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Posted
22 minutes ago, BurgleBro said:

Bored so watching film. 

 

I know OU slurps heavy dick but why is everyone so sure we'll dominate them this year?   That QB seems a legit dual threat. 

It will essentially be a brand new team to plan to stop. 

We all saw the breakdowns of Venables being Venables having tons of new disguised coverages against us. 

A lot hinges on the OU OL which as shitty as it looks on paper compared to previous years seems to have a great game against us most years. 

I think it will take a few more Sark victories for my 2023 ptsd to wear off..

Two words: Brent Venables

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Posted
38 minutes ago, BurgleBro said:

Bored so watching film. 

 

I know OU slurps heavy dick but why is everyone so sure we'll dominate them this year?   That QB seems a legit dual threat. 

It will essentially be a brand new team to plan to stop. 

We all saw the breakdowns of Venables being Venables having tons of new disguised coverages against us. 

A lot hinges on the OU OL which as shitty as it looks on paper compared to previous years seems to have a great game against us most years. 

I think it will take a few more Sark victories for my 2023 ptsd to wear off..

You did factor in just how bad the level of competition Wazzu played last year with that schedule?

Easily the three best teams they played were Boise,  Tech and UW.  

Washington was decent,  Boise wasn't anything special, and if piling up numbers against Tech is impressive be glad Maverick McIver didn't transfer to OU.

 

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Posted
3 minutes ago, PGFrog said:

You did factor in just how bad the level of competition Wazzu played last year with that schedule?

Easily the three best teams they played were Boise,  Tech and UW.  

Washington was decent,  Boise wasn't anything special, and if piling up numbers against Tech is impressive be glad Maverick McIver didn't transfer to OU.

 

I've heard this argument but not sure i buy it.  It's frequently used to downplay.   Gabriel hadn't really played anyone worth a shit, but in CFB a baller is a baller.  He ended up working out and would have done way better in the SEC than JA did.

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Posted
11 minutes ago, BurgleBro said:

I've heard this argument but not sure i buy it.  It's frequently used to downplay.   Gabriel hadn't really played anyone worth a shit, but in CFB a baller is a baller.  He ended up working out and would have done way better in the SEC than JA did.

 

11 minutes ago, BurgleBro said:

I've heard this argument but not sure i buy it.  It's frequently used to downplay.   Gabriel hadn't really played anyone worth a shit, but in CFB a baller is a baller.  He ended up working out and would have done way better in the SEC than JA did.

If you can't tell the difference between the opponents that UCF played in 2019 when Gabriel threw for over 3,500 yards  as a freshman and the schedule Wazzu played last year I can't help you.

Manteer got away with a lot last year he isn't going to be able to next year, but go ahead and behead worried about him.  

 

 

Posted
9 minutes ago, PGFrog said:

 

If you can't tell the difference between the opponents that UCF played in 2019 when Gabriel threw for over 3,500 yards  as a freshman and the schedule Wazzu played last year I can't help you.

Manteer got away with a lot last year he isn't going to be able to next year, but go ahead and behead worried about him.  

 

 

Hope you're right.  Just starting some discussion on a lazy day.

Posted
1 hour ago, BurgleBro said:

Bored so watching film. 

 

I know OU slurps heavy dick but why is everyone so sure we'll dominate them this year?   That QB seems a legit dual threat. 

It will essentially be a brand new team to plan to stop. 

We all saw the breakdowns of Venables being Venables having tons of new disguised coverages against us. 

A lot hinges on the OU OL which as shitty as it looks on paper compared to previous years seems to have a great game against us most years. 

I think it will take a few more Sark victories for my 2023 ptsd to wear off..

We should be better than them at every position except maaaaybe interior DLine. They have a new OC and QB to break in with no SEC experience. They have no proven playmakers unless you buy the UAPB guys hype from FCS. They have questionable depth everywhere. We have one of the most talented and deep rosters in CFB. This OU team looks closer to Kentucky than the teams of the Stoops/Riley era. 

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Posted
8 minutes ago, BurgleBro said:

Hope you're right.  Just starting some discussion on a lazy day.

A big thing to remember is that the scheme they are bringing in isn't something Pete and the staff haven't seen before.

This isn't Pardee and Jenkins coming to the SWC or Leach and Briles to the Big 12.  

Put pressure with 4, cover in the back, and let the linebackers hunt. 

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Posted

Regarding the OU Special Teams, here you go:

PK: PK1 Tate Martell (SR); PK2 Austin Welch (SR) - OU pushed hard for numerous kickers this offseason and they whiffed repeatedly. The dude that Texas picked up from Texas State received a hard push from the OU staff. Luckily, he thought better of leaving central Texas for a suburb of Oklahoma City, for God's sake. Ultimately, OU had to settle on taking the former QB, who resurrected his career as a PK at UTSA, apparently. Dude went 19-23 last year and also 35-36 on EPS. Welch is yet another transfer from Kennesaw State on the OU roster. Is it a good sign if your program raided the storied Kennesaw State roster this spring? Probably not. Anyway, he sucked so badly this spring that Venables and Doug "Freakin" Deakin, the OU ST coach, had to go out and spend legit NIL money on the 6 time transfer Martell. 

P: P1 Jacob Ulrich (Soph); P2 Grayson Miller (SR) - Another Kennesaw State transfer, unbelievably, is Ulrich. Dude had a solid season last year punting for over 45ypp. He ranked 35th nationally in NPA. Seems solid. As to Miller, there isn't anything you could tell me that I wouldn't believe. What the fuck does anyone know about a backup punter? My understanding is that he spends his summers in Rangoon, taking luge lessons. This spring, he was caught in the quad wearing a meat helmet, otherwise nude with a freshly shorn scrotum, with a Zoroastrian named Vilma chasing him whilst carrying a burlap sap and a thick reed. 

KR: KR1 Isaiah Sategna (JR); KR2 Taylor Tatum (Soph) - Sategna is a better PR than KR, but he did both at Arkansas and OU needs a guy. Tatum returned a few last year and, given that they're breaking their bank to start the previously discussed Jadyn Ott at RB1, Tatum needs something to do if he's not going to get restless. 

PR: PR1 Isaiah Sategna (JR); PR2 Peyton Bowen (JR) - Sategna has averaged almost 10ypc as a punt returner, and that's solid. He was 11th in the country in 2023. Bowen averaged 8.36ypr last year, is coming off of turf toe surgery, and struggled at times with judging punts correctly. Bowen made multiple boneheaded decisions to catch or not catch punts last year. 

ST Coaching and Outlook: OU brought in Deakin from SDSU before last season and OU's STs made a big jump overall on the season. They went from 127th nationally in ST Efficiency in 2023, to 41st in 2024. That's pretty terrific in terms of improvement. He's going to have to work some magic to have OU at or better than that level in 2025. They lost most of their key contributors in every facet of their group, save Bowen at PR and he was likely the worst of the lot. 

Fun note about Deakin is that the OU SID team must really not like or give a shit about the dude. He's the only person on OU's roster of players, coaches, and analysts, at least as far as I saw, without a bio on their site: https://soonersports.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/doug-deakin/1211 . Deakin played at SDSU as a walk-on and then coached their for 14+ years before heading to Norman. His SDSU units finished in the top 10 of STE nationally 3 straight years before he split in 2024. 

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Posted

Regarding OU's schedule:

8/30 5pm - Illinois State - Another season where OU courageously schedules an FCS school. Is anyone else a better midget-puncher than the fucking okies? They're going to look like a top 5 team as they win 84-7.

9/6 6:30pm - Michigan - My small write-up from a few weeks ago on Michigan for 2025 is spoilered below. I posted it on this thread when someone asked about them on page 1, but here it is again below. Bottom line is that this could be a defensive dogfight. Both defenses should be pretty good and ahead of both offenses, probably by a lot. Gaylord is a tough place to play, but Michigan is arguably more talented and experienced. This is a "show me" game for Venables, along with the RRS. If he wins this one, OU's pushing against their ceiling and might be looking at 9-3, even. 

Spoiler

Michigan returns 7 of 11 starters on defense and gets Rod Moore back at Safety. They also picked up TJ Metcalf in the portal from Arkansas. They will have a good, experienced defense from day 1. 

Offensively, they return 4 of 5 on the OL, all of the WRs (if that's a good thing?), Bredeson at H-back and they picked up Justice Haynes in the portal from Bama. This will not be the same shitty offense for Michigan from 2024, even if they're not worldbeaters early. The OL's maturity, as opposed to last season, will be a big deal early. 

Michigan is a substantially more talented team that OU, even if the QB will be greener than Augusta to open the season.

9/13 11am - @ Temple - Yep, OU is going to Philly. I honestly don't think that's a bad H/H/A deal, provided you like Philly. I personally dislike Philadelphia more than any other major city I've ever visited, anywhere on the planet. Angry, shitty people. Dirty overall landscape. Usually, the weather fucking sucks. But, hey, the history is awesome. I'm talking more about the city than Temple because there isn't much to discuss with regard to Temple. They return their atrocious QB and a 4 time transfer to challenge him, 3 OLs, the SHSU RB that followed new HC Keeler, and 2 CBs. That's all the starters. Temple opens against UMass, also with a new HC, and Howard. They'll be 2-0 coming into this game and the hype leading into will be through the roof. A mole rat's roof. 

9/20 2:30 or nighttime - Auburn - A lot of people are sleeping on Auburn for 2025. Maybe that's justified, I don't know. Freeze has been a disappointment. Arnold has been a disappointment. But, Freeze has recruited really well. Auburn has, potentially, an amazing WR corps. They return 3 OLs, a likely 1st round pick at Edge and the entire secondary except Jerrin Thompson. DJ Durkin has yet to kill anyone there, also. This one should be physical.

9/27 - OFF

10/4 3pm - Kent State - Another brave scheduling match-up in the non-con on the part of OU. I assume Kent State will be the worst FBS team yet again, even with Delaware and Missouri State joining the ranks. 

10/11 2:30 - Texas - Rubber meets the road for Venables with this game. I predict pain.

10/18 11am - @ South Carolina - SCar has two of the best players at their position in the country in Sellers (QB) and Stewart (Edge). They have to replace a metric ton around both of them. SCar is going to be overranked heading into this season and, by that, I mean they'll be ranked. Still, I'm sure they'll be a tough team and they certainly have no fear for OU after last season. 

10/25 11am - Ole Miss - Yet another team that is likely to start the season ranked and will not finish the season as so. Kiffin has to replace almost every starter this season. I think Ole Miss is headed for an FSU 2024 type of year unless they really hit on all transfers. 

11/1 2:30 or nighttime - @ Tennessee - Crazily, Tennessee will also likely open the season ranked. They lost most of their starters on offense and they're going to battle in the SEC with the former App State QB as their starter. Woof. They return most of their defense, but they lost 2 of the front four and Pearce. The front seven was the key to their team last season. 

11/8 - OFF

11/15 2:30 or nighttime - @ Alabama - Bama returns numerous high quality starters, including Ryan Williams, Miller, and Proctor on offense. They also return Keenan JR, Lawson and most of the secondary on defense. Bama hosts LSU the week before and that might be a giant help to OU, coming off of a bye. The talent disparity in this game is gigantic. 

11/22 11am - Missouri - Mizzou was a paper tiger in 2024 and everyone knew it. Once they were exposed later in the year, the bloom was off the rose for 2025 expectations. They lost key talent all over the field. I expect them to struggle to get to a winning record. 

11/29 2:30 or nighttime - LSU - I did a write-up on LSU on a recruiting thread discussion and I've spoilered that below. The bottom line is that LSU is going to be good this year, but they're also not a top 10 team. Nussmeier gets a ton of credit for being a guy that can really hit a 10 yard out or dig decently. 

Spoiler

From May 8th:

We'll obviously discuss this more later in the offseason, but the hyping of LSU for 2025 appears comical.

On offense, they're replacing all but one OL. They didn't win big last year with a veteran OL that included 4! draft picks last month. They couldn't run the ball well with that group but surely that's getting fixed now with underclassmen who have never played, right? They also lost their starting TE, and his blocking, in the second round.

They return an overrated QB in Nussmeier. He's going to be pitched by the national media as a Heisman candidate and proclaimed QB1 or QB2 in the 2026 draft without, apparently, most of the people doing it having watched this guy or his film.

They will certainly have a strong WR corps including Barion Brown and Nic Anderson to go with Aaron Anderson and Zavion Thomas. The TE spot is fucking terrible. They took Bauer Sharp and Donovan Green in the portal and people actually lauded those takes. Durham is an excellent RB1.

Offensively, they should be able to put up points, but there will be growing pains with 3 RS Sophomores and 2 RS Freshmen on the OL and a noob at TE as well.

On defense, both Edges are gone to the draft, and they replaced one of them with the renowned loser, Patrick Peyton from FSU. Once crowned part of the greatest DL in the entire country by Thamel and other idiots ahead of 2024, if that guy was worth a shit, he'd have left for the draft. On the other side is Pyburn from Florida and he's decent.

They're relying on a soft as pudding Dominick McKinley and a butterball whiny bitch trending towards 450 pounds in Sydir Mitchell at DT. Their DT situation is laughably bad. Strong work by Bo Davis there.

Then you have Harold "I'm pretty good against Arkansas" Perkins Jr coming off of an ACL injury and being honked about again as some sort of wizard. The guy had 16 tackles, 0 sacks, 0 FFs, O INTs last season in 4 games before injury. He was really making his presence felt. Next to him is Weeks, coming off a fractured lower leg himself.

They return most of their secondary, which I am not sure is a good thing. They added the UH Safety, maybe he helps. The LSU defense of 2024 was plain as grits. They didn't get a ton of pressure, they didn't stop the run well, they didn't stop the pass well, they didn't get a bunch of turnovers and they sucked in the red zone. But suddenly this season, they're going to be awesome and the SEC is shaking in its boots. Right.

Regarding the schedule, they go: 

-@ Clemson 8/30

-La Tech 9/6

-Florida 9/13

-FCS 9/20

-@Ole Miss 9/27

off

-SCar 10/11

-@ Vandy 10/18

-ATM 10/25

off

-@ Bama 11/8

-Arkansas 11/15

-WKU 11/22

-@ OU 11/29

It's pretty easy to consider that depth chart, the lack of experience, and that schedule and see a ceiling of 9-3. GTFO on them as a playoff team in 2025, especially with Brian Kelly running things. Anyone talking about LSU being better than 9-3 or a playoff either hasn't critically reviewed the team at all, or they're inherently in the tank for LSU in the first place. 

Outlook: I've continued to think that this team is better than they're getting credit for, and after thinking through the schedule, especially when removing brand vaneer for some of these teams, I'm still thinking that OU is a 8/5-9/4 team in 2025. That's probably good enough to keep Venables on as HC, and to keep us happy. 

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Posted
1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

Fun note about Deakin is that the OU SID team must really not like or give a shit about the dude. He's the only person on OU's roster of players, coaches, and analysts, at least as far as I saw, without a bio on their site

 

Damn. Not like he just got there after this spring semester was over, either.

 

Posted
15 hours ago, Nueces River Rat said:

Meanwhile in Oklahoma last night.  

IMG_0280.png

Obviously AI,  if this had truly happened everyone knows the looters would have hit the local Wal Marts and stolen all the cough syrup and cold medicines that are behind glass. 

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

Here's an article quoting all of the things that Venables said to the local okie writers at SEC Media Days today, spoilered below. 

Highlights:

-His response about working with Nagy is awesome. He talks for awhile without saying anything. The awkwardness in that dynamic jumps off the page.

-He clearly knows that WR Javonnie Gibson will not be ready to return to the lineup before the season starts. Dude just got out of his boot. 

-The TE room is awesome, apparently. If he really believes that, he's the dumbest HC on the planet. 

-Overall, he just sounds overwhelmed. 

Spoiler

What you didn't hear from Brent Venables on the main stage during Oklahoma's turn at SEC Media Days

A look at what Brent Venables said when the cameras weren't rolling during Oklahoma's turn at SEC Media Days in Atlanta this week.

Tom GreenTom Green55 minsVIP2
 

 

 

 

Oklahoma took its turn at SEC Media Days on Wednesday, as the Sooners closed out Day 3 of the league's annual four-day event that serves as the kickoff for the upcoming season.

Brent Venables, along with quarterback John Mateer, defensive end R Mason Thomas and safety Robert Spears-Jennings all made the rounds at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. That included an appearance on the main stage for Venables, who spent about 30 minutes diving deep on his program ahead of his fourth season as head coach and the Sooners' second year in the SEC after a disappointing 6-7 campaign last fall.

While Venables covered several topics in the main room Wednesday afternoon — including a 15-minute opening statement before taking a wide range of questions for another 15 minutes — it's not all he said during Oklahoma's appearance at SEC Media Days. Prior to the Sooners making the rounds in Atlanta, Venables met with local media for a little more than 20 minutes in a private session to get into the nitty gritty about OU and provide updates on several players — as well as comment on the impending retirement of longtime athletics director Joe Castiglione, plus his blossoming relationship with first-year general manager Jim Nagy.

 
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Venables' comments on the main stage were broadcast live on SEC Network, but his remarks with the local Oklahoma media took place in a room without any video cameras. So, here's everything you didn't hear Venables say during Oklahoma's appearance at SEC Media Days…

BRENT VENABLES

 
 

On longtime athletics director Joe Castiglione’s decision to retire…

"What more can you say? He's been at the top of the food chain for a long time. Nobody's done it better than Joe Castiglione. What he's done is unprecedented in every way, the level of success, certainly I think almost 50% of the national championships in Oklahoma history have been done under his tenure. That doesn't happen by accident. I think 117 conference championships as well. He's represented excellence, humility, great vision, and he was a great friend. Really fortunate to have aligned with him for a long time. My wife and I, we celebrated 28 years of marriage, and 17 of those—going on 18 of those years were done here in Norman. The first thing I think about with Oklahoma though, for me and us, is Joe. None of us would be here today; I certainly wouldn't, Coach Stoops wouldn't, if it weren't for his belief in me and us.

"But I also look back and the impact that he's had on so many people at so many different levels, and he's done it with integrity and class, and he's made so many people better through his mentorship, through the example that he is. You look at his athletics director tree, and it's pretty uncommon. Now, I don't know what other athletics director trees look like, but I don't think there are many, if any at all, that are parallel to what he's been able to accomplish. His motives have been pure. He's kept the main thing the main thing all along the way. I got a phone call a little over a week ago, and I was out of town, so I didn't get a chance to be at the press conference, but I got a chance to chop it up a little bit and send him out a winner when it comes to the football side of it. But he's been a great partner for so many people. He really, truly, has enriched so many people's lives through this journey as the athletic director. It's cool. You celebrate. It's bittersweet, but I think congratulations is how it all starts. We all want to, 'OK, that's what it looks like.' As he probably said., there's never a perfect time, but there's a right time. So, I'm excited for him."

 

13181137.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320 (Photo: Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images, USA TODAY Sports)

 

On his growing relationship and dynamic with new general manager Jim Nagy as it pertains to recruiting, now that Nagy has been on board for several months…

"Oh, I mean, recruiting, it's relationships. That's where it all starts and ends with me. I think everybody's goal is the same, and it's to win at the highest level, find the best players that you can who represent the kind of values and belief system, they got the right traits that you're looking for. So, there's great alignment with all of those things. He hit the ground running, and I think several weeks ago he just finished hiring the rest of his staff. Then, this is the first time we've ever been together, and you'll go through it, you'll learn from it, get better from it, and my job and our job is to help the transition and try to give the lens of dealing with the age group, the maturity, maybe some of the inroads and the doors that will be easy to open, if you will. Hey, this is college football; this is how it's worked for a long time — right, wrong or indifferent. It's always evolving, as we know, there's a new modernized version of college football now that takes maybe a different lens to navigate.

"So, the recruiting piece, to your point, and everybody's roles — in some ways, through all the change, nothing's changed. Then in many ways, some of our processes and our structure certainly has. I feel like it's going really, really well. It'll never be perfect; it'll always be imperfect, actually, and then you always try to make it best that you can. But the resources that we have, I just don't see any limits when we get the roots deeply in the ground, you know, yesterday — that we'll be a well-oiled machine."

On Oklahoma’s addition of Cal running back transfer Jaydn Ott…

"He's a home-run hitter, great, natural runner. He's got great instincts, runs well behind his pads. His yards after contact are eye-popping. He makes plays, as opposed to 'take what they give you.' He makes plays, and that's what great players do. A good DB, he's got great closing speed or he anticipates instinctually the route combination and the stem, and he's jumping the route, if you will. It's like the great quarterback; he puts it where nobody else can get it but his guy, and that's who I'd say—he's a playmaker. He's got great humility, work ethic, low-maintenance. He's blended right in. Jovantae Barnes has been an absolute stallion when it comes to helping Jaydn transition, as well as the rest of the guys. That's the one that you want to see happen, sooner rather than later. To no surprise, Jovantae's one of the selfless and giving people in our locker room. He's done a great job too, but Jaydn's really focused, really mature, and he loves to compete."

 

13181133.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320 (Photo: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images, USA TODAY Sports)

 

On whether adding John Mateer, Jaydn Ott and other pieces on offense can help Oklahoma produce more big plays this season…

"We need to. We're one of the—I don't even know the rankings; it just made me sick. We haven't been as explosive as needed, certainly last year, that goes without saying, to create those big plays. Obviously, if you can have real threats carrying the football, as well as the ability to push the ball down the field effectively and explosively, that gives you the kind of balance you want that makes it tough on a coordinator. That's when you can really get clicking and going on offense. I would expect that to be a byproduct as we get into the season and things of that nature. That's what I've seen so far."

On Oklahoma’s post-spring transfer additions of offensive lineman Jake Maikkula and kicker Tate Sandell…

"Fun. I'm smiling because they're good players, and they're a lot of fun. They like to work. They're a humble group of guys. Jake Maikkula's a high-energy guy. Sandell, you know—I don't know who the All-Pro kickers are, but you would think he's in the Hall of Fame in the NFL. He's just got a really cool confidence. It's not arrogance; it's a confidence that you know it when you see it, and you know it when you don't. Maikkula, in a very short amount of time has really just quickly transformed his body and fit right it. He's a really athletic guy and loves to compete and work. And then you said somebody else?"

On new wide receiver addition Jer’Michael Carter…

"Yeah, Jer'Michael, he's great. Again, just a ball of energy. He loves the practice field, the weight room, 7-on-7; that's his sanctuary. He's one of those guys that he's like a pig in the mud when he gets out there on the practice field and being with the guys. But he loves to compete. Very competitive, tough guy."

On what he learned from his experience calling OU’s defense and handling head coaching responsibilities in 2023 that he can apply to this season, as he retakes the reins on defense…

"It's a collaboration. It's all of us, like it always has been. Even in the last—whenever, last year and the first year—I've got a lot of involvement, always have, a lot. At the end of the day, you've got things pared down week to week, and there's some simplicity to it, but you have a rhythm and a tempo from a scheduling standpoint. For me, it's just not really overcomplicated. So, you just dig right in situationally, and you've got your practice schedules and how they compete against each other, and then just—for example—there's parts of practice I'm with the offense and parts of practice I'm with the defense. It's how you have practice set up, and it enables you to do that."

 

13181138.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320 (Photo: SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images, USA TODAY Sports)

 

On the addition of Kevin Wilson to the offensive staff…

"Again, just like always, there are times when I'm going over and getting very involved with one side of the ball or the other. When the defense is out there, you're fully all hands-on deck with the defense. They're coming off – you've already communicated several times on that last drive the things we have to mark on these tablets. I have an amazing staff. Hey, make sure the linebackers dut dut dut. That's why I hired those two guys. Or, hey, B-Hall (Brandon Hall), make sure the safeties and show them that or show them this. A lot of times I've already told them when they're on the field, like, come here. It's not like these amazing adjustments. Sometimes it's a tone-setter moment. I go over to the offense or the defense. I'm right back there with special teams and the offense while people are making adjustments. I literally can sit here and watch the offense as they get on the field and say, hey, Miguel (Chavis), don't forget to tell that d-end to get his butt up the field, quit looking at the wrong stuff. It's not I'm sitting there, watching, and like what have we got? Every situation, you're constantly talking about field zones and everything else.

"Kevin will be a part of everything. He'll have involvement with me and things I need to be heads up with. He'll be involved with the offense, too. We have analytics, and that information is nonstop. Somebody is saying that nonstop to me about things we have to be aware of and consider, or if this happens or that happens and be prepared to make X decision. We've already played a lot of those scenarios. You might have said in the first quarter If this happens, this is what we're going to do. You've already played the game before you get to game day."

On injured wide receiver Javonnie Gibson’s progress after breaking his leg in April…

"Good. I just, and again, I'm not going to get into any — I'm always in a no-win situation. I try to give everybody what I know. I don't know if it comes off as disingenuous or whatever. Part of me frankly doesn't give a crap. But at the same time, I want to give you what I know. But he's out of the boot and he's on schedule. And when I know definitely when he's full speed practicing or anybody else along that way, I'll let you guys know. But there's a progression to everybody when it goes through an injury. Where, OK, he's back but he's not 100 percent yet and you're kind of working him back into, you know, a routine. And okay now he's doing Indy, he's doing warm ups, he's doing a little bit of team, non-contact, things like that. So we'll give you those details when I have them. But he's out of his boot."

On the hiring of head football trainer Jonathan Gress and the Sooners’ new-look training staff...

"I think it'll be great. And I think all change — some people don't like change, but I think change is always good. You know, through the challenges and again, the headwinds of dealing with everything that encompasses to run a football program. As you all know, the medical is out of — I don't decide who to hire and I'm not their boss. They don't report to me, or anywhere in college football for the reasons that are pretty obvious. That's a great staff that's there. The people that are in the building already and the group of people that we've hired. Jonathan Gress is fantastic. I was part of the interview process and he'll bring a great lens, kind of an outsider perspective from all the experiences that he's had. But he works — great effective communicator, good strong leadership, knows that he wants to do and a great collaboration and willingness to collaborate.

"There's a sports performance team that when it's working well, everybody's working together. It takes that, as we all know. Everybody's working together. So that's nutrition, that's strength and conditioning, that's sports science, it's elite recovery components, medical. It's the PROS, our PROS team as well. So, they meet a lot. It's been a great collaboration thus far."

 

13181140.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320 (Photo: SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images, USA TODAY Sports)

 

On Oklahoma’s tight end room….

"I really like the group of guys. I know we had some opinions about Bauer Sharp – that he wasn't a really good player. He's a really good player, everybody will see it. He was one of our best leaders. It is what it is – not a soapbox, sad to see him go. That being said, Kaden Helms has had his best period of performance and being a player. He's been healthy the last several months. He's really had a good, strong spring, had a great summer, needs a great fall camp so he can reach his potential for why we recruited him and why he came to Oklahoma. Jaren Kanak has been fantastic. He's a great leader, great worker. But he's a really good football player. He'll have a real role for us, I believe. I think Carson Kent – he ran 21-something miles per hour.

"I'm really fired up because we have a better team, tight ends are a great example of that, we have a team that has made real progress in the weight room. Losing body fat, gaining muscle mass and all the sport science data from where guys started so we're faster. I won't bore you with all the details. Our acceleration numbers are better. A lot of ways to quantify. I want to recognize work and progress, but Carson Kent has been great, well over 250 pounds and great leader. Will Huggins, another big, long guy who can run with a nice catch radius, amongst others. Trynae Washington – never played tight end so the transition. We really love what his future looks like. He might be a linebacker or defensive end when it's all said and done. He's a big dude that's instinctive, good football player. That's where we have him right now. Not sure if I'm missing anybody else. It is a group that looks completely different. How many catches this group have to carry over? Four? Four. There ya go, can only get better."

On Doug Deakin and Oklahoma’s special teams…

"We made a lot of improvement until that dang last regular season game. It was already going to be challenging to go to LSU and win. Start of the fourth quarter, and it's 24-17 and had already taken a kickoff and took one to the house. And then in the bowl game, Luke had easily his worst punt at the worst time. He was fantastic. We had some penalties here and there, but overall, top to bottom? We were one of two teams in college football that had a top 15 efficiency special teams and defense. One of the three teams in college football who had done that. Ohio State and Notre Dame were two, and we were another. I give the credit, first, to the players. I think for the last two years, combine the last football seasons, we've played the most freshmen and sophomores in college football. What does that mean? You're getting several guys in their third or fourth year that are now in those spaces, just like their position, can play in a more efficient way.

"What you saw was a byproduct of having more mature guys that are playing on those units. More experienced guys playing with the detail you need. We have a bunch of good athletes. Doug has been fabulous. His leadership, super detailed. He has great vision, great understanding, great anticipation. He's great dealing with the different personalities. Some, you can beat over the head with a bat, and they'll keep responding, but most aren't like that. Me, I'm the cactus mentality. Heavy sun, and a little water. Not everybody is like that. Some? Some guys need a lot of shade and a lot of water. But Doug does a great job of understanding personalities and how to get the most out of guys, make it fun and create a culture of real buy-in. I think it's a combination of things. Our coaches are involved. And they do a great job, too. We have a couple of guys that have been coordinators in special teams in their background, and I think that's showing as well."

 

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