Why Oklahoma is ‘way better’ than last year but still a question mark heading into matchup against Texas
After opening the season against a combination of Arkansas State, SMU, Tulsa, Cincinnati and Iowa State, Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables began his pre-Texas press conference this week with a joke for the group of media in attendance.
“This is probably the first week of the season that ya’ll want to actually talk about this week’s opponent, right?” a smiling Venables threw out in jest.
It’s understandable, though. Although the Sooners have clearly improved since finishing Venables’ first season with the team’s first losing record since 1998, this will be a chance for Oklahoma to avenge its most lopsided ever loss to the archrival Longhorns. It will also serve as a big measuring stick game for a Sooners squad that could maybe even end up being a national factor this season, especially with a remaining regular season schedule that doesn’t include any ranked opponents aside from Texas.
However, while one Big 12 staffer sees Oklahoma as “way better” than last season and “significantly more prepared to stack up against Texas,” there are also other opposing team staffers that believe there’s still a large level of unknown with the 5-0 Sooners and some potential problem areas for Oklahoma that could be exposed by the Longhorns.
So what’s actually fair to expect of the No. 12 ranked Sooners heading into this matchup with No. 3 Texas? What are the main things you need to know? Here’s feedback that On3 gathered from coaches and personnel staffers who have either scouted Oklahoma or who are part of teams that have already played against the Sooners.
Oklahoma defense
Although Oklahoma gave up 20 points in the first 21 minutes of its game against Iowa State last week, the Sooners then followed that by holding the Cyclones scoreless during the game’s final 39 minutes while pulling away for a 50-20 win.
After ranking 99th nationally in scoring defense last season, Oklahoma has limited each of its first five opponents to 20 points or fewer, including allowing just 17 combined points during wins over SMU and Cincinnati.
“I think two of the biggest things are how physical they are on defense now at all three levels and their ability to play together,” an opposing coach said. “You look at last year, they were kind of disjointed a little bit, especially in the back end in terms of fitting the run. But if you look at them this year, up front, they did a really good job of being physical against us and then the secondary fitted the run very well. And a big thing too is that they’re not allowing the big plays. They’re making you have to nickel and dime your way down the field the whole entire time. But the biggest takeaway was just how much more in sync they were on defense this year compared to last year.”
Although the Sooners did allow two long touchdown passes against Iowa State, one of 51 yards and another of 67 yards, Oklahoma has cut its opponents plays of 10 yards or more from a Big-12 worst 17.3 per game last season to 11.8 per game this year, which is tied for third-best in the conference.
Among Big 12 teams, the Sooners have also allowed the second-fewest plays of 30 yards or more (seven). In addition, Oklahoma has yet to give up a rushing touchdown after surrendering 29 last season.
“Venables is definitely getting the most out of those guys,” an opposing staffer said. “They play fast and aggressive on defense. That takes obviously good players and mastering the scheme. And it’s confusing (for opponents) and they play with their hair on fire. But I think he throws so much at them. And on a week-to-week basis, it’s a lot of new and different blitzes and schemes, and it’s a high quantity of things for the players to know. So in Year 2, they’re definitely going to master it a little more and be able to just play more freely and offensively.”
The quality of play has been closer to what you’d expect from a Venables defense after Clemson ranked third-best nationally in scoring defense from 2012 to 2021 during Venables’ time as the Tigers’ defensive coordinator.
“He threw every f—- coverage in the book at us,” an opposing team staffer said. “They probably ran like 15 different schemes. And what makes their defense so good, it’s the fact that he goes to the line of scrimmage like an offensive play-caller. He’s going to see what you’re in. He’s going to get a call in very quickly. They’re going to line up very quickly and they’re going to not bust for the most part.”
Oklahoma’s Danny Stutsman (28) takes down Tulsa’s Devan Williams (19) in the first quarter at Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium. (Nathan J. Fish-USA TODAY Sports)
SMU accumulated 367 yards, but 65 came on a late garbage time drive. Cincinnati, meanwhile, had 376 yards but was held to six points. The Bearcats were just 4 of 19 on third and fourth downs. They also had four drives end inside Oklahoma’s 40-yard line with a combination of two turnovers, a turnover on downs and a missed field goal.
“They do a really good job of hiding things to where you couldn’t tell who was coming on pressures,” an opposing team staffer said. “They did a really good job of keeping that hidden until the ball was snapped. So you couldn’t get a key in terms of, OK, this guy is coming on a pressure and this guy’s not coming. They’re not a big movement front. And they did a really good job of just not showing their hand pre-snap and then changing the look from a rotational standpoint post-snap in terms of giving you different options in the back end. That portion of it was something they did really well.”
Nevertheless, this will be the defense’s biggest test yet by far against a Longhorns offense that features NFL prospects such as QB Quinn Ewers, who has thrown for 967 yards in Texas’ first three games against Power Five opponents, and others like wide receivers Xavier Worthy and AD Mitchell as well as tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders. NFL scouts view all three as being positioned to go in the first two rounds of next year’s NFL draft.
“I think Texas can take advantage of Oklahoma’s (defensive backs),” an opposing team staffer said. “I don’t know if Oklahoma’s DBs have been tested really this year.”
The Sooners will also have to deal with other Longhorns players such as running back Jonathan Brooks, who ran for 218 yards and two touchdowns during Texas’ win over Kansas last week.
“I think Texas’ offensive front is doing a really good job of just moving people off the ball and opening up running lanes and protecting the quarterback,” a Big 12 staffer said, “so I think that’ll be a big test for Oklahoma going into this week.”
“If Texas can run the ball on Oklahoma, and my guess is they will be able to, Oklahoma may have a hard time stopping them just because if they bring kind of the safeties into the run fit and Texas proves to Oklahoma we can run the ball on you guys, I don’t know how you can cover those Texas receivers,” another opposing staffer said. “So if Texas can run the ball a little bit, boy, I don’t know how Oklahoma will stop them at that point from going (vertical) and honestly in a lot of ways the same way they beat Alabama.”
Texas QB Quinn Ewwers (© Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK)
Oklahoma could very much use strong games from players such as linebacker Danny Stutsman, who one NFL scouting source told On3 is emerging as a potential top three round NFL draft pick. After leading the Big 12 with 125 tackles last year, Stutsman is once again first in the conference this year with an average of 9.8 tackles per game. The junior is also tied for sixth nationally with nine tackles for loss.
“That guy was the best player on the field on both sides of the ball for them,” an opposing staffer said. “He made every single play. He’s got swagger. He’s got juice. He can run, chase, get off blocks and he can blitz. He’s an every down ‘backer. He’ll be a draft pick. It’s obvious. And then up front, it just kind of felt like they had waves, like they had two sets of starters. So I think that’s what makes their defense go is their front seven, but I do think we also underestimated their safety and corner play.
“I think they’ve really improved there. They’ve got some long a– dudes, like 26 (Kani Walker) is one who stood out and he’s not even their best one, but just big, long-armed dudes. So I think they’ve done a better job recruiting, I think, the secondary body types they need to win as they go into the SEC.”
Oklahoma offense
The Sooners’ offense is coming off a big-time performance during that win over Iowa State.
Oklahoma scored 47 points in the game’s first 33 minutes, including 38 on offense despite facing a Cyclones defense that ranked either first or second in the Big 12 in total defense each of the last three seasons.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who wasn’t available for last year’s game against Texas, finished the Iowa State matchup with 366 passing yards and five total touchdowns. In his second season with the Sooners, the former UCF transfer’s QB rating is up from 154.4 to 189.4, his completion percentage is up from 62.7 to 75.2 and he’s thrown for at least 308 yards in four of Oklahoma’s first five games.
Gabriel is tied for fourth nationally with 15 touchdown passes and ranks fifth in completion percentage, sixth in QB rating and eighth in passing yardage.
“As I was evaluating Gabriel, it was painfully obvious that he couldn’t make all the throws last year and that he was getting adjusted to the system,” an opposing team staffer said. “Since (Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby) recruited him when he was at UCF and they had a relationship, you kind of were expecting that to click Year 1 at Oklahoma and it didn’t, but he was still productive.
“So as I was grading him out, I’m like, well, every downfield shot, they’re throwing towards the boundary (the short side of the field). Like, they won’t throw it to the field. Or if they do, it was typically a bad result. The numbers back it up. Just watching him throw, it backs it up. And they do so much stuff where they push it to the boundary and they create a bunch of numbers issues. But they really have him clicking now to where he’s making good, quick decisions.”
Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby and QB Dillon Gabriel. (Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)
The performance against Iowa State was a nice step forward for Gabriel and Oklahoma’s offense as a whole after the Sooners were held to just two touchdowns against Cincinnati and to only 14 points through the first 50 minutes of their 28-11 victory over SMU.
“I just wasn’t overly impressed with their offense,” an opposing staffer said. “I think they have a big offensive line that looks the part but is probably average overall. Running backs are just OK. I think the quarterback’s good for the system and knows what to do with the ball and it’s hard to get him to make a mistake. And then I thought they had just OK skill at receiver. Overall, I just didn’t think it was like typical Oklahoma level playmakers, if that makes sense. Now, all of that stuff is above average or good in the Big 12. But compared to what Oklahoma probably wants to be (on offense), I just thought they were solid, like not exemplary for Oklahoma.”
While right tackle Tyler Guyton is a legitimate first-round NFL prospect (and has been “as advertised,” according to one opposing staffer) and while the Sooners have another projected draft pick in center Andrew Raym, there are still some question marks along the offensive line for Oklahoma.
Specifically, one opposing staffer mentioned Stanford transfer Walter Rouse at left tackle.
“I wasn’t impressed with the left tackle,” he said. “We thought he was a guy we could attack and we did.”
Oklahoma right tackle Tyler Guyton (Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)
Now, similar to Oklahoma’s defense, the challenge for the Sooners’ offense will be at a much greater level against Texas.
The Longhorns have held four of their first five opponents to 14 points or fewer. In the one game they allowed more than 14 points (their 34-24 win over Alabama in Week 2), they posted five sacks, recorded two takeaways and limited the Crimson Tide to just 274 yards outside of two long touchdowns that covered a combined 88 yards.
Still, Oklahoma’s offense does have some momentum coming off the game against Iowa State. And unlike last year, the Sooners at least won’t have to face Texas without their starting quarterback.
“They’re not super sexy (on offense),” an opposing staffer said. “They don’t have an elite outside guy. They have a bunch of really solid receivers and they have a bunch of really solid backs, but they don’t have one elite back and they don’t have like one really dynamic and elite receiver. The best part about their offense (around Gabriel) was probably the continuity up front, their o-line. And the biggest thing that I took away from the offense was that they just don’t beat themselves.”
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