Oklahoma Sooners’ 2024 Grade from USA TODAY Sports: An In-Depth Look at the Report Card
As the 2024 college football season comes to a close, USA TODAY Sports released its annual report card for the nation’s top programs, evaluating teams on everything from coaching and recruiting to performance on the field. The Oklahoma Sooners, one of the most storied programs in college football history, were among the teams assessed. After enduring a bit of a rebuilding phase under head coach Brent Venables in 2022 and 2023, the Sooners entered 2024 with renewed expectations and hope for a return to their former dominance.
So, what did the report card have to say about the Oklahoma Sooners in 2024? Let’s dive into a detailed breakdown of the grade, key areas of improvement, and the challenges that remain for the program as it looks to get back to elite status.
Oklahoma Sooners’ 2024 USA TODAY Sports Report Card: The Grade
USA TODAY Sports graded the Oklahoma Sooners for the 2024 season with a B+. While this is far from a perfect grade, it reflects the progress the team has made under Venables, particularly after a rough stretch in his first two seasons as head coach. For context, this grade places the Sooners among the top teams in the nation but shows that there are still areas to address before they can truly be considered championship contenders once again.
Key Factors Behind the Grade: Performance, Coaching, and Recruiting
Several factors played into Oklahoma’s grade, including their on-field performance, coaching decisions, recruiting efforts, and how they compared to the best teams in college football. To understand the grade more deeply, it’s important to assess the program across these different categories.
1. On-Field Performance: The Return to Relevance
In 2024, Oklahoma showed signs of life, especially after an underwhelming 2023 campaign that saw the Sooners finish with a mediocre 6-6 record, struggling to establish consistency on both offense and defense. However, the team made notable strides in 2024, playing at a level more befitting their storied program and history.
Offense: Playmaking and Quarterback Play
The Sooners’ offense has historically been their bread and butter, and in 2024, that trend continued. Despite the departure of former QB Dillon Gabriel, the Sooners had an exciting new signal caller in Jackson Arnold, a 5-star recruit and a highly anticipated future star. Arnold quickly became the face of the program’s offense, and his performance in 2024 was largely solid, despite some growing pains early in the season. With the offensive line continuing to improve and talented wide receivers like Drake Stoops and Andrel Anthony making big plays, Oklahoma’s offense showed enough firepower to remain competitive with top-tier teams in the Big 12.
The running game, led by Marcus Major and a solid group of backs, was another strength. While it wasn’t the best in the nation, it certainly gave the offense balance, which is a crucial element in college football.
Though the Sooners did show flashes of brilliance, they still lacked consistency in crucial moments. In close games, they sometimes faltered under pressure, whether it was the quarterback making an errant throw or a key drop by the receiver. These inconsistencies led to some frustrating losses, but they were part of the growing pains of developing a new offense under a young quarterback.
Defense: Signs of Life Under Venables
Defensively, the 2024 Oklahoma Sooners showed significant improvement. Under Brent Venables, the Sooners had a defensive-minded head coach who, after arriving in 2022, sought to instill a tougher, more disciplined defense. While the defense still wasn’t elite in 2024, it did show enough improvement to earn praise.
The defensive line was the anchor of this unit, with players like Reggie Grimes and Jalen Redmond leading the way. Their ability to get after opposing quarterbacks and stuff the run game was vital for the team’s success. Additionally, the secondary showed marked improvement, with Key Lawrence emerging as a playmaker. However, the defensive backfield was still prone to lapses in coverage, especially against high-powered offenses, which resulted in some big plays allowed.
One of the major weaknesses, however, was the team’s inability to consistently stop the run. Although they had some solid performances, teams with strong rushing attacks often found success against Oklahoma’s defense, a problem that was glaring in key matchups. Venables’ system has not yet reached the level of dominance he achieved as the defensive coordinator at Clemson, and that will need to change if Oklahoma wants to compete for championships.
2. Coaching: Venables’ Vision is Taking Shape
When Brent Venables took over as head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners in 2022, there were high expectations given his reputation as one of the best defensive minds in college football. However, his first two seasons were a bit underwhelming as he sought to implement his system and rebuild the roster after the departure of Lincoln Riley to USC.
In 2024, however, Venables seemed to hit his stride. The team displayed a tougher, more disciplined edge under his leadership, and there was a noticeable improvement in fundamentals. The Sooners were more competitive in big games, even if they were not able to consistently close out against the elite teams on their schedule.
What stands out about Venables as a coach is his ability to recruit top-tier talent. In just a few years, he has managed to improve Oklahoma’s recruiting classes significantly, adding important pieces on both sides of the ball. His defensive acumen is starting to shine through, and while the defense isn’t yet elite, it’s clear that the team is trending in the right direction.
The challenge for Venables is taking the next step: improving the offense enough to compete with the top teams in the nation. While his defense has improved, the Sooners’ offense still lacks the consistency that championship-level programs need. Venables will need to continue refining his offensive game plans, especially with a new quarterback leading the charge.
3. Recruiting: A Strong Foundation for the Future
One of the most important factors in Oklahoma’s grade was their recruiting efforts. Under Venables, Oklahoma has done an excellent job of building a strong recruiting class, particularly for 2025 and beyond. The addition of 5-star quarterback Jackson Arnold in the 2024 class was a major coup, and he is expected to be a cornerstone of the program moving forward.
But it’s not just the quarterback position that has benefited from stellar recruiting. Oklahoma has continued to attract top-tier talent in the trenches, both on offense and defense, which will be crucial for the program’s long-term success. With an eye toward the future, the Sooners have invested heavily in their offensive line, defensive line, and secondary, which will ensure that they remain competitive against top-tier SEC teams in the coming years.
Still, one area where Oklahoma is facing a challenge is at wide receiver. While they have some talented players, they don’t yet have the same depth and explosiveness at the position that other elite programs have. Building up that unit will be critical if the Sooners hope to compete for national titles moving forward.
Venables has a proven track record of excellent recruiting, and the 2024 season showcased the fruits of his labor. With a strong recruiting class lined up for 2025, Oklahoma looks poised to continue its upward trajectory.
Areas for Improvement: What’s Holding Oklahoma Back?
Despite the overall positive grade, there are still areas that need improvement for the Sooners to take the next step.
Consistency in Big Games
Oklahoma’s performance in big games has been a major issue in recent seasons. While they show flashes of brilliance, they often struggle in high-pressure situations, especially against teams with comparable talent. In 2024, the Sooners had some frustrating losses to teams like Kansas State and Texas. While both of these teams are solid programs, Oklahoma should be expected to win these kinds of matchups given their talent and resources.
In particular, the offense—while dynamic at times—struggled in key moments to sustain drives and execute at a high level. The quarterback position, with Jackson Arnold taking the helm, is still a work in progress, and there were stretches where the offense stalled out.
Defensive Inconsistencies
While the defense showed marked improvement under Venables, there were still some glaring issues, particularly against teams with high-powered offenses. The Sooners gave up big plays at times, and their inability to consistently stop the run left them vulnerable in key situations. If Venables wants to mold this defense into a national contender, improving the defensive backfield and run defense will be crucial.
Offensive Line Play
Although Oklahoma’s offensive line was solid in 2024, it wasn’t elite. The Sooners will need to continue to develop the offensive line, particularly as they face SEC competition in the coming years. The ability to dominate in the trenches will be crucial to their success, and it’s an area that needs continued attention.