Could the Sooners make a TCU-like run in 2023?

The 2023 season about Oklahoma is all about improving upon what was a disappointing 2022 season. Their spring game provides the first glimpse of what could be this season. Though it’s hard to fully grasp what Oklahoma is going to be until we see them against Big 12 competition in the fall, the spring game will give us an idea of who will be significant players for the Sooners this season.

Though Oklahoma’s defense struggled last season, there’s no reason they can’t have a bounce-back year in 2023. Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY Sports believes the Sooners could go on a TCU-like run and return to the playoff.

The program’s first losing finish since 1998 should yield a noticeable rebound in Brent Venables’ second season. But how high can the Sooners climb? Venables has flipped the roster with a top-five recruiting class and another dozen transfers, including huge pickups such as offensive tackle Walter Rouse (Stanford), hybrid linebacker Dasan McCullough (Indiana) and edge rusher Trace Ford (Oklahoma State). But Oklahoma needs to beef up an average pass rush, develop a go-to receiver for quarterback Dillon Gabriel and sort out a rotation at running back and in the secondary. If Venables has things pointed in the right direction, the Sooners will benefit from a schedule has just four games outside of Oklahoma, one the neutral-site rivalry in Dallas against Texas. – Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports

The transfer portal class will have to be big-time for the Sooners. There’s a lot riding on players like Walter Rouse, Dasan McCullough, Caleb Shaffer, Andrel Anthony, Rondell Bothroyd, and Austin Stogner to help raise the talent on the roster.

The Sooners have done an excellent job over the last couple of years on the recruiting trail, but most of the 2023 class won’t be ready to contribute in a significant way this year, and the 2022 class is still working to get on the field.

With the schedule the Sooners have, there’s a chance they could put themselves in a…