The road to the 2026 season officially began Wednesday morning.
Oklahoma took the practice field for the first time this fall, opening training camp less than a month before its season opener against UTEP on Sept. 4. For Brent Venables and Team 132, the first practice represented more than the start of another season—it marked the beginning of a campaign carrying legitimate College Football Playoff expectations and national championship aspirations.
The ninth-ranked Sooners return to the practice field following a 10-3 season that ended in the College Football Playoff, and for perhaps the first time since Venables arrived in 2022, Oklahoma enters camp with something that has been difficult to find in the modern era of college football: continuity.
At quarterback, on the coaching staff, and across much of the defensive core, the Sooners are relying on experience rather than reinvention.
Day one of camp reflected that mindset.
The tempo was crisp. The energy was controlled. And perhaps most importantly, there was a noticeable sense of confidence surrounding a team that believes its best football still lies ahead.
Subscribe to get access
Read more of this content when you subscribe today.
A subscription helps us to run the site and feed the writers. It’s just $6 for one year and it makes a huge difference. Plus, we think the subscription content is pretty good as well. Subscriptions reset every January 1st.