Oklahoma has a top QB, as usual, in Spencer Rattler. And now its improved defense could propel a Playoff breakthrough (2024)

Editor’s note:This is part ofa seriespreviewing the Power 5 and top Group of 5 teams for the 2021 college football season.

NORMAN, Okla. — Legendary former Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer has delivered countless one-liners, but perhaps none more insightful than the one he wrote in a 2003 Sports Illustrated piece, versions of which he’s repeated several times through the years.

“I didn’t create the monster. (President) George Cross and (coach) Bud Wilkinson did. My job was to feed the monster.”

The monster, of course, is the Oklahoma football machine, now fifth-year coach Lincoln Riley’s responsibility, with its seven national championships, 50 conference titles, hundreds of NFL Draft selections and dozens of national award winners. The Sooners have won six consecutive Big 12 championships and appeared in three of the past four College Football Playoffs.

“I want people to be proud of our program,” Riley said. “We’re gonna try like hell to win every single game for as long as we’re here. I think we’re gonna win most of ’em, and we have, but we may not win all of them every single time. I get that.

“For me, having a program that the people of Oklahoma, the former players, coaches — everybody — takes pride in is very important to me.”

A quick drive around almost any part of Oklahoma would show — through flags, T-shirts and other prominently displayed OU regalia — that the state remains mighty proud of its Sooners. But a two-decade national championship drought has left some fans restless.

This could finally be the year.

Oklahoma returns quarterback Spencer Rattler, a preseason Heisman Trophy favorite, as well as dynamic playmakers such as running back Kennedy Brooks and wide receiver Marvin Mims. OU raided the transfer portal, pulling out key players — including three former Tennessee Vols in running back Eric Gray, left tackle Wanya Morris and safety Key Lawrence — who might take the Sooners from good to great.

Then there’s the defense. Entering defensive coordinator Alex Grinch’s third season, Oklahoma returns 11 players with starting experience, its deepest unit in years. With improved talent, scheme and — most importantly, according to Riley — culture, Oklahoma ranked 26th in the FBS last season in average yards per play allowed. Two years ago, OU ranked 102nd in that metric.

OU finished No. 6 in the final CFP rankings leading into its impressive Cotton Bowl rout of No. 7 Florida, but the journey there was bumpy, with consecutive regular-season losses for the first time since 1999.

This season, OU hopes having evened out its strengths on offense and defense will result in a College Football Playoff breakthrough. The Sooners have failed to win a single game in four trips, losing in the semifinals by an average of 18.75 points. Oklahoma fans are still haunted by what might have been had the Sooners fielded even an average defense in 2017 or 2018, when Baker Mayfield- and Kyler Murray-led offenses raced up and down fields and set scoreboards ablaze — not only out of ability, but necessity.

That no longer describes OU.

Roster analysis

Quarterback: Sophom*ore Spencer Rattler is one of the best returning quarterbacks in college football. He finished last season with a Pro Football Focus passing grade of 92.5, which ranked fourth in the FBS — ahead of Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields. A big reason why? Rattler had a 9-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio when pressured in 2020, per Pro Football Focus, and his Big 12-best 171.4 pass efficiency on such throws ranked fourth nationally.

His first season as a starter began a little rough, with the Sooners losing two of the first three games. Riley temporarily benched Rattler in the first half against Texas after he’d fumbled and thrown an interception. But Rattler returned to lead the Sooners to a four-overtime win and didn’t lose again. He threw only two interceptions in OU’s final seven games and is now viewed as a possible No. 1 pick in next year’s NFL Draft.

“I don’t try to set a roof on what I can do as a player,” Rattler said this spring. “Of course, I want to tighten up every single part of my game. I want to get my physicality to the best it can be, and that will come with time. … I want to be the most unstoppable quarterback, the best quarterback in the country coming up to this year and put on a show.”

Rattler’s heir apparent is already generating major buzz. Freshman Caleb Williams, the consensus No. 1-ranked quarterback for 2021 from Washington, D.C., enrolled early and starred in the spring game, completing 10 of 11 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 61 yards on six carries.

Redshirt freshman Micah Bowens transferred in after he didn’t appear in any games last season at Penn State.

Running back: Statistically, the Oklahoma run game in 2020 performed its worst in nine years. The Sooners averaged 179.73 yards per game on the ground, ranking fifth in the Big 12. In the previous seven seasons, Oklahoma averaged at least 217.79 rushing yards per game.

Kennedy Brooks is back after opting out in 2020. In 2018, he ranked third among all FBS running backs with a 91.7 PFF rushing grade. His 8.87 yards per rush remain the most by a 1,000-yard rusher in Big 12 history.

Brooks’ primary competition for carries will be Eric Gray, who transferred from Tennessee in January and earned rave reviews from teammates and coaches throughout spring practice. In the spring game, Gray shined, catching a 14-yard pass on the first play and later rushing for a 19-yard touchdown. Gray’s abilities as a receiver — he caught 30 passes for 354 yards and two touchdowns last season — add a new dimension to the Oklahoma offense.

“Some of the better backs that we’ve had have been able to bring that, where you didn’t really feel like you were limited and can do a little bit of everything with him,” Riley said. “(Joe) Mixon and Rodney Anderson are the two that really come to mind. Those guys developed into players who you felt like you could do anything with. The guys with a wide range of skill sets are fun to work with, and Eric’s done a good job. We’ve really been impressed with his maturity, the way he’s acclimated himself with the team, the way he works. He carries himself in a very professional manner.”

Also back is sophom*ore Marcus Major, who rushed for 187 yards and three touchdowns last season, and Mikey Henderson, a sophom*ore who switched from H-back during the offseason. With Rhamondre Stevenson drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round and T.J. Pledger and Seth McGowan gone, it’s possible OU coaches will seek to add another running back before the season.

Receivers: Riley called out this group when spring football began, saying the slate had been wiped clean and all jobs were open. As a team, the Sooners dropped 22 passes last season, including two dropped touchdowns in the early-season loss at Iowa State. Three exciting young freshmen — Mario Williams, Cody Jackson and Jalil Farooq — are joining the group, as well as former Arkansas wideout Mike Woods, who was second in the SEC in average yards per reception (19.34) last season. Woods announced he would transfer to OU last month.

But there is still plenty of returning talent here, beginning with sophom*ore Marvin Mims. Mims — a 2020 The Athletic Freshman All-American — caught 37 passes for 610 yards and nine touchdowns last season to lead the Sooners. Mims excited coaches with his work in the slot this spring.

Junior Theo Wease is also back after he co-led OU with 37 receptions last season. He had 530 yards and four touchdowns, but also dropped four passes. He sat out most of spring with an injury. Oklahoma is also hopeful that this can finally be the breakout season for Jadon Haselwood, the No. 1-ranked receiver in the 2019 recruiting class who, through two seasons, has only 23 career receptions for 337 yards and one touchdown. He tore his ACL last spring and was limited even after he returned late in the 2020 season. But he flashed during the OU spring game, providing the top highlight of the day with a one-handed reception near the sideline.

And don’t forget about Drake Stoops, the former walk-on who caught the game-winning touchdown in last year’s OU-Texas game and became a reliable target for Rattler.

Tight ends/H-backs: Junior Austin Stogner finished third on the team in receptions (26) and receiving yardage (422) last season. His season was interrupted by a terrifying health scare from which he was still recovering in the spring, but he is expected to be 100 percent by the fall. Stogner is a more traditional tight end, in the mold of 2017 John Mackey Award winner and Baltimore Ravens star Mark Andrews.

Senior Jeremiah Hall has started 22 career games and caught eight touchdowns. Even if he doesn’t necessarily light up the stat sheet, Hall is a team leader and critical piece of the Sooners offense. Also back is senior Brayden Willis, who missed several games with an injury last season but has 21 career receptions for 307 yards and four touchdowns.

Offensive line: It’s anybody’s guess as to what the starting offensive line will look like by the time the Sooners open the season, but there is a lot of experience back and one very intriguing newcomer.

Everything begins at center, and that is perhaps the most important position battle on the team this offseason. Creed Humphrey, drafted last month by Kansas City in the second round, set a high bar. The battle is between redshirt freshman Andrew Raym and senior Chris Murray. Murray played guard in five games last season after transferring from UCLA, where he started 24 games from 2018 to 2019. Raym seemed to take control of this competition by the end of spring, when he started the spring game at center and Murray exclusively played right guard.

Seniors Marquis Hayes and Tyrese Robinson are two-year starters at left guard and right guard, respectively, although Robinson has shown the ability to play right tackle and could play there in the fall.

Senior Erik Swenson has started at left tackle for much of the past two seasons and took advantage of the NCAA’s blanket waiver to get one more season. He has struggled at times, but his Cotton Bowl performance against Florida received the highest Pro Football Focus grade (90.3) of any offensive lineman in any bowl game. He played right tackle in the spring game, although keep an eye on sophom*ore Anton Harrison here, too. Harrison pushed Swenson last fall and even replaced him in some games.

Tennessee transfer Wanya Morris started at left tackle in the spring game and is the favorite to take that spot in the fall. He started 19 games for the Volunteers over the past two seasons.

Other offensive linemen to watch include senior grad transfer Robert Congel, junior and former five-star prospect Brey Walker and sophom*ore tackle Stacey Wilkins, who opted out of last season. There’s also sophom*ore guard Marcus Alexander and redshirt freshmen Aaryn Parks and Nate Anderson. Freshman guard Savion Byrd, who will arrive on campus this summer, ranked as the No. 63 prospect for 2021.

Defensive line: This was the deepest position group on the team in 2020, and it should be the same in 2021. It also boasts versatility. Senior LaRon Stokes, junior Isaiah Thomas, junior Josh Ellison and sophom*ore Jalen Redmond are all capable of playing multiple positions along the defensive line.

Thomas, one of Oklahoma’s breakout stars last season, led the team in both sacks (8.5) and TFLs (13.0). Redmond led the Sooners in sacks in 2019 but opted out of last season.

At nose guard, senior Perrion Winfrey showed flashes of dominance last season and has first-round potential. Junior Jordan Kelley missed most of the 2019 season because of an ACL tear, but became an important part of the rotation last season and by all accounts had a good spring.

Isaiah Coe, who transferred to OU from Iowa Western Community College this spring, made a big early impression, with position coach Calvin Thibodeaux calling him “probably the most powerful guy in the group.” Sophom*ore defensive end Reggie Grimes was one of the Sooners’ top-ranked 2020 signees.

Linebackers: Oklahoma’s linebacker depth had been a problem for nearly a decade, but entering 2021, it should be a team strength. Senior DaShaun White and junior Brian Asamoah are both returning starters at the two inside linebacker positions. Junior David Ugwoegbu — Grinch’s first recruit to sign with OU — is an athletic freak who will push White and Asamoah for their jobs. Sixth-year senior Caleb Kelly, who has started 24 career games, is back from consecutive ACL tears. Junior outside linebacker Nik Bonitto returns as one of the nation’s best pass rushers. Bonitto pressured opposing quarterbacks on 49 of his 171 snaps as a pass rusher (28.7 percent), per PFF. That was the highest rate among 617 FBS players with at least 100 pass-rush snaps last season. His 49 QB pressures led the Big 12 and ranked fourth nationally. Junior Marcus Stripling, a converted defensive end, will back up Bonitto. Clayton Smith, the No. 37 prospect in 2021, could also factor. Also, watch for sophom*ores Shane Whitter and Brynden Walker.

Defensive backs: At cornerback, the Sooners return three players with starting experience: junior Jaden Davis and sophom*ores Woodi Washington and D.J. Graham. Davis started the first five games last season before Washington replaced him in the lineup. In the Cotton Bowl, after starter Tre Brown chose to opt out, Washington and Graham started.

Junior Justin Harrington arrived from junior college with high expectations last year, but a knee injury kept him sidelined all season. Coaches moved him to corner this spring, although he could still move back to safety. Redshirt freshman Joshua Eaton and freshman Latrell McCutchin were both top-tier recruits and could fight for starting jobs, too. For context: During Grinch’s first season in 2019, OU brought only three cornerbacks to road games.

Seniors Delarrin Turner-Yell and Pat Fields are both two-year starters, but there are no guarantees they will start again. Redshirt freshman Bryson Washington, freshman Jordan Mukes and Tennessee transfer Key Lawrence will all push for those jobs. Fields missed the spring game after an offseason surgery and Lawrence started in his place.

Sophom*ore Jeremiah Criddell is the favorite to start at nickelback, but freshman Billy Bowman is also competing.

Special teams: Junior kicker Gabe Brkic returns, having made 86 percent of his career field goal attempts and all 102 of his career PATs. Senior punter Reeves Mundschau has a career average of 40.8 yards on 76 punts. Also back are holder Spencer Jones and long snapper Kasey Kelleher.

Mims averaged 12.46 yards per punt return last season. The Sooners’ top three kickoff returners last season have all transferred or left for the NFL. Freshmen Williams and Bowman are possibilities. Oklahoma hasn’t returned a punt or a kickoff for a touchdown since 2016.

What others are saying about Oklahoma

The Athletic spoke to a Big 12 assistant coach for his take on the Sooners and, as one might expect, he spoke extensively about OU’s talent relative to the rest of the league.

“Talent, from top to bottom,” the assistant said. “They continually recruit good players from all over the country, and they have a brand that allows them to do that.

“They challenge you with tempo, with motions. When you play against them and you’re making a defensive call, they’re always calling the play you’re really hoping that they don’t call.

“They do all the innovative things, but then when you have good players like they do, you can run simple schematic things and still create big plays.

“A couple years ago, they weren’t good at all on defense and still won the league. Now, they’re playing much better defense. If they’re clicking on all cylinders, they’re very, very tough to beat.”

How the Sooners have recruited from 2018 to 2021

Oklahoma’s recruiting efforts have ramped up significantly since 2011-2016, a stretch during which the Sooners didn’t sign a single top-10 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. Through those six cycles, the Sooners signed only 12 top-100 high school prospects.

In the past five years, OU has signed 18 top-100 prospects, including five in just the most recent signing class. The Sooners are even getting some elite defensive players to join the ranks in light of Grinch’s ongoing transformation of that unit. Even just a couple of years ago, it would have been hard to imagine, for example, an “athlete” like Bowman — the No. 43 prospect for 2021 who could have gone to just about any top school and chosen his position — volunteering to play defense at Oklahoma.

Although the Sooners finished 10th nationally in 2021, they edged out Texas for the Big 12’s top-ranked class for the first time since 2017 and for only the fourth time since 2008. The national ranking is also skewed a bit by the fact that OU signed only 16 players in the 2021 class. And if transfer portal additions counted toward recruiting class rankings, the Sooners almost certainly would have been a top-five — maybe even top-three — class in 2021.

Oklahoma has become a prime destination for elite offensive players, with top-tier quarterbacks, wide receivers and offensive linemen signing regularly.

Still, for Oklahoma to take the next step toward being a legitimate, consistent national championship contender, it has to start competing with — and beating — the likes of Alabama and Clemson on the recruiting trail, both for top-100 defensive players and in terms of overall classes. Consider this: The Crimson Tide’s 2021 signing class, included four top-100 defensive players. That is the same number as have signed with Oklahoma in the past four cycles combined.

Oklahoma has nine players committed for 2022 in a class ranked fifth nationally.

Transfers to know

Riley has made extensive use of transfers, although the Sooners had already amped up transfer recruitment before Riley’s 2015 arrival as offensive coordinator. Many of OU’s best players from the past decade — most notably, of course, NFL starting quarterbacks Mayfield, Murray and Jalen Hurts — came from other FBS programs. But there were also key playmakers such as wide receivers Justin Brown (2012), Jalen Saunders (2012), Geno Lewis (2016) and Jeff Badet (2017).

Murray transferred from UCLA to OU last offseason and is now competing for a starting job on the offensive line.

This year, the Sooners have — so far, anyway — added six players from the transfer portal.

Bowens was added from Penn State after the Sooners lost two signal callers to the portal (Tanner Mordecai to SMU and Chandler Morris to TCU). Congel, who began his college career at Texas A&M and then started 13 games in three seasons at Arizona, transferred to OU in January. Woods announced he would transfer to Oklahoma just a few days after catching a touchdown in the Arkansas spring game. Woods caught 83 passes for 1,248 yards and 10 touchdowns during his three seasons with the Razorbacks.

But the incoming transfers who made the biggest splash all came from Tennessee. Morris, Lawrence and Gray are all former top-200 recruits. All three were first-teamers in the Sooners’ April 24 spring game.

Impact of coaching changes

Oklahoma lost only one of its 10 full-time assistant coaches from last season, with former H-backs coach Shane Beamer accepting the South Carolina head coaching job. Riley replaced him with former Sooners tight end Joe Jon Finley, who previously coached at Baylor, Missouri, Texas A&M and Ole Miss.

Finley caught 62 passes for 775 yards and 10 touchdowns during his OU playing career from 2004 to 2007. He is one of five former Sooners players now on Riley’s staff, joining inside receivers coach Cale Gundy, running backs coach DeMarco Murray, inside linebackers coach Brian Odom and defensive tackles coach Calvin Thibodeaux.

Finley has big shoes to fill, as Oklahoma’s H-backs — who essentially are a hybrid of a fullback and a tight end and perform tasks traditionally associated with both positions — have played a vital role in Riley’s offense.

One thing to watch: The Sooners might be in the market for a new defensive coordinator before long. Grinch received a raise to $1.8 million a year and an extension through the 2022 season last summer. He is the highest-paid assistant coach in OU history, but another year of marked improvement for the OU defense would make him an attractive head coaching candidate.

Oklahoma plays nine games in 2021 before its only open date the weekend of Nov. 6. That is the longest the Sooners have gone before an open date since 2007.

The Sooners open Sept. 4 at Tulane, which marks OU’s first true road game against a Group of 5 opponent since a 2014 game at Tulsa.

Sooners fans are probably most excited about Sept. 18, when OU hosts Nebraska. The Sooners and Cornhuskers enjoyed one of college football’s greatest rivalries, but the 1996 formation of the Big 12 split the teams into different divisions, meaning they played only twice every four years until 2010, when Nebraska left for the Big Ten. This year’s game — which Nebraska flirted with canceling — will mark not only the old rivals’ first meeting since the 2010 Big 12 Championship Game, but also the 50th anniversary of the 1971 “Game of the Century,” which Nebraska won 35-31 in Norman.

Oklahoma has to go on the road to face Kansas State, which has beaten the Sooners in each of the past two seasons. It leads into the Red River rivalry game against Texas in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The Sooners have beaten Texas three consecutive times and in nine of the past 12 meetings. Among new Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian’s most important tasks will be restoring some balance in this rivalry.

Iowa State, responsible for OU’s other 2020 defeat, visits Norman on Nov. 20. With all their returning experience, the Cyclones appear the most likely Big 12 foe to challenge Oklahoma’s six-year streak of conference titles. The 2021 Big 12 title game is set for Saturday, Dec. 4 in Arlington, Texas.

Final assessment

Oklahoma hasn’t entered a season with this much national championship hype in a decade. With Rattler back at quarterback, most other starters returning, an influx of talented newcomers, and perhaps most importantly, a reliably strong defense, there is no reason to believe the Sooners can’t make a real run this year. At the very least, a Playoff semifinals win should be possible in 2021 — and maybe even expected.

Oklahoma national championship odds from BetMGM: +700

(Top photo of Spencer Rattler, No. 7, and teammates: Kevin Jairaj / USA Today)