Is Oklahoma Football the next Nebraska?

Cam, Zimmel, and Jeff Barker engage in more college football and SEC conversation in Hour 3 including how well will the Oklahoma Sooners do in the conference?

Episode Transcript

(00:07):
And we're back to the Craigway Show. Have a message for Craig, share
it by using the talkback feature onthe iHeartRadio w app our. Final show
before the holiday weekend, July fourthweekend, so no shows Thursday and Friday.
Hope you guys are making it throughthis mid week hump. Cameron Parker

(00:31):
along with Andrew Simmel and Jeff Parkerfrom CBS S Austin Sports joining us in
studio. Any holiday plans for you, Jeff, nothing major, got me?
No, nothing major? No,I mean I just probably arebody just
hanging out at the house. I'llbe working to a little bit on the
show. So yeah, hanging out, family, trying to stay cool.

(00:51):
What about you? Same thing?Just nothing crazy, staying indoors if possible
tomorrow. For the most part,we're talking about Texas for throughout the show
and moving to the SEC. Lookingat the SEC as a whole, there's
been a lot of conversation about,you know, Texas, they beat Alabama

(01:11):
last year, got to the clasFootball playoff, you know they are going
to put the SEC on notice.And then there's the argument that you know
they're not ready, Oklahoma, Texas, They're not they they have no idea
what they're getting into. I thinkit's somewhere in between both. I think
they're ready. I don't even thinkit's in between. I I I roll
at some of the they're not readyfor this. I mean, we just

(01:34):
talked a bunch over the last hourabout the atmospheres, and sure the regularity
of how you know, constant itis walking into an atmosphere like that.
Maybe with the you know, exceptionof Vanderbilt on the schedule this year,
like okay, that might take alittle getting used to. But just from
the standpoint of this football team andthis football program being sec ready, I

(01:55):
think it totally is. They showedthat last year and also because of the
physical of football that they play,Like I don't see the way Sarks built
this team. I don't see ahuge weakness in this program right now or
one thing where I look at andgo, h, like that's a tendency
like you know, or even likelike some of the Lincoln Riley teams when
you know he was at OU andat SC. Now it's like, all

(02:15):
right, he's gonna have a Heismanquarterback, but like they're never gonna play
defense. But I don't see ahuge hole on this team right now or
even really really anywhere in this program. I mean, you're you're set at
the coordinator positions obviously, Sarks,so your play caller. He's you know,
grown into his own as as ahead coach and this new opportunity,
and like, I don't see anyreason why Texas isn't ready. And also

(02:36):
he talked about this openly about yearsdown the line when he first got here,
building this program in the image ofa physical, hard nosed SEC type
of program. Especially like even beforeI think they were you know, it
was totally known that they were goingto be getting into the SEC. And
he's done that with the way they'verecruited at offensive line. I mean,
he's got a Heisman contender at quarterback, he's got a Manning behind him,

(02:59):
and you know, the receiver positionwill be interesting to see how they replace
those guys. But there's a tonof talent and viable guys to step into
those roles. And I mean Sarkis good for a thousand yard rusher pretty
much every team he's he's called playsfor and definitely been a head coach for,
so CJ. Baxter, Jayden Bluebehind an experienced offensive line. I
mean, I don't think. Idon't think there's really any reason for me

(03:20):
to look at this and go,no, they're not ready for the SEC.
Looking at the fan dual odds fornext season, Georgia the favorite to
win the SEC at plus one toeighty, Texas second at plus three to
fifty, Ole Miss at plus sevenhundred, then Alabama at seven fifty,
and then Oklahoma all the way down. Looks like they're the ninth favorite to
win the SEC at plus thirty threehundred. A little bit surprising for you.

(03:44):
I don't think the Oklahoma parts supersurprising. I mean, what wouldn't
surprise me is if they exceed thoseexpectations a little bit. I'd be surprised
if they win it. But Ithink they'll they'll be a factor. I
think Brent Venables is in a similarsituation to what Sark was in this time
last year, where it's like,hey man, you've had two years here,
and you know you had the roughfirst season, you made improvements the
second season, and you know nowyou've got your guy in there at quarterback.

(04:09):
It's Jackson Arland with them, andlike, let's let's go show the
world. So I think it's justa matter of like they haven't necessarily proved
it yet. And I know Texaswas the favorite to win the Big Twelve
last year, but also different situationthere with the conferences. So yeah,
I didn't expect Oklahoma to be superhigh on that list in Texas at plus
three fifty behind Georgia. I thinkthat totally makes sense too. Texas is

(04:31):
that team where I just said,I don't think they have any major holes,
but also I can say that andalso at the same time confidently say,
yeah, they need to prove tome that they're actually on the same
exact level as Georgia. Right now, who's won national championships of late Andrew
Now you feel the opposite way aboutOklahoma, right Oh? No, I
think the Oklahoma's going to be theNebraska of the SEC. Jeff, I've

(04:53):
been really really pushing this agenda toCameron. I feel bad for him.
I'm calling him after the show,giving him another sports talk episode afterwards.
I just think that Oklahoma comes inas a nationally recognized brand. I don't
trust venerable to build this program theway that he was able to do it
to Clemson. I think it's acompletely different situation at Oklahoma. And look,

(05:14):
Nebraska came in the Big Ten andhad a couple of good years and
then completely fell off. And ifOklahoma comes in and doesn't play defense or
doesn't develop the way that they needto develop, there in a very very
tough spot. Because look, whenTexas Oklahoma joined from the Big twelve to
the SEC, everybody was talking about, oh, you know, can these
two teams be ready? Sark gotTexas ready, Oklahoma's coming in. I

(05:38):
think one foot a little bit left. Yeah, I mean, I think
you make a great point there abouthow Sark, like I just said,
I mean, he built this teamfrom scratch with you know, an SEC
team in his mind of the programthat he wanted to build in the style
of play, and the depth andsize obviously to go along with the speed
that you have on the roster.I don't know if if I'm with you

(06:00):
on they're gonna become the Nebraska movingforward. But it wouldn't surprise me if
they have you know, three,four or five years where they don't do
any better than nine or ten wins. I don't think they're gonna completely fall
off. Nobody can the entire conferencecan't win ten games. Somebody has to
win seven games, somebody has towin six games, somebody has to underachieve.

(06:25):
And for my money, it's gonnabe Texas A and M, and
it's gonna be Oklahoma. Those aregonna be the two teams that every year
we come into saying like, oh, they should be a lot better than
they are, and they just won'tbe. That's where we're going out.
But more teams, I see whatyou're saying. But with there only being
eight conference games and the amount ofteams there's gonna be in the league now,
there actually can be more teams thanyou think win nine or ten games

(06:46):
between four non conference games, howeveryou schedule those. I mean, if
you schedule four cupcakes or even threecupcakes that you're pretty sure you'll win,
and then you schedule one that's likea coin flip or one that you might
be an underdog in all right,and won in those games, and then
you win, you know, fivegames in the conference. I mean you
go five and three, Like,I don't think that's crazy. That's already

(07:08):
league nine wins right there, andthen a bowl game in there too.
So I think there are more teamsthan you think win eight or nine games
or not. We we said thesame thing about Wisconsin. We say the
same thing about Nebraska, like theseteams should win more games than Coosin's done
that. Well, Now, thefinal lead for a national championship Wisconsin,
No, come on, Wisconsin's notcompeting for a national championship. Had a

(07:29):
Big Ten. That is a twoteam race. Yeah, I know,
yeah, that's a two team race. And then Penn State plays a little
brother. I'm just saying, Oklahoma'scoming in. Look, old miss with
Lane Kiffin's gonna be better. MississippiState fields like they're getting their stuff together.
Vanderbilt is always going to be bad. Florida needs to figure it out
for sure. But Georgia is stilla dominant team all less, Whu's a
dominant team. Alabama can be adominant team. Ah, look, maybe

(07:51):
you're right nine wins, eight wins, But are the people in Norman gonna
accept that? Are they going tobe happy with, Hey, we made
the college football playoffs. We lostto whoever, USC, Penn State whatever,
right out of the Big ten twelve? Yeah, they're not gonna love
that. Oh that's I mean,it's it's a fair point. But again
to your I mean, maybe I'mjust harping too much on your there the

(08:13):
next Nebraska, because Nebraska would killfor that. Well, over the last
couple of years, would it killedfor I will sneak into this new twelve
team playoff and lose in the firstround. Well, Oklahoma is so used
to winning the Big Twelve. Itfelt like the entire twenty first century,
it was like, oh, theBig Twelve at to Oklahoma's conference in football,
and you know, they had reachedthe college football playoff what two or

(08:35):
three times? If you tell me, rest of this decade, they don't
win the SEC conference championship and theydon't reach the playoff. I mean,
with the twelve teams, you kindof think they could sneak in. I
could see them not being at thatsame level of football they were at towards
the end of Bob Stoops in LincolnRiley. When the expectations are national championship
or bus that's where you get intotrouble. And Oklahoma is in that spot

(08:58):
where they if they think they're gonnatry to win a national championship every single
year, Like Texas fans, we'vebeen there before. We after the Mac
Brown era with Charlie Strong with TomHerman, it was every single season.
Why is this team not? Yougot to walk before you can run,
and Oklahoma is back to the weneed to learn how to walk before we
can run. That's where I'm atwith it. And if they think that

(09:18):
they're going to compete for a nationalchampionship, they're in a tough spot.
Well, and that's why I meanto your point about walk before you run,
I mean, Venables is a yearbehind Sark in his tenure at Oklahoma,
so this year will be huge.Then first year in the SEC his
third season, that's where Sark madethe big jump. Yes, they were
in the Big twelve, but theystill would have had a really good season
had last year been the first yearin the SEC. So I think it's

(09:41):
I mean, I think your pointis is valid that. Yeah, if
the expectation is a national championship orbust, I mean, it's it's been
a minute since they've done that,even though they made the playoff, as
Cam mentioned a couple of times,and you know they were it was basically
their conference in the Big twelve infootball for quite a long time. So
yeah, if that's the expectation,then sure they might be in for rude

(10:01):
awakening, but I think I'm gonnagive Brent Venables this year to at least
take that next step forward. Thisis this is really kind of the proven
year for him because it was whatsix and six with seven and six with
a Bowl win and year one andthen nine ten wins last year, Like
he's gotten better? He went hegot better from year one to year two.
Yeah, sure the bar wasn't setsuper high, but Sark did the

(10:22):
same thing. They didn't go toa bowl game. Yeah, from fire
ones to twelve thirteen. Right,So I'm not I'm not saying I'm predicting
Oklahoma's gonna do that, but I'mat least before I totally buy into your
your take on that, Andrew,I'm gonna give Venables a chance to show
me that he can do it.Okay, over the next five years,
are they going to be closer toGeorgia Alabama when they're in the SEC?

(10:43):
Are they're going to be closer toold Miss Mississippi State? Well, I
mean, being old Miss isn't allthat bad right now. I actually think
if you just want to get ridof Mississippi State, there being old Miss
right now, like that's I feellike that's kind of almost where they're at
at this point. So I mean, I don't I'm not going to predict
they're gonna win a national championship,but there's still a national brand that I

(11:03):
think can get, can get playersand recruit at a really high level.
That was really to me what felloff with Nebraska was. I mean,
yeah, Scott Frost came in andthat clearly didn't work for a lot of
reasons. But I think the talentthat they were getting or weren't getting was
really, you know, maybe evena bigger deal than the coaching there,

(11:24):
and then trying to compete with youknow, you mentioned the two horse race
of you know, Ohio State,Michigan and then even Penn State. There
is kind of playing that on theCUSP team every year, so I think,
you know, with Nebraska there,I think it was the lack of
talent, which I don't think willbe an issue for Oklahoma. They have
Tennessee the start at home, goto Auburn, of course, Texas up
at the Cotton Bowl host South Carolina, travel the Ole Miss, which will

(11:48):
be at their toughest game with sixThe schedule is definitely more difficult for them
than it is for Texas and theinaugural season and then Missouri on the road
and they end with Alabama at homeand then travel to LSU. Okay,
last question, you know, sorry, based on that, maybe Andrew's right,
Based on that schedule, that's adang hard schedule. But they do
get to avoid at least Georgia onthat schedule. But besides that, Yeah,

(12:13):
Alabama LSU is a very tough waythat in the season. Plus Alabama
LSU even Missouri Missouri did last yearand they're bringing back most their guys,
most of their top studs from lastyear. Yeah, that's a that's a
tough schedule, May Nebraska. IfNebraska wins more games to Oklahoma this year,
the warpath, I'll beyond Jeff hoobrother, You'll be like, get

(12:35):
this Jeff Barker guy back on.Hey, you know what if that happens,
I'll gladly come on and and entertainyour victory. Alab my friend,
last question for you before we letyou go, Texas football schedule. You
can't choose Oklahoma, A and Mor Georgia. What game do you think
are you most excited for? Whatcould be the most sneaky game on that
Texas football schedule. You know,we did something similar at the station with

(12:56):
Bob. He asked Alex okafor THISUSwhen he came on in studio with US
on Sports Sunday, and it wasphrased in a different way. It was
more like the five. Bob pickedthe five biggest games and those three were
included, and he said, youcan only go to one and have to
stay home for the other four.So I guess outside of those games,
like I'll probably say Arkansas, AndI know maybe some Texas fans closer to

(13:18):
my age would disagree because they justthat doesn't feel like a rivalry. But
I know, like you know,my my, my grandparents went to Texas,
and I know how they feel aboutArkansas, and I know what that
what that game means to them andtheir generation. So I think that'll be
really cool and maybe some of thethe uh you know, shine is off
that game a bit because they wentthere a couple of years ago. But

(13:39):
I mentioned this earlier, like Ithink they're gonna that's a team or a
program that you know, sarks meable to get them up for that game.
Well, you know, there's gonnabe a bunch of games he's gonna
have to get them up for.But I don't think that'll be an issue
because there are some guys that youknow, we're on that team that just
got embarrassed in Fayetteville a couple ofyears ago. So yeah, if I
can't go to those three big onesyou mentioned, then I'll say Arkansas on
the road. He is Jeff Barker, CVS Austin sports anchor and reporter.

(14:03):
Hey, thanks for stupping bye man. Appreciate it. Appreciate you guys having
me. This is a blast asalways. All Right, we're gonna continue
our number three up next, somesound from Greg Sanki, the SEC Commissioner,
talking about Texas and Oklahoma joining theconference. That's next here on The
Craig Way Show.