At Oklahoma, Tough Times Laid the Foundation for a Bright Future: 'We’re Scarred Up'

ORLANDO — A significant faction of Sooner Nation has sounded the alarm about Oklahoma finishing 6-7 this season.

A losing record? At OU? Unthinkable.

Yet, that’s the reality.

Now, following Thursday’s 35-32 loss to No. 13 Florida State in the Cheez-It Bowl at Camping World Stadium, Oklahoma must turn its attention to the future.

And by all accounts, the future looks fairly bright.

“I think the foundation’s been laid,” said linebacker Danny Stutsman. “We know what it takes. Next year we’re coming in, as soon as we get back on campus, the work starts there. We’re not gonna let something like this happen again.”

It was certainly in the Sooners’ control this year. Five of their seven losses were by a touchdown or less. Four of the five were by a field goal. One more stop, one more third-down conversion, one less penalty and OU’s record would be so much better.

“We know the work we put in, we know the time we put in, we know the coaches that we have,” said safety Billy Bowman. “Everybody’s mentality, we know who we are but we keep coming up short. Once we get that figured out, it can only get better. It can’t get worse. It will only get better.”

“I think it was a lesson for the young guys,” said cornerback Woodi Washington. “I mean, as far as the seniors, we've been in those games and we came up with the victory in most of them. This year, I mean, we couldn't get the job done in all of them and — things happen. I think it was just a learning point for everybody. Especially the young guys on how not to lose or how not to win maybe. I think it was a huge lesson for everybody.”

The way everyone is approaching 2023: hard times from a 6-7 season will produce bountiful fruit in the future.

“We’re scarred up,” Stutsman said. “That’s the best way to put it. But we’re stronger for those moments and those lessons.”

In his first go-round as a head coach, Brent Venables experienced plenty of lows. But he thinks those lows created a new foundation, a strong one, upon which the program’s culture can be rebuilt.

Winning in year one would have been nice, but it didn’t happen. But the future is coming, and the 2023 season will get here whether the Sooners mope around or double their efforts.

“This is a performance-based profession, and people on the outside are going to judge us on that,” Venables acknowledged. “Winning is incredibly important, and those are the standards and expectations that are here at Oklahoma.”

Venables said he saw plenty of characteristics Thursday night against the Seminoles that lead him to believe the future will be bright.

“Guts, courage, fight, physicality, attitude, belief, commitment, trust, love, respect,” Venables said. “I saw brotherhood. I saw guys that had an appreciation for their opportunity. Guys that had a thankfulness for putting on a Sooner uniform.

“Part of the hurt and the disappointment … is this program has represented excellence for such a long time. There are so many people, they want to turn the Sooners on, and the Sooners give them hope. The Sooners give them joy. The Sooners give them pride. When you come up short, man, there is some disappointment.”

There are essentially two kinds of player at Oklahoma right now.

One consists mainly of departing seniors and upperclassmen who squirmed through the end of the Lincoln Riley era and then doubled their fists and set their jaw and fought to keep things going in Venables’ first season.

“All our senior class,” said defensive coordinator Ted Roof. “We’ve leaned on those guys’ leadership through some ups and downs, some tough times. And they’ve never flinched. And I respect that and admire that and appreciate that.”

Then there are young, inexperienced, feisty newcomers and first-time starters who are eager to seize their opportunity and make their own legacy. That group includes a recruiting class that’s ranked No. 5 in the nation, according to 247 Sports.

As for the future, young players like Jalil Farooq, Gavin Sawchuk, Jovantae Barnes, Savion Byrd, Jacob Sexton and many others took enormous strides this season and in December and have something tangible to build on.

“I think for the guys coming back,” said offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, “we’ve got a bunch of pieces of the puzzle. A bunch of guys that are in that locker room and coming back will play at a high level next year. For them, it's just understanding it's one day at a time, being better every single day — and, at the end of the day, how fragile of a game it is. From being on the right side and the wrong side and being able to have a happy locker room or not, I think that's what we've come to find out more than anything.”

“Guys grew up,” said tight end Brayden Willis, “and we saw that in this game. The foundation has been set and I'm excited what Coach Venables is building here. … But I'm so proud of the guys. I know they're going to continue to do big things, guys are going to continue to grow up, and it's just going to go up from here.”

“The program is moving in a great direction,” Washington said. “So for us to come out with this, even though we lost the game, it's just a learning point for everybody. I can't wait till next year and see what we have in store.”

“Every week, after all those tough losses, we go into the film room and we watch the film and we’re just a play here or a play there,” said senior offensive lineman Robert Congel. “You know, a block here. They're close. The future’s definitely bright for this program.”

“We have new coaches and a whole new thing trying to get built here,” said Bowman. “It’s going to rain before it shines. This year it rained. It’s not what we wanted and not what we expected. But it’s only going up from here.”

“It stinks that’s the way it came out,” Stutsman said. “But the foundation’s been laid. We know what we’re building. We have faith, and I would hope the fans do as well.”