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What went wrong for OU football and how can it be fixed for 2025?

Online Niel November 18, 2024

NORMAN — In what has become a lost season for OU, barring a surprise finish, there are no shortage of problem areas for Earlier in 2024.

Most of the problems came on the offensive end.

Heading into Week 12 action, Earlier they were 117th nationally in total offense with just 326.8 yards per game.

Last season’s team averaged nearly that (324.8 yards per game) through the air alone.

So with OU bye, we take a look at the five biggest things that went wrong for the Sooners this season and five ways they need to fix their problems in the offseason.

Five things that went wrong for OU

1. The wrong choice of quarterback

Sooners coach Brent Venables said he didn’t know Dillon Gabriel would consider transferring to another college and didn’t know he would have the chance convince Gabriel to stay.

But while the plan was for Gabriel to leave after the 2023 season and for Jackson Arnold to take over, Gabriel’s success should have had Venables and his staff doing everything they could to keep Gabriel.

With Gabriel, the Sooners would have been a more attractive option for offensive transfers and could have helped cover some deficiencies on offense.

Yes, it could have meant Arnold transferring, but that’s the reality of college football these days, and Arnold could be gone after this season anyway.

The Sooners’ quarterback situation — and Gabriel’s success so far this season — is yet another indication that it’s better to stick with the known vs. the unknown.

— Ryan Aber, staff writer

2. Promotion of Seth Littrell

It goes hand in hand with the first.

Seth Littrell and Arnold had a strong relationship, so it made sense for Venables to promote the offensive analyst to coordinator.

Littrell had a strong track record, though he also had never coached quarterbacks, and the Sooners needed a strong quarterbacks coach with not only Arnold, but also freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. in the hall.

Maybe without other factors, Littrell could have been successful, but the offense was a mess with him calling plays.

Going out and getting an experienced offensive coordinator probably wouldn’t have made the biggest difference right away, but not doing it seems to have left the Sooners behind a year.

— Ryan Aber, staff writer

3. The offensive line missed in the transfer portal

OU’s offensive line was one of the biggest concerns heading into the season.

With Andrew Raym, Tyler Guyton, Walter Rouse and McKade Mettauer all leaving for the next level and Cayden Green and Savion Byrd transferring, the Sooners needed a quick infusion of talent in the trenches.

So OU added USC’s Michael Tarquin, North Texas’ Febechi Nwaiwu, Washington’s Geirean Hatchett and Michigan State’s Spencer Brown.

For various reasons, rebuilding the portal didn’t work.

Hatchett was injured in the season opener and lost for the season, Brown was mostly a disappointment, Nwaiwu was up and down, though at least available every game, and Tarquin was the best of the bunch – but this is more of an indictment for others. than an indication that his addition worked harmoniously.

– Ryan Aber, staff writer

4. Wide receiver corps dazed by injuries

Jayden Gibson’s injury was the first domino to fall, but at the time it looked like OU might take a hit at the wide receiver position.

It looked like the deepest group on the team, with Jalil Farooq and Nic Anderson returning after strong seasons in 2023, Andrel Anthony seemingly on schedule to return after being hurt against Texas last season and Deion Burks transferring from Purdue.

But one by one, those receivers went down injured.

Anderson and Anthony appeared in one game each, Farooq played in the second against Missouri and Burks appeared in just five.

No OU player has more than 39 catches for 299 yards and no wide receiver has more than Burks’ 31 catches for 245 yards.

The freshmen haven’t been able to expand their roles outside of Jacob Jordan’s late emergence.

With all the injuries, the Sooners haven’t been able to throw much over the middle of the field.

— Ryan Aber, staff writer

5. Gavin Sawchuk’s Lost Season

Gavin Sawchuk was excellent in the last half of last season, with five straight games of 100 yards or more to end the year.

Sawchuk’s combination of speed and power made him a seemingly No. 1 running back. 1 clear for the Sooners, especially with Jovantae Barnes coming off a season of health struggles and Tawee Walker gone to Wisconsin.

But while Barnes bounced back nicely, Sawchuk was a non-factor.

He has just 20 carries for 42 yards despite not being healthy until the last four games in which he was sidelined.

But clearly something else happened with Sawchuk, who averaged 6.2 yards per carry last season but is averaging just 2.1 yards per carry this season.

— Ryan Aber, staff writer

Five ways to fix the Sooners

1. Hire the right offensive coordinator

There’s no doubt that Brent Venables missed out with the hirings of Seth Littrell as offensive coordinator and Joe Jon Finley as co-offensive coordinator.

You could understand the rationale for wanting continuity for young quarterback Jackson Arnold with Littrell, a captain on the 2000 national title team, but the Sooners haven’t hired a quarterbacks coach. Venables now has the opportunity to embark on a national search and try to find the right fit.

OU athletics director Joe Castiglione said the search will be “as open as it needs to be.” Venables said following Littrell’s firing that he “might care less about the OU ties” when making a decision on who to hire next.

Who could be on Venables’ shortlist?

Tulane’s Joe Craddock worked at Clemson with Venables and called games in the SEC at Arkansas. Brennan Marion spent one season with Steve Sarkisian at Texas and UNLV’s offense, and Georgia Tech’s Buster Faulkner won two national titles in three seasons as an offensive quality control assistant for Georgia’s quarterbacks.

A dream candidate would be Indiana’s Mike Shanahan, but convincing him to leave head coach Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers would be difficult.

The market for offensive coordinators will be thin due to job security, but Venables’ future could hinge on whether he walks away from this hire.

— Colton Sulley, staff writer

2. Figure out a defender’s situation

The Sooners bet their future on Arnold.

Arnold was benched in Michael Hawkins Jr.’s fourth start of the regular season. before taking the reins back a few weeks later. But after last week’s loss at Missouri, where Arnold continued his turnover struggles, some wonder if he could ever be OU’s answer.

That is, if he even wants to come back.

Arnold committed 11 turnovers during his short Sooners career. Opposing teams scored a total of 44 points on eight Arnold turnovers.

As for Hawins, time will tell if he wants to stick around after everything that’s happened this season. If Arnold leaves, does OU go after a transfer portal quarterback to start and continue to develop Hawkins?

Hiring an offensive coordinator who could bring in his quarterback or has a quarterback in mind is seemingly the Sooners’ best bet.

— Colton Sulley, staff writer

3. Keep and develop young offensive referees, find success in the portal

OU sniffed offensive linemen in the transfer window last season and it showed throughout this season.

If the Sooners can keep players fully healthy before next season and continue to develop young players like Eddy Pierre-Louis and Heath Ozaeta, the unit could be much improved next season. If offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh can keep Michael Fasusi and Ryan Fodje in OU’s 2025 class, they could even contribute next season as talented freshmen.

As it stands, the Sooners should probably go big hunting at a left tackle in the slot.

— Colton Sulley, staff writer

4. Add a transfer portal for fast pass

As solid as OU’s defense has played this season, it still lacks a consistent passing force that other SEC programs boast.

Facing strong offensive lines every week proved difficult for the Sooners.

OU will lose a lot of their production on defense next season and will need to make some new additions.

— Colton Sulley, staff writer

5. Improve the secondary

Speaking of positions that need improvement.

The Sooners’ secondary, expected to be one of the deepest groups, has been one of the team’s most inconsistent positions in 2024. OU’s cornerbacks have struggled mightily against SEC passing attacks like Mississippi and Texas.

The Sooners struck gold with true freshman cornerback Eli Bowen, but will need young players like Jaydan Hardy to take the next step next season.

OU has talent on the depth chart in the secondary, but will likely make some portal acquisitions to add experience next season, especially with Billy Bowman gone.

— Colton Sulley, staff writer

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What went wrong for OU football and how can it be fixed for 2025?