3 keys for the Oklahoma Sooners in Saturday's spring game

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The Oklahoma Sooners will host their annual spring football game on Saturday inside Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, with kickoff set for noon. The game will be the first chance for fans to see Team 132 on the field in 2026, and after a trip to the College Football Playoff in 2025, expectations are running high for OU this year.

It’s Year 5 now for head coach Brent Venables, who returns a handful of starters on both offense and defense. However, his Sooners will be relying on their ability to develop both young players and newcomers, as there are depth question marks and holes to plug at various spots on the roster.

While the spring game plays more like a glorified scrimmage than an actual game, there are still things that Sooner Nation should be keeping an eye on this weekend. Here are three keys to the spring game for Oklahoma.

1. Leave with a clean bill of health

The most important thing for the Sooners on Saturday is to stay healthy. Oklahoma has a number of players that have been limited or have missed all of spring ball due to injury, and a number of players that have gotten injured during spring practices. At this time, the vast majority of those injuries are expected to be minor, but with the depth that the Sooners are trying to replace this offseason, they can’t afford an injury in a game that doesn’t count.

2. Start getting some answers at defensive end

One of the only true position battles on the defense comes at the defensive end spot opposite Taylor Wein. As Oklahoma tries its best to replace R Mason Thomas, there are some intriguing options at DE, and Saturday could provide some answers towards who could start at that spot. Danny Okoye and Adepoju Adebawore (who is out this spring due to injury) look like the front-runners to eventually fill that role, but Kenny Ozowalu (who can also play DT), Wyatt Gilmore, Alex Shieldnight, and Jake Kreul will all be looking to prove themselves as well. OU’s pass rush was so good last year, but there will be new faces in that department in 2026.

3. Start figuring out if this tight end group is different

Ever since Brayden Willis graduated in 2022, the Sooners have been looking for answers at tight end. Bringing back Austin Stogner in 2023 wasn’t the answer. A transfer duo of Bauer Sharp and Jake Roberts in 2024 wasn’t the answer. Last year, while LB-turned-TE Jaren Kanak provided a boost in the passing game, the Sooners couldn’t run block at TE with Kaden Helms, Carson Kent, or Will Huggins. With Joe Jon Finley out and Jason Witten in, maybe OU has the tools to be better at tight end this season.

A transfer trio of Hayden Hansen, Rocky Beers, and Jack Van Dorselaer is the next group of TEs that Oklahoma hopes will be different. As the offense puts an emphasis on running the ball with physicality this season, Saturday will be the first glimpse for Sooner Nation to see if the tight ends can embody that mindset for the 2026 Sooners.

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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: 3 keys on Saturday for the Sooners in the spring game

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