On Dec. 5, 2021, Brent Venables became the head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners after Lincoln Riley left. However, Venables has not been able to turn things around with the team in his four years at Oklahoma. His squad finished with mediocre records and a losing record in the SEC last season.
Greg McElroy Confident About SEC’s Oklahoma Sooners’ Upcoming Season
While the Sooners started their 2024 campaign strong with a 4-0 record in non-conference play, things went downhill when they faced SEC teams. Oklahoma ended up with a 2-6 record in conference games before their season-ending 21-20 loss to Navy in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl.
Many are wondering if Oklahoma will remain this stagnant in the upcoming seasons as well and where that would leave Venables, but on the “Always College Football” show on Feb. 28, Greg McElroy said he’s feeling more hopeful about Oklahoma’s future.
“One of the biggest sleepers in the sport for me this upcoming season, the Oklahoma Sooners,” McElroy said. “This is a team that I’m wildly bullish on. I’m not going as far as to say, ‘Lock them in, they are an SEC championship contender.’ I’m not there yet, but I’m closer today than I was a month ago.”
“I’m feeling like the momentum and the trajectory of this Oklahoma team this year is only going to get going as we get closer and closer to the summer.”
McElroy’s optimism comes from the offensive changes Oklahoma has made in the offseason, especially with the hiring of Ben Arbuckle as the new offensive coordinator.
Arbuckle, who was OC at Washington State, is known for creating high-powered offenses. During his time there, his offense ranked 17th and sixth in scoring offense.
Also, quarterback John Matter is joining Oklahoma out of Washington State. In 2024, he threw for over 3,100 yards, 29 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions.
He’s not just a great passer but also plays on defense, with 826 rushing yards and 15 scores to his name.
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As the summer gets closer and the Sooner get ready for the 2025 season, McElroy also believes that if Oklahoma starts the season strong, it could become a strong team. Venables’ program will start this year’s campaign against Illinois State at home on Aug. 30.
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