The One Question Surrounding Oklahoma No One is Talking About

Of the list of questions and concerns surrounding the 2026 Oklahoma Sooners, the following may reside on the bottom tier.

But it's lower placement does not equate to lower importance.

On the contrary, the question's mere existence presents a pivotal fork in the road for the Sooners: Answer the question well, and Oklahoma may enjoy another successful season. Fail to answer the question, and the Sooners will be up against it with a tough schedule.

What is that question? What exactly is the state of the punting game going to be like in 2026?

The last time the issue was addressed, Oklahoma's special teams coordinator Doug Deakin described the offseason battle between the incumbent Grayson Miller and Jacob Ulrich as "neck and neck," while emphasizing that the job was up for grabs even as Oklahoma marched towards the College Football Playoff in 2025.

"I love how much both their mindsets have been and they will continue to compete," Deakin said during spring. "I will be tasked with putting the best guy out there who's going ot help us net 40 yards on every single rep."

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Some who consider themselves addicts of the sport may ask why this is even a question in the first place. Miller is returning in 2026 after earning First Team All-SEC honors a year ago and setting a school record with 24 punts of 50 yards or more. There's little doubt that Miller won't get the nod again, right?

Much like Oklahoma's national championship hopes were dashed in their playoff loss to Alabama last season, Miller's fantastic season ended on a rather sour note.

His inexplicable fumble on a routine punt with little to no pass rush — he simply dropped the football on a rare dry and cool December evening in Norman — set the ingredients in motion for a collapse. Miller also had a bad punt deep in Sooner territory following Oklahoma's fourth-quarter score to cut the deficit to three. After a 32-yard punt, the Crimson Tide put the game away with a quick score off a short field.

That performance at least opened the door for a more exposed battle for the starting punter spot.

Oklahoma Sooners, Grayson Miller — Oklahoma punter Grayson Miller | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

The importance of punting is often lost on most football fans. For many, it's a time to head to the bathroom or grab a drink from the concession stand.

But when Brent Venables is running your program, punting is an extension of defense. Great punting allows an aggressive defense to pin its ears back and create havoc. Strategic punting can mask an offense that struggles to move the ball — like last year's unit.

In 2025, Oklahoma's special teams finished rated No. 33 per ESPN's SP+ rating. They had flirted with a top-15 ranking due to the emergence of Tate Sandell's field goal kicking and Miller's exceptional play during the season.

For OU to have the success they so crave, special teams will need to be a positive factor once again. Whoever wins the starting punting job will need to set up Oklahoma's defense to thrive, or help mask a struggling offense — should that be the case once again.

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