Editor’s note: This is one of a series of college football previews by The Dallas Express.
OKLAHOMA SOONERS
2022 SEASON: 6-7 (3-6 in Big 12), lost to Florida State in Cheez-It Bowl.
After Lincoln Riley departed for USC, Oklahoma turned to Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables, who held the same position at Oklahoma in the early 200s, to lead its football program through its next chapter.
The first year under Venables was full of ups and downs, as the Sooners began the season ranked ninth in the AP Top 25 Poll and sputtered to a 6-7 finish amid injuries to crucial players, including starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
Oklahoma started the year with three consecutive wins before falling back to .500 with three losses in a row.
Gabriel was injured in a loss to TCU and missed the remainder of that game, plus the following week’s 49-0 loss to Texas. In his absence, it was apparent the remaining quarterbacks did not bring the same playing style, and the offense struggled as a result.
When Gabriel returned, the Sooners managed to upset No.19 Kansas and beat Iowa State in a harsh road environment before losing three of their final four regular-season games to finish with their lowest win total since 1998.
Opponents averaged almost 30 points per game and scored 35 or more seven times.
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2023: Preseason Rank: Coaches- 19, AP- 20
WHAT’S NEW
Oklahoma was picked to finish third in the conference behind Texas and Kansas State.
The Sooners are restocking offensively with several new playmakers around Gabriel. Leading rusher Eric Gray (1,366 yards and 11 touchdowns) is trying to stick in the NFL with the New York Giants and will be replaced by some combination of Jovantae Barnes, Gavin Sawchuk, and Marcus Major.
Jalil Farooq and Drake Stoops return at receiver, but newcomers Andrel Anthony (Michigan receiver) and Austin Stogner (South Carolina tight end) must help replace the missing production from Marvin Mims Jr., Theo Wease, and Brayden Willis.
An experienced offensive line, anchored by Stanford transfer Walter Rouse, should help clear the way for those guys to make plays. Plus, the Sooners have a new receivers coach and passing game coordinator in Emmett Jones.
Oklahoma must also replace several important defenders, like David Ugwoegbu, Jalen Redmond, Jeffrey Johnson, and Dashaun White. However, leading tackler Danny Stutsman and defensive end Ethan Downs are among those returning, and the unit welcomes many transfers who could play immediately.
Some freshmen also have a chance to enter the lineup, as Oklahoma had a consensus top-10 recruiting class in 2023.
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2023 SCHEDULE
Sep 2 (Sat) 11 a.m. CT Arkansas State
Sep 9 (Sat) 5 p.m. CT vs SMU
Sep 16 (Sat) 2:30 p.m. CT at Tulsa
Sep 23 (Sat) TBA at Cincinnati
Sep 30 (Sat) TBA vs Iowa State
Oct 7 (Sat) TBA at Texas, Dallas, Texas (Cotton Bowl)
Oct 21 (Sat) TBA vs UCF
Oct 28 (Sat) TBA at Kansas
Nov 4 (Sat) TBA at Oklahoma State
Nov 11 (Sat) TBA vs West Virginia
Nov 18 (Sat) TBA at BYU
Nov 24 (Fri) 11 a.m. vs TCU
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PLAYER TO WATCH
DB Reggie Pearson
The Texas Tech transfer has been ultra-productive in his collegiate career and is one of the transfers who can help the Sooners’ defense improve immediately. Oklahoma was one of the worst teams in terms of passing yards allowed last season, and Pearson’s 34 starts with 174 tackles and 11 pass breakups can only improve the unit in that department.
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FRESHMAN TO WATCH
DB Peyton Bowen
This pick could go in several directions, but the Denton Guyer product earns the selection. Initially committed to Notre Dame, Bowen flipped to Oregon and eventually flipped again to Oklahoma to join friend, teammate, and National Gatorade Player of the Year Jackson Arnold in Norman. With so many departures in the secondary, there should be abundant opportunities for the five-star to find his way onto the field.
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BREAKOUT CANDIDATE
RB Javontae Barnes
Any of the running backs would be a good pick here, but Barnes gets the nod because of the experience he got last season. The sophomore ran for 591 yards and six touchdowns, including two games of 100 yards or more. He enters the season as a projected starter and has a chance to build on a successful year.
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WHY CAN THEY CONTEND?
The level of talent brought in through the transfer portal and high school recruiting has improved the roster and added depth in needed areas. There are veteran players around the team and players that have been productive at other schools that can help replace some of the top playmakers from last year, and a healthy Gabriel, along with another year in the schemes, should get better results, especially with the schedule they have this season.
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OBSTACLES
Some of the new pieces could not blend well together or take a while to gel. Plus, the Sooners have plenty of production to replace on both sides of the ball, and only some of the replacements have significant experience at the college level. The defense should be improved, but it has always been an Achilles heel, even for the “good” Oklahoma teams.
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2023 PREDICTION
Record: 10-2
Bowl: Cotton Bowl
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Oklahoma plays a pretty light schedule, especially in conference play, with Texas, TCU, and possibly BYU being the only major tests. Sure, they could slip somewhere else along the line, but the Sooners seem much improved (on paper, at least) and avoid some of the better teams in the conference, particularly Kansas State and Texas Tech. Not expecting them to win the conference, but nine or 10 wins seem likely.
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Previous previews:
Baylor
Houston
TCU
Texas
Texas A&M
Texas Tech
