10 things OU fans can be thankful for

With Brent Venables’ OU Team 131 just a win away from finishing off an unblemished Red November. There’s plenty to be thankful for across the OU athletics community.

Scoop’s Eddie Radosevich has put together a list of ten things Oklahoma fans should be thankful for. 

1. Oklahoma football is back in the national conversation. That’s a sentence many didn’t think would be possible. Hand up. I certainly didn’t. Breathe. You aren’t Nebraska. Physical, punishing, relentless, suffocating defense has returned to Norman. It was a make-or-break season for Brent Venables. He put himself in charge of the defense. A gamble that paid off handsomely. While the always lofty expectations at Oklahoma will never change, this season has been a success regardless, even if we don’t record an Unofficial 40 from South Beach. There’s momentum on and off the field. It feels like they’re building something. Most importantly there’s belief from the fanbase in what Venables and Co. are selling – even if it took a wee bit longer than expected. 

2. With a foundation in place, it seems sustainable. This isn’t a flash in the pan. As good as Oklahoma is in 2025, it appears through these crimson-colored glasses (non-prescription thanks to our friends at NJoy), the best is yet to come. Ultimately that won’t appease anyone *if* Oklahoma doesn’t win a national title this season. The fanbase is hungrier than ever. But it’s a step in the right direction. Simply finding ways to win breeds confidence. A lost art that seemingly had disappeared in recent years.

*A majority* of the standouts you haved cheered for the past 11 Saturdays will be returning next season. David Stone can see now; shoutout rec-specs. Courtland Guillory appears destined to become the next Sooners superstar in the secondary. Think Jim Thorpe Award. Michael Boganowski, Jaydan Hardy, Eli Bowen, Michael Fasusi, Ryan Fodje, Eddy Pierre-Louis, Javonnie Gibson, Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock all are eligible to return. Danny Okoye, P.J. Adebawore, Elijah Thomas and Zion Kearney are ready for increased roles. Lastly, John Mateer is likely headed back despite saying he’s undecided on Monday night. If a magical run this season isn’t in the cards, perhaps there’s *serious* hope in 2026. 

3. For the first offseason in awhile, you won’t be looking over your back. Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables took a step as a head coach this season. If not for Texas A&M’s Mike Elko, the SEC Coach of the Year would (and should!) likely be headed to Norman. The leaps made this season – and with that schedule– have been dramatic. Dark thoughts that invaded the mind after a home loss to Ole Miss last month are now easier to be dealt with. Hope is fun thing. However it’s more than just hope.

Brent Venables can win games in Knoxville and Tuscaloosa. There’s tangible evidence the roots have grown. The culture around the program is very real. And while morale victories aren’t ever celebrated in Cleveland County, it’s clear the Sooners have their guy. OU fans began the season knowing it was going to be a massive one for Brent Venables but also for the program. The fruits are the last thing you see. 

4. Senior Day brings with it a full circle moment. Which at least for me makes this weekend’s Senior Day festivities so special. The 2022 recruiting class was Venables’ first priority upon taking the job. His pitch to prospects – he was still getting to know on a personal level– came on nothing more than a – albeit sterling– resume and belief that he would help usher in a new era in the Southeastern Conference. While it didn’t happen overnight, this year’s senior group heads into its final regular season game at the Palace with an opportunity to clinch a spot in the college football playoff. A thought that would have been unheard of following the Sooners second 6-7 season in the last three years, capped by a loss to Navy to the Armed Forces Bowl.

But the unique opportunity to clinch at home? And on Senior Day? Unique in today’s world of college athletics for a group that will be remembered as pillars of Venables’ program. Kobie McKinzie, Jaren Kanak, Kip Lewis and Robert Spears-Jennings to name a few. You certainly hope to see them again on Owen Field again after Saturday. But this group has been through hell and back. They could have left. Yet stood strong with unwavering belief in Venables – even when it wasn’t cool. A well-deserved tip of the cap. 

5. Jim Nagy and the Sooners front office are rolling. The recruiting game nowadays isn’t for everyone. I get that. So let me catch you up. OU flipped 4-star running back Jonathan Hatton earlier this week. On Wednesday they flipped coveted Mesquite Horn 3-star safety Markel Ford. For months we talked about success on the field and how it would transfer over into momentum in the recruiting world. All of that is happening now.

The Sooners currently rank No.2 in the country in 2027. The Sooner State is historically loaded with the likes of Cooper Hackett and Kaeden Penny already in. It’s going so well one source indicated this past week OU will have to really start making tough decisions in ‘27 and beyond. That’s a good problem to have. It’s a program prospects want to be a part of. So positive it’s almost uncomfortable for Sooners fans. What do I do with my hands? And when the time comes to make roster decisions, that’s where evaluations made by Nagy’s front office will come into play. They have a superstar in Stacey Ford who is currently serving in the front office as the Director of Player Personnel and Retainment. 

6. The next face of women’s college basketball resides in Norman. Aaliyah Chavez arrived in Norman as the most decorated signee in program history. It’s hard to meet the expectations that come along with being named the unanimous 2025 national player of the year along with accolades that include two-time Gatorade Texas Player of the Year, McDonald’s All-American, and Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit pick. Through her first six games, Chavez is averaging 16.8 points per game, the top scoring mark among all Power Four freshmen who have played five or more games. She is the only freshman in the country to average at least 16.0 points, 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Don’t miss the opportunity to see Chavez and her teammates this season. Jennie Baranczyk and her OU program deserve the attention and support. 

7. Tate Sandell should become the first Lou Groza winner in school history. The resume speaks for itself. But it’s more than just kicking the ball through the uprights. Listen to his head coach and teammates talk about his impact and you find yourself shaking your head. Afterall he is  *juuuuustttt* a placekicker. As for his production? He leads the SEC having made 22 of 23 this season. He’s made a school-record 22 consecutive field goals. He’s 7-for-7 from 50+ yards and has made an OU single season school record 15 field goals of 40-plus yards. His performance in the road win at Tennessee may very well be the best single-game kicking performance in school history. He’s been a weapon for Oklahoma. What a sentence. 

8. It’s almost time to start thinking about diamond sports. It won’t be long before Queen Patty Gasso and Co. are back at Love’s Field. Unfortunate news for the rest of the college softball world, Oklahoma will be back in the national title conversation. The Sooners return 13 players from last year’s WCWS team, including All-Americans Ella Parker, Kasidi Pickering and Gabbie Garcia. Sydney Berzon (LSU) and Miali Guachino (Ole Miss) add experience and depth in the circle. The Sooners have inked the No. 1 recruiting class in 2025 and 2026. They ain’t going anywhere anytime soon.   

9. The Kimrey Family stepped up to the plate and knocked it out of the park. Skip Johnson and the OU baseball program will receive a much-needed upgrade at the park formerly known as L. Dale Mitchell Stadium. With Phase I construction currently underway, Oklahoma’s home digs will start looking the part. On the field, there’s high expectations for Johnson’s club who return 15 players from last year. With a bevy of newcomers that was recognized by a number of national outlets as a top 10 class in the nation. Quietly the OU program has found its footing in the best conference in college baseball. 

10. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I know I’m not the one to be the most serious around here but I want to extend a huge thank you to every single person that helped us raise money for the Boys & Girls Club of Norman. Through your incredible acts of kindness and generosity there will be hundreds of families that are able to provide this holiday season. When I sent out the link on Sunday evening, I figured we’d be able to raise a couple thousand dollars. 48 hours later we had broken the $25,000 mark and it keeps growing. Even for a miserable human like myself, it’s been touching to see the good in so many. 

Perhaps a lesson, after all, to be learned on this day of Thanksgiving. Celebrate your friends and family. Be thankful for your community and favorite sports teams. Eat an extra helping of green bean casserole. This plate is for John Mateer. It could, after all, always be worse. Just ask the now not-so-friendly ghost in Austin.