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Positions Oklahoma Needs to Shore Up Before Next Fall

The Sooners must make big improvements to make the type of jump the team wants to make in 2023.
Ross Lovelace|
Positions Oklahoma Needs to Shore Up Before Next Fall
Positions Oklahoma Needs to Shore Up Before Next Fall

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Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma’s offseason will go a long way in determining the Sooners’ on-field success next fall. So far, so good, as Oklahoma has shored up several positions through the transfer portal and signed an elite recruiting class.

The team did go 6-7 on the season, though, leaving much to be desired and plenty of holes to be filled. Oklahoma’s lack of execution will open the door for a lot of position battles next season.

There's still time to add impact players through the portal and develop breakout stars in the Spring. Here are a few positions surrounded with question marks that could be the deciding factor in Oklahoma's 2023 campaign:

Cheetah

Brent Venables spent a good portion of the off-season explaining the ‘Cheetah’ position to both the fans and media. DaShaun White eventually won that battle, and progressed more and more as the season wore on. Now, looking ahead to next fall, White is out of eligibility and the Sooners, once again, have questions at Venables’ signature spot.

Indiana transfer Dasan McCullough’s name has been thrown around as a possible candidate for White’s replacement. He spent a good amount of time rushing the passer for the Hoosiers but is mobile enough to drop back into coverage. Jaren Kanak stepped in to play the position on multiple occasions during his freshman season, too, and certainly showed promise. The talent is there, the experience is what’s lacking.

Special Teams

The special teams unit seems to be an all-around question mark for the Sooners. Zach Schmit is still a young kicker still but didn’t quite get the job done in 2022, hitting just 12-of-18 of his field goal tries. Oklahoma’s punter, Michael Turk, has been the team’s source of consistency for the past two seasons, and now his familiar face is gone too.

Aside from the kicking units, the Sooners are still waiting on Marvin Mims’ decision on the NFL, and his departure could impact more than just the offense. Adding to the uncertainty, Oklahoma may have to replace its punt returner and kick returner if Mims declares for the NFL draft.

The Sooners added transfer punter Luke Elzinga through the portal, but outside of that addition, the special teams unit needs help across the board. A consistent kicker and an electric return man would be a gift for Brent Venables.

Defensive Line

The main spot of concern on the defensive line is, once again, the interior. Are the Sooners big enough to win in the trenches?

Oklahoma received solid news on the defensive line front, as veteran Isaiah Coe announced his intentions to return to Norman for one last season. His potential has been on display, and Coe seems like a player that could potentially break out.

Both Jalen Redmond and Jeffery Johnson declared for the draft, leaving depth holes for Oklahoma to fill. The Sooners already added Notre Dame transfer Jacob Lacey in the portal, but OU should still be on the hunt for interior depth. 

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Ross Lovelace
ROSS LOVELACE

Ross has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Oklahoma Sooners since 2018. He's made guest appearances on various radio stations and the Sooners On SI podcast. Ross enjoys public speaking and has done so at multiple churches and high schools across the OKC metro area. In addition to writing, Ross has been the Play-by-Play announcer for Crossings’ basketball and football programs since 2020. In high school, Ross started with Thunder Digest, where he discovered his passion for writing. From there, he worked for the OU Daily as a women's basketball reporter and worked for Sooners On SI and Thunder On SI. Ross holds a bachelor's degree in Public Relations and a minor in Communication from the University of Oklahoma. Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Ross played basketball and wrote for his own Thunder blog at Crossings High School in OKC. He enjoys reading, New York Jets football and a week at the beach. Ross and his wife live in New Orleans, where he is a Marketing and Volunteer Coordinator at the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and the New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee. His Twitter handle is @Rosslovelace.

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