It’s football time in Oklahoma, and the Sooners are stepping into a monumental season in college football. The Sooners enter 2024 in unfamiliar territory as a team with something to prove.
No longer are they the conference powerhouse, but instead will fight to earn their place at the SEC’s grown-up table alongside Georgia and Alabama. But that’s what this program has been about throughout its existence. The Sooners are one of the big boys of college football, a blue blood that’s had as much success as anyone.
But, like anything in life, the Sooners will have to earn the respect of their new conference brethren. And that’s the way Brent Venables wants it.
As the Sooners get set to kick off the 2024 season, here is this week’s final thoughts.
Offensive Line Time
So much has been said about the Oklahoma Sooners offensive line. Sure, they don’t return a primary starter from a year ago. But no reason to fret. The Sooners have had productive offensive line play for a long time and are coached by one of the best in the business in Bill Bedenbaugh.
It will come together and this week against Temple provides the first opportunity to see the unit begin to gel. Michael Tarquin, Jacob Sexton, Branson Hickman, Febechi Nwaiwu, and Jake Taylor have a nice mix of blue-chip talent and experience.
Believe in Bedenbaugh.
Need for Speed
The Oklahoma Sooners will start two legitimate speedsters this week against the Temple Owls when Brenen Thompson and Deion Burks take the field. Burks showed off his big-play ability in the spring game and Thompson, though in a limited role, averaged more than 34 yards per reception on his seven catches last season because of his track speed.
The Temple defense is going to have a difficult time keeping track of Burks and Thompson, who will blow down the field like an Oklahoma wind on the prairie.
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