OU and Texas– Outsiders in the Big 12?

ARLINGTON, Texas – With all of the talk surrounding OU, Texas and the SEC recently, the players and coaches form the two schools in attendance at day two of the Big 12 Media Days walked around with a bit of a cloud over their heads. 

University of Oklahoma receiver Marvin Mims was in attendance today, along with UCF transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel, DE Ethan Downs and CB Woodi Washington. When asked about the level of comfortability of OU in the Big 12 and how that has affected the team’s dynamic, Mims kept his answer short, sweet and to the point.

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Marvin Mims beihind the microphone.

“Oh, we’re comfortable in this conference,” Mims confidently responded on behalf of the Sooners.  “We run the conference and we don’t really feel like outcasts. No one’s thinking about the SEC or anything like that right now, even next year with the other four teams joining. No one has said a word about it and we’re all just focused on the upcoming season.”

While the statement, “We run the conference” might seem a little bold, the Sooners have racked up 14 Big 12 Conference Championships since 2000. This past football season, Baylor and Oklahoma State gave OU a run for their money with the Big 12 Championship game and, of course, OSU’s first Bedlam wince since the 2014 season. 

“If you look back at last year, it was a very off year,” Mims said in reference to what might look different between last season and this season. “Especially with all the change that’s happened around this program, it’s just a crazy, crazy, crazy time. At the end of the day, we’re focused on this upcoming year and looking forward to season.” 

With a new coach, a new conference on the horizon and the future of Bedlam in question, the Sooners will have plenty of distractions going into this season. However, it seems as if those are all at the back of their minds for right now with hopes of regaining their top dog status in the Big 12 conference once again.

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RB Bijan Robinson and RB Roschon Johnson

When it comes to the University of Texas, they also seem to be focused on the upcoming season, mainly because of the tough 3-6 conference record and a 5-7 overall record on last season. Head coach Steve Sarkisian walked into AT&T stadium this morning with his two running backs Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson, LB DeMarvion Overshown and DE Ovie Oghoufo.

“I think, right now, we’re just focused on 2022,” Oghoufo said on his thoughts about next season. “SEC, all that other stuff comes after. But right now, we’re focused on 2022 and changing the narrative.”

Oghoufo, a transfer out of Notre Dame, finished his first season (2021) with Texas with 42 tackles, 21 of those were solo. 

“We’re realizing that time is ticking,” Oghoufo said as he enters fourth season of playing football. “We have a wonderful, excellent opportunity this year and we’re trying to capitalize.”

Second-year head coach Steve Sarkisian has a similar mindset when it comes to the 2022-2023 season.

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Coach Sarkisian speaking to the media.

“There may be more bumps in the road,” Sarkisian said on his thoughts about next season. “There may be more rocky waters, which clearly, we endured last season. But when you come out on the other side of it, man, now you’ve got a team that’s really bought into what you want to do… to go achieve the success you want to achieve.”

Evidently, the Sooners and Longhorns aren’t necessarily burdened by the looming reality of moving over to a new conference and all of the things that come with it. Both teams have laser focus going into this season and are looking to make improvements from last season. Their main focus is “changing the narrative” and pushing the move to the SEC to the back of their minds until it becomes a reality.