Joel Klatt addresses Oklahoma's transfer portal woes

Once the Oklahoma Sooners lost their in-state rivalry matchup against Oklahoma State, the program took a completely different turn. There was a mass exodus from both players and coaches when head coach Lincoln Riley decided to venture out west for the USC job.

Some of the biggest names entered the transfer portal and left the program — including two five-star quarterbacks in Spencer Rattler and Caleb Williams. Former five-star wide receiver Jadon Haselwood did as well. Even a couple of Sooners followed Riley to play for the Trojans.

Fox analyst Joel Klatt addressed Oklahoma’s transfer portal woes during an appearance on The Herd. He said there are still questions new head coach Brent Venables will have to address to be a top team next seaosn, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

“I think the portal impacts them quicker than the SEC thing does,” Klatt said. “The SEC move is still down the road a little bit. I put out a way too early top 10 already for next year. They’re not in it. Wake Forest is. Arkansas is. OU is not and the reason is because — I don’t know how this is going to go. They’ve lost a lot in the transfer portal, really good players. They’re going to have a transfer quarterback come in under a brand new offensive coordinator. I know Dillon Gabriel and Jeff Lebby are both individually very good. How does that mesh? Who’s blocking in front of them? This has been a team that’s relied on great running game over the better part of five, six, seven years. I don’t know if that run game is going to be even close to what it has been.”

Klatt went on to question if the program can handle the change of mindset from Riley to Venables in year one. He states that losing defensive coordinator Alex Grinch may be the biggest of them all.

“The defense has struggled over the last few years, we’ve known that,” Klatt said. “That’s why Alex Grinch came in and tried to improve them, now he goes with Lincoln Riley to USC. They’re going from an offensive-oriented head coach to a defensive-oriented head coach. I just think there is a lot of unknowns with Oklahoma. I have no idea if this is going to work next season. I hope it works for them.”

The Oklahoma Sooners begin their season on Sept. 3 against UTEP and will renew their rivalry with the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Sept. 17. Venables will be looking to get in a groove just in time for Big 12 play, where the Sooners will be wanting to take back their championship crown.