Anonymous SEC coaches give their thoughts about Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners.
The SEC is hosting its annual league meetings in Destin, Florida this week, sparking a lot of debate about where the conference will go in 2024. We’ve gotten a couple kickoff times, including one at 2:30 p.m. CT for the Red River Rivalry game in 2024.
Additionally, instructors have met with the media on a variety of topics. Athlon Sports published their yearly piece on what coaches said anonymously about their colleagues.
Brent Venables Defense is coming together
On defense, they’re starting to look like the unit Brent [Venables] would coach at Clemson. That’s wonderful news for the SEC. The bad news is that if they don’t get some men together late in the year, they may struggle on the offensive line. – An anonymous SEC coach
This is the expectation. Brent Venables was sent to Oklahoma to revitalize defensive football in Norman. There have been some growing pains, but the progress is obvious. In 2022, the Sooners’ scoring defense improved by nearly a touchdown per game, moving them from 99th to 49th.
Despite the transition to the SEC, the Sooners appear poised to make another leap after keeping Danny Stutsman, Billy Bowman, Woodi Washington, and Da’Jon Terry, as well as bringing in major players like as Damonic Williams and a top-tier defensive recruiting class.
I don’t believe they’ll be poor on the offensive line. Did they experience a lot of turnover? Absolutely. However, the Sooners have one of the top offensive line coaches in the country, and Bill Bedenbaugh has demonstrated the ability to rebuild offensive lines using the portal in recent years. The Sooners have a lot of skill to work with up front.
Is Oklahoma Ready in the Trenches?
Oklahoma is a legitimate top program, but the secret to the SEC is line play, and they won’t be able to accomplish much on offense if they can’t protect against the league’s average defensive line. – An anonymous SEC coach
The Sooners are one of the best programs in college football. Seven national titles and 50 conference championships attest to this truth. At the same time, they’re dealing with a different species when they enter the SEC. Every week, the Sooners will face a struggle up front.
Oklahoma has added Michael Tarquin, Febechi Nwaiwu, Branson Hickman, Spencer Brown, and Geirean Hatchett to the offensive line depth chart through the transfer site. Tarquin, Nwaiwu, and Hickman might be Week 1 starters up front, bringing a wealth of experience and potential to the Sooners offensive line.
2022 signees Jacob Sexton and Jake Taylor appear to be ready to step into the starting lineup. Both had excellent offseasons and appear to be top offensive line prospects.
Hickman is new to the group, joining in the spring gateway window. However, he has over 2,400 snaps under his belt and should be acclimated to the team by week one.
This is a unit that feels less concerning today than it did when the offseason began, and Bedenbaugh and the players will bring it together.
Seth Littrell brings the goods
If you’re looking for a new offense, it won’t be much different from [previous offensive coordinator Jeff] Lebby’s, but they’ll need to run the ball more efficiently than they did while he was there. Seth [Littrell] is a made-to-order kind of OC, a very experienced guy who will scheme to fit. – An anonymous SEC coach
Oklahoma replaced both coordinators this offseason, but Seth Littrell is an experienced candidate. In 2023, he will work as an offensive analyst for the Sooners, which is just as significant as his tenure as an offensive coordinator. He is familiar with the roster, specifically Jackson Arnold, and the players are familiar with Littrell.
Littrell’s hope is for a more physical offensive with an aggressive approach. Jeff Lebby was good, but Oklahoma frequently failed in short-yardage situations, and Lebby appeared risk-averse. If Littrell can help the offense adopt a more physical approach, that will go a long way in the SEC.
