Oklahoma’s first game week of the 2023 football season has finally arrived! Year Two of the Brent Venables Era will officially kickoff at 11:00 AM Saturday morning, on Owen Field. This doesn’t just need to be a rebound season for Venables and the Sooners, it needs to be a season where they look S.E.C. ready, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Game One probably isn’t going to tell us much in terms of how the season is going to shape up but we’ll know a little but game’s end.
To me, this game is going give us a glimpse of how the chemistry is between new arrivals to the program and veterans who needed to improve over the spring and summer. Dillon Gabriel and Danny Stutsman were the respective leaders on their sides of the ball but they’ll both tell you that they had plenty of room for improvement. The arrival of guys like Brenen Thompson and Dasan McCullough should help each of these guys be even better in 2023. With that in mind, here are four things to watch for on Saturday.
Who Emerges As A New Top Option In The Passing Game?
One of the adjustments that Gabriel is going to have to make deals with the departure of Marvin Mims, who is now catching passes for the Denver Broncos, and that leaves an opening to be Gabriel’s top target in the passing game. The return of Austin Stogner at tight end and the constant reliability of Drake Stoops are always going to compliment the passing game, but the Sooners need that guy who can stretch the field and cause the defense know where he is at all times. Jalil Farooq (37 catches/466 yards in 2023) seems to be a natural candidate to fill the void. The former 4-star recruit is entering his third season in Norman and had a very solid sophomore campaign where he averaged 12.6 yards per catch.
A pair of transfers are also going to be in the mix to be Gabriel’s #1. Andrel Anthony was the co-Offensive Rookie of the Year at Michigan in 2021. The former 3-star recruit caught 19 passes, during his two seasons in Ann Arbor, for 328 yards and four touchdowns. He averaged 16.05 yards per reception at Michigan, proving that he definitely has the ability to stretch the field.
Brenen Thompson was perhaps Oklahoma’s most notable offensive transfer because he chose to head north from Austin and cross Red River. Thompson only caught one pass for Texas in 2023. It came against Oklahoma State and went for 32 yards. His speed alone is going to get him on the field in Jeff Lebby’s offense but he also possesses the skillset to go along with that speed. Rated as a 4-star prospect out of high school, he earned 34 scholarship offers.
Mims may be gone but this Oklahoma receiving corps is going to be bigger, faster, and deeper than they were in 2022. Regardless of who steps up to be that “go to” guy, this crew should be pretty explosive and dangerous.
Has The Running Game Fully Been Turned Over To The Young Guys?
Jovantae Barnes had 27 carries in the bowl game against Florida State. Gavin Sawchuk had fifteen carries. Both scored rushing touchdowns and both eclipsed the 100-yard mark. Barnes is going to be a sophomore this season and Sawchuk a redshirt freshman. They’re expected to be #1 and #2 on the depth chart and they’re both expected to be stars. What does that mean for a guy like Marcus Major though. He’s had flashes during his career at Oklahoma (110 yards on 9 carries against Florida in 2020) but academic issues and injuries have prevented him from fulfilling the expectations that were placed on him when he arrived on campus. This is his final season in Norman and it’s yet to be known what kind of impact, if any, he’s going to have on the field but we might know after Saturday.
How Much Will The Transfer Portal Affect The Defense?
Oklahoma’s defense was a disaster in 2022, and improving on that side of the ball is the most vital component towards improvement in 2023. Brent Venables has confidence in his guys and has even said that he expects the defense to, “be on another planet” compared to last year’s squad. For guys like Stutsman, Ethan Downs, and Billy Bowman, having another year of experience under their belts should lead to better results. However, the true measure of success might be from the guys that came out of the transfer portal. Rondell Bothroyd (Wake Forest), Davon Sears (Texas State), Dasan McCullough (Indiana), Reggie Pearson (Texas Tech), Kendel Dolby (NEO A&M College), Da’Jon Terry (Tennessee), Konnor Near (Ferris State), and Trace Ford (Oklahoma State) weren’t just brought in to provide depth. Many of them are here to be immediate plug-and-play contributors and will be the keys to the success or failure of the defensive turnaround in 2023.
Can The Defensive Line Live In The Red Wolves’ Backfield?
This should be an advantageous matchup for Oklahoma’s defensive front. The Arkansas State offensive line gave up 38 quarterback sacks in 2022 and only managed to pave the way for an average of 88 rushing yards per game. The Red Wolves are bringing in Colorado transfer quarterback JT Shrout and have Corey Rucker returning (after having transferred to South Carolina) , along with Syracuse transfer Courtney Jackson, as a pass catcher. However, three of the five starting offensive linemen from last year are back, with the additions of transfers Jacob Bayer (Lamar) and Jalen Cunningham (Ole Miss) to try and shore things up.
If the Sooners can consistently win the battle up front then it should set up for a solid day for the defense. Look for a high number of quarterback pressures, sacks, and tackles for loss.
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