NORMAN — On GameDay of each week, the Sooners On SI staff makes our pick for things we think could have an impact on the game as an X-factor — crowd noise or weather or inexperience or chemistry, or other areas that might get overlooked.
OU opens the 2024 season Friday at 6 p.m. against Temple. The game will be carried on ESPN, and the Sooners are a 43.5-point favorite.
Oklahoma opens 2024 with 53 newcomers on the roster. College football traditionalists will say that sounds like a lot, but including true freshmen, walk-ons and transfers — it’s actually a number commensurate with a lot of teams nationwide. It’s probably somewhere just above average. So Brent Venables isn’t alone in trying to integrate literally half of his roster into the OU culture. But the important part will be which teams make that integration seamlessly? Chemistry counts for a lot in college football, and Venables has said this team genuinely likes each other. He prioritizes high character in recruiting, and maybe that will pay off in how quickly all these new faces and new talents come together.
— John E. Hoover
Dominate the Turnover Battle
The formula for success was pretty simple for Oklahoma last year — take care of the football and the Sooners win the game. Regardless of how clean OU plays on Friday, Brent Venables’ team will mow down Temple. But Oklahoma is working toward its SEC opener against Tennessee on Sept. 21, and Jackson Arnold needs to take care of the football following a four turnover outing in the Alamo Bowl. The Owls haven’t settled on a starting quarterback and OU’s defense should make quick work of Temple’s patchwork offensive line, allowing the Sooners to build a nice turnover margin just one game into the season.
— Ryan Chapman
Zac Alley is set to coach his first game in Norman on Friday, and after not hearing from the Oklahoma defensive coordinator since being hired, it will be intriguing to see what Alley's scheme looks like on the field. Defensive players all say that Alley reminds them of their head coach, Brent Venables, and freshman defensive tackle Jayden Jackson even described the new coordinator as "young and hungry." With a veteran defense that returns plenty of starters from last year's group, Alley should have a solid debut against the Owls.
— Randall Sweet
Special Teams Makeover
Oklahoma’s special teams unit was one of the most inconsistent groups a season ago. From blocked punts to falling for fake punts to a mid-season punter switch and a boatload of kicking problems, the unit as a whole put the entire team in a bad spot on multiple occasions. Luke Elzinga takes over as the full-time punter after finishing last season on a strong note and the Sooners will debut a new kicker in Tyler Keltner in an attempt to turn around the kicking game. The dynamic duo of Billy Bowman and Peyton Bowen will man the return game to give Oklahoma a spark on kickoff and punt returns. All signs suggest the special teams unit will lead a big turnaround from a season ago, spearheaded by the addition of Doug Deakin to the staff as special teams analyst/coordinator. More stability, consistency and growth from a unit that struggled mightily should give the Sooners an all-around boost. Keltner, a four-year starter at East Tennessee State, gets a fresh chance to start after being a backup at Florida State last year and should be an upgrade over what Oklahoma had a season ago. Making field goals probably won’t be imperative against a team like Temple, but it’ll be the perfect chance to get things started on the right note. With Oklahoma’s daunting schedule, special teams will have a chance to turn the tide in a few games this season — and getting the details right in Week 1 will be important.
— Ross Lovelace
In any season opener that has yielded promising results for Oklahoma in years past, the Sooners have scored quickly, and in few downs, and in all three phases of the game. Against Arkansas State last year, the Sooners scored in five plays. The Sooners’ defense proceeded to hold the Red Wolves on three downs before Gavin Freeman’s 82-yard touchdown return. By the end of the first quarter, Oklahoma put 28 points on the board; by the end of the day, a 73-0 win that saw eight Sooners reach the end zone. A 66-17 win in Tulsa came two weeks later. Leaving non-conference play with a good taste in their mouths will be vital to Oklahoma’s success in its inaugural SEC season.
— Bryce McKinnis
Setting Up the Run Game for Arnold's Success
We're still just guessing how this OU offense will be under Seth Littrell, but after talking to current and former players of his, it's clear Littrell still has that fullback DNA and wants to focus on the run game. That emphasis could be even more exaggeratedwith a young QB in Jackson Arnold, who may still be trying to figure out football at this level. While offensive coordinators in today's world tend to set up the run with the pass, Littrell will stick to the old ways of setting up the pass with the run to help out his sophom*ore QB in his second career start. This will help Arnold settle in and be in a rhythm after a few drives.
— Dekota Gregory
