Brent Venables stood in front of the media on Tuesday as Oklahoma continues their fall camp, just 17 days away until the season opener against Temple.
With fall camp concluding soon and the last days of practice on the rugby field in sight, game preparation will start soon for the No. 16 ranked Sooners.
One of the players who won’t be appearing this season is junior wide receiver Jayden Gibson, who Venables said is out for the year following an injury in practice.
“I’m not gonna get into the details, but it’s about everybody,” Venables told reporters on Tuesday. “We’ve got our bumps and bruises, and we know one player that won’t be back and that’s Jayden Gibson but other than that, just the normal bumps and bruises.”
With Gibson now being done for the season, others now have the chance to step up and take a bigger role. Gibson caught 14 passes for 375 yards and five touchdowns in 2023.
“Hate that for anybody whose season comes to an end prematurely, but that’s a group that we feel really good about,” Venables said.
Guys such as Nic Anderson and Jalil Farooq are now expected to take over as the leaders of the wide receiver room, and guys such as Deion Burks, JJ Hester and Jaquiaze Pettaway will have an opportunity to step up as guys Jackson Arnold can trust in 2024.
Strong depth at cornerback
With key contributors returning such as Gentry Williams and Woodi Washington in the cornerback room, Brent Venables has been impressed with the depth of the position during fall camp.
Several other cornerbacks that could also make an impact to the Sooners in 2024 are Kani Walker, transfer Dez Malone and Jacobe Johnson. Venables mentioned among the guys that have stood out so far in fall camp, Walker is someone who has caught his eye.
“He may have been our most consistent guy so far at corner,” Venables said. “Kani has really picked up where he left off late last year, and is playing really well.”
Venables also mentions young guys such as Eli Bowen, Devon Jordan and Jeremiah Newcombe who have so far shown flashes during their first fall camp.
Given Washington’s ability to move around all over the secondary if someone goes down, the depth of the cornerback room will surely be tested. Venables mentioned that if someone suffers an injury, there will be no drop off in production.
“We have a handful of players that there will be no drop off when a guy goes out,” Venables said. “That’s not across the board, but that’s a handful of guys that can get in the game and go do what you need them to do.”
New guys stepping up on the defensive line
Oklahoma’s revamped defensive line features more depth and talent than it did a year ago.
Some notable additions include five-star freshman David Stone and dynamic TCU transfer Damonic Williams. With seniors Ethan Downs and Da’Jon Terry providing leadership to an otherwise younger group, Venables certainly has options when it comes to playing time.
“I think it can be consistently anywhere between nine and 11 guys,” Venables said. “Based on what we’ve seen, I’ve seen several guys improve from where we were in the spring.”
In order for the defense to reach Venables’ expectations in 2024, consistency and commitment will be the two biggest factors.
“We’ve got to be consistent if we’re going to be something,” Venables said. “Well managed success is going to be really important.”
