Sooner legend says Oklahoma needs the challenge of the SEC

There have been a lot of questions posed to coaches and players about Oklahoma’s readiness for the SEC at this week’s media days. Certainly there will be adjustments to the style of play and the overall talent, but one Sooner legend believes the SEC is just what Oklahoma needed.

Too many times, especially in recent years, would Oklahoma be caught off guard by a less-talented team. Whether it was 2020 when they were beaten in consecutive weeks by Kansas State and Iowa State. Or 2021 when it was Baylor and Oklahoma State that spoiled a strong start to the year. Then there was the 2022 season, which was a debacle. Even Brent Venables admitted that the Sooners didn’t handle success well after beating Texas in the Red River Rivalry game in 2023.

After that performance, Oklahoma struggled with UCF and then lost back-to-back games to Kansas and Oklahoma State to completely erase their 7-0 start to the season.

Teddy Lehman, Oklahoma’s last Butkus Award winner and co-host of The Oklahoma Breakdown, took to X to clarify where OU stands heading into the SEC.

Lehman said, “I think the disconnect between SEC fans/media and OU followers is they think the Big 12 helped us because it was easy. We know it hurt us in recruiting, in competitiveness, in exposure, and in countless other avenues. We needed the challenge. We’ve been sleep walking.”

I think the disconnect between SEC fans/media and OU followers is they think the Big12 helped us because it was easy. We know it hurt us in recruiting, in competitiveness, in exposure and in countless other avenues. We needed the challenge. We’ve been sleep walking.

— Teddy Lehman (@TedLehman11) July 16, 2024

Oklahoma’s recruiting on the offensive side of the ball was pretty good under Lincoln Riley, but it certainly fell off on the defensive side of the ball. Oklahoma felt the…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/sooner-legend-says-oklahoma-needs-170025811.html

Author : Sooners Wire

Publish date : 2024-07-17 17:00:25

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