College Football Podcast: Expectations too high for Oklahoma?

Baker Mayfield is back, but Oklahoma has some big holes to fill. Can the Sooners live up to expectations of defending their Big 12 title and returning to the College Football Playoff?
College Football Podcast: Expectations too high for Oklahoma?
College Football Podcast: Expectations too high for Oklahoma? /

Despite a disappointing end to the 2015 season, Oklahoma enters preparations for its 2016 campaign riding high off of last year's run to a Big 12 championship and a berth in the College Football Playoff. With elite quarterback Baker Mayfield back, the Sooners are a popular pick to defend their conference title and return to the playoff this fall.

But high expectations haven't always coincided with big seasons in Norman, and Bob Stoops's squad has some big holes to fill, particularly on defense and at wide receiver. Who are the names that will be expected to step up? And can they be trusted to keep Oklahoma at the top of the Big 12?

Jason Kersey of The Oklahoman joins hosts Zac Ellis and Lindsay Schnell on the SI College Football Podcast to break down the Sooners after their spring practices. They also discuss which schools are the Big 12's best options if the conference chooses to expand, how former Sooners QB Trevor Knight might fare at Texas A&M and more.

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Zac Ellis and Lindsay Schnell
ZAC ELLIS AND LINDSAY SCHNELL

Zac Ellis joined SI.com in 2011 and has covered college football and basketball since 2012. In addition to features and columns, he is SI’s primary Heisman Trophy analyst. Staff writer Lindsay Schnell joined SI in 2014 as a national college sports writer after covering Oregon State athletics for The Oregonian.