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 Bob Stoops to Brent Venables. 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, Spencer Rattler (South Carolina) and Caleb Williams (USC). UCF transfer Dillon Gabriel has sole command now, including taking most of the reps in the spring game for both teams. In Jeff Lebby’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…