OU notepad: Sooners have 'a lot to prove' after finishing 10th in SEC preseason poll
NORMAN — Oklahoma went through as much change as any program during the offseason. However, the consensus has them clearly outside the top teams in the Southeastern Conference.
The Sooners landed at No. 10 in the annual conference preseason poll last week, putting them firmly outside SEC title contention. It’s a small step forward from 2024, when the Sooners finished 13th in the SEC with a 6-7 overall record and 2-6 conference record, but voters clearly expressed doubt that the offseason changes will translate to real progress on the field.
Part of that skepticism is the the Sooners’ schedule, which was deemed the most difficult in the country by On3 earlier this month. The Sooners are set to play six of the SEC teams ranked inside the top 10 of the preseason poll, and also host Michigan on Sept. 6.
OU coach Brent Venables welcomed the lack of expectations during Thursday’s annual Coaches Luncheon.
“We’ve got a lot to prove, and I like that,” Venables said. “We know what our team is capable of… But I feel like, the sum of all our parts, there’s no game on the schedule that we can’t win. I say that straight-faced. I know ball, and if we stay healthy and continue to develop and improve as the season goes along — and John Mateer don’t have to play perfect, he just needs to play well. To beat the teams in our league, you’ve got to play well. But you don’t have to play perfect.
“We’ve got to compliment each other, do the things that winning requires — take care of the ball, don’t give it back to the other team and take the ball away, play well on the line of scrimmage, things of that nature. It’s a deep league but… our plan isn’t to finish 10th in the league. Our plans are to compete for an SEC championship and I know our players are putting in that kind of work and that’s their mindset.”
Ben Arbuckle praises wide receiver Zion Kearney
The second-year receiver has caught the eye of his new offensive coordinator.
Injuries thrusted Kearney into action last season as a true freshman, and he finished with eight receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown. The former four-star prospect showed flashes of upside, particularly given his 6-foot-2 frame, but it didn’t translate into immediate production.
However, Arbuckle has seen a ton of potential from Kearney during the offseason.
“Another one who I’ve enjoyed seeing the growth in the seven months that I’ve been here is Zion Kearney,” Arbuckle said. “He’s a kid whenever I showed up in the bowl game, he was still really young, was kind of thrusted into a little bit of action. And over the last seven months, I’ve seen big strides in his game, more so in his confidence than anything.
“I try to remind him every day like, ‘Hey, man, you’re a big dude out here.’ He’s 6-2, 215 pounds, and he can move and he can catch and he can run. And I try and reinforce that into him every single day, like, ‘Hey, man, you are a big joker out here who has a big-time player written all over him.’ And he buys into that, and he puts the work in to go out there and make those plays during practice.”
Todd Bates discusses potential breakout star, defensive tackle expectations
Who is Bates predicting to have a breakout season in 2025?
Sophomore David Stone.
The second-year player was mentioned by Bates during his overall assessment of the Sooners’ interior defensive line group.
“David Stone’s not a newcomer, but he has shown all the things that he’s going to take the next step,” Bates said. “He’s on the verge of a breakout… that’s just his development. He’s put in the work. He’s up there like a coach, studying. It’s natural, it’s going to happen for him as long as he keeps working.
“I’m excited about Trent Wilson. I’m excited about getting Markus Strong back, whenever he’s able to get back with us. Just excited about those guys, this group. The common knowledge in the room, the top knowledge in the room — (Damonic) Williams, Gracen Halton, Jayden Jackson have done a tremendous job of leading the group and just getting those guys up to speed and not just teaching them the playbook, but teaching them the culture. Letting your taillights be your headlights. That sort of mindset (of) every day, I’m going to make you better in all realms of life.”
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