Texas Dominates Again, What We Learned From Oklahoma's Struggles In Dallas

Well, that was an ugly loss. Let's get into it.

Brent’s seat is warming up

I'm not one to call for a coach's job after a team loss, and I am certainly not suggesting that Brent Venables should be let go today. However, Oklahoma's biggest rival has highlighted the shortcomings within Brent Venables' program, and the list of issues is long and seemingly growing.

The OU offense not only squanders every opportunity its defense provides, but it also struggles to perform during critical moments. This reflects on the head coach. The last four minutes of the first half were particularly pitiful. Numerous missed tackles allowed Texas to score a long touchdown. How did the Sooners respond? A fumble by Michael Hawkins Jr. on the OU 43-yard line. The next snap resulted in a 43-yard Texas touchdown. Immediately after that, OU fumbled again. Texas missed a field-goal attempt — twice after an OU timeout extended their opportunity — but the Sooners still went into the locker room down 21-3, when it should have been a manageable 14-3 deficit at worst.

After the game, Venables said, “I thought we started out in a great way, and when you get your opportunities against a good team, you have a very small margin for error … They’re a good defense. They are not going to give you a whole lot of opportunities, so you have to take it when it is there.”

With this weekend's loss, Venables is now 1-2 against the Horns, with his team being outscored 113-37 in those matchups. The Sooners failed to score a single touchdown in the two losses.

The team struggles with situational football, has a struggling offense, potentially mishandled its quarterback situation, trails significantly behind its biggest rival, and shows no signs of improvement. This all falls on Venables's shoulders, and if OU loses to a (3-3) South Carolina team at home next Saturday, the pressure will intensify on the head coach.

OU’s Offense Can't Capitalize

OU’s offense is struggling in multiple areas, and fans are understandably frustrated. The most disheartening aspect, in my view, is how the offense fails to capitalize on opportunities. Billy Bowman Jr. handed the offense the ball on the Texas 45-yard line just one minute into the game. With the energy of the Red River Rivalry behind them, could OU take an early lead against the top team in the nation? Of course not. The Sooners gained just 18 yards in five plays and missed a field goal. The defense forced a three-and-out, and a Texas penalty gave OU another opportunity at the 49-yard line. This time, the Sooner offense lost 12 yards and had to punt. Opportunities were squandered, and any chance of an upset faded away. The Sooners had only 107 total yards at halftime and finished the game with 237 yards and just three points on the scoreboard. That won't cut it in the SEC — or any other conference.

OU’s Quarterback Situation Remains Unresolved

I have been saying this for weeks, and it should be clear to all OU fans now: the issues with this team and offense are not solely Jackson Arnold's fault. Many fans hoped starting Hawkins would be a quick fix, restoring the offensive glory that OU has enjoyed in previous seasons. That has not happened.

Hawkins possesses considerable talent and shows promise, but his play is still raw. He often seems to predetermine whether to hand off the ball or keep it, rather than making reads on option plays. While he extends plays well with his feet, he also needs to learn when to throw the ball away instead of taking a sack, which can throw the offense “off schedule.” Throwing the ball away on fourth down is a clear sign of inexperience — and a significant learning opportunity for Hawkins.

Hawkins reflected after the game, saying, “I could have come out a little harder. I saw things I could have fixed on the sidelines. I could have led my team better … It’s about getting through adversity.”

Now the question arises: should Brent Venables stick with Hawkins and hope for rapid development, or revert to the player he benched (prematurely, in my opinion)? The answer is not clear-cut. Dark days may lie ahead for the OU offense, and all Sooner fans can hope is that the long-term ramifications of the quarterback situation won't hinder the program for years to come.

For what it's worth, Venables was asked after the game if he ever considered making a change at quarterback. His answer: “No.”