Venables Vibes: Health Will Be Crucial as Oklahoma Looks to Make Week 2 Improvements

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said his team is looking to make leaps across the board as the No. 15-ranked Sooners prepare to host the Houston Cougars.

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables stands on the sidelines in the first half of an NCAA football game between Oklahoma (OU) and Temple at the Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024. / NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

NORMAN — Oklahoma avoided any major hiccups in Week 1. 

The No. 15-ranked Sooners strolled past the Temple Owls as OU forced six turnovers en route to a 51-3 romp on Friday night. 

After the game Brent Venables said nobody was “beating their chest” about dispatching of Temple, as the Sooners (1-0) turned the page to lock in on the Houston Cougars (0-1).

Oklahoma’s offense, specifically the offensive line and a banged up wide receiver room, will draw plenty of attention for their performance on Saturday regardless of the outcome. 

Venables said the team was creeping closer to better health up front during his weekly press conference on Tuesday, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement across the board in Norman. 

Finding a Way

Oct 7, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Jaquaize Pettaway (17) in action during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. / jerome miron-usa today sports

Jalil Farooq’s broken foot will put OU’s wide receiver depth to the test. 

Sophomore Jaquaize Pettaway could be in line for a bigger role.

The former 4-star recruit caught 11 passes for 70 yards in 2023, but nine of those receptions came in last year’s opener against Arkansas State as Pettaway spent most of the year backing up Drake Stoops. 

A hamstring injury limited Pettaway through the back end of fall camp, Venables said Tuesday, but the 5-foot-10 pass catcher is ready to fire off at full speed this weekend. 

“He’s fast, he’s got a good catch radius,” Venables said. “He’s a really explosive player. 

“… He can play inside and outside both. So I think he’s got a chance to have a really good career when it’s all said and done.”

Oklahoma has already had to withstand losing third-year receiver Jayden Gibson, who sustained a season-ending injury during camp, as injuries are beginning to pile up for Emmett Jones’ unit. 

Nic Anderson, who caught 10 touchdowns a year ago, also missed the opener, though Venables said Anderson would be back in the lineup “sooner rather than later”. 

Learning Curve

Jayden Jackson (65) gets set to run drills during an Oklahoma football practice in Norman, Okla., on Friday, April 12, 2024. / NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

A pair of new faces, young and old, anchored the starting defensive line on Friday. 

TCU transfer Damonic Williams and true freshman Jayden Jackson enjoyed disruptive OU debuts in an emphatic defensive showing.

Jackson arrived in January and Williams only linked up with the Sooners this summer, but both were able to pick up on Venables’ defensive scheme in time to make a difference early in the opener. 

“I just think there’s a learning curve no matter where you go,” Venables said. “… They were the two starters, and they played pretty good. I don’t know what it is. Again, I think some people pick things up a little quicker, some people are a little more diligent than others. I couldn’t tell you what those additional hurdles might be.”

Williams finished the night with two tackles and Jackson registered one tackle before the backups took over against Temple.

Looking Back

Oklahoma throwback uniforms / OU Athletics

Saturday, the Sooners will sport a different look on Owen Field. 

Oklahoma will honor the Bud Wilkinson era with throwback uniforms, a look that hasn’t been rolled out in Norman since OU took on North Texas in 2003. 

Though Venables is excited for the look, he said he had little to do with bringing the retro jerseys back. 

“I’ve not requested to do anything. If it’s been put across my desk, I’m a pretty good teammate,” Venables said. “If the powers that be request that we want to do something a little different and honor, maybe again, coach Wilkinson and some of his teams, I think that’s great. ‘What do I need to do?’ It’s pretty simple for me, for the most part.”

The nation will get another look at the uniforms when the Sooners and the Cougars kick off at 6:45 p.m. on Saturday.