This is not the preview of the Sooners I expected to be writing one year ago. Of course, nobody expected Lincoln Riley to bolt for Southern Cal last December either, taking several players with him as well. New Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables only has ten returning starters, which means that Norman is undergoing a much bigger rebuilding project than anybody suspected last fall.
It is, however, Oklahoma...so there is talent there. It just isn’t experienced talent at this point. Last year, Oklahoma had nine players named to the preseason all-Big XII team; in 2022, only one, punter Michael Turk.