NORMAN — Oklahoma's first game to open the season isn't likely to be the toughest test in 2024.

The Sooners are 43-point favorites heading into Friday's opener against Temple (6 p.m.), firmly placing them as overwhelming favorites. The Owls enter the season in a tough spot — they've finished each of the last three seasons with a 3-9 record.

Stan Drayton, entering his third season as head coach, faces a steep task in turning things around. The Owls finished dead last in the American Athletic Conference preseason standings. A starting quarterback still hasn't been named ahead of Friday's game.

This has all of the makings of an easy way to start the season. Of course, OU coach Brent Venables isn't overlooking the Owls.

"Coach Drayton (is going into his) third year and they’ve got a lot of transfers," Venables said Monday. "And so they returned some really good players up front on defense. (Defensive end Diwun Black) been a really good player that’s a Power 5 type of guy in my opinion. They brought in seven or eight transfers in their back end... Expect an improved version of their back seven. Longer and supposed to have more speed and playmaking ability there.

"They’ll be aggressive in what they do. And then on offense their last several games, last (three) games in particular... they really had different moments but they really started playing well the back half of the season. Even though they lost three in a row they actually performed well statistically speaking and points where they started started getting into a rhythm."

Even if the Sooners aren't truly tested, there will still be some things to monitor in terms of projecting the rest of the season. Here's a few things to watch:

When: 6 p.m. Friday

Where: Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium

TV: ESPN

Radio: 107.7 FM

1. Jackson Arnold's debut

Technically, Arnold's first career start came against Arizona in last year's Alamo Bowl. But even Arnold acknowledged that it didn't feel like his first start.

Things are a lot different now. Arnold's had months as the no-doubt starter and the natural face of the program. New offensive coordinator Seth Littrell's now had the spring and fall camp to plan an offense around his true sophomore quarterback, and Arnold's had a lot more time to build chemistry with his skill players.

Friday will be the first real look at the new offense, and Arnold's first real test.

The Sooners aren't likely to unveil the whole playbook, and they probably won't need to do so. Still, Arnold has just three non-conference games to develop a rhythm before a daunting SEC schedule awaits. The coaching staff can't afford to treat Arnold with kid gloves.

Expect Arnold to take at least a few chances down the field. Maybe Littrell throws out some plays where Arnold can take off outside the pocket. The main key for Arnold will be to limit mistakes and establish confidence in commanding the offense.

(Note: Arnold and Littrell will also utilize the new in-helmet communication devices. It'll be interesting to see how that influences the tempo of the offense).

If the Sooners have the game firmly in hand by halftime, it's likely that true freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. gets the call. It could be one of a few opportunities for Hawkins to see the field this season.

2. How do the backfield carries shake out?

Gavin Sawchuk was listed atop the depth chart at running back, as expected. But there was notably an "OR" listed next to his name.

Jovantae Barnes was listed next, essentially putting the duo as co-starters heading into the opener. It's further confirmation that the buzz around Barnes in fall camp is real. After a disappointing sophomore campaign, all indications are that Barnes is fully healthy and poised to have a real impact. It's easy to forget that Barnes was the projected starter heading into last season. But Sawchuk went on an absolute tear to end last year, and earned the top job at running back.

Sawchuk will almost certainly be the first running back on the field for the Sooners. But it will be interesting to monitor just how the playing time is divided up. Will Barnes primarily be utilized simply as a change-of-pace back? Or could this develop into a two-headed monster in the backfield?

This game won't be the ultimate decider. Sam Franklin, Taylor Tatum and Kalib Hicks will also see playing time, especially if the game gets out of hand. But assuming the first half is competitive, it'll be the first glimpse into how the coaching staff handles this backfield.

3. The defensive line

The depth chart included a lot of ORs, but not so much at the top of the defensive line. Ethan Downs and R Mason Thomas were listed as the firm starters at defensive end. True freshman Jayden Jackson was, impressively, listed with no "OR" at nose tackle. Defensive tackle Damonic Williams was the only player listed as a co-starter, but he's almost certainly the starter next to Jackson.

The Downs-Jackson-Williams-Thomas is a brand new look for the Sooners, and it brings a lot of excitement. Downs is a three-year starter under Venables. Thomas has finally grabbed the starting spot after dealing with injuries. Williams was the prized acquisition of the offseason. And how can there not be excitement about a true freshman starting on the interior for the first time since Tommie Harris.

But the Sooners are going to rotate a lot. Five different interior players logged at least 300 snaps last season, per Pro Football Focus. Five different defensive ends played at least 175 snaps. Venables said the hope would be to play anywhere from nine to 12 players on the defensive line.

Da'Jon Terry, David Stone, Gracen Halton, Caiden Woullard, Adepoju Adebawore and Trace Ford are all going to be in the rotation. The way the rotation shakes out will be something to watch. Who gets playing time, and how much? Which lineup combinations are most effective?

Plus, keep an eye out on some of the under-the-radar players — Ashton Sanders, Taylor Wein and Danny Okoye, just to name a few.

Not an OUInsider.com premium member? Sign up today to get loads of inside information on Oklahoma football, softball, basketball, and recruiting, all for just a few dollars a month. Click HERE to get started!