Ep. 427 - OU Fall Camp Questions & the Brent Venables Reality Check

Our Fall Camp preview poses unanswerable questions at this time. Will Trell Harris make it through fall camp healthy? Can OU’s RB room get to Week 1 without a wave of injuries? Which position group could produce a surprise camp star, and more!

Later, we take a deeper look at Brent Venables through four seasons at Oklahoma. How does Venables compare historically to other first-time head coaches? Is there a realistic national championship blueprint for Venables based on college football history?

The episode closes with a detailed conversation about the idea that Lincoln Riley “left the cupboard bare” when he departed Oklahoma. Lee and Grant revisit the 2022 roster, including Dillon Gabriel, Eric Gray, Marvin Mims, Brayden Willis, Anton Harrison, Tyler Guyton, Wanya Morris and others, and debate whether OU’s 6-7 season in Venables’ first year was really about talent, culture, coaching, injuries, or all of the above.

Chapters/Timecodes

00:00 — Opening Take – Fall Camp is upon us 06:05 — Will Trell Harris make it through fall camp healthy? 12:29 — What makes a true No. 1 wide receiver? 15:14 — National title expectations vs. where OU actually is 17:48 — Can Oklahoma get to UTEP with a healthy running back room? 21:25 — Which position group could produce a surprise camp superstar? 29:25 — Could Bowe Bentley win the backup quarterback job? 33:16 — If Mateer gets hurt again, can OU trust its QB2? 35:04 — Remembering backup quarterbacks from the Lincoln Riley era 41:17 — Side quest to talk about Lincoln Riley at Big Ten Media Days 43:05 — Will OU’s offense ever have its way with the defense in fall camp? 46:41 — Health is still the No. 1 fall camp priority 48:28 — Brent Venables first four seasons at OU in perspective 53:01 — Comparing first-time OU head coaches through four seasons 57:12 — Is there a national championship blueprint for Venables? 01:02:08 — Where Venables ranks among first-time head coaches historically 01:05:01 — Random detour: Charlie Weis, Notre Dame and college football YouTube rabbit holes 01:08:43 — Revisiting Lee and Grant’s initial reaction to Venables being hired 01:10:44 — OU’s 2022 floor should have been higher than 6-7 01:14:52 — Did Lincoln Riley really gut the program? 01:23:19 — Why the 2022 offense was the most functional part of the team 01:25:37 — Comparing OU’s 2021 offensive personnel to the 2022 offense 01:28:24 — Defensive roster comparison from 2021 to 2022 01:29:54 — What “cupboard was bare” may actually mean 01:34:00 — Offensive red flags heading into 2026

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Ep. 428 - John Mateer’s Championship Chance and Fall Camp is Here!

John Mateer’s got an incredible opportunity to win a National Championship this season. He’s got the defense, but what must he and the offense do in order for the Sooners to win Number 8?

The guys react to early Fall Camp video and practice buzz. Topics include Courtland Guillory’s impressive clips, David Stone’s dominance, Trent Wilson’s development, defensive line depth, PJ Adebawore’s role, Michael Boganowski becoming more technical, safety depth concerns and the possibility that OU’s defense may be even better in 2026.

On offense, the conversation shifts to Deland McCullough and the running back room. We liked his comments about yards after contact. Thoughts on Tory Blaylock and Trell Harris, a possible surprise wide receiver may break out, and will Jason Witten influence Ben Arbuckle’s offense so much that the style changes?

Plus brief thoughts on the Coaches Poll, the new five-year eligibility ruling, Taylor Tatum’s departure from Michigan, and more hot Lincoln Riley/Brent Venables talk!

Chapters/Timecodes

00:00 — Opening Take – John Mateer’s massive opportunity 05:03 — Week Zero is getting close 07:12 — Fall Camp practice videos, a lot has stood out to Grant 08:10 — Deacon Schmitt may be ready to play early 08:31 — Manny Choice looks the part physically 09:00 — Cole Sullivan’s length and Austin Stogner flashbacks 09:34 — Courtland Guillory’s aura and defensive back clips 11:00 — Deland McCullough’s running back drill philosophy 12:38 — Why “yards after contact” matters for OU’s run game 15:07 — Tight ends, receivers and who looks comfortable in practice clips 17:04 — Running back talk begins with Lloyd Avant and Xavier Robinson 19:00 — Lee declares he’s not concerned with the D-line depth 21:00 — Trent Wilson as a potential breakout defensive lineman 25:00 — Defensive tackle depth and the benefit of the doubt for OU’s defensive staff 26:13 — Jayden Jackson and the question of durability 30:00 — Venables downplaying defensive line strength 30:56 — Edge rusher questions behind the defensive line hype 32:00 — PJ Adebawore entering a huge season 35:00 — Defensive front possibilities and pressure packages 36:00 — Michael Boganowski becoming more technical 37:00 — Safety play, deep passing concerns and OU’s secondary 44:00 — Peyton Bowen, Reggie Powers and young safety depth 46:00 — Linebacker depth behind Kip Lewis and Owen Heinecke 51:00 — Length on the edge and disrupting screens 54:41 — YouTube community poll: which offensive position group worries fans most? 56:00 — Tory Blaylock not available for Practice number 3 57:00 — Lloyd Avant appears to be RB1 if the game were tomorrow 01:00:00 — Lloyd Avant’s experience at Tulsa and Colorado State 01:01:00 — Avant’s wiggle, burst and potential fit at Oklahoma 01:03:00 — Xavier Robinson’s instant impact when healthy 01:04:00 — Deland McCullough compares Lloyd Avant to Damien Williams 01:06:00 — Trell Harris participates in individual drills with cameras present 01:10:10 — John Mateer says Manny Choice has grown a lot 01:15:07 — Tight end room discussion begins 01:15:28 — Hayden Hansen as a massive blocking presence 01:15:48 — Gabe Ikard’s interest in OU running out of 12 personnel 01:17:06 — Jason Witten’s influence on Oklahoma’s tight ends 01:19:47 — Ben Arbuckle’s Washington State personnel usage 01:23:32 — Is Arbuckle’s run scheme good enough? 01:28:54 — Offensive line thoughts and remaining offensive questions 01:30:11 — Grant’s frustration with OU’s transfer portal approach 01:31:58 — Oklahoma ranked No. 9 in the preseason coaches poll 01:32:58 — Five-year eligibility ruling and possible roster impacts 01:34:49 — Would Jaren Kanak help OU if he could return? 01:35:36 — Taylor Tatum no longer with Michigan 01:37:14 — Responding to Brady Trantham’s rebuttal to the Venables/Lincoln Riley debate 01:40:25 — Why that debate still matters today

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Ep. 429 – A Potentially Crushing Injury Overshadows a Good Week of Practice

Lee and Grant react to the report that Oklahoma center Jake Maikkula was injured during the Sooners’ first full scrimmage of fall camp. The guys discuss what Maikkula means to the offensive line, why center is such a difficult position to replace, and what Caleb Nitta and true freshman Noah Best could bring if Oklahoma must adjust up front.

There was actually a lot of good news this week as there’s suddenly Elijah Thomas buzz coming out of practice, Trell Harris appears to be practicing in full, Tank Carrington has a trait shared by Jayden Jackson, and OU adds Arkansas transfer Danny Saili to the defensive line room.

Later, the guys answer listener questions about Oklahoma’s offensive line, the run game, the running back room, how much better John Mateer really needs to be, what Ben Arbuckle must prove in year two, whether OU’s secondary can be considered the strength of the team, and which Sooners could get drafted after the 2026 season.

Chapters/Timecodes

00:00 — Opening Take – A good week ends with bad news 03:59 — Brandon Drumm reports Jake Maikkula was injured in Saturday’s scrimmage 09:03 — Noah Best hype and whether he could factor into the center battle 12:15 — Why losing Maikkula would be a significant downgrade 16:35 — Elijah Thomas suddenly becomes a major name to watch 22:18 — Trell Harris appears to be practicing in full and making plays 28:27 — James “Tank” Carrington hype keeps growing 30:27 — Comparing Carrington’s block recognition to Jayden Jackson as a freshman 35:19 — Oklahoma adds Arkansas transfer Danny Saili 38:40 — Todd Bates’ credibility and why the defensive staff gets benefit of the doubt 39:31 — Listener poll: if OU has the best defense, how good must the offense be? 41:08 — West of Everest YouTube subscriber update and community growth 41:57 — Why total offense can be misleading 42:23 — Does OU need a top-10 offense to win a national title? 45:28 — Listener Questions lead to O-line talk about Michael Fasusi and Heath Ozaeta 47:22 — Why the offensive line should improve, but may not be elite yet 50:50 — 12 personnel, offensive philosophy and how OU may build its offense 55:38 — Under-center run game discussion 59:18 — Hunter asks about run blocking and run game health 59:32 — Shane asks if any running back is emerging as the top guy 01:00:42 — Why Xavier Robinson’s quick return suggests the early injury may not be severe 01:01:48 — Grant’s concerns about Tory Blaylock as a top-two running back 01:04:33 — What offensive success against OU’s defense would mean in camp 01:06:00 — John Mateer listener question: how much better does he really need to be? 01:06:55 — Did upgraded personnel change the standard for Mateer? 01:07:50 — Why a small statistical improvement may not be enough 01:08:17 — Mateer’s injury prevented OU from learning how much he could improve last season 01:12:48 — What a realistic Mateer statistical improvement could look like 01:14:02 — Can Mateer improve pocket movement, reads and timing? 01:16:23 — Jeff asks what Ben Arbuckle must do to help the offense thrive 01:16:44 — Arbuckle has to be intentional with personnel and play-calling 01:18:29 — How the offense can thrive in the SEC 01:20:21 — James asks whether the secondary could be the strength of the defense 01:23:29 — Peyton Bowen, Reggie Powers, Omarion Robinson and safety depth 01:28:11 — Big defensive package possibilities 01:31:07 — Final listener question: how many Sooners get drafted? 01:34:42 — What double-digit draft picks would mean for Oklahoma’s season 01:36:09 — Looking ahead to season preview content and show close

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Ep. 431 - The Big Season Preview Is Back!

Game week is finally here, and the Big Season Preview is back!

But first, Grant can’t believe a stat he just learned about a SEC team from the 70’s, the guys discuss the ongoing battle for the starting center spot, and acknowledge that OU recently announced its 2026 team captains.

Then, it’s time for the Big Season Preview as Lee and Grant go through five preseason prompts built around certainty, cautious optimism, skepticism, crazy-but-possible outcomes, and things they may not want to say too loudly. Topics include Oklahoma’s dominant run defense, whether OU will force more takeaways, whether the Sooners could have the best defense in college football, whether Deland McCullough fixes the running back room, whether John Mateer becomes OU’s most dynamic runner, whether the 12 personnel and under-center buzz is real, Elijah Thomas and Jonathan Hatton hype, PJ Adebawore’s NFL upside, the possibility of a 1,000-yard rusher, whether OU could produce two 800-yard receivers, and the uncomfortable possibility that Oklahoma could still finish 7-5 or worse.

The guys also include predictions from the West of Everest community, including thoughts on Mateer, Ben Arbuckle, the tight end room, Danny Okoye, OU’s turnover total, Brent Venables’ contract extension and the Sooners’ 2026 floor.

Finally, Lee and Grant revisit their past preseason predictions from 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 before making their final 2026 record picks. The show closes with quick Week Zero thoughts on TCU, Memphis, Jackson Arnold, CJ Bailey, USC, Lincoln Riley, Gary Patterson and the arrival of real college football.

Chapters/Timecodes

00:00 — Opening Take - Oklahoma’s goal: three takeaways per game 04:20 — Grant reacts to the 1970 Tennessee takeaway record 08:43 — West of Everest moves to two episodes per week during the season 09:27 — Center position remains the biggest pre-UTEP storyline 10:08 — Ryan Fodje may be leading the center battle 16:48 — Oklahoma names nine captains 17:29 — Big season preview begins and the show is about to get better because the offseason content machine is almost over 22:02 — Prompt 1: “I am so certain of this that I haven’t even considered an alternative” 28:20 — Prompt 2: “I’m pretty sure this will happen, but I’m not ready to commit” 36:50 — Prompt 3: “I’m hearing the positive talk, but I still need to see it” 44:06 — Prompt 4: “That’s crazy, but it could happen” 59:28 — Grant’s boldest prediction 01:00:51 — Prompt 5: “I’m just going to keep my thoughts to myself” 01:02:29 — Predictions from the West of Everest community 01:11:03 — OU’s floor should be higher with a great defense and returning QB 01:12:46 — Looking back at West of Everest preseason predictions 01:13:19 — 2024 prediction review: Lee 9-3, Grant 8-4, OU finished 6-6 01:14:23 — 2023 prediction review: both picked 9-3, OU finished 10-2 01:16:47 — 2022 prediction review and maybe Grant’s worst take ever 01:20:55 — 2021 prediction review: Lee 11-1, Grant 12-0, OU finished 10-2 01:23:46 — Lee clarifies criticism of Venables is not an endorsement of Riley 01:24:44 — Final 2026 OU record picks 01:29:05 — Quick national college football thoughts from Week Zero 01:30:20 — TCU, Jaden Craig and Josh Hoover’s value 01:31:21 — Memphis, Jackson Arnold and pressure issues 01:32:33 — CJ Bailey, Virginia and the offseason quarterback hype machine 01:33:46 — USC, San Jose State and another Lincoln Riley-style game 01:35:39 — Looking ahead to UTEP

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Ep. 433 - OU’s Offense Actually Looks Different in 51-0 Shutout Of UTEP

The Sooners opened the 2026 season by shutting out UTEP 51-0 Friday night at Owen Field. The guys discuss their likes and dislikes from the game and read your 3-Word Reviews!

Chapters/Timecodes

00:00 — Oklahoma opens the season with a 51-0 shutout 03:44 — Tight end usage was not just offseason talk 04:37 — Grant: 12 personnel looked like OU’s base offense 08:05 — John Mateer looked comfortable and the offense looked balanced 10:31 — Easy explosive plays in the passing game 11:04 — Rocky Beers looks like a real weapon 11:56 — Mateer looked like his pre-injury version 12:48 — Noah Best starts at center as a true freshman 14:58 — Likes on Offense -- Isaiah Sategna looked like the best player on the team 18:15 — Lee liked Lloyd Avant’s debut 19:47 — Grant liked the easy downfield passing game 20:44 — Ben Arbuckle deserves credit for adjusting the offense 21:15 — Jonathan Hatton flashes on his second carry 22:53 — John Mateer’s efficiency and Hayden Hansen’s catch 26:21 — Elijah Thomas gets involved early 28:10 — Trell Harris wins immediately against zero coverage 28:40 — Dislikes on offense 35:53 — Overall offensive verdict: good, but run-game explosiveness remains a question 36:06 — Likes on defense 37:24 — OU pitched a shutout and people still had defensive complaints 42:15 — Taylor Wein and P.J. Adebawore stood out 45:15 — Wyatt Gilmore and Cole Sullivan stand out 47:17 — OU forces two takeaways in Week 1 47:56 — Dislikes on defense 55:56 — 3-word reviews 01:07:17 — Final verdict: OU looked like a good team 01:07:39 — Mateer’s yards per attempt and deep passing encouragement 01:08:08 — Why Jake Maikkula is needed for Michigan 01:08:34 — Encouraging signs on Maikkula’s status

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Ep. 434 - OU-Michigan Preview: Is Michigan Really That Bad?

The show opens with leftover thoughts from OU’s win over UTEP, followed by the latest injury news involving key offensive linemen.

Later, the guys begin their OU-Michigan preview by talking about how the Wolverines should be 0-1. Grant compares Michigan’s offense to Oklahoma’s 2024 offense, while Lee explains why Michigan’s heavy sixth-offensive-lineman “Rhino” package may play right into the strength of Oklahoma’s defense.

The guys discuss Bryce Underwood, Michigan’s struggling run game, Kyle Whittingham’s rocky start, and why OU’s defense should be eager for this matchup.

On the other side, Lee and Grant discuss what Oklahoma’s offense must show against Michigan’s defense.

The episode closes with Week 2 picks against the spread: Missouri at Kansas, Alabama at Kentucky, Mississippi State at Minnesota, Iowa State at Iowa, and Ohio State at Texas.

Chapters/Timecodes

00:00 — Opening take: OU’s a 12 personnel team 04:13 — Leftover thoughts from the UTEP win 05:30 — OU used 12 personnel on 82.7 percent of snaps 09:30 — Danny Saili’s size and role on the defensive line 09:59 — Grant still thinks Saili looks undersized 13:02 — Jake Maikkula and Ryan Fodje trending toward a return 13:29 — Michael Fasusi availability becomes the major concern 14:00 — What does OU’s offensive line look like without Fasusi? 24:23 — Michigan should be 0-1 after Western Michigan 24:41 — Kyle Whittingham’s rough start at Michigan 25:22 — Bryce Underwood remains Michigan’s starter “right now” 26:01 — Underwood’s awkward response to Whittingham’s comments 26:25 — Michigan’s offense, Jason Beck and the Wolverines’ main weapons 27:01 — Western Michigan ending controversy 28:01 — Grant: Michigan’s offense looked like 2024 Oklahoma 31:16 — Why Western Michigan may have a real gripe 36:50 — Back to Michigan being a dumpster fire 37:09 — What Oklahoma’s defense needs to do against Bryce Underwood 38:31 — Michigan’s “Rhino” package plays into OU’s hands 40:04 — Why using a sixth offensive lineman only works if those linemen can block 42:40 — Stop the run and put Michigan in obvious passing situations 43:24 — JJ Buchanan may be Michigan’s only scary skill player 45:35 — Lee wants three takeaways from Oklahoma’s defense 47:57 — Grant: Michigan may improve, but the offense is not good 52:18 — Michigan’s yards per play and time-of-possession context 53:39 — What Oklahoma’s offense needs to show against Michigan 56:26 — Grant’s No. 1 offensive key: play a clean game 57:17 — Michigan’s penalty issues against Western Michigan 59:54 — John Mateer needs to keep building off Week 1 01:03:31 — Get the ball to Sategna, Trell Harris and Rocky Beers 01:05:56 — Lloyd Avant can keep Oklahoma on schedule 01:06:20 — Grant’s prediction 01:08:48 — Lee’s prediction 01:15:13 — OU needs to punch Michigan in the mouth early 01:16:15 — Programming note: Lee on 107.7 The Franchise postgame show 01:18:42 — Around college football and Week 2 setup 01:20:02 — Tennessee-Georgia Tech, Auburn and Gavin Freeman thoughts 01:22:12 — Ole Miss-Louisville and LSU-Clemson thoughts 01:25:24 — Oregon-Boise State and Boise as a G6 contender 01:26:21 — Week 2 picks begin 01:26:54 — Missouri at Kansas 01:29:26 — Alabama at Kentucky 01:31:25 — Mississippi State at Minnesota 01:35:38 — Iowa State at Iowa 01:36:51 — Ohio State at Texas 01:38:50 — Final thoughts before OU-Michigan weekend

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Ep. 435 - OU’s Offense Fails in 17-10 Loss at Michigan

Oklahoma went to Ann Arbor with a chance to make a national statement. Instead, the Sooners left Michigan with a 17-10 loss and a lot of familiar questions about the offense.

Lee and Grant react to Oklahoma’s disappointing road loss at Michigan and read your “3-Word Reviews”.

Chapters/Timecodes

00:00 — Oklahoma makes West of Everest look stupid 04:16 — Oklahoma’s offense was bad again 05:16 — Grant: the game exposed offseason concerns 09:31 — The offensive sequencing felt weird from the opening drive 13:20 — Offensive line injuries mattered 13:44 — Fodje and the tackles struggled with Michigan’s edge rushers 18:56 — Empty 12 personnel was the failed new wrinkle 22:46 — Mateer had too many misses that should not be missed 24:58 — OU still had a chance despite the offensive mess 27:00 — The standard for Oklahoma’s defense is extremely high 29:12 — Pass rush concerns and lack of disruption 30:57 — Kip Lewis’ non-contact injury 36:24 — Mateer remains the key to Oklahoma’s season 36:40 — Grant: good teams can lose that game, really good teams do not 38:42 — Could OU still bounce back against Georgia and Texas? 40:54 — Three-word reviews begin 42:22 — “Nice extension, Denny” 43:40 — End-of-half time management failure 46:45 — Michigan’s offensive coordinator knew Underwood’s limitations 48:12 — Was Elijah Thomas open for a touchdown? 48:50 — Michigan took away Sategna and Beers in high-leverage moments 49:22 — JJ Buchanan’s third-and-long explosive still bothers Grant 50:32 — Running backs are mid and not dynamic 51:05 — Fans pile on the offense, Venables and the extension 56:23 — Grant: year five at Oklahoma should not look like this 59:45 — Michigan fumbled twice on the same series and OU recovered neither 01:00:22 — OU forces zero takeaways after Western Michigan forced three 01:04:60 — Lee still did not expect Oklahoma to lose 01:06:38 — Grant: this was the perfect script for Michigan to win 01:07:06 — OU failed to punch Michigan in the mouth early

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