Sooners working through challenges with new sideline tech

Field Level Media|published: Wed 11th September, 11:57 2024

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables fist bumps Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the TCU Horned Frogs at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. Oklahoma won 69-45.

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said the Sooners are using the nonconference portion of the schedule to get ready for what their first season in the SEC will actually look like.

"Next year we have Michigan and we actually travel to Temple," Venables said of the 2025 September slate for the Sooners.

Building depth has become a challenge at certain positions, including the offensive line.

"Everybody in college football, that's just the way it is, can leave," Venables said. "Having a roster built on stability and consistently is a little bit different. It's that way for everyone in college football."

Technology is one of the areas the Sooners are putting in some extra work following consistent communication challenges with quarterback Dillon Gabriel. College football is using direct-to-helmet communication from coaches for the first time this season.

"Sometimes it's worse than others, sometimes it's better than others. Nothing has been quote-unquote smooth," Venables said. "I think we did work on improving the sound of those. Part of it -- it's all new. Not only coaches but for players, best practice and how to take what's being communicated on the headset and take it (to the field)."

--Field Level Media