Venables introduces Team 129
It wasn’t quite a spring football preview for Oklahoma. It also wasn’t exactly a lookback at signing day and OU’s 2023 class.
But, in a way, it was an introduction to Sooners football and Team 129. In a nearly unheard of move in college athletics, head coach Brent Venables made all mid-year additions available to the media Thursday afternoon.
You already had a 52-minute press conference in the books by Venables when 26 players were then open to the media for more than 30 minutes. Fifteen mid-year enrollees and 11 additions from the transfer portal.
No babying process. No rule of can’t talk if they’re a freshman or any of that stuff that is quite common nowadays in college football.
Let them free.
“Something that's unique about it is y'all don't get very long, if at all, the opportunity to get to know these guys through the recruiting process,” Venables said. “And so they just kind of one day show up on campus and then next thing you know, we're practicing. So I thought this would be a great opportunity as we're in the middle of a massive roster rebuild.
“I think the roster, the 2021 roster from the Alamo Bowl. We had 76 scholarship players. Fifty-three of those 76 are no longer here. So there's been a massive rebuild the last several months. It's incredibly important that I get these guys focused in front of everyone so that everyone can get to know them and help facilitate their transition, sooner rather than later and expedite the maturation process and this is a part of it.”
That sounds like a ridiculous statement, but it’s true. There are only 23 scholarship players still on the roster from the team that defeated Oregon in the Alamo Bowl in 2021.
It’s not just the 26 that Venables is excited about, but he’s been very pleased with how that group has been handling the transition to life at OU.
“What the expectations are to a group of guys who are very committed to excellence,” Venables said. “We'll still hold them accountable and take them by the hand, but these are a group of guys who are going to be committed to going to class, doing the right things there and not getting into harm's way academically.
“Again, learning the systems and things of that nature. We've had to literally tell them to turn the lights off when they leave. Again, it's a very driven, very hungry group of guys who recognize the work that it takes to be successful.”
Mark your calendar
Looking ahead to spring, Venables did let a couple of dates known for OU fans to circle in the weeks coming up.
The Sooners are going to begin spring practice March 22, as Venables once again is opting to start spring the week following spring break.
OU’s pro day will be the following week, March 30.
And we’re 65 days away from the spring game, April 22, as OU will attempt to break its record of 75,000 fans from last year.
“We need to break last year’s outstanding record,” Venables said. “Obviously, it was the best in college football last year. 75,000. So, it has a tremendous impact on recruiting -- that's a very real thing. Show off the passion and the loyalty in the Sooner nation, the type of environment that these young men would have an opportunity to compete at, that’s a really important recruiting weekend.”
SEC is great, but let’s focus on Big 12
Venables, like fellow OU coaches Porter Moser (men’s basketball) and Patty Gasso (softball) didn’t shy away from answering SEC questions.
It was revealed last week that OU and Texas will now head to the SEC in 2024 instead of 2025, meaning this is the final football season for the Sooners in the Big 12.
“No need to run from those questions,” Venables said. “I think it’s gonna be great for Oklahoma, but our focus and our football team’s focus is the Big 12. We have to get better and that’s where our focus is.
“We have to get better to compete is this league before we can worry about the SEC. That will be here soon enough. We have another year in the Big 12. It’s a great league — very competitive and that’s where our focus is right now.”
Roommates fitting in
A lot of eyes and cameras headed toward freshman quarterback Jackson Arnold and safety Peyton Bowen during the interview session.
It makes sense as a lot is expected of both of them, after earning their five-star rankings for what they accomplished in high school.
“A guy like Peyton Bowen, I think is a guy that he's beyond his years in regards to, football’s easy for him,” Venables said. “You know, the schemes are easy for him. He comes from a very good program where he's been coached incredibly well. And so he understands ball and he finds the football. He's got a tremendous skill set.”
Nobody is in the spotlight more than Arnold. Already anointed as the heir apparent by a lot of OU fans, he’s making that adjustment to be a college student just like everybody else.
But his first month on campus has been as good as expected.
“He's smart, he's tough, he's driven, he's humble. He's a doer, very ambitious. He's not waiting on anybody, not waiting to be great,” Venables said. “In his mind, from a humility standpoint, he feels like he's got a long way to go.
“He's a confident guy, great teammate and he's trying to learn and grow. That's just a very refreshing thing to be around. You won't see Jackson Arnold putting a mic in front of him and proclaiming what he's getting ready to do. It's just not who he is. It's not in his DNA. He's been a great, great leader. He makes everyone around him better.”
No room for error at linebacker
There were some football questions asked, and we’ll start at linebacker. Gone are guys like DaShaun White and David Ugwoegbu.
But Venables feels good at who is on campus, just can’t afford anyone to go down.
“I feel like we got exactly what we need. But… I think that’s — you look at it like I do like golly we really can’t afford an injury here,” he said. You know if that happens to me it’s a different conversation. The margin for error is small there. But I love the group of guys. And we’ve made exponential improvement from where we were a year ago at this time.”
Venables said Shane Whitter will be cleared for spring practice. He’s not just yet, but he will be good to go by March 22.
Quick-hit injury updates
Offensive tackle Walter Rouse will miss the spring as he continues to recover from a torn labrum. He said he has zero worries about not being ready for the season. He’s prepared for his one year in Norman.
Freshman safety Erik McCarty will miss all of spring as he recovers from an ACL injury. McCarty said he is hoping to return by July, but the target date from OU is August. He continues to work out his upper body in the meantime.
Parting shot
Ooh, you can hear that one. In talking about all the mid-year enrollees and transfer defensive backs, Venables let this one fly.
“I think we’ll be an improved group. We lost a bunch of guys. We know that. We didn’t lose a lot of production in the secondary, but we lost a bunch of bodies.”
Whew. OU knows it has to get better in that area.