Bud, Barry, Bob and Brent?

The Brent Venables era at Oklahoma officially begins at 2:30 p.m. September 3 as the Sooners open with the University of Texas as El Paso (UTEP) in Norman.

Bud Wilkinson was legendary in the 40s and 50s. Barry Switzer picked up the mantel in the 70s and 80s and Bob Stoops carried on the Sooner winning tradition in the first part of the 21st Century.

Lincoln Riley was head coach at OU for five seasons and he quit to go to Southern Cal and that insured that he won’t be a part of the Sooner legends.

Venables, who was a defensive coach under Stoops, has the experience and resources to carry on the winning ways.

It starts with UTEP September 3. The Miners opened with a home game with North Texas. They were 7-6 last season, including a 24-31 loss to Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl.

No. 9 OU was 11-2 last season under Riley and 7-2 in the Big 12. Late losses to Baylor and Oklahoma State cost OU a shot at another Big 12 title. Riley left after the OSU game and Stoops filled in as OU beat Oregon in the Alamo Bowl, 47-32.

Riley ran off one of the best quarterbacks in the county and then took perhaps with best freshman quarterback in the country with him to USC. And he continued to try to take away recruits who had previously committed to OU.

But the cupboard wasn’t bare and Venables, who was the best defensive coordinator in the nation while working at Clemson, secured a Top 10 class for 2022 and is doing the same again for the class of 2023.

And he got a great boost from transfers into OU.

Even though Venables is famous for his coaching defense, he has lined up a formidable set of players on offense.

Venables hired offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby who helped recruit quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who will start for the Sooners.

Gabriel was going to transfer from Central Florida to UCLA but he switched to OU. Lebby was his position coach at UCF.

Lebby said, “He’s been very intentional on creating relationships and making sure that everybody in the locker room knows who he is as a person.

“And so he’s done a great job of that. The thing that we’re looking for coming into fall camp was taking care of the football, operating at a really high level. Those are the two things to me that are the most important. The ball is the only thing that matters, so take care of the rock and we’re gonna be in good shape.”

OU’s quarterback room was somewhat bare but Venables brought in David Beville, a transfer from Pitt.  In 2021, Beville completed 77.3% of his passes for 207 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

General Booty, Nick Evers, and Micah Bowens will look to take over that second string spot behind Gabriel.

Running back Eric Gray, who transferred from Tennessee to OU last season, is the leading returner.

“Eric’s done an unbelievable job,” Lebby said.

Riley underutilized Gray but Gray is a perfect fit for Lebby’s hurry-up offense.

Marcus Major is the top backup and there are talented newcomers in Jovantae Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk. Major missed much of 2021 due to academic ineligibility, but came back to play against Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, and Oregon.

Major missed action in the spring, but if he’s able to stay healthy throughout fall camp, he’ll finally put together a season that many have been expecting for some time.

Barnes, Sawchuk and UCF transfer Bentavious Thompson will get some opportunities.

Jalil Farooq will back up Theo Wease, who may be on the verge of being a game breaker. In the Alamo Bowl, Farooq care three passes for 64 yards and a score.

Transfer L.V. Bunkley-Shelton probably will start in the slot and be backed up by Drake Stoops, son of Bob Stoops.

Bunkley-Shelton played 92% of his snaps in the slot last year for Arizona State and caught 33 passes for 418 yards and two touchdowns in 2021.

But OU’s star receiver is Marvin Mims, who will be backed up by J.J. Hester. Mims was in the slot last year but he is moving back outside. He is adept in the long passing game. He averaged almost 20 yards per reception in his first two years.

Hester will get some chance because in Lebby’s offense, sometimes he goes to four receivers.

Brayden Willis will start at tight end and Missouri transfer Daniel Parker, Jr., brings talent and experience.

Jackson Sumlin and Carsten Groos are good and freshmen tight ends Kaden Helms and Jason Llewellyn will have a chance to play.

Left tackle Anton Harrison is one of the returning starters for OU’s offensive line. Center Andrew Raym was solid in his first season as a starter for the Oklahoma Sooners

California transfer McKade Mettauer will start at left guard. Over three seasons, he played more than 1,700 snaps for the Golden Bears.

Right guard Chris Murray is another experienced player on the Oklahoma Sooners’ offensive line.

He’s played more than 2,600 snaps in his career between UCLA and OU.