Brent Venables was hired at Oklahoma to solve a defensive problem. That part has happened.
The new problem is sitting on the other side of the ball.
The Sooners’ defense has become one of the best units in the SEC and one of the better defenses in the country under Venables. The recruiting picked up on that side, especially along the defensive front, and the pass rush that barely showed up during the Lincoln Riley years suddenly started making life miserable for opposing quarterbacks.
But the offense has gone the opposite direction, and that’s why Oklahoma’s 14-6 win over New Mexico on Saturday night reopened the same old debate: which is more tolerable, a bad offense with a strong defense, or a high-powered offense that can’t keep opponents out of the end zone?
Against the Lobos, the defense did enough to cover for the mistakes. New Mexico got only a field goal out of the two possessions that came after Oklahoma turnovers, and David Stone delivered the kind of impact plays that keep a team alive when everything else is wobbling.
On third-and-goal from the 15 in the second quarter, Stone and Adepoju Adebawore combined for a sack of Toa Fa’avae that forced a field goal. Then, with less than three minutes left and New Mexico facing fourth-and-2 at the OU 17, Stone blew through the backfield and stopped Scottre Humphrey for a loss to basically seal it.
That kind of defensive performance looks a lot different from what Oklahoma was dealing with before Venables arrived. Under Mike Stoops, six games of Ruffin McNeil and three seasons of Alex Grinch, the Sooners never found a real answer on that side of the ball.
During Riley’s five seasons as head coach, Oklahoma was never worse than sixth nationally in points per game, but it also finished inside the top 60 in points allowed per game only once. In 2020, under Grinch, the Sooners were 29th in points allowed at 21.7 per game.
Once Riley left for USC after the 2021 season and took Grinch with him, defense became the mission. It took a little time, especially with players mostly recruited under the previous staff, but the turnaround has been clear. Oklahoma climbed from 99th in points allowed in 2022 to 49th in 2023, then 29th in 2024 and seventh last season.
Through three games this year, the numbers still look strong. Oklahoma is 11th in points allowed and has given up just 23 points total.
“Man, they really responded and saved our butt,” Venables said after the latest offensive mess.
The offense, though, has been sliding for a while. After dropping to 33rd in scoring in 2022, the Sooners bounced back to fourth in 2023 under Jeff Lebby with Dillon Gabriel at quarterback. Drake Stoops, Nic Anderson and Jalil Farooq gave Gabriel different options in the passing game, while Gavin Sawchuk and Tawee Walker combined for more than 1,200 rushing yards.
Then Lebby left, Gabriel transferred, and the whole thing unraveled. Oklahoma fell to 97th in scoring in 2024, finished 79th last season and is hovering around that same range again this year, even after opening with 51 points against UTEP.
That leaves Venables and Oklahoma stuck in a familiar but different kind of tension. The ideal is obvious: offense and defense working together, the “complimentary football” Venables talks about all the time. But right now, the Sooners are leaning on a defense that can rescue them while the offense searches for anything reliable.
Under Riley, Oklahoma could at least count on the fireworks. The Sooners were putting up video-game numbers, winning Heisman Trophies and making the playoff in the four-team era, even if the defense often couldn’t get off the field. Those games were stressful, but they were rarely dull.
This version is tougher to watch. Three-and-outs, turnovers and a ground game that can’t get traction are a harder sell than a shootout. The only upside is that these games don’t last nearly as long.
In Other News...
Kirby Smart Just Put Oklahomas Brent Venables Defense In The Spotlight
Ahead of a matchup that already carries plenty of weight, Georgia coach Kirby Smart made sure to put Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables in the conversation for all the right reasons. Smart pointed to Venables reputation as a top-tier defensive mind and the history between the two coaches from Venables Clemson days, a reminder that this meeting is as much about elite game-planning as it is about the records each team brings in.
For Oklahoma, that kind of public praise only adds to the spotlight on Venables unit, which will be tested by one of the sports most familiar and demanding opponents. The Sooners have a chance to show that their defense can travel against a Georgia program that expects to dictate terms, and the buildup only sharpens the significance of whats coming next. [Read more 🡒]
John Mateer Heard The Boos With Georgia Up Next
John Mateer didnt need anyone to explain the frustration inside the stadium Saturday. Oklahomas quarterback said he heard the boos after two early interceptions against New Mexico, and while the Sooners still came away with a 14-6 win, the first-year signal-caller clearly knows the margin for error shrinks fast when the competition gets better. He settled in enough to finish with a 76% completion rate, 238 yards and two touchdowns, but the early mistakes were impossible to ignore.
Now the attention turns quickly to a much bigger test with No. 2 Georgia coming to town. For Oklahoma, the win over New Mexico was enough to survive, not enough to feel comfortable, and Mateers ability to clean up the giveaways will loom large against a defense that wont be nearly as forgiving. The Sooners got the result they needed, but the next one is where the conversation gets serious. [Read more 🡒]
Peyton Bowen Knows What Oklahoma Must Fix Before SEC Play
Oklahoma came away with a 14-6 win over New Mexico, and the defense did most of the heavy lifting while the offense labored and several defensive starters were unavailable. Safety Peyton Bowen was one of the standouts in that effort, putting together a strong day in coverage and nearly turning a pass into a touchdown the other way, a reminder that the Sooners still have playmakers on that side of the ball even as the season tightens.
Bowen also pointed to the younger defenders who were forced into bigger roles and said the group stayed connected even when the offense gave the ball away. That matters with SEC play looming, because Oklahoma cant count on a performance like this every week if the offense keeps putting the defense in tough spots. The Sooners got the result they needed, but Bowens bigger message was clear: the margin for error gets much smaller from here. [Read more 🡒]