Is Oklahoma’s Defense Elite? Sooners Coach Brent Venables Weighs In After Alabama Game

After giving up just three points in their win against Alabama, the Sooners are 16th in the FBS in yards allowed per game.

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Oklahoma’s defense showed all of its capabilities in last Saturday’s 24-3 win over No. 7 Alabama.

The Crimson Tide have scored more than 30 points eight times this year but mustered just a field goal against the Sooners. That was OU’s fourth time holding its opponent under 20 points in 2024. Alabama hasn't been held without a touchdown in 20 years.

The word “elite” is thrown around often to describe players, coaches and units. But OU coach Brent Venables prefers not to classify his defense — or any section of his team — as such.

“I’m very careful to use that word,” Venables said. “I can brag on these guys for a long time, and let’s see what the season’s body of work looks like, and that’s what I would say.”

Venables did, however, admit that the performance against the Crimson Tide was elite.

Not only did Oklahoma hold Alabama to its lowest point total of 2024, the Sooners gave up just 234 total yards, which was also the Crimson Tide’s lowest. 

OU’s defense also forced a rough performance from Alabama dual-threat quarterback Jalen Milroe, who went 11-for-26 with three interceptions and zero touchdowns. Milroe ran for just seven yards.

“They’ve done a lot of things that you would associate with an elite defense,” Venables said. “They’ve done that.”

The biggest contrast Venables could find to his defense being elite came in the Missouri game on Nov. 9, as the Sooners lost 30-23.

OU held the Tigers to just 10 points in the first three quarters before allowing 20 in the fourth to lose. Most notably, the Sooners allowed Missouri to convert on third-and-16 with 1:16 left in the game, and the Tigers later scored the game-tying touchdown on that drive.

Missouri recovered a fumble from quarterback Jackson Arnold on Oklahoma’s next drive, allowing them to escape with the win.

“Just truth serum, we gotta win third-and-16 two weeks ago, and that’s to take nothing away from where we’re at, what we’ve accomplished and what we’re capable of,” Venables said. “They’re not going to be without fault. They’re not going to make every play. They’re not going to make every stop in order to be in the elite defense.”

Holistically, the Sooners are 16th in the FBS in yards allowed per game (311.3). They’re 23rd in scoring defense, allowing just 20.18 points per contest.

Individually, senior linebacker Danny Stutsman is tied for 19th in the nation with 100 tackles. Junior defensive back Robert Spears-Jennings is second in the nation with four forced fumbles.

Between those two and several other key players, the Sooners have steadily improved defensively throughout 2024.

“I think their performance and the improvement from where we ended last year to where we’re at right now, man, there’s a lot to give them props for,” Venables said. “But we've got a couple more games, and I don’t want them to be satisfied.”

OU (6-5) travels to Baton Rouge, LA, this weekend to battle LSU. The Tigers (7-4) beat Vanderbilt last week to end a three-game losing streak.

WATCH: Oklahoma LB Danny Stutsman Interview

Leading LSU is quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who has thrown for 3,458 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Around Nussmeier is one of college football’s most talented wide receiver rooms, which features Kyren Lacy, Aaron Anderson and CJ Daniels.

Even after the Sooners’ offense played a sound game against Alabama, Venables knows how important his defense’s performance will be in determining the outcome of Saturday’s game.

“We try to build on that momentum and find things that we didn’t do well and get better and know that this week is going to present a completely different challenge and requires a completely different mindset,” Venables said. “Winning in Baton Rouge is a whole ‘nother thing.”