Oklahoma's Defensive Togetherness — on the Field

NORMAN — In the middle of an answer to a question about linebacker Owen Heinecke on Tuesday, Oklahoma coach Brent Venables offered some insight into the reasons for the Sooners’ defensive success thus far in 2025.

“He understands how he fits into his role and everybody around him,” Venables said ahead of Saturday’s game at Temple (11 a.m., ESPN2). “That’s why he plays aggressive, because he knows I’ve got to come under that block because the safety’s outside of me so he can shoot his gun really fast (in a) really fast, explosive way. … He knows, within the system, that’s where I fit. He looks extra fast and he looks like he knows what play’s coming.”

In the fourth season under Venables, Oklahoma’s defense continues to improve.

Though it’s a small sample size with just two games under their belts, the Sooners have allowed just 176 passing yards through two games — the fewest passing yards allowed through two games by an Oklahoma team since way back in 1998.

“What I’ve appreciated is the volume of work that this defense has committed to, both what’s required and what’s not required,” Venables said. “... What’s required is never enough. These guys have been willing to do more than what’s required over a long period of time. Now, the challenge of the season is, ‘OK, you’ve had a little success. Your willingness to go right back at it with the same passion, with the same detail, with the same energy, with the same hunger, with the same toughness.”

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The Sooners’ defensive resurgence under Venables has been easy to notice, after years of struggle at the tail end of the second Mike Stoops era and under Alex Grinch.

Venables was brought in to give Oklahoma defensive teeth again and balance things out better.

The results have been unmistakable.

After allowing 461 yards per game in 2022, the Sooners allowed 389.4 in 2023 and 318.2 last season.

The biggest difference has been on the back end of the defense.

Oklahoma gave up 273.5 yards per game through the air in Venables’ first season before improving to 250.8 in 2023 and 203.2 last season.

While recruiting success has been a big piece of that, it’s also been keyed on developing talent and building a defensive culture.

“There’s a lot of guys — we have seven on defense that this is year four — so they’ve been through some pain,” Venables said. “You’ve gone through what they’ve gone through, I don’t think you walk the same. I think they’ve grown and matured through that process.”

Part of the fundamental change there is conducting not only meetings among position groups but the Sooners’ daily meeting of the back seven defensively.

That, Venables said, allows players to see things from a holistic perspective, learning not only where they’re expected to be lined up in every situation but why that alignment and those responsibilities are crucial to the overall success of the defense.”

“I think you’re seeing more and more guys like Owen that are playing in a fast, sure kind of way,” Venables said.

But though Michigan was a big challenge, things only get more difficult from here.

The advantage with the Wolverines, Venables said, was that the defense had plenty of time in the offseason to start working on some specifics from the Michigan offense.

Now, Oklahoma will have to work faster to adjust to how offenses attack its defense week to week.

“They’re not satisfied,” Venables said of the defense. “They’ve got long-term vision of what they wanna accomplish. I don’t think they have their head in the sand. They value the success has come from the work.”