners are expected to host a big-time wide receiver target Monday.

The 2024 winter [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] will open on Monday, but a number of players across the country have already made their intentions known. The Sooners, with holes to fill on the roster, are expected to be active in the portal this offseason.

Though there’s an expectation that a number of key wide receivers will return for 2025, Oklahoma has already made overtures to an intriguing target out of the Big Ten. According to On3’s Steve Wiltfong and Pete Nakos, former Indiana wide receiver Donaven McCulley will visit the Sooners on Monday.

McCulley started his career with the Hoosiers as a quarterback before transitioning to wide receiver for his sophomore season. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound wide receiver has a number of suitors in the transfer portal market and spent time recently at Ohio State and Michigan.

In a breakout 2023 season at receiver, McCulley led the Hoosiers with 48 receptions for 644 yards and six touchdowns. In 2024, McCulley had two receptions for 21 yards in four games before leaving the Indiana football program.

With the struggles the Oklahoma Sooners had at wide receiver due to injuries and inexperience, the Sooners need a player with McCulley’s type of production to solidify the position next year.

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Oklahoma Sooners lose starting tight end to the transfer portal

OU’s starter at the tight end position is on the move again.

The Oklahoma Sooners will lose their leading receiver from the 2024 season. Starting tight end [autotag]Bauer Sharp[/autotag] plans to enter the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag], according to a report by On3 Sports.

Sharp was [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag]’s answer at the tight end position this season, and the position group as a whole underwhelmed for the second straight year under Finley’s watch. Sharp led the Sooners with 42 catches for 324 yards, but was often penalty prone, a poor blocker and made mistakes on trick plays. His team-leading receiving totals are the lowest in decades for Oklahoma.

He spent one year in Norman after transferring from Football Championship Subdivision program Southeastern Louisiana. He has also played quarterback in his collegiate career, and he’ll have one year of eligibility remaining at his next school.

The portal doesn’t open until Monday and will run until Dec. 28. So far, a handful of Sooners have declared their intentions to leave the program. Quarterback Jackson Arnold, running backs Kalib Hicks, Emeka Megwa and [autotag]Chapman McKown[/autotag], wide receivers Nic Anderson and Jaquaize Pettaway and defensive back [autotag]Jayden Rowe[/autotag] join Sharp in leaving Norman.

Oklahoma running back duo expected to enter transfer portal

Oklahoma Sooners running back duo expected to hit the transfer portal per reports.

(This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.)

The winter [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] has not yet opened, but a number of key Oklahoma Sooners are expected to enter. Former four-star wide receivers Jaquaize Pettaway and Nic Anderson are reportedly heading for the portal, as is former five-star recruit and 2024 starting quarterback Jackson Arnold.

Also expected to hit the transfer portal are running backs Kalib Hicks and Emeka Megwa, according to reports.

Hicks signed with the Oklahoma Sooners as part of the 2023 recruiting class out of Denton Ryan High School. He was a four-star prospect, according to On3, but never had a chance to put his skills to work on the field. He appeared in seven games over two seasons and recorded five carries for 25 yards during his time with the Sooners. He showed flashes during the 2024 spring game, breaking off a long run for a touchdown, but he was buried on the depth chart.

Megwa transferred to Oklahoma after spending time with the Washington Huskies. He has battled injuries throughout his career and recorded one carry with the Sooners in 2023.

The Oklahoma Sooners running back room was led by [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] and [autotag]Xavier Robinson[/autotag] throughout the 2024 season. True freshman [autotag]Taylor Tatum[/autotag] had some good moments but battled fumbling issues in 2024. Gavin Sawchuk had a strong 2023 season but struggled to get going in 2024. The Sooners are also bringing in an explosive runner in the 2025 recruiting class, Tory Blaylock.

If Oklahoma can get the offensive line going early in the 2025 season, the running back room will have a chance for better production.

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Oklahoma Sooners lose star wide receiver to the transfer portal

Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Nic Anderson expected to enter the transfer portal.

The Oklahoma Sooners saw another big name on their roster announce his intentions to enter the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] on Thursday.

Wide receiver [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag], who spent three seasons in Norman, will enter the portal when it opens on Monday, according to a report from Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer of 247Sports.

Anderson missed all but one game this season due to injury. In his only appearance against Tennessee, Anderson was targeted once and had to leave the game after reaggravating the hamstring injury he dealt with from the beginning of fall camp. He didn’t register a catch in 2024.

That’s a stark contrast from his 2023 season, when he caught 10 touchdowns, enjoying a breakout campaign. He’s a key member of the defining play of the [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] era at Oklahoma: the game-winning touchdown pass from Dillon Gabriel against Texas in 2023.

Anderson was a four-star prospect and a member of the [autotag]2022 recruiting class[/autotag], Venables’ first at OU. Now he’s looking for a fresh start.

Anderson joins Jaquaize Pettaway, quarterback Jackson Arnold and running backs [autotag]Kalib Hicks[/autotag] and [autotag]Emeka Megwa[/autotag] as players who intend to enter the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] less than a week after OU’s regular season came to a close.

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What did new OC Ben Arbuckle say about the Oklahoma Sooners 2025 recruiting class?

What did new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle have to say about the Oklahoma Sooners 2025 recruiting class?

The Oklahoma Sooners finalized their [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag] on the first day of the [autotag]early signing period[/autotag], adding 18 players for next season from the high school ranks.

It’s the Sooners smallest recruiting class in the Brent Venables era. With a new roster limit of 105 on the horizon, the Sooners and the rest of college football will be feeling a roster crunch.

Though the Sooners added talent on both sides of the football, the players on offense weren’t recruited by Arbuckle, save for quarterback [autotag]Jett Niu[/autotag], who flipped to the Sooners on Wednesday after being committed to Oklahoma State since September. Niu was offered by Washington State earlier in the year.

So what did Arbuckle have to say about Oklahoma’s class of signees?

“These coaches did an unbelievable job. Everybody in the personnel department, everybody in scouting did an unbelievable job of finding the right talent, acquiring them and bringing them here to OU,” Arbuckle said via The Oklahoman. “I see playmakers all over the field.”

At wide receiver, the Sooners added big-time talents [autotag]Elijah Thomas[/autotag] from Checotah, Oklahoma, and [autotag]Emmanuel Choice[/autotag] out of Lancaster, Texas. The Sooners also brought in a dynamic running back, [autotag]Tory Blaylock[/autotag]. At tight end, the Sooners added Trynae Washington, who can play both offense and defense.

But where the Sooners really made strides on the recruiting trail was in their offensive line additions. Oklahoma added a pair of top-10 offensive tackles: [autotag]Michael Fasusi[/autotag] and [autotag]Ryan Fodje[/autotag]. The Sooners also added a trio of physical interior offensive line prospects: Darius Afalava, Owen Hollenbeck and preferred walk-on Sean Hutton.

With these additions, Arbuckle has an intriguing group of players to work with on offense. The program has to get the veterans healthy and continue to develop the offensive line. But there’s a great deal of potential if the Sooners can have better injury luck than in 2024.

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Where does the Oklahoma defense rank in stop rate after the regular season?

Analyzing where Oklahoma Football ranks in defensive stop rate after 12 games.

This year, the Oklahoma Sooners boasted the best defense they’d had in a long time. It may not have been the elite unit that head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and defensive coordinator [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] were shooting for, but it was still the best in years.

Unfortunately, OU’s offense fell off a cliff, the Sooners went just 6-6 in 2024 and posted just a 2-6 record in Southeastern Conference play. Despite a rough performance in the finale against the LSU Tigers, it’s been a good season overall for this defense.

One metric that shows how well the Oklahoma defense played this year is “stop rate.” ESPN and staff writer Max Olson compiled all 134 FBS defenses in 2024 after the regular season, 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

Exiting the final week of the regular season, Oklahoma’s defense ranks 23rd in the country, stopping the opposition 69.7 percent of the time. That’s an 11-spot drop from last week, and it’s also a drop of over two percentage points in stop rate after the Tigers rolled offensively against this unit. However, the Sooners allowed just 1.53 points per drive over 12 games.

The highest stop rate in the country belongs to the rival Texas Longhorns, who are headed to the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] Championship Game on Saturday.

The job Venables and Alley did with the defense this season was excellent, especially considering the woeful place it was in when the head coach found it three years ago. No one can argue that he hasn’t 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. Venables has bet his head coaching career on new offensive coordinator [autotag]Ben Arbuckle[/autotag], whom he hired on Monday.

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