Venables...

with the Buffaloes.

Freshmen...

“Some of the stuff that we worked on, we weren’t able to do,” Carmichael said. “When you have more of a veteran team, it’s probably a little easier to play that preseason (exhibition) game.

“But (I am) definitely encouraged by what we got out of our young players tonight. We’ll take that and obviously move forward with it.”

Saturday saw a new-look slate of goalkeepers garner significant playing time. Ary Purifoy, who backed up and even recorded two starts in place of an injured Nytes in 2022, started Saturday’s match. Freshman and former ECNL standout Caroline Dill finished the first half and filled in for a chunk of the second half. Seton Hall transfer Grace Gordon finished the match, putting the bow on a shutout victory.

I was really proud of them. They got the shutout and all of them made some pretty big contributions.”

Bindbeutel out for season

After the match, Carmichael said forward Gracie Bindbeutel – an offensive catalyst for the Cowgirls a season ago – is out for the season with an undisclosed injury.

Starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel anchors the offense, which will feature a different look with running back Eric Gray and wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. in the NFL. The Sooners still have talent on offense, but Venables said the defense needs work.

Vital parts of the defense’s improvement will be from one newcomer and one returner. Dasan McCollough is a transfer linebacker from Indiana, where he earned freshman All-American honors. The former four-star recruit had 48 tackles and four sacks last year.

Danny Stutsman, OU’s returning starting linebacker, had 124 tackles last season and was named an All-Big 12 honorable mention.

Carmichael pleased with goalie play

Just over a year ago, Carmichael and Co. scored big on the recruiting trail with the pledge of former Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year and ECNL club standout Jordy Nytes.

A prolific freshman campaign, featuring 58 saves and a 0.67 goals-surrenderedper-game average earned her Big 12 Co-Goalkeeper of the Year. Fast forward, Nytes is back home in Colorado, playing her sophomore season

Each drew high praise from Carmichael. He said the complexity of the goalie race is polar opposite to that of last season, where he and his coaching staff had a starter in mind for the season opener.

The Cowgirls open the regular season at home Thursday against Stephen F. Austin, and Carmichael would be pleased with starting any of the three.

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“All three goalkeepers did a great job tonight,” Carmichael said. “They’re making it really hard for us (to pick a starter). All three have different qualities that are really good. And so, we’ll continue to evaluate it. But

Bindbeutel, a former blue-chip recruit and Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year, posted 17 starts for the Cowgirls in 2022 and was among the core of returning sophomores Carmichael anticipated a breakout season from.

Without Bindbeutel, the Cowgirls are thinner at a position more pivotal than others. And while returning fifth-year senior Megan Haines is paramount, the absence of Bindbeutel’s pure athleticism and nonpareil speed is one that may be felt, even at an early stage of the season.

“Gracie Bindbeutel is another special player that we’re missing,” Carmichael said. “But we’ll adjust moving forward.”

Venables is the first to say his defense didn’t play well last season. OU allowed 30 points per game in 2022, which ranked 90th in FBS. In OU’s seven losses, opponents averaged 41.7 points per game.

Venables said there were some silver linings from last year’s squad, but they need to keep improving.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Venables said. “But I’ve got a lot of faith in both our players, our staff, and certainly how we do what we do and our developmental processes. But we led the Big 12 in interceptions. We led the Big 12 in tackles for loss. Those are building blocks, things you can build from.”

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Venables said not only is Stutsman’s play valuable, but it’s also his leadership. Venables said he’s pleased Stutsman is maturing into a leader for this year’s team.

“Danny would be the first one to admit that 17 months ago he wasn’t capable of leading, and he’s in a much different place now,” Venables said. “The whole team follows Danny, his emotion, his work, his action. He’s a doer and a giver. I love the maturation that’s taking place with him off the field as much as on the field, his seriousness, his commitment to excellence every day. He’s put the team and the expectations on his back, and I love that.”