Kirk Herbstreit explains what makes Oklahoma different entering Brent Venables' second Red River Rivalry

Oklahoma was dominated from start to finish during last year’s Red River Rivalry against Texas. The Sooners allowed 585 yards of offense in the 49-0 loss, and the game was over before it ever really started.

Texas led 28-0 at the half and never looked back as Brent Venables had a miserable first matchup against the Longhorns as the head coach at Oklahoma.

Texas may end up winning Saturday’s game against the Sooners, but ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit expects the matchup to be much more competitive this year. Herbstreit joined SportsCenter Saturday morning and shared that this is a much different Sooners defense than the one that faced Texas had its way with in 2022.

“Well, I think the biggest thing that Brent Venables has from last year to this year is he now has a defense that understands his scheme. A very complicated scheme. It relies on a lot of late adjustments,” Herbstreit said. “Second year in his system – that, along with going into the portal and recruiting and bringing these guys in – he has 42 new players on this team. It’s a very different group. I think he has 97 guys that are in their first or second year. So it’s a very different roster this year from where they were a year ago.”

It all starts up front for Oklahoma.

The Sooners currently rank No. 4 nationally in scoring defense at 10.8 points per game, and their defensive front is a big reason why.

Oklahoma is No. 8 nationally with 42 tackles for loss. Venables’ Clemson defenses were known for living in the opponent’s backfield, and his Oklahoma defense is now continuing that tradition.

“The defensive line, if you want to watch one key in this game for Oklahoma’s defense, it’s what they can do up front. It’s been a strength of theirs all year,” Herbstreit said. “They’ve bragged about how much better they are. They have more depth.”

While the Oklahoma defense is much improved so far this season, it will get its biggest test of the year on Saturday against Texas.

The Longhorns have an excellent quarterback in Quinn Ewers and a really good running game, too. Texas will challenge the Oklahoma defense in a number of different ways, and the Sooners will have to play well up front to have a chance to pull off the upset.

“They’re going to have to rotate that depth [up front]. Because Texas is not just about Quinn Ewers and that passing game. I think the area that Texas has grown from the Alabama game early in the year when everybody marveled at that win, is now they can run the football,” Herbstreit said. “That offensive line, Jonathon Brooks, it is a full, complete offense in how they attack you. And if they win the line of scrimmage, game’s over. You cannot stop this offense.”