Where does Oklahoma land in CBS Sports' post-spring SEC rankings?
Where does Oklahoma land in CBS Sports' post-spring SEC rankings?
Although the beginning of the 2025 college football season is still over three months away, analysts, writers and fans alike are already trying to get a grip on how they think this year will shake out.
That includes slotting the 16 teams in the Southeastern Conference to try and figure out the hierarchy in the sport's toughest conference as we head into the summer. CBS Sports' Will Backus took on that challenge this week, attempting to power-rank the SEC post-spring.
After a 6-7 season in 2024, the Oklahoma Sooners and head coach Brent Venables don't have the highest of expectations in the conference or nationally. Backus has them in the bottom half of the league, ranked ninth, and sandwiched between Texas A&M and Auburn.
Pressure is mounting on Brent Venables to deliver, so he made wholesale changes in the offseason. He took over defensive play-calling responsibilities while handing the offensive keys to new coordinator Ben Arbuckle, a quarterback whisperer who consistently produced some of the nation's top passing attacks at Western Kentucky and Washington State. Arbuckle's most recent Wazzu quarterback, John Mateer, followed him to Norman as the Sooners look to revamp a stagnant offense. - Backus, CBS Sports
Venables decision to call the defense in 2025 will be watched closely as the season progresses. On the one hand he's one of the best in the business at defensive play-calling. On the other hand, he's not just a defensive coordinator. He's a head coach. Venables is responsible for everything that happens on game day, and has to manage the game.
Fortunately, he's got former head coaches Nate Dreiling (Utah State; interim), Kevin Wilson (Indiana and Tulsa), and Brandon Hall (Troy; interim) on his staff this season, in addition to a former defensive coordinator in Wes Goodwin (Clemson). Those experienced assistants could help take some of the load off of the headman's shoulders.
The duo of Arbuckle and Mateer is easily the thing that has Sooner Nation the most excited about the 2025 season. Their success last year in Pullman, Washington is something they hope to replicate in the SEC. Arbuckle's Air Raid system has been good to quarterbacks at both Western Kentucky and Washington State. He's worked with QBs like Bailey Zappe, Austin Reed and Cam Ward, and all were excellent under his tutelage. His latest protege, Mateer, led the FBS in total touchdowns a season ago.
But Arbuckle and Mateer are far from the only intriguing new faces. Running back Jaydn Ott comes over from Cal and has a chance to be one of the best RBs in the country if he's healthy. And new general manager Jim Nagy promises a more aggressive approach to NIL and the transfer portal. He's already back up his sentiments in the spring portal, mainly by landing Ott and keeping former five-star defensive tackle David Stone in Norman after a brief stint in the portal.
The SEC will be brutal in 2025; there's no doubt about that. But Venables checked a lot of boxes this offseason that had to be checked. He knows he has to finish better in the standings than he did a year ago and better than he's currently predicted to this season.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @Aaron_Gelvin.
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