Oklahoma Sooners Football

Four months after transferring from Oklahoma to South Carolina, quarterback Spencer Rattler has opened up about his departure from the Sooners.

Speaking to ESPN's Chris Low, Rattler called Oklahoma "a toxic situation" and said he is happy to "get somewhere new."

"Anywhere was going to be better, and I found the right place," he said. 

Rattler didn't expand on what made the situation at Oklahoma toxic. 

"That will be a story for later," he said. "I don't want to get too in depth with it, but it was out of my control. All I can tell you is that we were undefeated at the time I was benched. We won a championship the year before and were going to win another one. I could go on and on."

Expectations have been high for Rattler dating back to his time at Pinnacle High School in Arizona. He was a 5-star prospect and the top-ranked pro-style quarterback in the 2019 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. 

After redshirting in 2019, Rattler took over as Oklahoma's starting quarterback in 2020. The Arizona native threw for 3,031 yards and 28 touchdowns and completed 67.5 percent of his attempts in 11 games. He capped off the season with four touchdowns (three passing) in a 55-20 win over Florida in the Cotton Bowl.

Per DraftKings, Rattler was the preseason favorite to win the Heisman Trophy going into 2021 with +600 odds (bet $100 to win $600). 

Things were rough for Rattler right from the jump last season. He went 30-of-39 for 304 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in a 40-35 win over Tulane. 

After a 76-0 win over FCS school Western Carolina, Rattler threw four touchdowns and three interceptions across three-plus games before getting benched in the first half against Texas on Oct. 9.

Rattler entered the transfer portal in November and committed to South Carolina on Dec. 13. He is projected to be the Gamecocks' starting quarterback in 2022 under second-year head coach Shane Beamer.

Beamer led South Carolina to a 7-6 record and a victory over North Carolina in the Duke's Mayo Bowl last season. 

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Don't worry, Oklahoma fans.

It may seem like former head coach Lincoln Riley has convinced plenty of players to join him in departing the Sooners for USC, but that's not actually the case according to him. Instead, he has simply taken the players from the transfer portal.

"We didn't take players from Oklahoma," he said during an appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. "We took players from the transfer portal."

He continued, saying, "Once a player gets into a portal where they are open to any school in the country, we would be crazy not to take a look at that and try to help our football team."

Many Oklahoma fans won't necessarily lend Riley the benefit of the doubt when it comes to those comments considering he was under contract with the Sooners when he decided to leave for the Trojans.

Still, it should be noted he landed 13 players from the portal this offseason, 10 of whom did not come from Oklahoma. USC was just 4-8 last season and nowhere near ready to compete for a Pac-12 title, so Riley has wasted little time dramatically altering the roster as he looks to return the powerhouse back to its former glory.

That three of those transfers were high-profile players from Oklahoma added to the narrative Riley was taking players from the Sooners.

Quarterback Caleb Williams, wide receiver Mario Williams and cornerback Latrell McCutchin joined him with Williams potentially in position to compete for the Heisman Trophy during his first season in the Pac-12.

Williams took over the starting quarterback job from Spencer Rattler—who transferred to South Carolina this offseason—and finished the 2021 campaign by completing 64.5 percent of his passes for 1,912 yards, 21 touchdowns and four interceptions to go with 442 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.

Unfortunately for Oklahoma, he will now build on those numbers for the same coach but a different school.

Caleb Williams has landed his first NIL deal since transferring from Oklahoma to USC, signing with Beats by Dre, the company announced Friday. 

Thank you @beatsbydre ✌🏽 https://t.co/yfXnbno0Qy

— Caleb Williams (@CALEBcsw) February 5, 2022

Williams announced his decision to transfer to USC earlier this week after spending just one season with the Sooners. He followed new Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley, who coached him at Oklahoma in 2021, to California. 

✌🏽 #FightOn pic.twitter.com/vBSwi86gpb

— Caleb Williams (@CALEBcsw) February 1, 2022

Williams served as the Sooners starting quarterback in 2021, replacing Spencer Rattler, who was inconsistent. He completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 1,912 yards and 21 touchdowns against four interceptions in 11 games. He also rushed for 442 yards and six scores. 

Caleb Williams may have shifted the balance of power in the 2022 College Football Playoff race by announcing his transfer to USC, where he'll reunite with former Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley.

Williams confirmed the decision to ESPN's Pete Thamel on Tuesday.

"I wanted to go somewhere I thought would provide me with the best development both on and off the field. ... Getting to know Coach Riley and gaining familiarity with his offense definitely played a part in my selection, as well as already knowing some [of] the guys on the team," he said.

After closing out the 2021 regular season with a loss to Oklahoma State, Oklahoma experienced an exodus.

Riley left for USC, taking defensive coordinator Alex Grinch with him. Spencer Rattler, a preseason Heisman Trophy favorite, transferred to South Carolina. Jadon Haselwood and Austin Stogner departed as well.

That's to say nothing of the recruits who decommitted after Riley took the USC job.

While not unexpected, Williams' announcement Jan. 3 that he was entering the transfer portal turned heads:

pic.twitter.com/8GcVHURSIL

— Caleb Williams (@CALEBcsw) January 3, 2022

The freshman quarterback left the door open to returning to the Sooners, explaining how entering the portal was the only way he could speak with other schools and remain within NCAA rules.

Wide receiver Theo Wease withdrew from the portal in December, opting to remain with Oklahoma.

Still, first-year head coach Brent Venables found himself having to recruit Williams back to Norman. Venables and athletic director Joe Castiglione issued a joint statement saying, in part, "We believe OU provides Caleb the best opportunity to develop as a player and realize his goals for college and beyond":

Statement from Joe Castiglione and Brent Venables on today’s announcement by Caleb Williams: pic.twitter.com/qGHlDqIDp2

— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) January 3, 2022

Speaking with Thamel after Williams' announcement, his father, Carl Williams, laid out his son's priorities:

Carl Williams: “Professional development. We want Caleb to be ready to play when he becomes a pro. You go to college to get prepared for your career. His chosen career path is professional football. We want him to be prepared for when that time comes.”

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 3, 2022

With the NCAA's relaxing its transfer rules and allowing players to have one freebie, situations like this are more common. But Williams was something of an anomaly.

Joe Burrow and Justin Fields left Ohio State and Georgia, respectively, because they didn't see a path to the starting role. Jalen Hurts exchanged Alabama's shade of crimson for that of Oklahoma because he had been eclipsed by Tua Tagovailoa.

With Rattler gone, Williams was the entrenched starter for the Sooners. His status for 2022 wasn't in doubt, and QBs don't typically bolt a blue blood when they're poised to run the offense.

Similarly, coaches generally don't get a second bite at the apple when they fail to land a top-ranked prep passer, especially one who has proved himself at the FBS level.

Rather than listing the Power Five programs that were likely to pursue Williams, it was probably quicker to name the ones that wouldn't. 

The only teams that shouldn't be willing to throw their returning/incoming starters overboard if they have a chance to land Caleb Williams are Alabama and Ohio State, end of list.

— Matt Hinton (@MattRHinton) January 3, 2022

Williams was the No. 2 quarterback in 247Sports' composite rankings for the 2021 class, and he lived up to the hype at Oklahoma. He threw for 1,916 yards, 21 touchdowns and four interceptions and ran for 442 yards and six scores. 

Rattler's rapid fall at Oklahoma is a cautionary tale about the folly of preseason expectations, but Williams is as close to a sure thing as the Trojans could get at quarterback. Reaching the playoff is bound to be the bar for success with the 6'1" signal-caller on the roster.

Venables, meanwhile, is left scrambling to find a solution at quarterback.

Nick Evers is a 4-star recruit and the No. 10 QB in 2022, per 247Sports' composite rankings. Oklahoma might have to use the transfer portal for its own benefit to replace Williams since fans will anticipate the kind of results that have been the norm in Norman.

As soon as he entered the transfer portal, USC was the logical destination for Williams if he left Oklahoma. Few coaches are better suited than Riley to prepare quarterbacks for the next level, so a reunion made sense.

Former USC quarterback Jaxson Dart's transfer to Ole Miss was the proverbial canary in the coal mine as well. 

Dart threw for 1,353 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions as a true freshman and seemingly would've thrived under Riley's tutelage. By choosing to leave the program, it stood to reason he questioned whether he had the inside track to start in 2022.

When Riley arrived at USC, many believed it was a home run hire that will return the Trojans to national prominence, albeit in a few years. By adding Williams, they might be a playoff contender right out of the gate.

UFC transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel announced that he was joining Oklahoma, flipping a prior commitment to UCLA.

They say life’s a gamble like rolling the dice… DIMETIME pic.twitter.com/8xGNDWjaR3

— Dillon Gabriel (@_dillongabriel_) January 4, 2022

1 2 3… @OU_Football pic.twitter.com/Ukip8FCvtW

— Dillon Gabriel (@_dillongabriel_) January 4, 2022

Dillon Gabriel heading to Oklahoma to re-unite with Jeff Lebby, his old OC at UCF. The QB carousel in college football is spinning faster than ever.

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 4, 2022

Former UCF QB Dillon Gabriel who was expected to begin classes at UCLA today, announces that he's heading to Oklahoma instead. (A follow up to today's big Caleb Williams transfer portal news)

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) January 4, 2022

That followed Oklahoma quarterback Caleb Williams' announcement earlier on Monday that he was entering the transfer portal. 

pic.twitter.com/8GcVHURSIL

— Caleb Williams (@CALEBcsw) January 3, 2022

Gabriel, 21, threw for 8,041 yards, 70 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in his three seasons with the Knights, completing 60.7 percent of his passes. He had an 18-8 record as the team's starter.

He played in just three games this past season, however, as a broken left clavicle cut his campaign short in September. 

Gabriel's experience and familiarity with offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby will make him the frontrunner to serve as the Sooners starter in 2022, assuming Williams indeed departs via the transfer portal. 

The fact that Gabriel flipped his commitment on the same day Williams hit the transfer portal is probably a good indication that Williams isn't returning to Norman, however. 

The freshman had an excellent season for Oklahoma, throwing for 1,912 yards, 21 touchdowns and four interceptions after taking over the starting gig from Spencer Rattler, a preseason Heisman hopeful. Rattler has since transferred to South Carolina. 

Replacing that pair with Gabriel is a pretty solid consolation prize for an Oklahoma program likely left reeling by Williams' announcement on Monday.

Spencer Rattler may not be the only quarterback to transfer from Oklahoma before the 2022 season.

Caleb Williams, who took over as the starting signal-caller during the 2021 campaign after Rattler struggled with consistency, announced he will enter the transfer portal:

pic.twitter.com/8GcVHURSIL

— Caleb Williams (@CALEBcsw) January 3, 2022

Williams explained "according to NCAA rules, the only way I can speak with other schools and see who may offer the best preparation and development for my future career is by entering the portal. Staying at OU will definitely be an option as I begin this process."

His father, Carl, spoke with Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports and discussed what the family is looking for with this move:    

Carl Williams: “Professional development. We want Caleb to be ready to play when he becomes a pro. You go to college to get prepared for your career. His chosen career path is professional football. We want him to be prepared for when that time comes.”

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 3, 2022

Williams notably highlighted the "sudden changes this season sent shockwaves through Sooner Nation and were really hard for the whole team" in his statement.

That is putting it mildly.

Oklahoma started the 2021 season with Rattler on the short list of realistic Heisman Trophy candidates, Lincoln Riley as its head coach and national championship aspirations. However, narrow wins over Nebraska, West Virginia, Kansas State, Texas and Kansas suggested the ceiling was limited, and losses to Baylor and Oklahoma State dropped the Sooners from the College Football Playoff discussion.

Rattler lost his starting job and transferred to South Carolina, Riley took the head coach position with USC, and the program hired Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables as the new head coach.

Venables already has a major recruiting battle on his hands before he even coaches a game when it comes to keeping Williams aboard as the starting quarterback.

A former longtime Sooners assistant coach, Venables and athletic director Joe Castiglione released a statement saying they respect Williams' decision but still "believe OU provides Caleb the best opportunity to develop as a player and realize his goals for college and beyond."        

Statement from Joe Castiglione and Brent Venables on today’s announcement by Caleb Williams: pic.twitter.com/qGHlDqIDp2

— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) January 3, 2022

Frankly, whether the Sooners can keep Williams or not will likely go a long way toward determining how their 2022 campaign unfolds.

He threw for 21 touchdowns and four interceptions while adding six touchdowns on the ground and is someone who can hurt opposing defenses with his arm and legs. Williams figured to be the face of the program for the immediate future, especially with Rattler gone, and the Washington D.C. prep star already started living up to the expectations that accompanied him as a 5-star recruit in the 2021 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

Losing him would be a major blow for a program looking to return to the CFP discussion next season.      

A 24-point second-quarter outburst propelled the No. 14 Oklahoma football team to a 47-32 win over No. 16 Oregon in the Alamo Bowl on Wednesday at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Oklahoma outscored Oregon 24-0 in the second quarter thanks to a Gabe Brkic field goal, a pair of Caleb Williams touchdown passes to Drake Stoops and Marvin Mims and Kennedy Brooks' 29-yard touchdown run. Thanks to those efforts, OU took a 30-3 halftime lead.

Brooks was the Alamo Bowl's star with 14 carries for 142 rushing yards and three touchdowns and scored the first points of the game on a 16-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Meanwhile, the efficient Williams completed 21-of-27 passes for 242 yards and three touchdowns.

Oregon's offense exploded in the second half with 22 third-quarter points and 29 overall, but Oklahoma's lead never dipped below 15 points. Running back Travis Dye was Oregon's sparkplug with 18 carries for 153 rushing yards and a score.

Both teams were shorthanded. Of note, a pair of edge-rushers in Oregon's Kayvion Thibodeaux and Oklahoma's Nik Bonitto were out after announcing their intentions for the NFL draft.

This game also featured a pair of teams that traveled eerily similar paths this season.

Both programs were College Football Playoff contenders, but each of them suffered conference losses to crush their playoff hopes.

Oregon fell to Stanford and Utah (twice), while OU lost to Baylor and Oklahoma State.

Oregon and Oklahoma ended up posting 10-win seasons, but they each lost their head coaches in a high-profile fashion after the end of the regular season, too.

Passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon led the Ducks on Wednesday after Mario Cristobal left for Miami, and former OU coach Bob Stoops guided the Sooners after Lincoln Riley took off for USC.

Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning will take over permanently in Oregon, and Clemson associate head coach/defensive coordinator Brent Venables will lead OU.

With the win, the Sooners ended their season with an 11-2 mark, while Oregon fell to 10-4.

    

Notable Performances

Oklahoma QB Caleb Williams: 21-of-27, 242 passing yards, 3 TD

Oklahoma RB Kennedy Brooks: 14 carries, 142 rushing yards, 3 TD

Oklahoma WR Marvin Mims: 2 catches, 57 receiving yards, 1 TD

Oregon QB Anthony Brown: 27-of-40, 306 passing yards, 3 TD, 1 INT

Oregon RB Travis Dye: 18 carries, 153 rushing yards, 1 TD; 5 catches, 28 receiving yards

Oregon WR Dont'e Thornton: 4 catches, 90 receiving yards, 1 TD

    

Kennedy Brooks, Sooner O-Line Lead Oklahoma to Victory

Oregon simply had no answer for anything Oklahoma did on the ground or through the air. The Sooners running game was particularly deadly as Williams, Brooks and running backs Eric Grey and Marcus Major rushed 39 times for 312 yards.

Brooks led that effort, galloping through the Ducks' defense for 10.1 yards per carry. He and the Sooner offensive line combined to be the catalysts for the team's success as Oklahoma did more than enough on offense to withstand the Ducks' second-half scoring outburst.

Amid Brooks' own onslaught, Jason Kersey of The Athletic stated a clear formula for offensive success:

https://twitter.com/jasonkersey/status/1476399163269160960

At times, it felt like Oklahoma was playing at a different speed, as noted by Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports:

Oklahoma looks blazing fast tonight.. especially Kennedy Brooks.

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) December 30, 2021

RJ Young of Fox Sports was so impressed with Brooks that he thought he could play a decade in the NFL:

Kennedy Brooks is going to play 10 years in the NFL because his vision is so great.

— RJ Young (@RJ_Young) December 30, 2021

Brooks' excellent vision was abundantly clear on his third and final touchdown run, as he patiently traversed through Oklahoma's blocks before scampering into the end zone:

KB and the big bodies 😤@kennedyBrooks26 | 📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/zJMEnPhtDL

— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) December 30, 2021

Overall, it was a sensational performance for the Brooks-led running game, which propelled Oklahoma to its sixth 11-win season in seven years.

    

Oregon's Shorthanded Team Has No Answer for OU

Credit goes to Oregon for fighting hard until the end, given unideal circumstances. Not only were the Ducks without their head coach (a la Oklahoma), but they were significantly shorthanded going into this game. Per Matt Prehm of 247Sports, the Ducks were without over 30 players.

That group included an elite pass-rusher and disruptor in Thibodeaux, who has declared for the NFL draft and may be chosen No. 1 overall. His absence gave Oklahoma far more time to execute their offense all evening.

Cornerback/returner Mykael Wright was also out, and the team lost linebacker Noah Sewell, safety Daymon David and cornerback Dontae Manning to injury in the third quarter.

Therefore, it wasn't a big surprise to see Oklahoma's offense dominate, although the Ducks' perseverance and fight in the second half were impressive.

The offense sprung to life in the third quarter with three touchdowns, thanks to a Dye 11-yard run and Anthony Brown touchdown passes to Dont'e Thornton and Kris Hutson.

The problem was that Oklahoma's offense still could not be stopped, scoring touchdowns in between Oregon scores. Williams found Gray on a six-yard TD pass, and Brooks scored his third touchdown on an eight-yard run. 

Oregon faced tall odds to pull off the upset in San Antonio. Though the Ducks didn't get it done, they battled until the final whistle.

Former University of Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler announced Monday that he's transferring to South Carolina.

Former Oklahoma tight end Austin Stogner also announced that he's going to the Gamecocks.

Rattler entered the NCAA transfer portal in late November to explore his options after the Sooners benched him in favor of freshman Caleb Williams.

pic.twitter.com/KGMIovUSis

— Spencer Rattler (@SpencerRattler) November 29, 2021

The 21-year-old entered the 2021 season with Heisman Trophy-level expectations after an impressive redshirt freshman campaign in 2020. He was voted first-team All-Big 12 after completing 67.5 percent of his throws for 3,031 yards with 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions across 11 games. He also tallied six rushing scores.

Aside from a five-touchdown performance against an overmatched Western Carolina squad early in the season, Rattler wasn't able to match that level of play as a sophomore. He was replaced by Williams during a 55-48 win over Texas and never reclaimed the starting role.

The Phoenix native still completed an impressive 74.9 percent of his attempts in nine appearances, but his touchdown-to-interception ratio dropped off considerably (11-5).

Mike Giovando, Rattler's longtime quarterback coach, told Richard Obert of the Arizona Republic in November that the signal-caller wanted to take his time assessing the situation before deciding his next step:

Whether or not we declare for the draft or find another school remains to be seen. We just want to keep getting feedback from where he may fall in the draft. And his number one goal is to be a first-round pick one day, so he will do what's best in the end so he can achieve that goal.

Rattler ultimately decided to play at least one more college season at South Carolina. It's probably the right decision since his potential draft position could have varied greatly depending on how he performed during the predraft process. He wasn't a first-round lock based on the 2021 season.

He also has an opportunity to impress against SEC defenses, which could make an even bigger impression on NFL scouts.

After seeing a mass exodus following Lincoln Riley's shocking departure for USC, Oklahoma's recruiting is finally starting to stabilize.

4-star quarterback Nick Evers announced his intention to attend Oklahoma in a tweet Monday. 

All Glory To God!

COMMITTED!! #OUDNA | #BoomerSooner pic.twitter.com/e22EBDEdb1

— nicco (@NickEvers12) December 13, 2021

Evers is the No. 156 overall player and 10th-ranked quarterback in the 2022 class, per 247Sports. Oklahoma and Florida, both schools going through coaching changes, were considered the top contenders to land one of the few remaining top quarterbacks in this class.

Evers threw for 2,367 yards and 19 touchdowns against eight interceptions while adding 648 yards and 14 scores on the ground as a senior at Flower Mount (Texas) High School. While his passing accuracy took a dip as a senior, Evers flashed more of a dual-threat ability that could make him capable of competing for a starting job early in his tenure in Norman.

The Sooners already lost Spencer Rattler to the transfer portal, and it's possible Caleb Williams also explores his options. That could leave Oklahoma without both of their quarterbacks who made starts in 2021. The Sooners also lost the commitment of 2023 5-star quarterback Malachi Nelson, who followed Riley to USC.

For now, Oklahoma will go into next season with Williams, Evers, Micah Bowens and Ralph Rucker on their quarterback depth chart. Ensuring Williams sticks around is the next vital step for new Oklahoma coach Brent Venables, who is returning to his former stomping grounds after spending the last decade as an assistant under Dabo Swinney at Clemson. 

An Oklahoma politician is looking to rename a three-inch stretch of highway leading westward out of the state after ex-Oklahoma football head coach Lincoln Riley following his sudden departure to USC. 

Kassie McClung of the Frontier relayed a press release from the Oklahoma State Senate communications office, which revealed State Sen. Bill Coleman's requested legislation to "honor" Riley:

The Lincoln Riley conversation continues at the Oklahoma state Capitol: pic.twitter.com/UCqI7e6rub

— Kassie McClung (@KassieMcClung) December 7, 2021

Coleman is looking to rename a tiny portion of Highway 325, which leads from the Oklahoma panhandle into New Mexico. The final three Oklahoma inches would be dedicated to Riley.

The ex-Sooner leader didn't drive from Oklahoma to California, as USC put him, his family and some ex-Sooner coaches onto a private jet.

📍 Los Angeles@LincolnRiley #FightOn✌️ pic.twitter.com/MKxN1FmlAP

— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) November 29, 2021

Still, this would be a more symbolic gesture after Riley abruptly left for USC.

Oklahoma has now turned to Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables to be their new head coach. Venables is making his return to the Sooners after spending 1999-2011 there in a variety of roles, including assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.