By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
SicEmSports continues its look at Baylor’s 2022 opponents. Game 9 is in Norman, OK against Oklahoma.
Much has changed with the Sooners over the last year. New head coach. New starting quarterback. But blue bloods always receive the benefit of the doubt. They are ranked No. 9 in both the AP and Coaches polls, one spot ahead of Baylor in each. However, Oklahoma is rated second in the media preseason Big 12 poll behind Baylor.
This could be the first of two meetings between these two that could influence who wins the Big 12. Baylor overpowered Oklahoma in Waco last year, 27-14.
Opponent: Oklahoma
Head Coach: Brent Venables (1st season)
2021 Record: 11-2, 7-2 (Defeated Oregon in the Alamo Bowl, 47-32)
Conference Affiliation: Big 12
Record vs. Baylor: Oklahoma leads, 27-4
Returning Starters: 4 offense, 5 defense
Offensive Formation: One-back
Defensive Formation: 4-3
Key Returners: WR Marvin Mims, LT Anton Harrison, C Andrew Raym, DT Jalen Redmond, CB Woodi Washington, LB DaShaun White
For a blue blood that has been a mark of stability – even when it’s gone through coaching changes – what Oklahoma went through the week after Thanksgiving 2021 through the next month was extraordinary.
Lincoln Riley was wined and dined by USC and headed to Los Angeles. Several stars from that team followed him including QB Caleb Williams. The other starter Spencer Rattler moved on to South Carolina.
Connected to many jobs over the years, Venables finally ceded his DC job at Clemson and returned to Norman where he was the DC for the 2000 National Championship team.
He returned and quickly had to rebuild a roster and find a quarterback who could keep the Sooners a contender. Enter UCF transfer Dillon Gabriel who has thrown for more than 8,000 yards but has dealt with injuries. That’s where new OC and former Baylor RB coach Jeff Lebby has to make the difference.
The running game needs improvement between Tennessee transfer Eric Gray, who was decent but not great in 2021, and Marcus Major.
There also needs to be another playmaker at receiver besides Mims. Could that be Theo Wease? Is that Missouri transfer J.J. Hester?
The defense added four portal transfers including two across the front in Hawaii’s Jonah La’ulu and Tulane’s Jeffery Johnson. Oklahoma’s defense was average last year allowing 400 yards and 26 points per game. DC Ted Roof is a long-established coach in the college game. He was a defensive analyst at Clemson and came with Venables.
If Gabriel translates his game from the G5 level to the P5 level and the defense returns to what it had been prior to 2021, the Sooners should be contending again.
2022 Schedule
Sept. 3 vs. UTEP
Sept. 10 vs. Kent State
Sept. 17 at Nebraska
Sept. 24 vs. Kansas State
Oct. 1 at TCU
Oct. 8 vs. Texas (Cotton Bowl, Dallas)
Oct. 15 vs. Kansas
Oct. 29 at Iowa State
Nov. 5 vs. Baylor
Nov. 12 at West Virginia
Nov. 19 vs. Oklahoma State
Nov. 26 at Texas Tech
Publisher
SicEmSports continues its look at Baylor’s 2022 opponents. Game 9 is in Norman, OK against Oklahoma.
Much has changed with the Sooners over the last year. New head coach. New starting quarterback. But blue bloods always receive the benefit of the doubt. They are ranked No. 9 in both the AP and Coaches polls, one spot ahead of Baylor in each. However, Oklahoma is rated second in the media preseason Big 12 poll behind Baylor.
This could be the first of two meetings between these two that could influence who wins the Big 12. Baylor overpowered Oklahoma in Waco last year, 27-14.
Opponent: Oklahoma
Head Coach: Brent Venables (1st season)
2021 Record: 11-2, 7-2 (Defeated Oregon in the Alamo Bowl, 47-32)
Conference Affiliation: Big 12
Record vs. Baylor: Oklahoma leads, 27-4
Returning Starters: 4 offense, 5 defense
Offensive Formation: One-back
Defensive Formation: 4-3
Key Returners: WR Marvin Mims, LT Anton Harrison, C Andrew Raym, DT Jalen Redmond, CB Woodi Washington, LB DaShaun White
For a blue blood that has been a mark of stability – even when it’s gone through coaching changes – what Oklahoma went through the week after Thanksgiving 2021 through the next month was extraordinary.
Lincoln Riley was wined and dined by USC and headed to Los Angeles. Several stars from that team followed him including QB Caleb Williams. The other starter Spencer Rattler moved on to South Carolina.
Connected to many jobs over the years, Venables finally ceded his DC job at Clemson and returned to Norman where he was the DC for the 2000 National Championship team.
He returned and quickly had to rebuild a roster and find a quarterback who could keep the Sooners a contender. Enter UCF transfer Dillon Gabriel who has thrown for more than 8,000 yards but has dealt with injuries. That’s where new OC and former Baylor RB coach Jeff Lebby has to make the difference.
The running game needs improvement between Tennessee transfer Eric Gray, who was decent but not great in 2021, and Marcus Major.
There also needs to be another playmaker at receiver besides Mims. Could that be Theo Wease? Is that Missouri transfer J.J. Hester?
The defense added four portal transfers including two across the front in Hawaii’s Jonah La’ulu and Tulane’s Jeffery Johnson. Oklahoma’s defense was average last year allowing 400 yards and 26 points per game. DC Ted Roof is a long-established coach in the college game. He was a defensive analyst at Clemson and came with Venables.
If Gabriel translates his game from the G5 level to the P5 level and the defense returns to what it had been prior to 2021, the Sooners should be contending again.
2022 Schedule
Sept. 3 vs. UTEP
Sept. 10 vs. Kent State
Sept. 17 at Nebraska
Sept. 24 vs. Kansas State
Oct. 1 at TCU
Oct. 8 vs. Texas (Cotton Bowl, Dallas)
Oct. 15 vs. Kansas
Oct. 29 at Iowa State
Nov. 5 vs. Baylor
Nov. 12 at West Virginia
Nov. 19 vs. Oklahoma State
Nov. 26 at Texas Tech
