Latest news with #BrentVenables
USA Today
2 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
SEC Football Power Index Rankings from ESPN
The 2025 college football season is less than three months away. Summer workouts are in full swing, and teams will begin gearing up for fall camp before we know it. The Oklahoma Sooners are looking for a resurgent season in year two in the SEC. Year one was mired by injuries and inexperience on the offensive side of the ball, leading to a 6-7 season for the second time in three years under Brent Venables. Heading into 2025, Oklahoma will have a new look on the offensive side of the ball. Venables is hoping that the significant overhaul on offense will help a unit that finished 98th in the nation in scoring last year. Venables entrusted the offense to Ben Arbuckle, one of the hottest offensive coordinator names in the game. Along with John Mateer, Arbuckle is looking to revitalize the offense and return it to the standard that has been set for over 25 years. With the offense in good hands, Venables took back the playcalling duties following Zac Alley's departure for West Virginia. Venables has been one of the best defensive minds in the game for the last two and a half decades. Though he'll have to replace Danny Stutsman, Billy Bowman, and Ethan Downs, Venables has a lot of talent to work with on the defensive side of the ball. Though there still may be questions ahead of the 2025 season, there's reason to be optimistic about the Sooners. A number of the post-spring power rankings believe the Sooners are one of the best 25 teams in the nation in 2025. And the computers tend to agree. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle In the latest update to the ESPN Football Power Index, the Oklahoma Sooners come in at No. 16 overall in the rankings. The Football Power Index (FPI) is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team's performance going forward for the rest of the season. FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 20,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule. Ratings and projections update daily. FPI data from seasons prior to 2019 may not be complete. - ESPN Football Power Index Here's a look at how the SEC ranks, along with where they rank overall in ESPN's Football Power Index and record projections. 16. Vanderbilt Commodores Overall: 56 Projected Win-Loss: 4.8-7.2 The ball-control style of the Vanderbilt Commodores won't get a lot of love from the computers. They want to shorten the game and minimize possessions to limit exposure of the Commodores defense. Diego Pavia led a magical season in 2024. Can he do it again in 2025? 15. Mississippi State Bulldogs Overall: 52 Projected Win-Loss: 4.4-7.6 Jeff Lebby has a tough road ahead for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Any success they have will be predicated on the offense scoring a bunch of points and that's going to require a bounce-back season from Blake Shapen. 14. Kentucky Wildcats Overall: 34 Projected Win-Loss: 5.6-6.4 It feels like a big season for Mark Stoops and the Kentucky Wildcats after his first season without a bowl game since 2015. 13. Missouri Tigers Overall: 23 Projected Win-Loss: 6.9-5.2 Missouri is coming off of back-to-back 10-win seasons but will be replacing a first round offensive tackle, the heart beat of the program in Brady Cook, and their playmakers on the outside, Luther Burden and Theo Wease. The schedule is manageable but it may be a fall from grace for Eli Drinkwitz and the Tigers. 12. Arkansas Razorbacks Overall: 22 Projected Win-Loss: 6.1-5.9 Arkansas was one of the more pleasant surprises in SEC play last year. Led by Taylen Green, they upset Tennessee and returned the Hogs to a bowl game. 11. Florida Gators Overall: 18 Projected Win-Loss: 6.4-5.6 The only team that might have a schedule as tough as the Oklahoma Sooners is the Florida Gators. Billy Napier is hoping D.J. Lagway can build off of his first run through college football a season ago and take the Gators to the playoff. 10. Oklahoma Sooners Overall: 16 Projected Win-Loss: 6.9-5.1 It may not all be on John Mateer, but a large portion of Oklahoma's success is riding on John Mateer and Ben Arbuckle and the way the offense plays in 2025. 9. South Carolina Gamecocks Overall: 15 Projected Win-Loss: 7.3-4.8 LaNorris Sellers has the tools to be one of the best in the nation but he'll need the defense to be as good as it was a year ago for the Gamecocks to contend. 8. Auburn Tigers Overall: 14 Projected Win-Loss: 7.5-4.5 If Jackson Arnold can shake off the 2024 season, the Auburn Tigers will be dangerous. 7. Ole Miss Rebels Overall: 13 Projected Win-Loss: 8.3-3.8 Lane Kiffin had the Rebels on the cusp of the playoff last year. But a loss to Kentucky spoiled those plans. Gone are a number of veterans that led on both sides of the ball, including quarterback Jaxson Dart. 6. LSU Tigers Overall: 12 Projected Win-Loss: 7.9-4.2 The LSU Tigers have one of the best quarterbacks in the nation in Garrett Nussmeier. So much of LSU's success will be dependent on how much the defense has grown over the offseason. 5. Tennessee Volunteers Overall: 10 Projected Win-Loss: 8.7-3.4 There was so much made about Nico Iamaleava's departure and Joey Aguilar's arrival that people forget that Josh Heupel leaned on the run and played defense a lot in 2024. 4. Texas A&M Aggies Overall: 8 Projected Win-Loss: 8.1-4.1 The Texas A&M Aggies will go as far as Marcel Reed's arm will allow them. If he's improved as a passer this offseason, the Aggies could be trouble in the SEC. 3. Alabama Crimson Tide Overall: 3 Projected Win-Loss: 9.6-2.8 Though year one of the Kalen DeBoer era at Alabama ended in disappointment, he's still a talented coach with a talented roster. They could be playoff bound in 2025. 2. Georgia Bulldogs Overall: 2 Projected Win-Loss: 10.1-2.3 If there was any team in the country that I'd put my money on to win the national championship it would be the most consistent team in the nation over the last five years, the Georgia Bulldogs. 1. Texas Longhorns Overall: 1 Projected Win-Loss: 10.4-2.1 The people love the Longhorns and the computers love the Longhorns. If Texas isn't in the national championship game, it'll be viewed as a disappointing 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.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
Where do Oklahoma Sooners land in ESPN's latest FPI?
Where do Oklahoma Sooners land in ESPN's latest FPI? The Oklahoma Sooners are looking to bounce back after a poor 2024 season that saw them go 6-7. Now, in 2025, Year 4 under head coach Brent Venables and Year 2 in the Southeastern Conference is a pivotal season for both the present and the future of the program. OU plays in the loaded SEC and isn't among the favorites to compete for the conference title in 2025. However, ESPN's latest Football Power Index believes Oklahoma will be much better than they were a year ago. According to ESPN's Neil Paine, "The FPI is a predictive rating system that estimates each FBS team's strength (in points per game relative to the national average) on offense, defense and special teams, making adjustments for starters lost, recruiting talent and other personnel changes. Those numbers are then plugged into the schedule, and everything is simulated 20,000 times to track each team's odds of winning its conference, making the playoff and advancing through to the national title." Oklahoma came in at No. 17 in ESPN's FPI. While that's a very good mark, it actually puts them tenth in the SEC, speaking to the overall strength of the league. The offseason additions of GM Jim Nagy, OC Ben Arbuckle, QB John Mateer, and RB Jaydn Ott, along with Venables taking command of the defense, have put the Sooners in a position to show marked improvement in 2025. Other moves like adding offensive analyst Kevin Wilson and LB coaches Nate Dreiling and Wes Goodwin to the staff and retaining DT David Stone are under the radar, but they could pay big dividends as well. However, the Sooners play what's been billed as college football's toughest schedule. They play eight of the top 20 teams in the FPI. In fact, OU's only game against Power Four competition that doesn't see them face a team in the FPI's top 20 is against Missouri. Additionally, FPI projects that the Sooners will have the ninth-best defense in the country in 2025. That defense was the only reason Oklahoma didn't lose even more games a year ago, and despite losing Danny Stutsman and Billy Bowman Jr. to the NFL Draft, that unit has a chance to be good again this year. FPI thinks that two Oklahoma games are among the biggest games of the entire season. The first is on October 11th, when the Sooners take on the Texas Longhorns in the annual Red River Rivalry matchup. Texas ranked No. 1 in the FPI. The other is on November 15th, when OU travels to face the Alabama Crimson Tide, who are ranked No. 3 in the FPI. The Sooners have a chance to be one of the most improved teams in Power Four in 2025. However, Venables and Co. will have to navigate an absolutely brutal schedule if they want to have a chance to make the College Football Playoff. 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.
USA Today
3 days ago
- General
- USA Today
Greg McElroy thinks Oklahoma has a Top 10 defense in college football
If the Oklahoma Sooners got one thing right last year, it was their defense. After years of clamoring for better play on that side of the ball, Sooner Nation got to watch arguably the best defense OU has produced in a decade and a half. Head coach Brent Venables has engineered a total turnaround on defense in Norman. The only problem was, Oklahoma's offense, which hadn't been the problem in years, fell off a cliff in 2024. The Sooners couldn't put enough points on the board. Despite a very good defense, OU fell to a 6-7 record. While there have been a lot of changes made to the offensive side of the ball, there's a lot of continuity on defense for the Sooners. Key contributors like Danny Stutsman, Billy Bowman Jr., Ethan Downs, and Da'Jon Terry have moved on to the NFL, but Oklahoma returns plenty of starters. With defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Zac Alley leaving to take the same job at West Virginia, Venables decided to take control of the defense himself this year. He'll call the plays in addition to all of his duties as the head coach. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle Greg McElroy, who hosts the "Always College Football with Greg McElroy" podcast, and is a college football color commentator for ESPN, believes that Oklahoma has one of the top ten defenses in the country heading into 2025. He ranks the Sooners as the No. 7 defense in the nation as we approach the fall. The former national championship-winning quarterback of the 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide pointed out that OU returns 60 percent of their defensive production from last year, when they ranked 19th in total defense. He thinks that with Venables taking command of the defense, the Sooners will be even better. Now I think this group has a chance to be the most improved group in the country from where they were a year ago. Part of why I'm so optimistic about Oklahoma, not just on offense but also on defense, is because of coach Brent Venables. He he got the job at Oklahoma because of how good he is as a defensive play caller. Well he's now taking over as the primary play caller. Now this was a strategic decision to take over the duties and he has widely been considered one of the best minds in college football for a really long time. He's got two national championships as a defensive coordinator at Clemson to to show for it. He also obviously had a great stint at Oklahoma as well. Then I think he's going to be just fine. They're going to attack. They're going to be aggressive and they're going to have a great understanding of what the opponent's offense is going to be doing from week to week. - McElroy, The Always College Football Podcast At defensive tackle, coached by Todd Bates, Oklahoma has a strong two-deep of Jayden Jackson, Damonic Williams, Gracen Halton, and David Stone. That group might be the strength of the entire team, a stark contrast from what Venables inherited when he arrived in Norman. The defensive ends will be led by the returning R Mason Thomas, who decided not to enter the NFL Draft or the transfer portal and instead stayed at OU this year. He had nine sacks last season, six of which came in SEC play. He's the team's best pass rusher and will be counted upon to carry more of the load this year. Coach Miguel Chavis has Marvin Jones Jr., Adepoju Adebawore, Danny Okoye, and Taylor Wein competing for snaps on the other side of the line. Jones and Adebawore are looking for breakout seasons. Venables hired Nate Dreiling as his new inside linebackers coach and Wes Goodwin as his new assistant linebackers coach and outside linebackers coach. Both coaches have experience as defensive coordinators. The Sooners will have plenty of versatility when it comes to the linebacker spots in 2025. Kip Lewis and Kobie McKinzie are in line to start at the inside spots, and Sammy Omosigho will play plenty as well. At cheetah, Kendel Dolby returns to a position he's excellent at, and Kendal Daniels, who figures to play inside some as well, arrives via the transfer portal. Omosigho has plenty of experience playing the cheetah role as well. There are plenty of younger players who could get snaps at cheetah as the season progresses as well. Jay Valai's cornerbacks need to stay healthy this year, as Eli Bowen returns after an excellent true freshman season. He was in a boot this spring, and the Sooners need him on the field on the outside. Gentry Willams can boost this defense even higher if he's healthy, but he missed almost the entire 2024 season due to injury. Jacobe Johnson is in line for plenty of snaps, as the local product could be a starter if Williams can't make it on the field. Devon Jordan could also get more reps if injuries continue to plague this position group. At safety, coach Brandon Hall returns the duo of Robert Spears-Jennings and Peyton Bowen. Both players had solid seasons last year. It's a young group behind them, as Jaydan Hardy, Reggie Powers III and Michael Boganowski are waiting for their turn to make an impact. Venables is regarded as one of college football's best defensive play-callers. He's assembled a very deep staff of Bates, Chavis, Dreiling, Goodwin, Valai and Hall to back him up and play to their individual strengths. With Venables in charge and plenty of returning standouts, the ingredients are in place for Oklahoma to have one of the best defenses in all of college football in 2025.
USA Today
28-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Brent Venables among coaches that can improve their stock
Brent Venables among coaches that can improve their stock Every season, plenty of head coaches come into the fall with something to prove. In the case of Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables, he's looking to prove that he does, in fact, belong as a head coach at the highest level of this sport. After a 6-7 season in 2022, Venables got on track with a 10-3 season in 2023. But regressing back to a 6-7 record in 2024 has fans and analysts alike wondering if Venables has what it takes to lead the Sooners. He's made some massive changes to the program this offseason to try and set himself up as best as he possibly can for Year 4 overall and Year 2 in the SEC. Will Backus, who covers college football for CBS Sports, believes that Venables is on a shortlist of Power Four head coaches who have a chance to improve their stock the most this year. Backus cites the new offensive battery of Ben Arbuckle and John Mateer as the primary reasons why. Venables' Sooners did not take the SEC transition well. Sure, they pulled off a gigantic upset against Alabama, but they were outscored by an average of 15 points in their other four games against ranked conference opponents and then capped the whole campaign with a loss against Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl. So, in an effort to ensure Oklahoma doesn't fall too far behind, Venables made sweeping changes in the offseason. He'll handle defensive play-calling duties while handing the offensive coordinator role to Ben Arbuckle, who engineered some of the nation's most effective passing offenses at Western Kentucky and Washington State. Arbuckle's Wazzu QB, John Mateer, followed him to Norman. Oklahoma also signed five wide receiver transfers to bolster a position decimated by injuries and portal departures. As long as the offensive line takes a big leap, the rest of Oklahoma's offense should follow, and that would mean improvement for the Sooners. - Backus, CBS Sports The offensive coordinator-quarterback relationship is becoming increasingly important in the transfer portal-NIL era of college football. The Sooners look like they'll have one of the nation's best in 2025 after having one of the nation's worst in 2024. Venables and Sooner Nation hope that an improved offensive output can lead to more victories this fall in Norman. 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.
USA Today
25-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Michigan at Oklahoma ranks No. 5 in On3's top 2025 nonconference games, set for Sept. 6
Michigan at Oklahoma ranks No. 5 in On3's top 2025 nonconference games, set for Sept. 6 For a couple of years, Michigan football was criticized for having a cupcake nonconference slate featuring only Group of Five opponents. However, starting last year when the Wolverines hosted Texas, that changed and looked more like it had in the years that the maize and blue would feature at least one Power Four team. The Wolverines used to play Notre Dame on a yearly basis, however, the last time the rivals played was in 2019, and the rivalry won't resume until 2033. In the meantime, Michigan has scheduled some big-time games, primarily the home-and-home series with both Texas as well as Oklahoma. On3 ranks the Michigan-Oklahoma matchup among best nonconference games in 2025 The first of the four matchups started last season in Week 2 when the Longhorns came to town and they won't see the maize and blue again until 2027 in Austin. But Michigan is set to launch the home-and-home with Oklahoma, starting with a road trip to Norman, in Week 2 of this season. When it comes to the best nonconference games of the year, On3 picked the 10 best. And the meeting between the Wolverines and Sooners comes in ranked No. 5. 5. Michigan at Oklahoma - Sept. 6 Brent Venables enters the 2025 season with all eyes on him. The Sooners regressed last year, falling to 6-7 after posting a 10-3 mark in 2023. Venables and his program responded by landing one of the top quarterbacks in the portal in Washington State transfer John Mateer. OU also needed to hit reset on the offensive side of the ball, landing Mateer's offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle. Michigan enters Year Two under Sherrone Moore, with the matchup against Oklahoma possibly marking former No. 1 recruit Bryce Underwood's first start in a ranked matchup. Three Week 1 matchups beat the Week 2 tilt, with Texas at Ohio State, LSU at Clemson, and Notre Dame at Miami coming in at No. 1, 3, and 4, respectively. An extremely limited series history Michigan and Oklahoma have only faced off once before in history, with the Sooners getting the upper hand. They played in the Orange Bowl following the 1975 season, with OU winning 14-6. It will be interesting to see how the two square up, given last season's struggles, both schools' attempts to revamp their offensive attacks, and considering that both ended up having signature wins against Alabama a year ago. As noted by On3, Bryce Underwood may get the start for the Wolverines, and if he does, it won't just be his first game in a potentially ranked matchup, but it will be his first road game in college.
