Heading into the SEC for the first season is going to be a difficult challenge for the Oklahoma Sooners. It’ll be the first season with Jackson Arnold under center and winning the battle of the trenches is going to be a tall task any given Saturday. With the move out of the Big 12, spring football poses a big opportunity for Brent Venables and his coaching staff to develop the program’s talent to prepare for the gauntlet of a conference that is the SEC.
Offensive line needs most development ahead of 2024 season
On Wednesday, Venables spoke to the media ahead of spring football, which begins March 11 for the Sooners. He acknowledged the position group on the team that needs to develop and mesh the most ahead of this fall, giving that title to the offensive line group.
“Getting all those guys to mesh quickly is the task for Bill Bedenbaugh, and he’s up the challenge,” Venables said during his availability.
Bedenbaugh has done an incredible job with the offensive line during his tenure in Norman, sending multiple talented lineman to the NFL Draft. He’s going to have to continue developing the talents, though, as winning the battle of the trenches is going to be huge in unlocking Arnold’s talents as well as supporting a run game.
Playing SEC-level defenses every Saturday means plenty of relentless defense lines on the opposing side of the field, and having a disjointed offensive line could disrupt the entire offense.
During his availability, Venables referred to the SEC as the “most unforgiving” conference. That isn’t the Sooners’ motivation this spring though, as their motive to develop and improve comes from internal standards.
“What we want to do to meet our standards and expectations, it doesn’t have anything to do with our conference as much as our roster,” Venables said. “I think we’re in a good place.”
For Arnold to have success in his first season as the program’s lead guy isn’t necessarily all about his talent, but also the talent around him. Wide receivers have to create space, but that’s nothing with constant pressures from the defense. The team put around Arnold is just as important as his talent itself, and that’ll be a huge storyline to watch through spring football and heading into this fall.
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