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The 2022 season has gone all kinds of wrong for the Oklahoma Sooners. They’ve had one good outing on defense since week three, and the offense has had its ups and downs as well.
Year one of the Brent Venables era has provided more questions than answers about the future, and as Bill Connelly of ESPN explores 10 things he got wrong about the 2022 season, here’s what he had to say about Oklahoma.
I overestimated the talent on Oklahoma’s roster… Venables still has quite a bit to prove long term as a head coach, but it’s become quite clear that he also doesn’t have many elite pieces to work with. The offensive line is nowhere near as dominant as it was during Riley’s peak, Mims is the only standout receiver, and Gabriel’s absence proved that no one else in the QB room is close to being ready for Big 12 play. Recruiting is going well, and there’s nothing saying things can’t still work out down the line, but this is the least talented roster OU has had in a while. I severely underestimated the impact of attrition. – Connelly, ESPN
You’re not alone, Bill. It was hard to predict just how much the Sooners lost on both sides of the ball, but most felt optimistic about Oklahoma’s outlook for the 2022 season despite the attrition.
I didn’t expect the drop-off along the defensive line to be as sharp as it has appeared this year. After strong performances from the Sooners defensive line in the Alamo Bowl win over Oregon, it felt like the Sooners had the players to pick up where Nik Bonitto, Isaiah Thomas, and Perrion Winfrey left off.
Unfortunately, the defensive front hasn’t been able to generate consistent pressure, and the front seven hasn’t held up against the run in 2022.
Brent Venables has a knack for building a defensive unit. He’s done it at Oklahoma and Clemson as the defensive coordinator and, despite the results this season should be able to do the same in Norman given time.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.
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By: John Williams
Title: What did ESPN's Bill Connelly get wrong about the Oklahoma Sooners?
Sourced From: soonerswire.usatoday.com/2022/11/07/oklahoma-sooners-football-2022-college-football-season-nik-bonitto-isaiah-thomas-perrion-winfrey-brent-venables/
Published Date: Mon, 07 Nov 2022 15:00:38 +0000
