If Brent Venables and co. think that they have seen the worst in their debut season in the SEC, maybe the Oklahoma Sooners are right. Their 4-1 nonconference record wasn’t enough to overcome a 2-6 mark in SEC play. Yes, the schedule makers did not do the Sooners any favor last year. Venables’ squad was handed a gauntlet of a slate as compared to their foes. Texas Longhorns, for instance, were lucky enough to get a comfier schedule where they played just two league opponents with a winning conference record. Looks like the table is going to flip in Venables’ favor this time. The Sooners are going to be the troublemakers in 2025, raining on the SEC giants’ playoff aspirations. Meanwhile, Venables’ boys are already coming into the good books of an analyst because of a major glow-up.   

“Oklahoma has got nine opponents next season that have odds currently to win the national championship among the top 25 in the country.” That’s how SEC insider Chris Marler created an environment of fear for Venables’ Sooners. The ones who, according to the insider, will make Oklahoma’s ride tough are Michigan, Auburn, Texas, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, and LSU. This year, they fell victim to a bias yet again. They are the only team in the entire Southeastern Conference that’s going to face nine teams that currently have odds to win the national championship among the top 25 in the entire country. But what if you get to know that Venables’ squad will not let the fear rain on their hype trail?

On the May 20th episode of the On3 podcast, host J.D. PicKell came up with an alternative narrative. He said, “I do think that in October-November, with how brutal their schedule is, they’re going to ruin it for somebody.” The next question the fans must be looking for is who will get the biggest lesson from Venables’ boys.

However, PicKell hasn’t gotten clarity on that team yet. “I have no idea, but I would not be shocked in the slightest if we’re looking up at the end of the year and saying, ‘Oh man, that team, if they just hadn’t lost to Oklahoma, they could be in the playoff.’” Venables has a 22-17 record over three seasons as head football coach at Oklahoma. That makes up to a winning percentage of .564.

Even though his record is not that great, he was able to offer what Oklahoma needed for the hour. The revamp of the offense, which has been one of the worst in college football, occurred when Brent Venables stepped in.

Back in October, through six games, the Sooners ranked second-to-last in the SEC in scoring offense, averaging 24.3 points per game. Oklahoma became the only team in the conference averaging less than 300 yards per game, with 287.7. So, it was beyond expectations for Veenables to pull up the offense from the abyss. But he did that. Tom Luginbill appeared on The Next Round podcast on May 19, naming the Sooners as the ‘most improved team in the SEC.’ So, what makes Luginbill confident in Venables and Co.’s success story?

Brent Venables taps on the reload button 

The head coach showed his power by signing up the best weapons for the sword fight. “If I were to give you another [team] because I think they’re going to be vastly improved offensively, it’s Oklahoma. Now I’m not saying they’re going to be able to navigate the schedule, but… quarterback is going to be a big upgrade. The running back in Jaydn Ott, if he stays healthy, is a significant upgrade.” The Sooners fans want to forget that dark chapter, because the sooner, the better for them. 

Last season, Oklahoma’s offense really struggled, ranking 121st in total offense and 122nd in passing, largely because of all the wide receiver injuries. Something also seemed off with quarterback Jackson Arnold’s play; he finished with a 62.6% completion rate, 1,421 yards, and just 12 touchdowns in 10 games. Venables eventually fired former OC Seth Littrell on Oct. 20.

But as they head into the 2025 season, they look completely ready. The additions of Ben Arbuckle and John Mateer might just be the most significant catalysts for the Sooners’ offensive improvements. In fact, Mateer has already started honing his skills.

And as we know, for any quarterback, bonding with the receiving corps is the topmost priority. That’s where Brent Venables’ quarterback focused on developing chemistry with redshirt senior wide receiver Deion Burks and redshirt junior wide receiver Javonnie Gibson. “You can’t build on day one. It’s not going to be perfect. Every human is different; every player is different. But we’ve been taking some time together. Talking and getting to know each other. And me and Isaiah [Sategna] were just throwing after practice, just to get to know each other more. And it’s been good, and it should be real good,” Mateer said. They’re expected to bring the storm—let’s just hope the SEC packed an umbrella.