Much like when we were kids and the ball went into the street or a tree, Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners will be seeking a “do-over” this season when they kick off the 2023 football campaign Saturday morning at Owen Field.
They have just one more year in the Big 12 to tune up for the so-called best conference in the nation, the mighty SEC.
Sooner fans seem to have given Brent a pass after the beginning of his tenure as head coach resulted in Oklahoma’s first losing season in almost 25 years. But that patience has run its course and if there is such a thing as a hot seat after just 365 days, Venables must be feeling it.
With this year’s schedule and the aforementioned change of conferences looming, it’s time to make some hay and build some good will.
You just have to realize that for every three brilliant passes (Dillon) makes, there will be another that ends up in the percussion section of the band. – Dave
There are reasons to be optimistic. A returning quarterback who is not a Heisman candidate like others who have been the norm recently, but Dillon Gabriel is still solid and has shown he can run this offense with some success.
You just have to realize that for every three brilliant passes he makes, there will be another that ends up in the percussion section of the band.
The defense has had last season and another offseason of getting used to Venables system. And let’s be honest, how can they be any worse?
Brent himself has a year under his belt of being the head guy. Hopefully he has used that year to learn how to manage a game. How many times during the fourth quarter of last year’s Bedlam contest did we scream “for the love of all that is holy, run the ball!?!?”
Second year test
Venables must improve his game-day coaching to avoid the boo birds.
Also, when you look at the fact that the Sooners were really only out of two of the seven losses last year…and in those two we didn’t have our starting QB, there is reason to believe that the sophomore outing of the Venables era will be pretty solid.
A Big 12 Title is probably pushing it, but not out of the realm of possibility if everything just clicks.
There is the talent to win this league, but again the Sooners would have to get all the breaks. More likely though I kind of see a 9-3 season.
If they drop off an 8-4 record, most Sooner fans will be disappointed. 7-5 or worse and they will be asking for Brent’s head.
As to the opening opponent of the 2023 season, the Arkansas State Red Wolves, it really shouldn’t be a contest.
Although, they do have a few players that would make a Power 5 roster and have in the past due to the portal. Notably wide receiver Corey Rucker and Quarterback J.T. Shrout who have both been in the college game with multiple programs for years.
They will not be intimidated by the Owen Field game day atmosphere. But Oklahoma’s depth will wear them down soon enough.
I wouldn’t bet on the 35 point spread, but this should be a comfortable win. Somewhere along the lines of 48-17 sounds about right. If it’s much closer than that, well there might be some concern. But I don’t think there will be.
As such the Worry Meter is only at 5% this week. After a long hot summer, Sooner football is finally back! With all that being said….BOOMER!!!
-Dave
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