Oklahoma heads into SEC Media Days in Tampa with Brent Venables, John Mateer, Taylor Wein and Eddy Pierre-Louis representing the program. After a relatively quiet offseason, spring ball produced only minor injuries that didn’t linger into summer; the Sooners arrive with fewer alarms than a year ago. Still, plenty of substantive questions remain heading into fall camp.
Can Oklahoma Finally Fix the Run Game?
Venables didn’t mince words this spring, calling Oklahoma’s rushing attack over the past several seasons unacceptable. That’s hard to dispute. Last year, no Sooner back even reached 50 yards on the ground, something the program hadn’t seen since 1999.
Fixing that was a stated offseason priority. Starters Tory Blaylock and Xavier Robinson missed all or most of spring due to injury but have since returned for summer work, and new running backs coach Deland McCullough has been paired with an offensive line that returns more experience after struggling to create running lanes a year ago.
The real question at Media Days: did Oklahoma do everything it could this offseason to actually move the needle, or is more work still needed once fall camp begins?
How Deep Is the Oklahoma Defense?
If the run game is Venables’ offensive priority, depth is his defensive one. The Sooners return eight of 11 starters on defense, but the backups behind several of those spots have little to no game experience.
Venables has previously credited defensive depth as a “secret sauce” behind Oklahoma’s success in 2025. Whether that depth, particularly on the defensive line, at linebacker and at safety, holds up again will be a major factor in how far this team can go in 2026.
Why Will John Mateer Be Better in Year Two?
A hand injury shadowed Mateer’s 2025 season, but he’s said in multiple offseason interviews that the injury wasn’t the sole reason for his mistakes last year. With that health question behind him, the bigger question becomes what’s actually driving his confidence and that of the coaching staff in a better season.
Given Oklahoma’s difficult schedule, efficiency alone may not be enough; Mateer may need to be more explosive as a passer. There’s also the experience factor: does a second year as a starter, now with a full season of SEC competition under his belt, translate to sharper chemistry with this year’s skill-position group?
Expect all three threads- the run game, defensive depth and Mateer’s growth — to dominate Oklahoma’s time at the podium in Tampa.
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