Oklahoma Sooners AD shares his stance on spring games amid cancellation
The Oklahoma Sooners are making any changes necessary to try and get their football program back to where it used to be. Since losing Lincoln Riley as head coach, the Sooners have seen a pair of uncharacteristic losing seasons in 2022 and 2024.
In Oklahoma's first season with Brent Venables as head coach in 2022, the Sooners finished with a losing record of 6-7. They bounced back in 2023 with a 10-3 overall record on the year and tied for second in the Big 12 conference. However, in their first year in the SEC this past season, Venables' Sooners again finished with a 6-7 record.
The program needs to make a change to get things back on track, and one of the steps that has been taken is canceling the spring game. The trend was started by Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule, and several other programs, including Oklahoma, soon followed suit.
Sooners athletic director Joe Castiglione explained to The REF that, although he's not a fan of the tradition being nixed, he felt it necessary.
“The old world has changed, and I don't like it either," Castiglione said on Thursday. "We have grown the attendance of spring games. We understand it, but the world has changed dramatically. We don't have to like it, but it's something different. It's hard to explain to everyone.
"But, this is the forerunner for what's going to happen in spring football. Maybe people have a spring game this year. But in my mind, I see spring practices changing dramatically. I love the spring game. I hate to see it going away. I’m with the fans. It’s just something that we’re having to do to adjust and best position our program.”
Oklahoma Sooners will have a very different look in 2025
Nixing the spring game isn't the only change coming for the Sooners in 2025. Oklahoma has obtained quarterback John Mateer from Washington State by way of the transfer portal. He'll reunite with former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ben Arbuckle, who the program also signed back in February.
The Sooners have a rich tradition of molding great quarterbacks such as Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Jalen Hurts.
Venables and company are hoping Mateer could be exactly what they're looking for to continue that trend of historic signal-callers. He'll be coming into a situation where he needs to help the Sooners compete with other top programs, such as Texas, Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Ole Miss, and many more.