Latest news with #BrentVenables
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Five takeaways from Oklahoma's updated roster ahead of fall camp
The Oklahoma Sooners released an updated roster for the 2025 season this week ahead of fall camp. With six weeks remaining until Week 1, when OU will take on Illinois State out of the Football Championship Subdivision, the potential exists for minor things to change. However, for the most part, OU's current roster is the one it will take into a pivotal 2025 campaign, one that is crucial for the program's future and the future of coach Brent Venables. The Sooners went 6-7 in Venables' third year at the helm in 2024. That included a 2-6 record in the Southeastern Conference in Year 1 in the new league. Obviously, that isn't close to being good enough at a program used to playing for conference and national championships. Needless to say, things needed to change in a major way. New general manager Jim Nagy is putting his fingerprints on the program with new front office hires, and coaching staff changes have occurred at key spots since late November. That doesn't even get into the roster changes during the offseason. So today, we'll take a closer look at the five biggest takeaways from Oklahoma's updated roster heading into fall camp for the 2025 season. 1. Roster turnover At the close of the regular season last year, Oklahoma had 127 players on the roster. It lost 61 of them to the transfer portal, the NFL draft, the end of eligibility or walk-on departures. The Sooners added 45 players via high school recruiting, the transfer portal or walk-ons. They returned 66 players from the '24 squad. That leaves them with 111 players in July. Oklahoma has 54 offensive players, 50 defensive players and seven special teams players. The lower overall number is due to changes to the rules regarding how many players each team can have on its roster. Some players are being grandfathered in due to the recent House settlement, which will eventually create a roster limit of 105 players. Even in today's tumultuous world of college football, where name, image and likeness licensing and the transfer portal induced changes run rampant, that's pretty heavy turnover for the Sooners. But that turnover may not be a bad thing. An overall record under .500 again in 2024 and a .250 winning percentage in the SEC is a far cry from the standard that has been set in Norman. There's plenty of new blood, and that's a good thing. Another big-picture indicator of OU's roster churn: Only one player remains on the 2025 roster that was on Lincoln Riley's final roster in 2021. That's veteran reserve wide receiver Major Melson, a sixth-year senior this year. This is truly a Brent Venables team in every way now. 2. Spring additions The Sooners had an eventful spring, as there are plenty of new faces on the roster that weren't a part of spring ball in Norman. Offensively, the Sooners added running back Jaydn Ott, offensive lineman Jake Maikkula, wide receiver Jer'Michael Carter and quarterback Whitt Newbauer. Ott is the headliner of that group. Defensively, OU brought in defensive lineman Siolaa Lolohea and linebacker Reed DeQuasie via the transfer portal. The Sooners also added some late enrollees in defensive lineman C.J. Nickson and linebackers Marcus James, Elgee Webster and Barrett Travis. Additionally, Oklahoma signed former UTSA kicker Tate Sandell, who has a chance to start right away at the position. However, the Sooners also lost pieces this spring. Tight end Davon Mitchell, defensive backs Mykel Patterson-McDonald and Peter Schuh, running backs Sam Franklin and Gavin Sawchuk, and offensive lineman Josh Aisosa entered the transfer portal. Defensive back Jocelyn Malaska initially entered the spring portal but withdrew and remains on the OU roster. Oklahoma reshuffled its depth pieces at quarterback. Cole Gonzales, who signed with the Sooners in the winter portal window and went through spring ball with OU, reentered the portal in the spring and landed with Pitt. Oklahoma gained a portal commitment from Gavin Frakes, but he never signed with the Sooners and ended up at Northwestern. That leaves John Mateer, Michael Hawkins Jr., Whitt Newbauer and Jett Niu as the four quarterbacks the Sooners bring into the 2025 season. 3. There's the beef Part of Venables' mission when he took over for Riley was to get the defense back on track. But the mission was also to get the Sooners ready for the SEC, a league in which trench warfare is the name of the game. One spot where it's obvious the philosophy has changed is defensive tackle. Charlie S, who covers the Sooners for The Football Brainiacs, illustrated that in a recent post on X (formerly Twitter). Oklahoma's heaviest defensive tackle in 2020, the second-to-last year under Riley and former defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, weighed 297 pounds. In 2025, the Sooners have seven DTs heavier than that, four years into the Venables era. That had to happen or Oklahoma was going to get beaten up physically at the point of attack in the SEC. Furthermore, defensive tackle looks like it'll be one of OU's biggest strengths again in 2025. The group of Jayden Jackson, Damonic Williams, Gracen Halton and David Stone wants to push people around at the line of scrimmage this year. 4. Looking for offensive stars Quarterback John Mateer and running back Jaydn Ott are the two biggest names on OU's revamped offense this year, and both were portal additions. But the portal also hit the Sooners hard when it came to some big offensive names, so Oklahoma is looking for other players to step up in Ben Arbuckle's offense. The Sooners are no strangers to having superstars on offense, especially since 1999. In the last 26 seasons, they've had four Heisman Trophy winners (Jason White, Sam Bradford, Baker Mayfield, and Kyler Murray) and four other players who were Heisman finalists, but didn't win the award (Josh Heupel, Adrian Peterson, Dede Westbrook, and Jalen Hurts). Additionally, Oklahoma has had plenty of other All-America and all-conference players who helped put points on the board in bunches. But the 2025 Sooners are still searching for their standouts on the offensive side of the ball next to their new backfield tandem. Behind Ott, the Sooners would love to get a breakout season from one of their homegrown running backs like Jovantae Barnes, Xavier Robinson or Taylor Tatum. None will be expected to carry the load, but a backup to take some of the load off the Cal transfer would certainly help. When it comes to pass-catchers, wide receiver Deion Burks is a guy to watch if he can stay healthy. The same goes for Jayden Gibson and Javonnie Gibson, who could unlock the offense if they perform well. Jer'Michael Carter's addition in the spring gives OU another big body who could make some noise in the red zone. At tight end, the Sooners would love Will Huggins or Carson Kent to give the offense a reliable option there. Along the offensive line, Troy Everett and Derek Simmons are veterans for Bill Bedenbaugh to lean on at center and right tackle, but there are plenty of intriguing options at all five positions for the veteran coach. OU's backfield duo figures to be great this year. But it'll need help to get the job done. 5. Time to shine for '22 class Last year on defense, it was Oklahoma's standouts from the 2021 recruiting class that led the way. The trio of Danny Stutsman, Billy Bowman Jr. and Ethan Downs were the big name leaders for Venables heading into the SEC. With those players off to the NFL, the buck has been passed to the remaining members of the 2022 recruiting class, Venables' first as a coach. Most of the key players remaining are defensive stalwarts, but the Sooners do return running back Jovantae Barnes, wide receiver Jayden Gibson, tight ends Kaden Helms and Jaren Kanak and offensive linemen Jacob Sexton and Jake Taylor. But with all that production and leadership lost defensively, it's time for Venables' 2022 class to take the reins. Defensive linemen Gracen Halton and R Mason Thomas, linebackers Kip Lewis and Kobie McKinzie and defensive backs Robert Spears-Jennings and Gentry Williams look like they're up to the task; each decided to stay in Norman this offseason. Once upon a time, Oklahoma was built on punishing, nasty defenses. The Sooners are getting back to that under Venables, who hopes he's made the right moves to get the offense back up to snuff heading into a very important 2025 season. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, formerly Twitter, 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. This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Five takeaways from Sooners latest roster updates
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Paul Finebaum shares what Oklahoma has to do to secure Brent Venables' future
The Oklahoma Sooners report for fall camp on Wednesday to further their preparations for the 2025 college football season. On paper, the Sooners look like an improved team, but there are certainly questions that will need to be answered during fall camp to solidify several spots. Even though the Sooners are an improved team, Oklahoma will face one of the more difficult schedules in the SEC. How Oklahoma manages the schedule in 2025 could determine a lot about the future of the OU Football program. On 'The Paul Finebaum Show,' SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum discussed what it would take for Brent Venables to feel comfortable coming out of the 2025 season. Finebaum believes Oklahoma has to start the season 5-0, going into the Red River Showdown with the Texas Longhorns. The SEC Network/ESPN college football analyst believes OU loses to Texas and will need to go 4-2 down the stretch for Venables to stick around Norman for 2026. 'If they can win all but maybe two of those games, I think that Brent Venables may have a great record and will likely be around for a while,' Finebaum said. 'Otherwise, I think you know the answer to the question.' A 9-3 season would put Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff discussion. But it would depend on who the three losses were to. If Oklahoma lost to Texas, Alabama, and LSU, they'd have a pretty strong case for inclusion in the College Football Playoff, even with three losses. If one of those losses were to Missouri, Ole Miss, Tennessee, or South Carolina, though difficult matchups, the playoff committee may not be as forgiving. Venables' buy-out is $34.9 million following the 2025 season. Which likely means an 8-4 record or better in the 2025 season keeps him around for another year. If the Sooners go 7-5 or worse, the administration may be having some tough conversations. 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 John on X @john9williams.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pair of Oklahoma Sooners named to Maxwell Award watch list
The Oklahoma Sooners boast some offensive firepower at the helm heading into 2025. And both are out of the transfer portal. John Mateer and Jaydn Ott were big-time additions for Brent Venables and Jim Nagy, and the two former West Coast stars provide a lot of the optimism for what should be a resurgent season in 2025. Fall camp will kick off on Wednesday, marking the beginning of the 2025 season. With the Season just over a month away, watch lists will begin rolling out, and the Sooners' backfield mates landed on the Maxwell Award watch list. The Maxwell Award is given to the most outstanding player in college football. Three former Sooners have won the award. Tommy McDonald won the Maxwell back in 1956. Jason White won the award during his Heisman Trophy-winning season in 2004. Baker Mayfield is the most recent recipient of the national honor, winning the award in 2017. In 2018, when Kyler Murray won the Heisman, the Maxwell went to Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Mateer is coming off a 2024 season in which he led the nation in total touchdowns with 44 and had nearly 4,000 yards of total offense for Washington State. Ott is coming off an injury-plagued 2024 season, but back in 2023, he ran for 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns for Cal. He's hoping he can have a bounce-back year this year ahead of the 2026 NFL draft. Mateer and Ott will need to have big years for the Sooners in 2025 to be in the running for the prestigious award. If they do, the Sooners could be on their way to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2019. 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 John on X @john9williams. This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: John Mateer, Jaydn Ott named to Maxwell Award watch list
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
5 most important games on the Oklahoma Sooners 2025 schedule
The Oklahoma Sooners will face one of the most challenging schedules in the nation in 2025. It's a result of the 10 years of success they enjoyed prior to joining the SEC. It's a slate that has some tough road trips and difficult stretches of games. But that's what comes with playing in the SEC. OU will face several challenges, but head coach Brent Venables remains confident in his team ahead of the 2025 season. However, not every game is the same, and the teams Oklahoma faces this year have undergone significant turnover from the rosters the Sooners struggled against in 2024. There's an opportunity for OU to have a resurgent season, but they'll need to be on top of their game every single week. For the Sooners to be in playoff contention, these are the five most important games on their 2025 schedule. 1. Michigan Wolverines Typically, it would be tough to argue that a week two nonconference game holds the most importance in a season. But Oklahoma doesn't simply need to win the game for the record's sake; they need to win it to flip the narrative about the program. It's an early-season matchup between two iconic brands in primetime. The college football world will be watching. The Sooners have high expectations for the 2025 season and getting a win over Michigan in week two would provide a ton of confidence for a team looking to re-establish itself as one of the sport's best. 2. Texas Longhorns The Texas Longhorns enter the season as the favorites in the SEC. They're among a handful of teams with the best shot to win the national championship. Their Red River Rivals have blown them out in two of Venables' three seasons at the helm. Although there were extenuating circumstances that contributed to Oklahoma's poor offensive performance, it's still a terrible look for the program that invented winning. Going up against the former five-star quarterback Arch Manning, a talented play-caller in Steve Sarkisian, and one of the best defenses in college football the Sooners will face a significant test when they take on the Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl. The Red River Showdown doesn't just have on-field implications; it can sway recruiting battles. Perception is often reality, and the perception nationally is that Texas is light years ahead of the Oklahoma Sooners. Whether that's the reality or not, the only way to change that perception is to win the game. 3. LSU Tigers The Oklahoma Sooners held a 14-10 lead midway through the second quarter on the road in Death Valley in 2024. Then the Sooners gave up a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to Anthony Anderson that turned the tide. Including the kick return, the Sooners were outscored 27-3 over the final two and a half quarters. The Sooners' coverage was exposed by Garrett Nussmeier and Chris Hilton, and the offense couldn't respond. OU will welcome the Tigers to Gaylord-Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium to close out the regular season. This game could have both short-term and long-term ramifications for the future of the program. The LSU Tigers are expected to be a contender in 2025, and if the Sooners are as good as many think they could be, this game could determine a playoff berth for either team. 4. South Carolina Gamecocks Right after the Oklahoma Sooners play Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns in Dallas, the Sooners have to go on the road to face the South Carolina Gamecocks and LaNorris Sellers in Williams-Brice Stadium in South Carolina. Two tough tests against two of the SEC's best quarterbacks and teams in back-to-back weeks. There isn't a more difficult two-game stretch on the schedule for the Oklahoma Sooners. Obviously, Oklahoma wants to win both games, but for them to maintain any playoff aspirations for 2025, they have to come out of this two-game stretch at least 1-1. Lose both and OU would have to run the table over the final five games of the season. 5. Alabama Crimson Tide The Oklahoma Sooners pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the season when they beat Alabama 24-3 in Norman last season. The win knocked Alabama out of playoff contention and provided a glimpse of what the Sooners could be along the offensive line when everyone is healthy. The defense was stout, shutting down Jalen Milroe in the run game and picking off a couple of passes that led to scores. Alabama is expected to be a contender this year and you know the Crimson Tide faithful will want to make the Sooners pay for last year's upset. Coming out of a bye week, the road trip to Tuscaloosa will kick off a pivotal three-game stretch to close the season against Alabama, Missouri, and LSU. 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 John on X @john9williams.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Sherrone Moore loyal to Michigan football over Oklahoma - 'I'm all about Michigan'
Oklahoma is in a precarious position. After Lincoln Riley fled for USC, the Brent Venables saga hasn't quite turned out as they've hoped in Norman, at least thus far. The Sooners will have a big test early in 2025 when Michigan football comes to town, led by OU alum Sherrone Moore. Usually, in a situation like that, the administration might have an eye on someone who has those ties, and should the Wolverines upend the Sooners in Norman, there may be an outcry to bring a favored son home. On the other end, Moore is set to be suspended for two games after deleting texts pertinent to an NCAA investigation, but Michigan's choice that that those games come after the trip to Oklahoma. Thus, the thought is it's a big game, as well, for the OU alum. Yet, at Big Ten media days, Moore downplayed his role in the forthcoming matchup, noting that the game is bigger than him. "Yeah, my anticipation for that game is that it's a big game and it's going to be our first road test," Moore said. "People might not want to hear this from the Oklahoma side, but I'm a Wolverine. I think about it like that. I'm a part of Michigan football. I've been here for eight years and I love this program. I love this place, so my allegiance is not to Oklahoma, regardless of going there. It's to Michigan and to football players at Michigan, so it's going to be a huge test because they're going to be a good football team, and Brent Venables is a great coach. But my thought process and allegiance has nothing to do with I went to school there. It has all to do with we're going to go win the game, and we're going to do everything we can to be physically and mentally ready to do that." As Moore noted, he's been in Ann Arbor for eight years -- four times longer than his two-year stint in Norman. So, say the Sooners do decide to make a change and Michigan looks more like it had from 2021-23 than last year. And say they come calling for Moore. Would he consider it? Considering his thoughts on the upcoming Week 2 tilt, it sounds like his allegiance isn't to the school that helped form him as a player -- it's more to the school that rose him through the coaching ranks. "I've said before, it's pretty documented how much I love Michigan, I'm fully invested in Michigan and what it's done for me and what I continue to do for Michigan," Moore said. "So it's not hard for me to turn that page and understand that I'm all about Michigan." Moore came to Ann Arbor via Central Michigan in 2018, taking the same position he had in Mount Pleasant, tight ends coach. He was promoted to offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator in 2021, became the bona fide offensive coordinator in 2023, and head coach in 2024.
