College schedules

OU

terback in Central Florida transfer Dillon Gabriel. The preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year passed for more than 8,000 yards and 70 touchdowns while leading some of the nation’s most productive offenses. He likes the team surrounding him, both at the skill positions and on the line, and he’s not shying away from high expectations.

“The excitement’s real,” Gabriel said. “People say they’re excited. But I’m truly excited because there’s just a bunch that we can do in every position.”

Many of the players have not been in action together, but Venables believes hard work will make up for it.

“We want a confident, physical, tough, blue-collar work ethic team,” he said. “Coming out of fall camp, I want our guys to be incredibly confident through the work that we put in over the last several months.”

New top assistants

Venables’ staff includes some highly accomplished assistants in offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby and defensive coordinator Ted Roof. Lebby, who also is the quarterbacks coach, led one of the nation’s top offenses at Ole Miss last season. Roof, also is the linebackers coach, followed Venables from Clemson.

Bulked up

Oklahoma running back Eric Gray put on 10 pounds in the offseason to position himself to handle a greater workload as the clear starter. The senior is listed at 211 pounds.

Kennedy Brooks was the primary ballcarrier last season, but Gray still managed to rush for 412 yards and gain 229 yards receiving.

“The room is going to start with EG,” Lebby said. “Eric has done an unbelievable job. The guy’s a pro. Everything he does is in a professional manor. Could not be more excited about where he’s at and what he’s going to be able to do for us this fall.”

Sticking it out

Marvin Mims caught 32 passes for 705 yards and five scores last season. He stayed with the Sooners, even though Mario Williams transferred to USC, Jadon Haselwood left for Arkansas and Austin Stogner transferred to South Carolina.

New receivers coach

Oklahoma assistant head coach Cale Gundy announced his resignation on Aug. 7, and the school said the next day that Gundy uttered a racially charged word multiple times while reading off a player’s device during a film session the previous week. Gundy had been with the program since 1999.

Venables said L’Damian Washington, who had been an offensive analyst, will coach receivers on an interim basis: “He’s already had incredible relationships built with these guys and trust and really a deep understanding of who they are as young men.”

Former Texas Tech coach Matt Wells and former Oklahoma receiver Nick Basquine will assist Washington.

Schedule

Oklahoma visits old rival Nebraska on Sept. 17. There’s the annual showdown against Texas in Dallas on Oct. 8. Two of the biggest matchups are at home — Nov. 5 against No. 10 Baylor and Nov. 19 against No. 12 Oklahoma State. Run the table and a return to the playoff could be in the cards.

OSU

tle things take care of the big things.”

Sanders will get help from Dominic Richardson. The sophomore gained 239 yards rushing and 54 yards receiving last season. He spent his previous years learning from star running backs Chuba Hubbard and Jaylen Warren. Now, he’s ready to shine.

“There is a little bit of pressure, but not as much because I’ve been working to this point for a long time,” Richardson said. “I knew one year this would come and now, this is the year.”

The defense should be stout again despite losing linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez and safety Kolby Harvell-Peel — both all-conference selections. Defensive lineman Collin Oliver and safety Jason Taylor II are preseason All-Big 12 picks.

It all leads to high hopes for a Cowboys program that beat Oklahoma last season for the first time since 2014.

“This is a different team, but we still are capable and have the players to go just as far if not farther than we did last year,” safety Thomas Harper said.

New defensive coordinator

Derek Mason has taken over as defensive coordinator now that Jim Knowles has gone to take the same position at Ohio State. Mason was defensive coordinator at Auburn in 2021. He was the head coach at Vanderbilt from 2014 to 2020 and was defensive coordinator at Stanford before that.

“It’s been smooth,” linebacker Mason Cobb said. “I love the way he coaches. He coaches everyone the same, from walk-ons to starters. I love how we are doing things.”

The Cowboys lost All-Big 12 receiver Tay Martin, but Brennan Presley is positioned to be the next great Oklahoma State wideout. He had 50 catches for 619 yards and five touchdowns last season, including 10 catches for 137 yards against Notre Dame.

He might not be the only Presley who puts up numbers. Younger brother Braylin, a true freshman, is a four star receiver.

Sack masters

The Cowboys should have no problem pressuring quarterbacks this season with a dynamic defensive line that should rank among the nation’s best.

Oliver led the Big 12 with 11.5 sacks as a true freshman last season. Brock Martin, a second-team all-conference pick last season along with Oliver, had nine sacks. Tyler Lacy had 11.5 tackles for loss. Trace Ford, a dominant pass rusher who missed last season with an injury, is back.

Gunnar Gundy

Redshirt freshman Gunnar Gundy — coach Mike Gundy’s son — is a reserve quarterback for the Cowboys. Coach Gundy said he lets quarterbacks coach Tim Rattay handle the teaching.

“It’s best for me to stay away from them and let (Rattay) coach him and let him function throughout the day,” coach Gundy said. “I don’t know if I’m right because it’s the first time I’ve done it, but I just stay away and let it all take place.”

The schedule

Oklahoma State opens Sept. 1 against Central Michigan and then gets a home game against Arizona State on Sept. 10. In league play, the toughest matchups are Oct. 1 at No. 10 Baylor and Nov. 19 at No. 9 Oklahoma.

COLLEGE MENU

* tba

OKLAHOMA

S3 UTEP, 3:30 p.m. S10 Kent St., 7 p.m. S17 at Nebraska, Noon S24 Kansas St.* O1 at TCU* O8 Texas* O15 Kansas* O29 at Iowa St.* N5 Baylor* N12 at West Virginia* N19 Oklahoma St.* N26 at Texas Tech*

OKLAHOMA ST.

S1 C. Michigan, 7 p.m. S10 Arizona St., 7:30 p.m. S17 UA-Pine Bluff, 7 p.m. O1 at Baylor* O8 Texas Tech* O15 at TCU* O22 Texas* O29 at Kansas St.* N5 at Kansas* N12 Iowa St.* N19 at Oklahoma* N26 West Virginia*

TULSA

S3 at Wyoming, 3:30 p.m. S10 N. Illinois, 7 p.m. S17 Jax St., 7 p.m. S24 at Mississippi* O1 Cincinnati* O8 at Navy, 3:30 p.m. O21 at Temple, 7:30 p.m. O29 SMU* N5 Tulane* N10 at Memphis, 7:30 p.m. N18 S. Florida, 9 p.m. N25 at Houston*

NSU

S1 at Emporia St., 7 p.m. S10 Mo. Southern, 6 p.m. S17 at Pitt St., 7 p.m. S24 Lincoln, 2 p.m. O1 at C. Missouri, 1 p.m. O6 at UCO, 7 p.m. O15 Mo. Western, 4 p.m. O22 at NW Mo., 2 p.m. O29 Washburn, 2 p.m. N5 at Fort Hays St., 1 p.m. N12 UN-Kearney, 2 p.m.