Cole Cubelic predicts Oklahoma to be 'very scary football team for everybody on that schedule'

After a bumpy Year 1 in the SEC, Oklahoma made some splashes this offseason. Brent Venables overhauled his staff and took back play-calling, and the Sooners brought in some big fish from the transfer portal.

OU is looking to take a leap forward. SEC Network’s Cole Cubelic sees the chances in Norman and said the program could do just that – but there are still some unknowns.

Oklahoma’s most notable move came at quarterback with John Mateer arriving from Washington State, along with offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. Additionally, former Purdue transfer Deion Burks is looking to make his return from injury. If the offensive line can hold strong, Cubelic argued, he thinks OU looks good on paper.

“Oklahoma made … the most noise in the portal of any team in the SEC,” Cubelic said on The Paul Finebaum Show. “I know folks don’t turn Washington State on in our part of the country very often, but John Mateer can play football. And Deion Burks was hurt last year. He transferred in from Purdue the year before. He is as dynamic as they come anywhere. If the offensive line is right, and Bill Bedenbaugh is the guy to get that done, and John Mateer and his old offensive coordinator who’s coming to town with him can find some real consistency early – specifically against that Michigan defense – and then continue to grow through the course of the year.

“I think they have the best d-line in the SEC, they now have one of the best defensive coordinators in the SEC because Brent Venables is going back to do it. Oklahoma should be a very scary football team for everybody on that schedule. Now, how great can they end up being? That depends on continuity, staying healthy, different things of that nature, how fast certain things happen or don’t happen. But that’s the team, if you asked me right now, man, I think they can go a lot farther than people believe or some of the unknowns can hold them back. Probably Oklahoma would be that squad, for me.”

Mateer is the crown jewel of Oklahoma’s transfer portal class, coming in as the No. 3 overall player in the On3 Industry Transfer Rankings. The Sooners also landed one of the top running backs in the portal in former Cal standout Jaydn Ott – the No. 44 overall player and No. 4-ranked transfer running back.

With Year 2 in the SEC on the horizon, OU is looking to take a step forward following its 6-7 record a year ago. The Sooners are set to open the season Aug. 30 against Illinois State.