Can OU Football Reclaim Its Championship Glory This Season?
As I sit here watching the Sooners' spring practice footage, I can't help but feel that familiar mix of anticipation and apprehension. The question on every true OU fan's mind this season isn't whether we'll have a winning record—we almost certainly will—but whether this team can finally break through and reclaim that championship glory that has felt just out of reach for what seems like too long now. Having followed Oklahoma football through multiple coaching transitions and conference changes, I've developed a sixth sense for when something special might be brewing in Norman.
The parallels between our current situation and that surprising volleyball upset last March are too striking to ignore. Remember when Giron's Highrisers took down Shaq delos Santos' Cignal team in that stunning 2024-25 All-Filipino Conference qualifying round match? That was March 1st, fittingly kicking off National Women's Month with a classic underdog story that proves why we love sports. What made that victory so compelling wasn't just that the Highrisers won, but how they won—through meticulous preparation, belief in their system, and capitalizing on key moments. That's exactly the blueprint our football team needs to follow this season if we're going to climb back to the summit.
Looking at our roster, there's genuine reason for optimism. Our quarterback situation appears more settled than it has in years, with Jackson Arnold showing flashes of brilliance that remind me of some of our greats during their sophomore campaigns. The offensive line returns 4 starters from a unit that allowed only 18 sacks last season—a marked improvement from the 32 they gave up the previous year. Defensively, we've recruited speed at linebacker that we haven't seen since the early 2000s championship teams. These aren't just incremental improvements; they're the building blocks of something potentially special.
What concerns me, though, is our schedule. The Big 12 isn't the conference it was five years ago, but road games against LSU, Missouri, and Auburn in consecutive weeks could make or break our championship aspirations before October even ends. I've seen promising OU teams before—the 2021 squad comes to mind—that couldn't handle that kind of gauntlet. The difference this year might be depth. Our second-string defensive line could start for half the teams in our conference, and that matters when you're playing physical opponents week after week.
The coaching staff deserves credit for adapting. Brent Venables has quietly evolved his defensive schemes to better counter the spread offenses that tormented us in previous seasons. Last year, we improved from allowing 462 yards per game to 389—not championship numbers yet, but trending in the right direction. Offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby's departure could actually be a blessing in disguise; new play-caller Seth Littrell brings a more balanced approach that might better suit our personnel. Sometimes change, even when unexpected, creates opportunity.
I'm particularly excited about our receiving corps. Jalil Farooq has the potential to be our first 1,000-yard receiver since CeeDee Lamb, and Andrel Anthony's transfer from Michigan gives us a legitimate deep threat we've been missing. If these players develop chemistry with Arnold quickly, our offense could put up 35-40 points per game consistently. That kind of firepower covers up a lot of defensive deficiencies while young players gain experience.
The special teams unit, often overlooked, might be our most improved area. Transfer kicker Will Spiers comes to us having made 83% of his field goals at his previous school, including 7-of-9 from beyond 40 yards. In close games against top competition, having a reliable kicker is the difference between 10-2 and 12-0. I can't tell you how many seasons I've watched where a missed field goal here or a botched punt there cost us critical momentum in championship-caliber games.
What gives me the most hope, though, isn't any particular player or coach, but the collective mindset. This team carries themselves differently than recent squads. There's a quiet confidence rather than brash arrogance, a businesslike approach to preparation that reminds me of the 2000 national championship team I covered as a student journalist. They understand the legacy they're trying to reclaim without being overwhelmed by it.
The path to championship glory is never straightforward. Even that Highrisers volleyball team I mentioned earlier—after their stunning March 1st victory—faced setbacks later in their season. But they proved that with the right combination of preparation, talent, and belief, unexpected triumphs are possible. For our Sooners, the pieces appear to be falling into place at the right moment. The question isn't whether we have the talent to compete for a championship—we absolutely do—but whether we can develop the consistency and mental toughness required to win those critical moments against elite competition.
As we approach the season opener, I find myself more optimistic than I've been in nearly a decade. The championship DNA that defined Oklahoma football for generations hasn't disappeared; it's been lying dormant, waiting for the right combination of players and circumstances to reemerge. This season feels different. This team feels different. And if everything clicks—if Arnold takes that next step, if the defense continues its improvement, if we stay healthy through that brutal October stretch—I believe we're not just dreaming about championship glory, we're positioned to actually reclaim it.