The Alamo Bowl loss to Arizona couldn't have come at a better time for Oklahoma.
Afterall, this game was a launching pad for 2024.
With a slew of key players opting out of the game via the transfer portal, NFL Draft preparation and injuries, the Alamo Bowl was the perfect prep for the 2024 season.
Now firmly in the off-season, and a handful of changes in the landscape, here are five keys why Oklahoma is perfectly positioned for success in the SEC.
Quarterback
True freshman Jackson Arnold was thrown into the fire in his first collegiate start.
After Dillon Gabriel entered the transfer portal to pursue the Phil Knight Nike "bag" in his last season at Oregon, Arnold's coming out game was in San Antonio against a very good Arizona defense.
And, actually Arnold didn't play all that bad considering the 38-24 final score.
Yes, the three interceptions and six overall turnovers proved the difference.
But Arnold showed glimpses of why Sooner coaches are so high on the former 5-star, Gatorade National Player of the Year.
Arm strength, poise and pocket presence all are very high.
And, if not for a fumble by Jalil Farooq in the red zone which was returned for a touchdown, Arnold had Oklahoma on the precipice of taking a commanding 31-13 lead early in the third quarter.
He'll learn from his mistakes, and it was good to get this trial by fire out of the way in a meaningless bowl game.
And, a veteran Sooner legacy has come home to help provide much needed depth.
Casey Thompson, son of former Oklahoma quarterback Charles Thompson and brother of former Sooner quarterback Kendal Thompson, entered the transfer portal and signed with Oklahoma earlier this week.
Thompson brings a wealth of seasoned experienced at quarterback after stints at Texas, Nebraska and Florida Atlantic where he started 23 games.
You might remember him from the 2021 OU/Texas game where he threw for 388 yards, five touchdown passes and led the Longhorns to a 28-7 first quarter lead before Caleb Williams led a miraculous comeback.
And he is just fine being Jackson Arnold's backup.
Thompson will enter his seventh season under a medical hardship waiver from the NCAA following an ACL tear last season early in his first season at Florida Atlantic.
Hopefully, Thompson recovers in time for the season. And although coming off a major injury, he can come in for Jackson Arnold in a flash, and deliver without missing a beat.
Behind Thompson will be true freshman Michael Hawkins from Frisco Emerson High School (he previously played at Allen High School.) A 3-star quarterback, Hawkins is a Sooner legacy (his father Mike played for Bob Stoops in Norman from 2005-2009,) he led Emerson in its very first year of existence to the Texas State 5A Semifinal game against defending state champion South Oak Cliff last season.
Hawkins, at 6' 2" and 195 lbs. is described as fast, twitchy, explosive and athletic, played at a high level in Texas 5A football and can offer competition in the quarterback room.
But realistically, he needs to redshirt this season, put on some additional weight with Oklahoma Strength & Conditioning Coach Jerry Schmidt this offseason and learn Seth Littrell's offensive system.
Hawkins deep threat ability and running potential will fit perfectly into Littrell's plans in the future at quarterback.
General Booty returns for another season in the quarterback room but he likely will be more focused on promoting his underwear line than realistically ever seeing the field in Norman.
Former Pitt transfer Davis Beville entered the transfer portal and will be playing for former Oklahoma coach Shane Beamer in South Carolina.
Beamer and Beville come to Norman on October 19 for the first-ever game between the Gamecocks and Sooners.
So, it will be Jackson Arnold, Casey Thompson, Michael Hawkins and General Booty in the quarterback room this year for Oklahoma.
New Coaches
Co-Offensive Coordinators Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley made their debuts in the Alamo Bowl following Jeff Lebby's departure to Mississippi State as the new head coach in Starkville.
Timing did not allow for much tinkering with the Lebby-installed offense before the Alamo Bowl.
But expect Littrell to develop his own system that is quarterback friendly in the off-season.
Littrell is a former Sooner captain on the national championship team in 2000, a Sooner legacy (his father Jimmy was a fullback for Barry Switzer on the two-time national champion Sooners in 1974-75 (in the same backfield with Steve Davis, Elvis Peacock and Joe Washington,) and he's had head coaching experience at North Texas.
As the primary play caller, he will rely on his past play calling stints at North Carolina, Arizona and North Texas.
And, his tutelage under Mike Leach, Mark Mangino, Kevin Wilson and Larry Fedora.
But make no mistake.
Littrell's relationship with Jackson Arnold is key to success next season.
And they have started fast based upon their past relationship when Littrell recruited Arnold when he was the head coach at North Texas and Arnold was a freshman at Denton Guyer High School.
As for Finley, a former tight end for Bob Stoops, he has been involved in the passing game the past two seasons under former Offensive Coordinator Jeff Lebby.
Plus, he had a previous stint at Missouri so he's familiar with the SEC.
And, after a season where it seemed Oklahoma didn't have any tight ends, he will have four new tight ends who will contribute to the new offense immediately.
A 5-star freshman from California, Davon Mitchell is a huge talent at 6' 4" and 245 lbs. And, a Norman native, Jake Taylor is transferring from Baylor.
Add in returning redshirt freshman Kaden Helms (who was injured in 2023 following a freshman redshirt season in 2022) and transfer Bauer Sharp from Southeastern Louisiana and Finley has lots of new toys to work into Littrell's offensive system.
On the defensive side, Zac Alley was announced as the new Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach replacing Ted Roof.
Alley comes from Jacksonville State in a similar role where he coordinated a unit in 2023 that was ranked 33rd out of 133 teams in scoring defense and 43rd in total defense. The Gamecocks were 9-4 and 6-2 in Conference USA last year good enough for a third-place finish.
More importantly, Alley is extremely familiar with Brent Venables, having worked under him for four years as a graduate assistant at Clemson from 2015 to 2018.
In those four seasons, Alley worked primarily with the defensive tackles and linebackers.
Clemson was 55-4, won four ACC titles and two national championships during Alley's time at Clemson.
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney summed up the Alley/Venables mentorship while with the Tigers perfectly when he said, "No one spent more time with Alley than Brent."
Alley's arrival in Norman means Brent Venables can devote more time to coaching the entire team versus the disproportionate focus on defense the past two seasons.
Nothing against former Co-Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach Ted Roof who was offered a position on staff and chose to leave.
But having a new Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers coach, who is considered a clone of our head coach, is a huge addition to the Oklahoma defense.
Is Norman big enough for two Brent Venables?
We're about to find out because Alley is a mini-me copy of his former mentor.
Let's just hope he stays in the press box because the sideline is definitely not big enough for both Venables and Alley!
New Players
Oklahoma offered 27 high school players in the 2024 early signing period.
And all 27 signed their letters of intent last month on signing day.
A testament to Venables policy of not announcing commitments until the player chooses to discontinue campus visits to other schools.
It's kind of like announcing you're engaged but will still date other people!
That dog won't hunt in Norman.
Headliners include the #1 running back in the nation in Taylor Tatum (who also will play baseball for the Sooners,) five defensive linemen who have labeled themselves the "Power Line" led by 5-star defensive tackle David Stone and five offensive linemen.
Stone and IMG Florida teammate Jayden Jackson along with fellow "Power Line" members Nigel Smith II, Wyatt Gilmore and Danny Okoye are all in Norman as mid-year enrollees.
And, on the offensive line, Bill Bedenbaugh signed the #1 guard in the nation in Eddy Pierre-Louis, Daniel Akinkunmi (the #1 player from England,) Eugene Brooks, Isaiah Autry and Josh Aisosa.
A majority of the other players in the 2024 class are also early signees and are already in Norman for the spring semester.
On the transfer portal side, Oklahoma has signed 12 players, so far.
Eight are on offense, including three offensive linemen (SEE BELOW,) and 3 are on defense with one kicker.
The three transfer offensive linemen will add much needed depth to accompany the previously mentioned five true freshmen O-linemen who signed last month.
The fact that Venables and team haven't signed any portal defensive linemen speaks highly of their opinions of the returning players plus the incoming "Power Line" to immediately contribute for playing time.
A total of 34 new players are in Norman and will participate in off-season workouts, a spring game plus summer workouts.
That is huge.
And, seven of the 2024 incoming freshmen class were in San Antonio for bowl preparation.
Returning Players
The announcement that linebacker Danny Stutsman and safety Billy Bowman will return for their senior seasons was a huge first step in solidifying the Oklahoma defense.
And, the news that transfers Jacob Lacey and Da'Jon Terry would return for another season in Norman versus entering the NFL draft further cemented the foundation.
Stutsman has been the Sooners leading tackler the past two seasons and the heart and soul of the defense.
Bowman led the nation in interception returns for touchdowns with three and made a huge play in Dallas that forced a red zone turnover against Texas.
Lacey, a Notre Dame transfer, got off to a slow start early with a blood clot issue but provided solid line play against Texas and Terry, the Tennessee transfer, was our main run stopper all season.
Both of these guys returning to Norman persuaded Brent Venables to keep a pat hand on the defensive line this off-season portal season.
Not to say a couple of more defensive linemen might appear later but the head ball coach is ready to roll into his first season in the SEC trenches with Lacey, Terry, a handful of solid returning players with game starts and experience (starter Ethan Downs, R. Mason Thomas, Gracen Halton, 5-star freshman Adepoju Adebawore and OSU transfer Trace Ford) plus Edge transfer Caiden Woullard from Miami (Ohio) and five incoming true freshmen on the Oklahoma defensive line.
And don't forget portal transfer Phil Paea who missed almost the entire 2023 season following a knee injury in 2022. The Utah State transfer via Michigan will further add to the Oklahoma defensive line in 2024 if he can return from the knee injury.
The Oklahoma defensive line is doin' fine.
As for the offensive line, Jacob Sexton (senior, started Alamo Bowl,) Joshua Bates (redshirt, sophomore,) Heath Ozaeta (transfer, sophomore) and Appalachian State transfer Troy Everett (transfer, redshirt junior, started Alamo Bowl) headline the returning players.
Add in the three portal transfers in Spencer Brown from Michigan State, Febechi Nwaiwu from North Texas (who was recruited by Seth Littrell) and Michael Tarquin from Southern Cal, mix in the five incoming freshmen and I trust Bill Bedenbaugh to work his magic.
Former Bedenbaugh players Creed Humphrey, Orlando Brown, Anton Harrison, Wanya Morris are all currently starting in the NFL.
And, Bedenbaugh and Seth Littrell both coached together at Texas Tech and Littrell was Bedenbaugh's best man.
I trust Bill Bedenbaugh will have the Oklahoma offensive line ready come SEC time!
SEC in Transition
Oklahoma and Texas are entering the SEC at the perfect time.
A legend in Alabama coach Nick Saban announced his retirement following the Rose Bowl loss to Michigan.
Call it age-related (Saban admitted at 73 it wasn't getting any easier,) or because of the phenomenal success of the NIL or portal transfer in changing the balance of power, but the college football landscape today is much different than when Saban started his run back in 2009.
Suddenly, Alabama missed a CFP Championship for the third consecutive season.
And just like that, the Crimson Tide legacy in Tuscaloosa is in transition.
I don't care who the new coach is.
And they got a good one in the Washington head coach coming off a national championship game loss against Michigan.
And so is the SEC in transition.
The power conference is adding new teams for the first time in a dozen years since Texas A&M and Missouri left the Big 12 for the SEC.
But lets be real here.
Adding Oklahoma and Texas is not like adding any other teams.
Both are Blue Bloods in the college football hierarchy and bring instant street cred and "juice" to the conference.
I mean besides Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Georgia and Florida no other SEC team has won a national championship this century.
OU and Texas have won twice.
Not to mention the Heisman Trophy winners.
In its illustrious history, players from the SEC have won 18 Heisman Trophies.
Oklahoma and Texas players have won half of that many with nine Heisman's, four of which were this century!
Texas made its first trip to the CFP and was a last play incompletion in the end zone from playing Michigan in the national title game in Houston.
Steve Sarkisian is a former Alabama offensive coordinator for Nick Saban and already owns a road win over Saban and the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa last season.
And the new transfer portal and NIL rules mean Sarkisian has the deep pockets of Texas boosters to sign any player in the country without money being an issue.
Texas is positioned for a long run at the top of the SEC in light of Saban's departure in Tuscaloosa.
Brent Venables is very familiar coaching and beating SEC teams and won two national championships at Clemson in 2016 and 2018 while building one of the stoutest defenses in the country.
His turnaround in Norman now includes three top ten high school signing classes, key portal additions and a remarkable 10-3 season following a 6-7 mark his first year.
Oklahoma has a solid foundation of NIL initiatives that enable the Sooners to compete for transfer and high school players.
And, Venables policy of not announcing a commitment until the player agrees to stop on campus visits to other schools while committed to Oklahoma is paying off.
That policy paid off this off-season as all 27 Oklahoma commitments signed with the Sooners on signing day last month.
Venables testimony of character and values and his SOUL Mission of Serving Our Uncommon Legacy is appealing to the players and their parents.
Venables plus the NIL initiatives and the Oklahoma brand will hunt in the SEC. Plus, he already has a win over Sarkisian this past season over the best Texas team in 14 years!
Not to take anything away from what Nick Saban did at Alabama or what Kirby Smart has done at Georgia or the work of Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss and the program Brian Kelly is building at LSU.
But Steve Sarkisian and Brent Venables, armed with loaded NIL initiatives and the flexibility of instant roster reloading with the transfer portal, aren't coming to the SEC just to be happy to be there.
They're coming to win national championships!
No one is saying it will be easy. The road ahead in the SEC will be full of road mines.
The new kids on the block are going to get circled for every SEC home game with huge bullseye targets on their heads.
And don't expect Alabama to fall off the mountain easily.
But the hot new coach coming from the pacific northwest, without any SEC experience or recruiting ties, who is coming with a new staff who are used to PAC-12 football, opens the door wide open for everyone else not named Alabama.
And the 12-team playoff is opening the College Football Playoff door to more teams.
And more teams means more SEC teams not named Alabama.
Like Texas and Oklahoma.
And Brent Venables has the Sooners poised to compete.
