Latest news with #PicKell
USA Today
31-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
On3 analyst Oklahoma has a quarterback advantage in 2025
On3 analyst Oklahoma has a quarterback advantage in 2025 When the Oklahoma Sooners made the offseason addition of former Washington State quarterback John Mateer, they made a massive upgrade at one of the most important positions on the team. In 2024, for the most part, OU was at a QB disadvantage against almost every team they played, especially in the SEC. That's extremely uncommon for a program that is used to having the better player under center. J.D. PicKell, who covers college football for On3 Sports, believes that the script has flipped in Norman, due to the presence of Mateer. "The schedule for Oklahoma and the quarterback matchups they have, I think it's very, very sneaky that Oklahoma, I think, is gonna have the advantage in a lot of those games," PicKell said on his podcast, "The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell. Going through OU's 2025 schedule, PicKell proceeded to say which games he believes the Sooners have the QB edge in, excluding matchups against lesser competition like Illinois State, Temple, and Kent State. PicKell believes Oklahoma has the quarterback advantage against Michigan (Bryce Underwood), Auburn (Jackson Arnold), Texas (Arch Manning), Ole Miss (Austin Simmons), Tennessee (Joey Aguilar), Alabama (Ty Simpson/Austin Mack/Keelon Russell) and Missouri (Beau Pribula). He declined to say the Sooners have the QB edge against South Carolina (LaNorris Sellers) and LSU (Garrett Nussmeier). "We just went through that entire schedule and there's two games that you're talking about a superior quarterback for the opposite side, as we sit here right now," PicKell said. By all reports, the Sooners look to have a quarterback in the saddle again who can change games for them in a positive way. Mateer and new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle are trying to make sure that Year 2 in the SEC goes differently than Year 1 did for Oklahoma and head coach Brent Venables. 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.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Analyst Predicts Arch Manning, Texas Will Take Unexpected Approach Against Ohio State
The attention Arch Manning receives, whether he wants it or not, is a blessing and a curse. How the meter leans after he and the Texas Longhorns clash with the Ohio State Buckeyes to start the season depends on multiple factors. On3's J.D. PicKell doesn't envision Steve Sarkisian pushing his new starting quarterback onto the Ohio Stadium field and telling him to let loose. Advertisement "A lot of the narrative with Arch Manning will be tied to how Steve Sarkisian decides to call the offense," PicKell said Thursday on "The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell." "Because I would not be surprised even a little bit if we trot out there for Week 1 if we're Texas, and this game plan is semi-conservative. Texas Longhorns QB Arch Miron-Imagn Images "'Hey, we're gonna try and hold the ball. We're gonna try and run the ball. We're gonna test this front seven of Ohio State. We're gonna try to take a lot off Arch's plate.'" PicKell predicted Manning could finish with passing numbers similar to the ones USC's Matt Barkley had on the road in Columbus in 2009. During an 18-15 win, Barkley went 15 for 31 for 195 yards and an interception. Advertisement Such a performance would likely prompt early overreactions. "The narrative around Arch Manning, because of his last name, because of the brand that is Texas football, will be all over the place," PicKell said. "From September to October, it is going to be, 'Is Arch Manning the best Manning in his family?' To, 'Should Texas go in another direction without Arch Manning as their starting quarterback?' "'Is the spotlight too bright for Arch?' Like, you're going to hear all of that and in between. 'Is Arch just getting credit because of his last name?' You're gonna hear all of that." Related: Analyst Lays Out Reasons Texas Can Dominate in Columbus
USA Today
07-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
On3 analyst thinks this is Oklahoma's best offseason move
On3 analyst thinks this is Oklahoma's best offseason move New Oklahoma Sooners general manager Jim Nagy was, simply put, a slam dunk hire. The former executive director of the Reese's Senior Bowl was a scout in the NFL for 18 years and is helping bring a progressive new structure to OU Football. Following two losing seasons in three years after zero losing seasons over the previous 23, the Sooners have to get better at playing the name, image, likeness, and transfer portal game prevalent in the current landscape of college football. Otherwise, they could fall further behind. Jim Nagy is now tasked with getting the Sooners to the forefront. On3 Sports college football analyst J.D. PicKell, who hosts "The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell", believes that the Nagy hire is OU sending a message to the rest of college football. "This is a move you make when you're looking to the future, when you're adapting to modern college football," PicKell said. "This was a, I believe on paper at least, a home-run hire from the Sooners." PicKell lauded the move, but also said it sends a message that the Sooners are serious about competing in the new era of college football. "You don't go hire a guy who is interviewing for NFL GM jobs, unless you yourself are going to operate like an NFL organization," PicKell said. "If the output you want is to win at the highest level, what does that require? Probably gotta have pretty good players, probably gotta have one of the better rosters in college football." In the sport's new era, buying the best players typically leads to success. Just ask Ohio State. While Oklahoma doesn't have the deepest pockets in college football, they hope that the addition of Nagy can give them an advantage and get them back to the top; back to being Oklahoma. 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.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Could the Oklahoma Sooners actually benefit from their difficult schedule?
The Oklahoma Sooners have one of the hardest schedules in the country in 2025. It's not a stretch to say that OU's gauntlet is the toughest in America. According to ESPN SP+, the Sooners schedule is the most difficult in FBS. Year 4 under head coach Brent Venables and Year 2 in the Southeastern Conference is a pivotal season for the entire program. One college football analyst believes that if things fall right, the Sooners could actually benefit from their brutal schedule. On3 Sports' J.D. PicKell outlined on his show "The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell" just how teams like Oklahoma and the Florida Gators, who have extremely difficult schedules, could get some help in the long run. He began with non-conference schedules, highlighting OU's key matchup against the Michigan Wolverines. "If you win your non-conference games, you have a chance to take a massive narrative-shaper with you into that Selection Sunday," PicKell said. "So for that committee to look at Oklahoma and say they beat Michigan, that matters to us ... that stuff matters." The Sooners got a rough draw in their SEC conference schedule when they came into the league because they were so successful in the decade prior. The Sooners will face Auburn, Texas, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, and LSU. Against that group of teams, Oklahoma went 2-6 in 2024. "If you go 9-3 with one of those schedules, it's my humble opinion that you should be graded on a curve," PicKell said. "I'm not saying the games don't matter. I'm saying how you look in your games and who you play should matter. The gauntlet they have is harder than everyone else in college football. You go 9-3 and things shake your way with the other chaos across college football, I think one of those teams (Oklahoma or Florida) gets in." A 9-3 record isn't the standard in Norman, Oklahoma. But, all things considered, most of Sooner Nation would likely be pretty happy with a mark like that, especially when looking at the gauntlet OU has to play and the fact that Oklahoma went 6-6 in the regular season last year. To improve by three wins, the Sooners have to get better across the board, especially on offense. New offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and new starting quarterback John Mateer will have to have excellent seasons to get Oklahoma to nine wins. Going 9-3 would be a huge step forward for the program and Venables. It'd likely be enough to save his job, and if Pickell is correct, it could be enough to have the Sooners in the College Football Playoff, which would be a major accomplishment considering where OU was at the end of last season. This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: J.D. PicKell believes Oklahoma's schedule could actually benefit them
