Coming off of a 6-7 season wherein the protection struggled for a lot of the Big 12 schedule, it’s a bit shocking that the Oklahoma Sooners discover themselves inside the top 25 of those manner too early 2023 energy rankings.
Whether it was CBS Sports or 247Sports, it seems the Sooners shall be a well-liked bounce-back candidate this offseason. To that finish, Oklahoma was included within the top 25 of USA TODAY Sports’ way too early power rankings for 2023 by Paul Myerburg.
It has to get higher. There’s loads of expertise on offense to crew with established beginning quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Based on his observe report, it feels very secure to count on the protection to take an enormous leap in Brent Venables’ second season. The Sooners will even be a deeper and extra skilled crew after virtually fully redoing the roster final winter and making important headway within the switch portal this offseason. Don’t overlook that 5 of OU’s seven losses got here by a landing or much less, so merely returning to the imply in these shut video games would deliver OU again into the eight-or-nine win vary. – Myerburg, USA TODAY Sports
Myerburg makes an awesome level, that if Oklahoma break up the 5 video games wherein they misplaced by a landing or much less, the Sooners would have been no less than an eight-win crew. Four of these 5 losses got here by a area aim. Improved depth on protection may assist the Sooners higher stand up to late surges by their opponents. P
Getting Dillon Gabriel again is a good begin to rebounding after the Sooners’ first shedding season since 1998. Having quarterback continuity amid some key losses on the offensive aspect of the ball will assist calm the waters. But extra essential than that’s the work Brent Venables and his workers have accomplished so as to add instant difference-makers to the protection within the 2022-2023 Transfer Portal.
Guys like Rondell Bothroyd, Jacob Lacey, Trace Ford, reggie pearson, and Dasan McCullough are ready-made gamers that may step in and both begin or be part of the two-deep on the Sooners’ preliminary depth chart once they break camp subsequent fall. Bothroyd, Ford, and McCullough, specifically, deliver go rush productiveness to Norman to assist a defensive entrance that struggled with go rush consistency in 2022. Add that group to Reggie Grimes, who began 2022 sizzling and Ethan Downs, who completed sturdy down the stretch, and the Sooners are constructing fairly the arsenal at defensive finish.
Improving the protection is the important thing to the Sooners returning to rivalry within the Big 12 in 2023. Moving the needle from 30 factors per sport to nearer to twenty will make the most important distinction for the Sooners. It’s too early to inform how all of the items will come collectively, however based mostly on what they’ve accomplished within the switch portal up to now, the Oklahoma Sooners are trending in the precise path.
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