NORMAN — Oklahoma’s offense under Brent Venables hasn’t always been an abomination. In fact, in his first two years as head coach, the offense did the heavy lifting as Venables worked to rebuild a shoddy defensive infrastructure.
The Sooners went 6-7 in 2022, Venables’ first season, with an offense that ranked 13th and a defense that ranked 122nd. OU improved to 10-3 in 2023 behind the No. 3 offense in the country and a defense that ranked 79th.
Those were the days when the Sooners had themselves a quarterback. Imagine this team with Dillon Gabriel in place of John Mateer.
But the Sooners also had a big-time offensive coordinator in Jeff Lebby, whose two-year tenure in Norman was most certainly underappreciated.
(I thought Mississippi State did OU a favor by hiring him away, but that had everything to do with the Art Briles of it all and nothing to do with Lebby’s offensive acumen).
Regardless of how anyone feels about Lebby, OU’s offense has been in a ditch ever since he left.
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When the Bulldogs host the Sooners on Saturday in Starkville, Mississippi, Venables will be coaching opposite the only offensive coordinator hire he got right.
Seth Littrell didn’t last a full season in the job, and Ben Arbuckle is on the two-and-done track.
The Sooners, by total offense, rank last among Power Four teams. Surprising it’s not worse. John Mateer has regressed, the offensive line is in shambles and the Sooners are short on playmakers.
Just when Venables did the impossible by getting OU to play elite defense, the offense tanked.
Lebby is 3-17 in the SEC since taking over in Starkville, but the Bulldogs are a tough out when healthy. Mississippi State was blanked by LSU last weekend, but the Bulldogs were without star quarterback Kamario Taylor and leading rusher Fluff Bothwell.
Before the LSU game, the Bulldogs were averaging 487 yards per game — almost 7 yards per play — which would rank ninth nationally.
Taylor, who’s become a phenom in Lebby’s offense, has a 17-to-4 touchdown/interception ratio. Mateer has thrown nine touchdowns and seven interceptions.
“(Lebby) goes fast, and their offense is almost warp speed at times,” OU defensive tackles coach Todd Bates said Tuesday.
Bates, who also holds the title of associate head coach, filled in for an under-the-weather Venables at OU’s weekly news conference.
Bates and the Sooners know Lebby’s system, and vice versa.
“Jeff’s going to have them ready to play,” Bates said. “We’ll be ready to play too.”
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Where Cason Wallace would go in 2023 NBA redraft?
The Thunder traded up in the 2023 NBA Draft to take Kentucky guard Cason Wallace with the No. 10 pick. An ace move by Sam Presti and Co., who signed Wallace to a long-term extension Sunday night.
Among 2023 draftees, Wallace ranks second in games, eighth in assists and 13th in points and rebounds. He’s also No. 1 in steals.
According to Basketball Reference’s VORP (value over replacement player) and win shares metrics, Wallace has been the third-most valuable player in the draft behind Victor Wembanyama and Amen Thompson.
So, where would Wallace go if we were redrafting? I’m approaching this as if teams could go back in time to address their current needs.
1. Victor Wembanyama (Spurs): Solid pick by San Antonio.
Actual pick: Victor Wembanyama
2. Brandon Miller (Hornets): Miller just signed a five-year, $209 million extension. Yet to turn 24, the do-it-all wing could be a mult-time All-Star.
Actual pick: Brandon Miller
3. Amen Thompson (Trail Blazers): Scoot Henderson, whom the Blazers drafted here, could still turn into a good NBA player. But Thompson is already a very good NBA player. And if he ever learns how to shoot, he’s an All-NBA player.
Actual pick: Scoot Henderson
4. Ausar Thompson (Rockets): The Rockets lose out on Amen, but they get the next best thing in Ausar — not as good as his brother offensively but maybe better defensively. You could make the case for Wallace here, but I don’t see the Rockets passing on a Thompson twin. The upside is crazy high.
Actual pick: Amen Thompson
5. Keyonte George (Pistons): What if Detroit had drafted the anti-Ausar? That’s basically what Keyonte George is. He’s a minus defender, but he’s a big-time scorer who could take a big chunk of the offensive burden off Cade Cunningham. I love this hypothetical.
Actual pick: Ausar Thompson
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6. Cason Wallace (Magic): Wallace doesn’t alleviate Orlando’s offensive woes, but he’s too much of a game-changing defender to fall lower than this. Wallace is a better version of what the Magic has in Jalen Suggs.
Actual pick: Anthony Black
7. Toumani Camara (Wizards via Pacers): Camara, who went 52nd overall, is a big riser in the redraft. He’s a 6-foot-7 defensive terror and an improving 3-point shooter. The type of player every team needs.
Actual pick: Bilal Coulibaly
8. Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Pacers via Wizards): This draft starts to thin out. But the Pacers get Jaquez, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year runner-up.
Actual pick: Jarace Walker
9. Anthony Black (Jazz): Black and George could’ve been a fun backcourt pairing. I still really like Black’s overall game.
Actual pick: Taylor Hendricks
10. Brandin Podziemski (Thunder via Mavericks): The Thunder traded up for Wallace, which turned out to be a great move. I don’t know if doing the same for Podziemski makes sense, but he’s a solid all-around guard. He just doesn’t have an elite carrying skill.
Actual pick: Cason Wallace
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OU-Mississippi State set for first meeting
Of the 68 Power Four teams, plus Notre Dame, OU has played all but five in football. One of which will be crossed off Saturday when OU plays at Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are the last remaining SEC team the Sooners have yet to face.
Here are the other four Power Four programs the Sooners have yet to play.
Georgia Tech: Georgia Tech is the only ACC team the Sooners haven’t played. OU is the only SEC team the Yellow Jackets haven’t played.
Michigan State: The Spartans haven’t played an SEC team in the regular season since 1947, when they hosted both Kentucky and Mississippi State.
Purdue: An Oklahoman, Barry Odom, coaches the Boilermakers.
Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights have never played an Oklahoma team.
Bedlam bets
Here are my OU and OSU picks for the week.
OU at Mississippi State
Line: Sooners by 3.5
Pick: Sooners 23, Bulldogs 16
This is awfully difficult to pick without knowing the status of Mississippi State star quarterback Kamario Taylor (foot). Even if Taylor plays, you wouldn’t expect him to be 100% healthy. Having to face an elite defense in his return would be no remedy. OU’s offense versus Mississippi State’s defense is a battle of two of the worst units in the SEC. I think the Sooners can move the ball against the Bulldogs. On the flip side, Venables knows Jeff Lebby’s offense and Lebby knows Venables’ defense. OU by a touchdown.
Picking the Sooners this season: 4-2 straight up, 4-2 against the spread
OSU vs. Colorado
Line: Cowboys by 13.5
Pick: Cowboys 35, Buffaloes 17
Colorado played Utah to a field goal last week in Boulder, but I don’t think the Buffaloes are much of a threat here. It’s homecoming for the Cowboys, and they’re going to be playing hungry after the loss at Houston. Colorado’s defense has held up OK, but the Buffs can’t move the ball. It’s a get-right opportunity for OSU’s defense.
Picking the Cowboys this season: 4-2 straight up, 3-3 against the spread
NFL Sooner of the Week
Caleb Williams, QB, Bears: He was sharp in his first game back after missing a month with a hamstring injury. Williams threw for a season-high 305 yards and a touchdown in the Bears’ 31-23 win at the Falcons. Williams was 30 for 36, good for a career-best 83.3% completion percentage.
NFL Cowboy of the Week
Chuba Hubbard, RB, Panthers: Another big game for Hubbard. He rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown on a career-high-tying 28 attempts in the Panthers’ 25-14 win against the Eagles. Hubbard ranks ninth in the NFL in rushing yards. Fellow former Cowboy Jaylen Warren ranks seventh.
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football faces Jeff Lebby, only OC hire Brent Venables got right | Mussatto's Minutes