​The Oklahoma Sooners are one of the most successful programs in the history of college football. However, it has been more than 25 years since the program captured its last national championship. The Sooners have come close on multiple occasions, appearing in the national championship games in 2003, 2004 and 2008, while making the College Football Playoff in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2024. However, they have been unable to take the final step and bring another championship back to Norman. That is what head coach Brent Venables is hoping to change heading into the 2026 season. But to do that, Venables knows there is one major weakness the Sooners must address. “For us to be a championship team, to be in that conversation at the end of the year, we have to be a whole heck of a lot better,” Venables said at SEC media days. “It puts tremendous pressure on every part of your team when you can’t consistently run the football… We have to run the ball a hell of a lot better than we have the last couple of years.”Oklahoma ranked No. 113 in rushing nationally last season at just 118.5 yards per game. Venables said he would like to see that number around 175 yards per game, which would have ranked in the top 50 last season. The reality is the Sooners have built one of the best defenses in college football under Venables, but championship teams need balance. Oklahoma’s inability to consistently run the football has limited the offense and put too much pressure on the defense in critical moments.If the Sooners can establish a reliable rushing attack in 2026, they could finally have the complete team needed to compete for their first national championship since 2000. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on X @jaronspor.This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Sooners’ Brent Venables reveals how Oklahoma can become a ‘championship team’