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Texas climbs one spot in 247Sports’ 2023 recruiting class rankings

Steve Sarkisian and company face a number of elite competitors for the top recruiting class.

The Longhorns are on the verge of a special recruiting class. Thanks to recent updates to other programs, Texas’ 2023 class now ranks No. 2 in the nation according to 247Sports composite.

The class includes three five-star prospects so far. Arch Manning and Derek Williams Jr. retain their five-star rating, while Johntay Cook returns to the ranks of the nation’s elite players.

So far, Texas has 16 blue chip recruits. The Longhorns’ most recent commit, Cedric Baxter Jr, has a chance to raise his already strong rating after this season.

Steve Sarkisian and company face a number of elite competitors for the top recruiting class. Alabama, Notre Dame and Ohio State have jockeyed for the top class for much of this summer.

Here’s a look at the current Top 15 recruiting classes for 2023.

Oklahoma named QBU by ESPN for third straight year

For the third straight year, Oklahoma is ESPN’s QBU.

For the last three years there has been but one “Quarterback University” also known as QBU. That has been the University of Oklahoma. Since 1998, OU has had four QBs win the Heisman: Jason White, Sam Bradford, Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. Jalen Hurts was a finalist in 2019 and Caleb Williams… we’ll get to that.

The tradition of great QBs in Norman didnt’t start with Lincoln Riley and hasn’t skipped a beat after his departure. The Sooners moved quickly to sign freshman Nick Evers and land UCF QB Dillon Gabriel out of the transfer portal to run Jeff Lebby’s offense. Coming in 2023 is five-star quarterback Jackson Arnold, the first commitment of the Brent Venables era in the 2023 class.

David Hale of ESPN put together his “Position U” rankings, and while Oklahoma ranked quite well across the board, QBU was their only top ranking.

Here are Hale’s top five at quarterback schools:

1. Oklahoma
2. USC
3. Oregon
4. Alabama
5. Louisville

Oklahoma remains QBU for the third straight year, but the Sooners are now treading into uncharted waters. Spencer Rattler and Caleb Williams have both transferred, and Lincoln Riley — the QB whisperer who helped build Oklahoma into QBU — is off to USC (which, it should be noted, is a close second on this list). Will Dillon Gabriel add to Oklahoma’s long tradition of elite QBs? Can Brent Venables keep recruiting future stars? Or will Riley not only stun the Sooners’ fan base by leaving but also by stealing their crown as the top producer of quarterback talent? – Hale, ESPN

Hale only considered players that planted from 1998 to the present. USC landing at No. 2 may be an unpleasant sight, but they do have their fair share of QB talent: Matt Leinart, Carson Palmer, Mark Sanchez and Sam Darnold all come to mind.

The rest of the top five schools all boast at least won QB that won a Heisman, but OU is the only one with four.

While Lincoln Riley was the head coach when Mayfield and Murray won the Heisman, he still hasn’t developed a starting QB that he recruited out of high school. Caleb Williams could end up being that guy, but Riley has won a lot of football games on the back, or the arm in this case, of transfers. Spencer Rattler definitely didn’t develop like he was supposed to under Riley.

In case you were wondering, according to these rankings Texas isn’t DBU, despite what their Twitter bio says.

As the new coaching staff keeps racking up commitments, keep an eye on Oklahoma to move up this list in the next few years. DLU and LBU could have a new home very soon with Brent Venables at the helm for the Oklahoma Sooners.

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OU Football: What are realistic expectations for the start of the Brent Venables era?

College Football News’ expectations for the first five years of the Brent Venables era.

With every coaching carousel, there come lofty expectations for each and every new head coach. After a disappointing end to the 2021 season, Oklahoma Sooners fans are champing at the bit for their team to get back to the adult table of college football.

This is something they have in common with new head coach Brent Venables.

Venables didn’t turn down head coaching jobs for the last decade and come to Oklahoma just for the bigger paychecks. He wants to win national championships. Plural.

While that would be great, it’s not something Sooners fans can reasonably expect out of him in Year 1. So, that begs the question, what would be reasonable to expect out of the beginning of the Brent Venables era in Oklahoma?

Pete Fiutak of College Football News has given his expectations for all of the new head coaches for both year one and over the next five years.

Let’s see what he has to say about Venables.

Brent Venables, Oklahoma

Before This … He spent 10 years as the Clemson defensive coordinator after working as the Oklahoma DC from 1999 to 2011.

Top Line of the Resumé: 2016 Broyles Award winner as the top assistant, coaching the Clemson defense in a national championship season.

Realistic Expectations In Year One: Win the Big 12 championship and at least come close to making the College Football Playoff.

Realistic Expectations Over Next Five Years: Quickly get back to dominating the Big 12 with a tremendous defense to go along with that offense, get to at least one College Football Playoff, and then go off to the SEC and make a big splash right away in 2024.

-Pete Viutak, College Football News

Seems pretty reasonable. If Oklahoma football is going to thrive in the SEC, it needs to show the teams in the Big 12 who’s boss as long as it is still in the conference.

With no bona fide Tier 1 team in the Big 12 for the 2022 season, asking for a Big 12 title with the current team isn’t an unreasonable expectation.

Joe Castiglione didn’t hire Venables from Clemson just to go 9-3.

My Take

Venables has a lot to prove as a head coach. Being the guy in the big chair is different from being the defensive coordinator. Getting OU’s defense up to his standards is simple enough, but getting results (wins) on a football field is something else.

The Sooners should absolutely make it to the Big 12 Championship this season. Should they win it? Probably. Should they earn a berth to the College Football Playoff? Maybe.

I want this team to get back to dominating the teams that it should dominate (I’m looking at you Kansas and West Virginia) and stop getting pushed around in big games. I’m more concerned with the culture of the team as opposed to the numbers on the scoreboard.

The wins will come, but an improved culture will lead to what has eluded the Sooners for more than two decades.

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LOOK: The Longhorns’ 2022 offensive line class has some maulers

You have to respect any edge player signing up to face these linemen.

Texas signed a whopping 14 offensive and defensive linemen in the 2022 class. Included in that number were four great edge rushers, which puts into perspective how overemphasized edge losses have been for this cycle.

Elsewhere in that line haul, Texas won seven recruits on the offensive side of the trenches.

Offensive line coach Kyle Flood will look to showcase this collection of freight trains in the offense this year.

Among them, Texas brought in arguably the nation’s top guard and tackle, depending on the recruiting publication. Devon Campbell and Kelvin Banks should be able to make an immediate impact in the run game.

Cameron Williams and Cole Hutson have impressed this offseason and others could also compete for playing time.

Here’s a glimpse at what opposing edge rushers have to look forward to when forced to defend the run.

The biggest challenge facing each Big 12 football team in 2022

Baylor has its sights set on their first college football playoff after winning the Big 12 championship.

Preparation for the 2022 season is underway and the every Big 12 team is looking to improve from last season’s performance. Continue reading “The biggest challenge facing each Big 12 football team in 2022”

A look back at the game that kickstarted Kyler Murray’s 2018 Heisman campaign

An in-person perspective at the game that kickstarted Kyler Murray’s Heisman campaign back in 2018.

It was September of my senior year of high school. I hadn’t decided where to go to college yet, so I was still going on campus visits. On the second weekend of September, my dad and I drove up to Norman, Oklahoma, for my first visit to the University of Oklahoma. It involves a man who recently became a lot richer; Arizona Cardinals QB and former Sooner Kyler Murray.

The actual tour was fine. It was raining and cold all weekend, so nothing really stuck out to me on the first visit. I wouldn’t fall in love with the campus until my second visit a few months later.

After the campus tour, we went to my very first Sooners game. Chip Kelly and the UCLA Bruins were in town.

This just happened to be Kyler Murray’s first year as the starting QB at OU. Murray would go on to win the Heisman this season as well. Before that day, I didn’t realize just how good he was.

Before I decided to go to OU, college athletics weren’t something my dad or I followed closely. We followed the NHL, NFL, MLB, and the NBA, but there just wasn’t a fit for college sports.

College football was just something I wasn’t well versed in going into the season Murray won the Heisman. I had seen the highlights of Baker, most notably the Kansas thing, but nothing from Murray.

Kyler Murray showed me what I had been missing at the expense of UCLA’s defense.

Never before had I seen someone singlehandedly dominate a defense in-person like [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag] did that day. It was like they were playing different sports.

He ran all over them, then he would show off his arm. There was no flaw to his game. It was incredible to watch. The atmosphere, the fans, the butt-kicking, it was great to take in. Although I didn’t know it then, I finally had a college team to root for: my Oklahoma Sooners.

On that day, Murray was 19 of 33 for 301 yards and three touchdowns. He also carried the ball 10 times for 69 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Sooners in rushing. This was Murray’s second game as the starting quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners. He was good in the season opener against FAU, but his performance against the Bruins was his coming-out party.

Murray would provide more fireworks on his way to winning the Heisman trophy in 2018. He had 10 300-yard passing days and 10 games with more than 50 yards rushing. He threw for 4,361 yards, 42 touchdowns, and ran for 1,001 yards and 12 more touchdowns.

Here we are almost four years later, and so many things have changed. Murray has gotten his first big extension in the NFL, the Sooners are will enter 2022 with a new head coach, and the SEC move is on the horizon.

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Early 2022 Big 12 football record predictions for each team

Baylor will attempt to defend its Big 12 title.

Prior to the 2021 season, Oklahoma was the prohibitive favorite to win the national championship. Spencer Rattler was all but penciled in as the first overall pick in the NFL draft.

Fast forward one offseason. Baylor wins the Big 12 championship, Lincoln Riley and Caleb Williams leave for USC, and Rattler is now the starting quarterback for the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Oklahoma State seemingly blew its best chance at a Big 12 title appearance in 2020. The Cowboys bounced back, defeating Oklahoma, Baylor, and Texas to make their first trip to Arlington’s conference title game.

This season, Baylor will attempt to defend its title against the Cowboys and Sooners, while Texas and Kansas State will attempt to enter the mix. Here are my early Big 12 record predictions for 2022.

How ESPN evaluated the Oklahoma Sooners first offseason under Brent Venables

Culminating in an impressive spring game turnout, the Oklahoma Sooners’ first spring under Brent Venables reignited the program but how does ESPN feel about Venables’ first offseason in Norman?

It feels like an eternity has passed since the final whistle blew at the Alamo Bowl back in January and the visor was passed from [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag] to [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]. In a time of great upheaval for Oklahoma, expectations are still high for one of the country’s most storied and iconic teams.

ESPN’s Dave Wilson and Bill Connelly took a hard look at all 10 Big 12 teams and gave their thoughts on what we have learned so far and what each program needs to figure out before week one in the Fall.

Needless to say, the new guy in charge in Norman has been noticed.

What we learned this spring: Brent Venables looks comfortable in his first head-coaching gig, not a surprise since he’s been a staple as one of the most high-profile assistants in the country since his first stint at Oklahoma from 1999 to 2011. His offense will look different, with the departure of both of last year’s starting quarterbacks, [autotag]Spencer Rattler[/autotag] (South Carolina) and [autotag]Caleb Williams[/autotag] (USC). UCF transfer [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] has sole command now, including taking most of the reps in the spring game for both teams. In [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag]’s offense, they’ll play fast and have the talent to make it work. – Wilson and Connelly, ESPN

Venables has been learning and preparing for this opportunity his entire life. He exudes confidence and energy. His run as a defensive coordinator might have been lengthy, but he was picky and methodical in choosing his first head coaching job. That patience paid off when Oklahoma came calling.

He’s got Oklahoma’s arrow pointed up as they work to get back to the Big 12 championship and the College Football Playoff. While the Sooners lost their two highly-rated quarterbacks to the transfer portal, they landed one of the most experienced signal-callers in Dillon Gabriel. His experience and ability will help get the Sooners off to a fast start in the 2022 season. His familiarity with what Lebby wants to do should help the Sooners offense be on the same page as they look to play and aggressive uptempo style on offense.

While a lot of positives came out of Norman this spring, there are still some things that ESPN would like to see by the time the Sooners open the season against UTEP.

What we need to learn by Week 1: Can Venables and new defensive coordinator Ted Roof shore up a defense that ranked 76th nationally last season and ranked 109th against the pass, allowing 261.8 yards per game? Will key departures (receivers [autotag]Jadon Haselwood[/autotag] and [autotag]Mario Williams[/autotag] and TE [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag] among them) have an impact on offensive depth, especially with the tempo? There’s no question Oklahoma fans are energized by Venables’ return, but Lincoln Riley never lost more than two games a year and won four Big 12 titles in his five seasons. There are still big expectations at a place like Oklahoma, so there’s not much time for a learning curve. – Wilson and Bill ESPN

The questions they raise are fair. OU’s defensive woes have been well documented in the years. Despite Lincoln Riley’s unceremonious departure, the Sooners did enjoy very successful regular seasons under his watch. Venables won’t have much time to get comfortable.

That being said, staying in the Big 12 this season is a perfect opportunity for Venables to experience his first season as head coach before being thrown into the meat grinder that is the SEC. If all things go according to plan, the Sooners will have one, maybe two more Big 12 titles in the next year or two before making the move with Texas.

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2022 NFL draft: Nik Bonitto scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Oklahoma edge defender Nik Bonitto

A persistent and athletic edge rusher who’s racked up 16 sacks the past two years, Oklahoma’s Nik Bonitto will look to bring his excellent bend and speed to a NFL team’s edge as he enters the 2022 NFL draft.

Here is everything you need to know about the Sooner’s dangerous rusher:

2022 NFL draft: Perrion Winfrey scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Oklahoma defensive lineman Perrion Winfrey

A disruptive force in the trenches, Oklahoma’s Perrion Winfrey backed up his solid film with impressive performances at the Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine. Will that positive momentum shoot him up the board in the 2022 NFL draft?

Here is everything you need to know about Sooners’ interior defender: