Four games into the 2026 season, Oklahoma has a problem that should frustrate Brent Venables for two very different reasons.
His defense is playing winning football.
His offense isn’t consistently giving it a chance to win.
The Sooners have allowed opponents to complete just 23.1% of their third-down opportunities, while their pass defense has surrendered only 122.5 yards per game. Those numbers reflect a defense that can dictate terms and make life difficult for opposing quarterbacks. Meanwhile, Oklahoma’s offense has averaged 22 points per game and has struggled to establish a productive rushing attack.
That imbalance is the defining story of Oklahoma’s first four games of the 2026 season.
The Sooners opened with a 51–0 win over UTEP, then lost to Michigan, squeezed past New Mexico 14–6, and fell to Georgia 41–13. The result is a 2–2 record that leaves little margin for error as Oklahoma heads into Saturday’s meeting with No. 1 Texas.
So, with the first quarter of the season complete, it’s time for a report card.
These grades reflect performance through four games, not recruiting rankings or future potential. Some groups have earned the benefit of the doubt. Others have plenty to prove.
The Defensive Report Card
1. Defensive Line — A-
Key players: David Stone, Jayden Jackson, Taylor Wein and Adepoju Adebawore
This is the foundation of Oklahoma’s defensive identity.
Stone and Jackson give the Sooners an experienced interior combination capable of disrupting run plays and making quarterbacks uncomfortable. On the edge, Wein and Adebawore provide complementary skill sets, with Adebawore leading the team with 2.5 sacks entering the Texas game. Wein has recorded 14 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble through the first four contests.
The grade is high because this group has helped Oklahoma establish a credible defensive identity. The Sooners can generate pressure without having to rely exclusively on blitzing, and the interior gives the linebackers a chance to play downhill.
The remaining question is consistency against the run. Texas will test Oklahoma’s ability to hold its ground and prevent the Longhorns from staying ahead of the chains.
The verdict: An impact group with the personnel to make life difficult for Texas. An A- leaves room for an even more dominant remainder of the season.
2. Linebackers — A-
Key players: Kip Lewis and Owen Heinecke
Linebacker is another position where Oklahoma’s experience has been valuable.
Lewis returned as a team captain after establishing himself as a dependable presence in the middle of the defense. Heinecke, meanwhile, emerged as an important contributor late last season and carried that momentum into 2026. His previous production included 74 tackles and 12 tackles for loss in 2025, laid the foundation for high expectations in 2026.
The challenge for this group is maintaining that physicality while handling the responsibilities that come with modern SEC offenses. Linebackers must fit the run, tackle in space, communicate against motion and survive when offenses try to create mismatches in coverage.
Oklahoma has shown enough to earn a strong grade, but the Texas matchup offers a particularly important test. The Longhorns will try to force the linebackers to make quick decisions and defend the entire width of the field.
The verdict: A reliable, veteran group that helps make the defense work. The next step is proving it can control the middle of the field against an elite opponent.
3. Defensive Backs — A
Key players: Peyton Bowen and Eli Bowen
This is arguably Oklahoma’s strongest position group through four games.
The secondary has been especially effective against the pass. Oklahoma enters the Red River Rivalry averaging just 122.5 passing yards allowed per game, and the Sooners have limited teams to a third-down conversion rate of only 23.1%.
Peyton Bowen has been a central figure in that success. His range, instincts and ability to close on the football give Oklahoma a safety who can influence the game without needing to make a highlight-reel play on every possession. Eli Bowen has also provided important stability at cornerback.
The secondary’s success is especially significant because it gives the defensive front time to affect the quarterback. When coverage forces a quarterback to hold the ball, the pass rush has an opportunity to finish the play.
There is still a challenge ahead. Texas will test Oklahoma vertically and look for opportunities to create space for its playmakers. The Sooners must maintain their communication and avoid giving up explosive plays.
The verdict: The defense’s most convincing unit so far. The secondary has earned its A, and Saturday presents a chance to validate it against the nation’s top-ranked team.
The Offensive Report Card
4. Offensive Line — D
Key players: Michael Fasusi, Eddy Pierre-Louis, Jake Maikkula, Noah Best and E’Marion Harris
The offensive line has become the position group most in need of a turnaround.
Oklahoma’s rushing attack has struggled to find consistency, and the protection has not been dependable enough to let the passing game operate at its best. Those problems are connected: when the line cannot create movement in the run game or keep the pocket clean, the offense becomes easier to defend.
The injury to Fasusi has complicated matters. The talented young tackle has been sidelined with a shoulder injury, forcing Oklahoma to work through different combinations. The line also adjusted its personnel during the Georgia game, including changes at guard. The results have not yet produced the improvement the offense needs.
It would be unfair to place every offensive problem on the five players up front. Quarterback decisions, play design and running-back execution all matter. But the line has to provide a functional starting point for the offense, and Oklahoma has not consistently received that.
The Texas matchup makes the situation even more urgent. The Sooners cannot afford repeated negative plays that put Mateer in obvious passing situations against a talented defensive front.
The verdict: A D reflects the lack of consistent results, not a judgment on the players’ long-term potential. Until Oklahoma protects better and creates more reliable rushing lanes, the offense will remain limited.
5. Running Backs — C-
Key players: Lloyd Avant, Tory Blaylock and Xavier Robinson
The running backs are caught in a difficult situation: they need better blocking, but they also need to find ways to make more out of the opportunities they receive.
Avant opened the season with a strong performance against UTEP, rushing for 79 yards on 15 carries. His production fell off in the next three games, however, and Oklahoma has struggled to find a consistent answer on the ground. Blaylock’s hamstring injury has also affected the rotation, limiting the team’s ability to use its expected backfield combination.
The grade is not an indictment of the backs’ talent. Running into defenders before reaching the line of scrimmage is a difficult way to build a productive afternoon. But the group must improve its decisiveness, make defenders miss when opportunities arise and contribute in the passing game.
Oklahoma also needs to find a more consistent relationship between its running backs and the offensive line. Better communication and cleaner blocking assignments could help turn short gains into manageable second- and third-down situations.
The verdict: C-. There have been flashes, but not enough sustained production. This group needs to become a dependable part of the offense rather than another question mark.
6. Tight Ends — B
Key players: Rocky Beers and Hayden Hansen
Rocky Beers has been one of Oklahoma’s most productive offensive players, and that alone keeps this group from receiving a lower grade.
Through four games, Beers had caught 18 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns. His combination of size, route-running ability and reliability has given Mateer a useful option when the offense struggles to create opportunities elsewhere. Hansen has also contributed as a receiving target as well as holding steady in blocking assignments.
The bigger question is how much the tight end room can influence the offense beyond receiving production. Oklahoma needs its tight ends to help the offensive line, give Mateer accessible throws and create mismatches against linebackers and safeties.
Beers has shown that he can be more than a complementary target. The Sooners should continue to use him creatively, moving him around the formation and forcing defenses to account for him in both the passing and running games.
The verdict: B. Beers has delivered, and the room offers Oklahoma one of its more reliable offensive pieces. The next step is using that strength to make the entire offense more efficient.
7. Wide Receivers — C+
Key players: Isaiah Sategna III, Trell Harris, Parker Livingstone and Elijah Thomas
Isaiah Sategna III has been Oklahoma’s leading receiver, entering the Texas game with 20 catches for 267 yards and two touchdowns. Beers is close behind in receiving production, but the gap between those two players and the rest of the offense has become a concern.
The issue is not that Oklahoma lacks athletes. It is that the passing game has not consistently developed enough options to keep defenses from focusing on its most productive targets.
Harris’ injury has further complicated the picture. That puts more pressure on players such as Livingstone and Thomas to make themselves available and turn opportunities into production.
Thomas is particularly intriguing because his role has been growing. He does not need to become the team’s leading receiver overnight, but Oklahoma needs another target who can punish defenses for concentrating on Sategna and Beers.
The receivers also need help from the rest of the offense. A quarterback under pressure has less time to let routes develop, and a running game that fails to threaten the defense makes coverage more predictable.
The verdict: C+. Sategna has provided a legitimate playmaking threat, but the room as a whole needs more consistent contributions. Oklahoma cannot afford to enter the next stage of the season with only two dependable passing-game options.
8. Quarterback — D+
Key player: John Mateer
This is the most consequential grade on the entire report card.
Mateer entered the season with considerable expectations, but the first four games have been uneven. He completed 72 of 109 passes for 883 yards and eight touchdowns, with four interceptions, through the opening month. He has also struggled with turnovers beyond interceptions, making ball security a central concern.
The numbers show that Mateer can produce through the air. They do not erase the problems that have surfaced in critical situations.
He has to make quicker decisions, recognize pressure more consistently and avoid turning difficult situations into catastrophic ones. Oklahoma needs his athleticism and playmaking ability, but those qualities must be paired with more dependable execution.
It is also important to separate Mateer’s individual responsibilities from the offense’s broader struggles. Poor protection, limited rushing production and an inconsistent supporting cast have made his job harder. Still, as the starting quarterback, he has to help stabilize the operation rather than allow mistakes to compound.
The next step is not necessarily to abandon the aggressive plays that make Mateer dangerous. It is to build the offense around decisions that get him into rhythm and protect the football.
The verdict: D+. Mateer has shown enough ability to remain an important part of Oklahoma’s plans, but the Sooners need a cleaner, more controlled version of their quarterback if they expect to compete with elite teams.
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The Third Phase
9. Special Teams — B
Key players: Tate Sandell, Jacob Ulrich, Grayson Miller and Isaiah Sategna III
Special teams have offered Oklahoma some important positives, particularly in the return game.
Sategna has demonstrated game-changing ability as a punt returner, including an 88-yard touchdown against UTEP. That kind of play can produce points without requiring the offense to put together a long drive, a valuable asset for a team searching for consistency.
Sandell, the returning Lou Groza Award winner, remains a major asset at kicker. However, he entered the Texas game having made three of five field-goal attempts, a slower start than his outstanding 2025 season. Oklahoma’s punting situation has also involved both Ulrich and Miller, giving the team options as it looks for consistent execution.
This grade reflects a unit with real strengths but some room to improve. Return production can change games, and reliable kicking becomes increasingly important when the offense struggles to finish drives.
The verdict: B. Sategna’s return ability gives Oklahoma a legitimate weapon, while Sandell’s track record provides reason for confidence. The unit can be even more valuable if it delivers consistent field position and converts scoring opportunities.
The Final Grades
| Position group | Grade | Mid-term assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Defensive line | A- | A disruptive foundation |
| Linebackers | A- | Experienced and physical |
| Defensive backs | A | The defensive strength |
| Offensive line | D | The biggest structural concern |
| Running backs | C- | Too little consistency |
| Tight ends | B | Beers is a reliable weapon |
| Wide receivers | C+ | Sategna needs more help |
| Quarterback | D+ | Talent is there; execution must improve |
| Special teams | B | A return-game weapon, with room to improve |
The Bottom Line: Oklahoma Has Time to Fix This, but Not Forever
The most encouraging takeaway from Oklahoma’s first four games is that the defense gives the team a foundation to build on.
The secondary has been excellent. The defensive front has legitimate playmakers. The linebackers bring experience and physicality. This is not a defense that needs to be reinvented simply because the team is 2–2.
The offense is a different story.
Oklahoma needs better protection, a more productive running game, additional receiving threats and a quarterback who can consistently protect the football. Those problems overlap, which means there is no single adjustment that will fix everything. The coaching staff has to improve the operation as a whole.
That’s what makes Saturday’s Red River Rivalry such an important measuring stick.
Texas will challenge Oklahoma’s offensive line, test Mateer’s decision-making and force the Sooners to prove they can sustain drives against an elite opponent. The defense, meanwhile, will have to show that its early-season performance can hold up against one of the country’s most talented teams.
The Sooners don’t need every position group to earn an A to turn the season around.
They need the defense to keep doing what it has done, special teams to provide an advantage, and the offense to stop making every possession an uphill climb.
The defense has earned the benefit of the doubt. The offense has earned the scrutiny.
With the halfway point of the season approaching, Oklahoma’s report card isn’t final. But the next few weeks will reveal whether the Sooners can turn their defensive strength into a winning season—or whether their offensive shortcomings will continue to dictate the outcome.
