​In just four seasons under Brent Venables, the Oklahoma Sooners have shifted from owning one of the nation’s weakest defenses to standing as a top-tier unit. The turnaround is nothing short of remarkable: from a No. 122 ranking on the defensive side to climbing to No. 6 in college football. Yet even with that swift ascent, Oklahoma must replace several veteran contributors from last season, including EDGE R Mason Thomas, defensive tackles Gracen Halton and Damonic Williams, Cheetah Kendal Daniels, and safety Robert Spears-Jennings. Despite those departures, the program remains adamant that the defense could regress in 2026 is not in the cards. Instead, there is a belief that the roster has the talent to become the nation’s best on that side of the ball, a confidence rooted in Venables’ extensive history of constructing elite defenses throughout his coaching career.
On3’s J.D. PicKell noted on The Hard Count that many inside the program are convinced this could be the best defense the Venables era has produced. “They think this might be their best 11 they’ve had under Venables on that side of the football,” PicKell said. “You never worry about scheme with Venables.” Replacing seasoned players like Thomas and Halton will be challenging, but Oklahoma is confident its overall talent level is deeper and more versatile than ever. A major reason for that optimism is the talent the Sooners return on defense. Oklahoma brings back 55% of its defensive production, including standout players such as David Stone, Jayden Jackson, Taylor Wein, Kip Lewis, and Owen Heinecke. With Venables overseeing one of the country’s premier defensive systems and a roster rooted in experience, the Sooners have legitimate aspirations of finishing with the nation’s top defense.
If Oklahoma achieves that level of play, they should again be in the College Football Playoff mix and part of the national championship conversation. For ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions, you can contact or follow Sooners Wire on X (formerly known as Twitter) and like the page on Facebook. You can also follow Jaron on X at @jaronspor. This report originally appeared on Sooners Wire under the headline that J.D. PicKell believes Oklahoma is building a defensive powerhouse with better SEO potential.