NORMAN - The door cracked open last Friday in Colorado, and Oklahoma is at least aware of what that might mean.
A federal judge’s ruling created the possibility that football players from the class of 2022 who are in NFL training camps could return for another season of college football. Asked Tuesday whether OU would entertain bringing one of those players back, head coach Brent Venables didn’t close the book.
“Anything’s possible,” he said.
That said, Venables also made it clear this isn’t some simple plug-and-play solution. The Sooners are not expecting a wave of familiar faces to walk back through the door, and the timing is far from ideal. Oklahoma has only one open roster spot, and the start of the season is closing in fast - the second or third week would be the likely window for any return, not the first.
The player most likely to fit the bill is defensive tackle Damonic Williams, who is currently in training camp with the Arizona Cardinals. If he did come back, he would help shore up a defensive line that is trying to rebuild around rising juniors David Stone and Jayden Jackson.
Venables said he was enthusiastic when asked about the chance to get Williams back, but he didn’t have a definitive update.
“I think a lot of our success was a lot of guys coming together defensively last year, but none bigger than Dam Williams. It was so remarkable.
In all my years, it doesn’t happen as much, and so I’m going out of my way. That’s what it needs to look like.”
Even with the possibility hanging out there, Venables said Oklahoma’s focus has to stay on the group already in the building. Williams, Bishop Thomas, Tank Carrington, Nigel Smith and T. Carrington were players who earned praise from Venables in the spring, though he said he did not have a very nuanced update on their progress.
Still, Venables sounded encouraged by what he saw across the roster over the summer.
“I think a lot still remains to be seen,” Venables said. “I’m anxious.
I wish I had further depth of evidence to brag on guys. I think we nailed it when it comes to strength gains and the level of consistency during the summer.
The improvement, the confidence that guys have gained. They’ve done a lot of football and the fundamentals and how we do what we do.
Been able to see some of those things. But I want to see it now and I want to see it during the course of the season.”
If the fall camp progress from Oklahoma’s backs doesn’t turn into a stronger depth chart, a reunion could become more realistic. Right now, though, Venables is keeping his attention on the Sooners’ current roster and on Williams’ potential opportunity with the Cardinals.
Venables also said he likes the new NCAA rule the organization has instituted, which limits current and future college athletes to five years for five seasons.
“I think it’s great, I think it simplifies a lot of things,” Venables said. “I think number one for us, it helps from a transfer portal standpoint, so somebody’s not hijacking you with the ‘redshirt year.’ ... It takes that piece out of the equation when it comes to evaluating opportunities for young men and what might happen down the road and whatnot.
“So it creates a little more buy-in, and incentivizes you to be good right where your feet are. So I think that’s great.
And obviously, the NCAA is trying to simplify some of the things from a time slot standpoint, how long guys are in college. So I like the simplicity of it.
It looks a roster management standpoint as well.”
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ESPN analyst Greg McElroy has put Oklahoma in rare company in his latest SEC playoff conversation, grouping the Sooners with Texas, Georgia and Ole Miss in the highest tier of teams he thinks can make a run at the College Football Playoff. The appeal starts with quarterback John Mateer, whom McElroy sees as a player poised to take another step forward, but it also ties into the way Oklahoma has reworked its offense and built around him heading into 2026.
For a program trying to turn preseason optimism into something more substantial, that kind of placement matters. McElroys tiered breakdown separates the true playoff threats from the broader SEC field fighting for bowl eligibility, and Oklahoma landing at the top says plenty about the expectations now attached to Mateer and the Sooners. The bigger question is whether the offense can match the hype when the season starts and the pressure shifts from projection to proof. [Read more 🡒]
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Jones said Harris is expected to be running routes soon, which matters because Oklahoma wants him to complement Isaiah Sategna as a true, pure receiver. Even with fall camp opening, the wider question is less about whether Harris fits and more about how quickly he can get back to full speed and into the mix with enough time to matter. [Read more 🡒]