It was a question that had to be asked multiple times throughout Oklahoma’s 2022 season. How would the uneven, inconsistent play on the field affect things on the recruiting trail?

The Sooners surged in the summer months, adding one elite commitment after another. Those recruits all expected OU to be in hunt for the college football playoff or at least a Big 12 conference championship.

Instead, the Sooners went 6-6 overall and 3-6 in the Big 12 under first-year head coach Brent Venables. While the closing surge certainly didn’t go the way OU fans were hoping for Wednesday, maintaining what was already there is a pretty big win.

The Sooners firmly kept their 23 commitments and turned them into signees and added one more to the 2023 class in three-star defensive tackle Markus Strong.

It’s good enough for the 10th-ranked class by Rivals. And it’s very easy to wonder what if pertaining to five-star safety Peyton Bowen (Oregon) and four-star EDGE Tausili Akana (Texas), there are very few complaints from Venables about how this class came together.

The staff knew what they wanted. Good players, but better people, and they emphatically believe mission accomplished on that front.

“You know 18 of the 25 guys that we're talking about were former captains where they come from,” said Venables at his signing day press conference Wednesday. “Great leaders where they're at, excellent students but just people that have been about commitment.

“And they understand the hard that it takes to be great. The work ethic that it takes. And even though there were some storms this season. I know we didn't plan to be 6-6, matter of fact we planned for exactly the opposite of that, and despite that these players and their families again never flinched.”

As it stands, it’s 14 defensive signees and 10 offensive prospects, highlighted by five-star quarterback Jackson Arnold. Not only did he rise in the rankings throughout the year, but everybody points toward him as someone who kept this class together.

When it might have been easy to jump off the boat and look elsewhere, Arnold (and others) remained steadfast in their belief in Venables and the class became accountable to each other.

“He knew what he wanted,” Venables said. “The best of the best — they know what they want and when they see it, they take it. If that's the A gap, if that's the run-through, if that's the anticipation to guys 'I'm going to throw him open,' they take it. They take their shot and that's what he did.

“Not only that, he knew exactly what he was signing up for. Again, from the beginning to the end, zero maintenance. He's been recruiting in a great way for us for the last several months and never, again, never wavered or questions what his opportunities were here or the direction the program is going so love the leadership, amazing family.

“He's confident, he's tough, he's competitive, he's very patient, he's loyal, and again, he brings out the best in people. He sees an opportunity to learn all the great qualities that a guy like Dillon has. He sees that as a great opportunity for him to continue to grow as well.”

Venables said after you add the guys from the transfer portal and the mid-year enrollees, he’s expecting 20 players to arrive as mid-year enrollees.

From the 2023 class, that’s going to be 13 guys. Arnold, running backs Daylan Smothers and Kalib Hicks, offensive linemen Cayden Green and Joshua Bates, defensive linemen P.J. Adebawore, Derrick LeBlanc and Ashton Sanders, linebacker Phil Picciotti, defensive backs Jasiah Wagoner, Erik McCarty, Makari Vickers and Kendel Dolby.

An unwavering belief that OU is bringing in the right people for the right reasons, said Venables.

“Had one family, the momma told me, ‘we're not rich, we're not poor but we're good. And this is about helping my son become a man. Helping him chase his dreams and making sure that he's held accountable to getting his degree.’ And that's just a breath of fresh air,” Venables said. “That's what college should be about.

“And so the wholistic development is a very real thing and something we take tremendous pride in and it's a huge responsibility and obligation. One we don't take likely. Matter of fact we take great pride in doing exactly that. And so being relational, we found relationship-driven student athletes and families that wanted to feel connection as opposed to transactions.”

The class is second in the Big 12, trailing the Longhorns. And 15 of OU’s 24 prospects are ranked as a four-star or better.

They kept it together. Coaches and players praised Venables for never flinching during the season on the field, and that attitude paid off as well on the trail.

“We’re Oklahoma,” offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby said. “We’re going to play great football here. We’ve played great football here for a long, long time. Jackson was a huge piece of that. Cayden, Josh Bates were huge pieces to holding this class together.”