After an underwhelming campaign last year, expectations are quite high for the Oklahoma Sooners in the debut season of the Brent Venables era.
Oklahoma had a drama-filled 2021 season that culminated in the Sooners failing to win the Big 12 and Lincoln Riley opting to leave the program in favor of a move to USC. As a result, the Big 12 powerhouse decided to bring in now-former Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables to replace Riley. Venables then revamped the coaching staff top to bottom, including hiring now-former Ole Miss offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby to be the Sooners’ new play-caller.
For the Sooners to shrug off last year’s up-and-down season and once again run the table in the Big 12, these two players must emerge as breakout stars on the offensive side of the ball.
2 Oklahoma breakout stars set for monster 2022 seasons in Big 12
Eric Gray
Heading into the 2021 campaign, there was much expectation for running back Eric Gray to form a formidable one-two punch alongside Kennedy Brooks. This did not necessarily come to fruition, as Gray ended up posting career lows in multiple stats, including in total rush attempts (78).
With Brooks now in the NFL after signing with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent, Gray will receive the keys to be the Sooners’ starting running back in the coming season. He can blossom as an every-down back, as he showcased this past season with his ability to break off tackles at the line of scrimmage and waltz into the open field. His speed can also prove to be an X-factor in the Sooners offense, especially in the passing game for quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
From Lebby’s standpoint, as he touched on before the start of Oklahoma's fall practice schedule earlier this month, he is “excited” about where Gray is at ahead of the season.
“Yeah, the room is gonna start with E.G. [Eric Gray], obviously,” Lebby said. “Eric's done an unbelievable job. I've said this since being around him for five days. The guy's a pro. Everything he does is in a professional manner. So, could not be more excited about where he's at and what he's going to be able to do for us this fall.”
Gray has been closely working with Oklahoma running backs coach DeMarco Murray, who has been a strong supporter of the senior.
“He's done a terrific job,” Murray said in March. “Even last year, coming to this new system, he picked it up within a week or two. This offense, now we're all learning it together. He may know it better than I do right now. He's a pro. He's extremely sharp in what he does on and off the field, and he's handling it the right way.”
A crucial campaign from Gray can go a long way in helping to balance out the offense for Gabriel.
Theo Wease
Oklahoma wide receiver Theo Wease has had his fair share of highs and lows over the past year. From the knee injury suffered in fall camp last year that sidelined him from featuring on offense to the call to enter the transfer portal, it has been quite the roller-coaster past 12 months for Wease.
With a new offensive coaching staff in place, Wease will now have a golden opportunity to finally build on his promising 2020 season, where he recorded four receiving touchdowns and proved to be a reliable downfield wideout.
What is certainly pivotal for Wease is that there are no restrictions on him heading into the upcoming season.
“Yeah, just good to see Theo healthy,” Lebby said earlier this month. “I think he feels better than he's ever felt. I think he's in the best shape he's been in since he's been here. And so that's gonna give him the opportunity to go play at a high level. So, again, giving him every chance that we can to make sure that we're pushing the envelope and getting him ready to have a great year.”
Standout years from both Gray and Wease can surely help to elevate an Oklahoma offense that will be in need of quality playmakers for Gabriel. Over the years, there has not been much of a concern regarding the Sooners’ capability to win shootouts in conference play, and the Gabriel-led offense must continue this trend in the coming campaign.
For now, Oklahoma is set to kick off its 2022 season with back-to-back non-conference matchups against UTEP and Kent State, which will then be followed up by a rivalry showdown with Nebraska. A pivotal winning streak sure is needed to open up the new campaign.
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