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· collected 2026-08-20 · by Tim Willert The Associated Press
The No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners are expected to have another strong defense, led by defensive end Taylor Wein and linebackers Owen Heinecke and Kip Lewis. However, the team's running game is a concern, averaging only 3.54 yards per carry last season and finishing 13th in the Southeastern Conference with an average of 118.5 yards per game. Quarterback John Mateer returns after leading the team in passing and rushing last season, but coach Brent Venables has brought in new running backs coach Deland McCullough to try and improve the team's ground attack. Oklahoma will need to balance its strong defense with a more effective offense if it hopes to challenge for the national championship this year.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-20,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
No. 10 Oklahoma's football team is looking strong, thanks to their stout defense and returning quarterback John Mateer. However, one area of concern for the team is their run game, which averaged only 3.54 yards per carry last season. To succeed, they'll need to improve in this area to take pressure off Mateer, who was the team's second-leading rusher despite playing with an injury for much of the season. The Sooners have several key players returning from last year, including defensive end Taylor Wein and linebackers Owen Heinecke and Kip Lewis, as well as kicker Tate Sandell, who won the Lou Groza Award. New additions to the team include running backs coach Deland McCullough and former NFL tight end Jason Witten, both of whom are expected to help boost the team's performance.
Written for “Oklahoma Football Preview” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 1485 · logged 2026-08-21
No. 10 Oklahoma
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — 2025 record: 10-3
Expectations
The Sooners could challenge for the national championship if they can duplicate their dominance on defense, run the ball more effectively and survive a brutal stretch of early-season games on the road.
uncertain
they → challenge → road
Oklahoma reached the College Football Playoff last season only to lose in the first round to Alabama after blowing a 17-0 lead.
asserted
Oklahoma → reach → lead
Defensive end Taylor Wein and linebackers Owen Heinecke and Kip Lewis lead a unit that figures to be solid up the middle once again with former five-star recruit David Stone stepping into a bigger role at tackle.
asserted
Stone → lead → tackle
Starting quarterback John Mateer, leading receiver Isaiah Sategna and four starting offensive linemen return along with Lou Groza Award winner Tate Sandell, who made eight of nine kicks from 50-plus yards.
asserted
who → start → yards
For the Sooners to take the next step they’ll need to average more than 3.54 yards per carry to take some of the pressure off Mateer, the team’s second leading rusher who played through injury for much of the season.
asserted
who → take → season
Coach Brent Venables brought in Oakland Raiders running backs coach Deland McCullough and former NFL All-Pro tight end Jason Witten to help turn things around with a host of ranked teams on the schedule.
asserted
Venables → bring → schedule
Strengths included the LB cor
ps
Oklahoma gets a big boost with the return of Mateer and Lewis.
asserted
Oklahoma → include → Mateer
Matter passed for 2,885 yards and 14 touchdowns and ran for 431 yards and eight scores.
asserted
Matter → pass → yards
A hand injury early in the season derailed momentum that had him among the favorites for the Heisman Trophy.
asserted
that → derail → Trophy
Lewis led one of the nation’s best defensive units with 76 tackles, including 10.5 for loss.
asserted
Lewis → lead → loss
He and Heinecke (74 tackles, including 12 for a loss) should be among the top LB duos in the country.
asserted
He → include → country
Wein is also poised for a big season after seven sacks and 15 tackles for loss in eight starts to lead the team.
asserted
Wein → poise → team
The secondary is another area of strength with the return of playmakers Eli Bowen and Peyton Bowen and rising cover corner Courtland Guillory.
asserted
secondary → rise → playmakers
Weaknesses center around running game
Last season, Oklahoma finished 13th in the 16-team Southeastern Conference in rushing with an average of 118.5 yards per game.
asserted
Oklahoma → center → game
RBs struggled to create “explosive runs” that went for 12 yards or more, according to Witten, who seems intent on having the tight ends do more to help.
uncertain
ends → struggle → more
For the first time since 2020 someone other than DeMarco Murray is coaching the running backs.
asserted
someone → coach → backs
McCullough is looking for yards after contact from a position group that includes Tory Blaylock, the team’s leading rusher a season ago with 480 yards.
asserted
that → look → yards
McCullough has coached the likes of Ashton Jeanty in Las Vegas and Jeremiyah Love at Notre Dame, running backs who are tough to bring down at the point of contact.
asserted
who → coach → contact
New faces
TE Hayden Hansen (transfer from Florida), LB Cole Sullivan (transfer from Michigan), WR Parker Livingston (Transfer from Texas), WR Trell Harris (transfer from Virginia), TE Rocky Beers (transfer from Colorado State).
Key losses
DE R Mason Thomas (NFL), DT Gracen Halton (NFL), LB Kobie McKinzie (transferred to Northwestern), G Febechi Nwaiwu (NFL), WR Deion Burks (NFL).
Biggest games for the Sooners
At Michigan (Sept. 12), at Georgia (Sept. 26), vs. Texas in Dallas (Oct. 10), vs. Ole Miss (Nov. 14), vs. Texas A&M (Nov. 21).
___
asserted
faces → transfer → A&M
