Oklahoma's Defensive Turnaround Can Serve as Blueprint for Ben Arbuckle's Offense

NORMAN — Oklahoma’s defense has been rebuilt in Brent Venables’ vision.

Despite a terrible 2024 season for the program, the defense returned to a unit that could help the Sooners win, rather than merely hoping OU wouldn’t lose because of the defense.

As the No. 18-ranked Sooners prepare to kick off 2025 on Saturday against Illinois State, Venables’ defense is in position to take another step forward.

And they’re doing it through retention and development.

Of the 22 players listed in OU’s Week 1 defensive two-deep, only defensive end Marvin Jones Jr., defensive tackle Damonic Williams and linebacker Kendel Daniels are transfers.

Oklahoma Sooners, Brent Venables and Damonic Williams — Oklahoma defensive tackle Damonic Williams transferred from TCU to play for Brent Venables. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Every other player was signed by the Sooners out of high school, fulfilling a goal laid out by Venables when Joe Castiglione brought him back to Oklahoma.

“It’s foundational. I think it’s something that, for us, if we want to build a great program, it looks like that,” Venables said on Tuesday. “… No roster is gonna be immune from some disruption, but less is more in this regard, and I think that side of the ball in particular is a great example of what we want it to look like for the football program as a whole.”

Billy Bowman won a starting job for the Atlanta Falcons, but OU had former 5-star Peyton Bowen and sophomore Reggie Powers III ready to take over at safety.

Redshirt junior Kobie McKinzie and junior Sammy Omosigho are prepared to step into Danny Stutsman’s shoes after the talismanic linebacker moved on to bolster the New Orleans Saints’ roster.

Defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis brought Jones in to help replace the production of Ethan Downs, but redshirt sophomore Taylor Wein’s development has been praised by coaches and players alike this offseason.

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“There are no shortcuts, as we know, so recruiting young men that understand this is a developmental game is an important piece,” Venables said.

Still, the Sooners haven’t shied away from giving gametime to deserving underclassmen.

Defensive tackle Jayden Jackson and cornerback Eli Bowen both became crucial parts of the 2024 defense as true freshmen, showing recruits that youth is no barrier to playing time under Venables.

Oklahoma Sooners, Jayden Jackson — Oklahoma defensive tackle Jayden Jackson celebrates after making a play against Alabama. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With Oklahoma’s defense looking rebuilt, the task for Venables is to turn the other side of the ball around.

He brought in Washington State offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and quarterback John Mateer to lead that charge.

The Sooners will lean on a mix of youth and transfers in hopes of getting back to the caliber of offense OU fans have grown to expect over the past 25 years, but the goal is to have the offense replicate the continuity enjoyed by Oklahoma’s defense soon.

“I’ve talked about it nonstop since I’ve been here,” said Venables, “your best players should be playing their best ball at the end, not at the beginning, at the end of their collegiate career.

“… How they think, how they act, how they play, their physicality, their mental toughness, speed of the game, all of those things should be in their favor with the more experience they have.

“… I think the evolution of the defense, where it’s come from, where it was, it has been tremendous.”