Are No. 9 Oklahoma Sooners facing unfair scrutiny?

It’s a transition 12 months for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Former head coach Lincoln Riley left city for USC, taking quarterback Caleb Williams and several other others with him. In response, Oklahoma introduced in former Sooners assistant Brent Venables, who left his defensive coordinator place at Clemson to interchange Riley.

The Sooners are definitely a sizzling matter on the nationwide scene, and FOX Sports College Football Writer RJ Young confronted questions in his first mailbag version of “The No. 1 College Football Show” on Thursday, together with one reader questioning why the Sooners had confronted a lot “hate.”

The No. 9 Sooners open their season in opposition to UTEP on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).

Q: Why is everybody hating on Oklahoma? Will their minds change after seeing them in Week 1? — Chuck Perez

The fan did not specify what he meant by “hating on.” Despite all of the personnel losses, the Sooners are ranked No. 9 within the nation. 

“I did not know that individuals have been hating on Oklahoma to start with. Honestly, I believe it has been nothing however a honeymoon interval for Brent Venables and Oklahoma since he took the job,” Young replied. “I do not know that it is hating on them. I believe it is that Oklahoma had gained the final six Big 12 championships in a row they usually simply fell quick [last season] in an 11-win season.”

Young identified that it wasn’t a lot hate because it was skepticism that was directed at Oklahoma, based mostly on the truth that the Sooner did not even attain the Big 12 Championship, not to mention win it, then their coach left.

“You additionally noticed Lincoln Riley take himself, the beginning quarterback, one of many higher large receivers, and half the workers to USC,” he stated. “You noticed Brent Venables fill that hole fairly shortly and with what I believe is a crack workers that is gonna have a chance to go win a Big 12 championship this 12 months.”

Despite returning solely 9 starters from final season, the Sooners do have a wealth of expertise, together with quarterback Dillon Gabriel (thought-about a Heisman dark horse by some), working again Eric Gray (412 speeding yards as a backup) and receiver Marvin Mims (705 receiving yards).

Their expertise ought to hold the Sooners within the working for the convention title. But to essentially quiet the doubters, Young factors out, they’re going to should suppose larger.

“It’s simply that we wish to see Oklahoma compete for a nationwide championship. That hasn’t occurred since 2008,” he stated. “I’d prefer to see Oklahoma not simply get to the College Football Playoffs … I’d prefer to see them win a nationwide semifinal. So if that is what you are calling hate, I’ll take that, as a result of I like successful 11, 12 video games a 12 months. I’m undecided that is going to occur with a transfer to the SEC.”

Also within the episode, Young answered a variety of different fascinating questions, together with:

+ Who has a greater likelihood to win the Heisman, Caleb Williams or Spencer Rattler?

+ Will Oklahoma and Oklahoma State cease enjoying one another as soon as Oklahoma heads to the SEC?

+ Will No. 7 Utah make an announcement to start out the season?

You can catch extra of the dialog from “The Number One College Football Show” on YouTube, or by subscribing to the present on Apple podcasts or your favourite podcast app.