Porter Moser and the Must-Win Territory: Oklahoma’s Slippery Slope
Porter Moser has always been known for his work ethic, his defensive schemes, and his ability to turn underperforming programs into contenders. However, as the head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners, Moser finds himself at a critical juncture in his tenure with the team. After a series of frustrating losses, the 2025 season is shaping up to be one where the Sooners’ basketball program is at a crossroads. For Moser, the stakes have never been higher, and the phrase “must-win territory” has taken on new significance.
Moser’s Arrival and Early Optimism
When Porter Moser was hired as the head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners in 2021, the move was met with enthusiasm. Moser had achieved remarkable success at Loyola Chicago, guiding the Ramblers to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Final Four berth in 2018. His reputation as a defensive-minded coach, along with his ability to develop talent and his familiarity with the Midwestern recruiting landscape, made him an ideal candidate to lead a program that had been searching for stability since the departure of Lon Kruger.
In his first season with Oklahoma, Moser led the Sooners to a respectable finish in the Big 12 Conference, a league that has been one of the most competitive in college basketball. Despite the challenges of transitioning to a new program and inheriting a roster that wasn’t quite his own, Moser managed to keep the Sooners competitive. However, the 2022-2023 season marked a regression, as the team failed to make the NCAA Tournament, finishing with a losing record in the Big 12. The slide continued into the 2023-2024 season, where Oklahoma’s struggles persisted, and the pressure began to mount on Moser’s shoulders.
The Current Slide
As of January 2025, Oklahoma is in the midst of another slide that has left fans, analysts, and the athletic department wondering if the program is trending upward or stuck in a perpetual rut. The Sooners have been inconsistent, with a few high-profile wins mixed in with a number of disappointing losses. Moser’s defensive identity, which had been a hallmark of his coaching philosophy at Loyola Chicago, has not translated as seamlessly to Oklahoma’s roster. The team’s offense, once expected to be a strength, has been erratic, leaving Moser’s coaching staff scrambling for answers.
The Big 12, which has become even more competitive in recent years with the emergence of teams like Texas, Baylor, and Kansas, has provided little room for error. Oklahoma’s struggles have become even more apparent in conference play, where they have found themselves in the lower half of the standings. With a number of other teams in the league playing at a high level, every game feels like a must-win for Moser, as the margin for error continues to shrink.
The Pressure Mounts
The reality of coaching at a high-profile program like Oklahoma is that success is expected, and failures are not easily tolerated. Moser’s contract and the financial commitment from the university to bring him in were significant, signaling that the program’s leadership believed in his vision for the future. However, the longer the team’s struggles continue, the more questions arise about whether Moser is the right man for the job.
In college basketball, the pressure to win is relentless. While Moser’s reputation as a defensive mastermind remains intact, his ability to translate that philosophy into consistent results on the court has been called into question. For a program like Oklahoma, which is accustomed to competing at a high level in the Big 12 and NCAA Tournament, the idea of falling behind in the conference standings or missing the postseason entirely is simply not acceptable. The expectations are clear: either the Sooners start winning, or Moser’s tenure could come under scrutiny.
What Has Gone Wrong?
There are a number of factors contributing to Oklahoma’s slide under Moser, and addressing them will be critical to turning the program around.
- Inconsistent Recruiting: One of Moser’s strengths at Loyola Chicago was his ability to find and develop overlooked talent. However, at Oklahoma, the recruiting landscape is far more competitive. The Sooners have had difficulty attracting top-tier talent to Norman, a city that has not traditionally been a basketball powerhouse. While Moser has managed to bring in some solid recruits, Oklahoma has struggled to land the type of elite prospects that can elevate the program to national prominence. This gap in talent has been especially evident when the Sooners face the top teams in the Big 12.
- Roster Transition: Moser inherited a team that was built for a different system under former coach Lon Kruger. While he has made strides in molding the roster to fit his style of play, this transition has not been without its growing pains. The team has been plagued by turnovers, inconsistent shooting, and a lack of offensive fluidity. The adjustment to a new coaching philosophy takes time, but in the highly competitive world of college basketball, time is a luxury that Moser may not have much of.
- Injuries: Like many programs, Oklahoma has faced its fair share of injuries. While no team is immune to the impact of injuries, Moser’s squad has had difficulty maintaining consistency due to key players being sidelined at various points in the season. Injuries can derail a team’s progress and disrupt chemistry, and for Oklahoma, this has been an unfortunate but significant factor in their slide.
- Defensive Identity Not Fully Realized: Moser is known for building his teams around a strong defensive identity. However, Oklahoma has struggled to impose that defensive style on a consistent basis. In the Big 12, where teams are capable of scoring in bunches, Oklahoma has not been able to lock down defensively when it matters most. While Moser’s teams have had flashes of excellence on defense, they have not been able to sustain that level of play over the course of an entire season.
A Must-Win Territory
For Moser, the remainder of the 2025 season is crucial. With the Sooners struggling in conference play, every game is effectively a must-win if they are to have any hope of making the NCAA Tournament. Even more pressing, Moser’s future with the program may be on the line, as the university must decide whether to remain patient with his rebuilding process or make a change. The financial investment in Moser, combined with the expectations of the fanbase and the athletic department, means that the Sooners’ performance in the next few months will weigh heavily on his long-term future.
Moser will need to make some critical decisions in order to salvage the season and keep his job. First and foremost, the team must improve its offensive efficiency and find ways to generate consistent scoring. The defensive identity that Moser has cultivated in previous stops must come to the forefront if Oklahoma is to compete with the best teams in the Big 12. Additionally, Moser will need to find ways to maximize the talent on his roster, whether that means giving more minutes to certain players or adjusting the team’s playing style to better suit the strengths of his current lineup.
Looking Ahead
While the current slide is undoubtedly concerning, it’s important to remember that coaching changes often take time, especially when a program is undergoing a transition. Moser’s success at Loyola Chicago was not immediate, and patience was required as he built his program from the ground up. However, in a high-pressure environment like the Big 12, time is often in short supply. For Porter Moser and Oklahoma, the next few weeks will be pivotal. The Sooners are entering must-win territory, and how they respond will shape the future of the program—and potentially Moser’s tenure as its head coach.
If Oklahoma can turn things around, Moser’s vision for the program could still come to fruition. However, if the losses continue to mount, the Sooners may be forced to make difficult decisions that could alter the course of the program for years to come.
