I'm feeling pretty optimistic about OU sports for 2022.
I believe that Brent Venables as HFC is an upgrade from Lincoln Riley. The Sooners should play tougher and more disciplined football. I think that Venables has assembled a good staff that can recruit as well as it can coach. It's a good mix of young and old, black and white, OU alums and new blood. I think Venables is the right guy to get the program prepared for SEC-style football. If I had to pick a favorite for the 2022 Big 12 championship, it would be OU. That's not to say that I'd take OU vs. the field, but the Sooners
are my totally objective favorite.
In men's hoops, Porter Moser has a relatively small and not greatly talented team. But he's got them playing well, competing hard, and I see sunlit uplands lying ahead for the program.
In women's hoops, I think that Jennie Baranczyk is a great hire. She has a team mostly of Sherri Coale's recruits, and she has them leading the conference race after yesterdays ugly-game win over Texas in Norman.
Men's and women's gymnastics should be right up there competing for NCs again.
Ryan Hybl has the golf program going well.
Then there is Patty Gasso's softball program. It's been the best in the country over the past 10 years and is the consensus #1 going into this season. And she's getting a bright, shiny new stadium. In college softball, she is the equivalent of Nick Saban, but with a pleasant personality.
Disappointments: Baseball and Wrestling. OU has been very good in these two sports in the past, and there's no compelling reason that they can't be good again. But they aren't. Money, facilities, coaches, results--failure on all fronts.