NORMAN — Oklahoma’s stunning slide has raised loads of questions surrounding each the current and the longer term. Making a bowl recreation, momentum heading into subsequent season and retaining the ship afloat recruiting-wise are actual issues the Sooners have to consider now.
While the play on the sphere has been inconsistent at finest this season, many eyes have turned to the recruiting path.
Brent Venables had a powerful summer time of verbal commitments, and nonetheless ranks inside the highest 10, per 247 Sports, regardless of a slower tempo currently and a few latest decommitments. The Sooners’ disappointing 2022 season may actually affect how the recruiting class shapes up.
That’s why it’s much more vital that the coaches proceed to take a position and develop the present class of freshmen. According to social media, the 2022 class is dedicated to seeing the turnaround come to fruition.
Losing can take a toll on athletes, particularly when watching on the sidelines. For the present class of freshmen, this might very effectively be essentially the most discombobulated an Oklahoma group has seemed on the soccer subject of their lifetime.
Scroll to Continue
As the season has progressed and the losses have mounted, Oklahoma’s freshman class has earned rotational taking part in time on either side of the ball.
Jaren Kanak, Robert Spears-Jennings, Gavin Freeman, Javontae Barnes, Gracen Halton, Gentry Williams and R Mason Thomas are all gamers receiving valuables snaps and talked about by the teaching employees as candidates for enchancment all through the season. Keeping the gifted kids in Norman, purchased in and able to set the tone for the longer term is vital in what Venables is constructing.
“But our guys’ level of commitment, level of belief has not wavered,” defensive coordinator Ted Roof mentioned Monday when requested concerning the youthful gamers. “And that says a lot about who we have in our locker room, and the belief that they have in coach Venables and the staff. So certainly we all wish the results would have been better, but at this point moving forward, it’s about focusing to improve so we can make those results better. And that’s where our guys are focused. And, you know, I love the attitude. I love our locker room.”
As extra alternatives come up, Oklahoma’s gifted underclassmen may stand out much more. While it’s exhausting to have a voice within the locker room as a freshman, veterans on the group nonetheless discover strong play on the sphere. The final two video games of the season, and doubtlessly a bowl recreation look, shall be an opportunity for the first-year gamers to ascertain themselves as constructing blocks in Venables’ system transferring ahead.
“Because it’s a freshman, you know, sometimes your voice isn’t — you don’t have that voice with the upperclassmen, the guys that have been here a long time,” Roof mentioned. “But certainly I’ve seen that and I’m proud of those guys. And, again, excited about the future, but excited about this week and this opportunity for our football team this week.”
publish credit score to Source link