Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables and three of the team’s most notable players, quarterback Jackson Arnold, linebacker Danny Stutsman, and safety Billy Bowman Jr., will be at SEC Media Days in Dallas, Texas, next week. What are three burning questions Venables will need to ask in his program’s inaugural season in the SEC?
Three Most Significant Questions for Brent Venables at SEC Media Days
1) How Will the Revamped Offensive Line Come Together?
Walter Rouse, Andrew Raym, McKade Mettauer, and Tyler Guyton all left Oklahoma for the NFL this offseason, and freshman All-American guard Cayden Green transferred to Missouri. That may seem insurmountable, but offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh is one of the best in the nation.
The Sooners currently have the most offensive linemen on NFL rosters with 14, and Bedenbaugh is a large reason why. Venables dipped into the transfer portal to help refill the talent pool, adding Spencer Brown (Michigan State), Michael Tarquin (USC), Febechi Nwaiwu (North Texas), and Geirean Hatchett (West Virginia).
Nevertheless, there were already concerns about Oklahoma’s trench play translating to the SEC, and replacing an entire starting five doesn’t make it easier.
2) Is Jackson Arnold Ready for the SEC?
It took just two seasons for Dillon Gabriel to rank No. 6 in career passing yards (6,828) at Oklahoma. Yet, the prolific passer took his talents to Oregon to play with the Ducks, effectively handing the reigns to five-star true sophomore Jackson Arnold.
The former Elite 11 winner and Gatorade National Player of the Year recipient has all the physical tools to put up points in droves with the Sooners. He flashed his potential against Arkansas State in garbage time, completing all 11 of his passes for 114 yards and one touchdown while taking five carries for 38 yards and another score.
However, Arnold’s lack of live reps also reared its head in the Alamo Bowl against Arizona. He completed just 57.8% of his passes for 361 yards, two TDs, and three INTs. SEC defenses will be out for young blood when they play Oklahoma, and the offensive line could struggle to protect him early on as they mesh.
Road matchups with Auburn, Ole Miss, Missouri, and LSU, plus the Red River Showdown against Texas, could have Arnold’s screen shaking like in the upcoming College Football 25, but he’ll at least have an elite WR room to throw to.
From Purdue transfer Deion Burks to the returning Nic Anderson, Jayden Gibson, Andrel Anthony, and Jalil Farooq form one of the deepest receiving corps in the nation and will make throwing windows easier for Arnold to hit.
3) How Will the Offense Perform Under Seth Littrell?
Jeff Lebby, who served under offensive gurus Josh Heupel at UCF (2018-19) and Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss (2020-21), became Oklahoma’s OC when Venables took over. However, Mississippi State hired him as their next head coach this offseason, forcing a change at play-caller for the Sooners.
Venables promoted 2023 offensive analyst Seth Littrell to the role, maintaining some continuity without losing experience. Littrell held OC roles at Arizona (2010-11), Indiana (2012-13), and North Carolina (2014-15) before North Texas hired him as its next head coach in 2016. He went 44-44 and five bowl appearances in his tenure, and while a dead-even record isn’t all that impressive, his offenses were.
Under Littrell, the Mean Green boasted four of the top seven highest-scoring offenses in school history. The unit ranked top three in total offense, top two in pass offense, and top three in scoring in the CUSA for four consecutive seasons (2017-20).
Of course, the CUSA isn’t the SEC, and it will be difficult to fill Lebby’s shoes, as the Sooners ranked fourth nationally in points (41.7) and third in yards per game (507) last season. Plus, having an all-new offensive line and an inexperienced QB limits the margin for error. At least Littrell won’t be alone, as TEs coach Joe Jon Finley, who Venables inherited from Lincoln Riley’s staff, will serve as co-OC in 2024.
SEC Media Days Schedule: Brent Venables, Oklahoma Head Coach
- Date: Tuesday, July 16
- Time: 1:50 p.m. CT
- How to watch: SEC Network+
After a light opening few weeks (Temple, Houston, and Tulane), the Sooners won’t have a reprieve until they face Maine in October. Even if they survive clashes with Tennessee, Auburn, Texas, South Carolina, and Ole Miss in that time, they end the season against Missouri, Alabama, and LSU. I’d say their strength of schedule deserves its placement as the fourth toughest in the country.
In Year 2 of Venables’ tenure, the Sooners improved by four victories. And while there’s concern surrounding their first campaign in the SEC, there is more than enough talent in Norman for the 2024 season to mean more. And if you noticed all three of Oklahoma’s questions centered on the offense, it’s because the defense is anchored by two all-conference playmakers in LB Danny Stutsman and S Billy Bowman Jr.
College Football Network has you covered with the latest news and analysis, rankings, transfer portal information, top 10 returning players, the 2024 college football season schedule, and much more!