Brent Venables has backed Oklahoma’s special teams ahead of Saturday’s Red River rivalry game against Texas, saying he feels good about that part of the team despite a few recent mistakes.
That matters because special teams can swing this fixture in a hurry, and Oklahoma’s offense has struggled so far this season. In a game at the Cotton Bowl, where small margins tend to decide everything, field position and kicking game discipline can be every bit as important as what happens in the regular offensive snaps.
Venables was direct when asked about the unit. “I feel good about it,” he said.
Why special teams matter in the Red River rivalry
Oklahoma’s special teams were generally excellent over the last couple seasons under Doug Deakin, so there is a baseline of trust there. But recent weeks have brought more scrutiny. Tate Sandell missed field goals in back-to-back games, Isaiah Sategna lost a fumble on a punt return against New Mexico, and Oklahoma committed two penalties on punt returns in the loss to Michigan.
Those are the kinds of errors that can change the feel of a game before the main battle even settles in. Against Texas, that becomes even more significant.
Last year is the obvious warning sign. Ryan Niblett returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, and Texas went on to beat Oklahoma 23-6. In rivalry games like this, one clean return, one blocked lane, or one mistake on a kick can tilt the scoreboard quickly.
The kicking game could decide the tone
Oklahoma has also alternated between Grayson Miller and Jacob Ulrich at punter at some point before Saturday’s showdown, which adds another layer to the special teams picture. That kind of rotation can work, but it also means the Sooners must be precise in a phase of the game that already carries extra weight.
Venables does not sound alarmed, and his confidence suggests he still believes Oklahoma can handle the basics well enough to avoid gifting Texas extra chances. But the point of this matchup is that special teams rarely stay in the background for long.
With Oklahoma trying to steady its season and Texas waiting for any opening, the kicking game may end up shaping the mood at the Cotton Bowl. In a rivalry built on tight margins, Venables knows that “feeling good about it” will need to be backed up very quickly on Saturday.
