Oklahoma’s 2026 schedule is loaded with returning quarterbacks, and that may end up being the real test of the season.
The Sooners do have one of their own in John Mateer, and with Brent Venables still steering the defense, OU’s ceiling will again be tied closely to how far Mateer can carry the offense. But the bigger issue is the other side of the ball. Oklahoma is staring at one of the toughest slates in the country, and maybe one of the toughest in school history, with experienced quarterbacks lined up all over it.
Seven SEC teams, including Oklahoma, are bringing back their starting quarterback from the previous year. The Sooners are scheduled to face every one of them. That means facing not just continuity, but proven passers with big ceilings - potential Heisman Trophy candidates, future NFL first round picks and dynamic athletes.
Among Oklahoma’s nine conference opponents, only Florida, Kentucky and Missouri are not entering 2026 with that same quarterback continuity. Even Missouri, which OU meets in the regular season finale, will have Austin Simmons, who has played in 17 games and started two at Ole Miss.
The non-conference slate isn’t exactly a breather either. Oklahoma’s biggest game outside the SEC will come against returning starter Bryce Underwood.
That leaves Venables and his defense with the kind of schedule that can define a season. The hope in Norman is that Mateer takes a step forward, but the results may come down just as much to how well Venables handles the experienced quarterbacks waiting on the other side.
There is at least some reason for confidence. In four seasons as Oklahoma’s head coach, Venables has already spent plenty of time dealing with returning starters from conference and Power Four opponents, and his teams are 8-7 in those matchups. That number takes a hit from the 1-3 mark in 2022, but the broader picture is more encouraging.
In 2023, Oklahoma saw four returning quarterbacks and beat three of them, including eventual NFL Draft pick Quinn Ewers. The next year, in a 6-7 season, the Sooners went 3-3 against six returning quarterbacks. And last season, LaNorris Sellers was the lone returning quarterback Oklahoma faced; Venables’ defense handled him as well as could reasonably be asked.
Oklahoma will see Sellers again for the third straight year when South Carolina comes to Norman on Halloween. The Sooners’ schedule also includes Trinidad Chambliss, Arch Manning and Marcel Reed, a group that gives plenty of people a reason to look at 2026 with skepticism.
But that challenge is exactly why Venables was hired to build this defense into what it is now. His reputation is built on constant pressure and a barrage of looks from every angle, the kind of scheme that forces quarterbacks to think fast and survive even faster.
The assumption is simple enough: if a quarterback has already seen Venables before, he should be better prepared for it. The numbers don’t fully support that theory. Oklahoma’s 8-7 record against returning quarterbacks is mixed, and even if you toss out 2022’s rough 1-3 showing, last year’s 3-3 mark against experienced passers suggests Venables’ defense can still hold its own against quarterbacks who know what’s coming.
In Other News...
Gerald McCoy Just Reignited Oklahomas Most Polarizing QB Debate
Gerald McCoy just put a fresh jolt into one of Oklahoma footballs favorite barroom arguments, and he did it by naming Caleb Williams as the quarterback he would take for a program today. The former All-Americans choice puts Williams in the same conversation with Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts, a group that gives the Sooners no shortage of star power to compare across eras.
McCoys view was rooted in Williams athleticism and versatility, traits that helped make his lone season in Norman impossible to ignore. Even in a brief stay, Williams left a lasting impression on Oklahoma fans, and the debate around where he fits in the programs quarterback hierarchy is only going to get louder whenever one of these names comes back into the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Brent Venables Just Landed A Massive Defensive Commitment For 2027
A major early piece is in place for Oklahomas 2027 recruiting class, with another highly regarded defender giving Brent Venables staff a marquee addition to build around. The Sooners have landed a prospect who sits among the nations top 100 in multiple recruiting services, a profile that says as much about his ceiling as it does about the level of programs chasing him.
For Oklahoma, the appeal goes beyond rankings. The staff sees a defensive piece who can fit multiple spots in Venables scheme, with safety and cheetah both on the table as he develops. It also gives the Sooners another strong marker in a class that is starting to stack blue-chip talent, and one more reason for the rest of the country to keep watching how this group comes together. [Read more 🡒]
David Stone Is Suddenly Facing Oklahomas Biggest Defensive Question
David Stones progress from his first season to his second gave Oklahoma something to feel good about along the defensive line. The former five-star recruit was far more active in Year 2, finishing with 42 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks after a quieter debut, and that kind of jump is exactly why the Sooners still view him as a cornerstone piece up front.
Gerald McCoy sees the same upward trend and thinks Stone is close to a different level altogether. The former Sooner has pointed to Stones ability to move from simply being a good player to becoming a dominant defensive lineman, and that is where Oklahomas biggest question now starts to form - whether Stone is ready to own a much bigger piece of the defense when the pressure rises next season. [Read more 🡒]