Oklahoma is not doing anything halfway. The Sooners rebuilt their tight end room this offseason with three transfer additions and then went out and hired former Dallas Cowboys legend Jason Witten to coach the position.
This is a major statement. Witten is a Pro Football Hall of Fame candidate who spent his entire NFL career with the Cowboys. He is one of the best tight ends of his generation. Getting him to leave whatever else he was doing and come coach college football is a real coup for Brent Venables and Oklahoma.
The tight end position in modern college football has become more important than ever. With defenses spread thin covering four-receiver looks, having a big body who can block on the edge and win over the middle is a matchup nightmare. Oklahoma clearly identified this as an area they had to fix.
The three transfers give them depth immediately. Names matter less than the profile. Oklahoma got a mix of blocking specialists and pass-catching threats, which gives their offensive coordinator options based on personnel. That flexibility is going to be huge in SEC play.
Oklahoma’s transition to the SEC has been a mixed bag. The Sooners went 6-7 in their first year in the conference and got humbled by the physical brand of football that defines that league. This offseason has been about building back a roster capable of hanging with Georgia, Alabama, Texas, and LSU.
The Witten hire matters beyond just tight end coaching. He is a recruiting name. He is a media draw. He gives Oklahoma something to sell in living rooms when they go after top high school prospects. That kind of star power on the coaching staff pays dividends.
Jackson Arnold is the quarterback going into the season. He struggled last year but Oklahoma believes he has real upside. Giving him a fully stocked tight end room with a Hall of Fame level coach helping develop them is a huge assist. Tight ends are safety valves. They keep the quarterback out of trouble.
The SEC does not care about who you were last year. The conference is loaded with talent everywhere. Even the middle-tier teams have future NFL players at every position. Oklahoma cannot rebuild by half measures. This is a full commitment.
Witten teaching route running and blocking technique to college tight ends is a legitimate advantage. He has forgotten more football than most position coaches will ever know. The Oklahoma tight ends who buy in and work with him are going to be significantly better players by the end of fall camp.
Brent Venables is on the hot seat. Everybody knows it. This offseason is his last chance to prove he can build a program that competes in the SEC. The tight end rebuild and the Witten hire are signs he is taking it seriously.
The results still have to come on the field. But at least Oklahoma is making the right moves.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
