In its final home game of the 2021 season, Oklahoma might be receiving a reinforcement.
Junior wide receiver Theo Wease was injured during the spring with a lower body injury, but had rehabbed it to the point where Oklahoma felt he would be ready for the season. Then, the Allen, Texas, native sustained another injury during fall camp.
The initial expectation was that Wease would miss at least the first half of the season but he still hasn’t returned and played in a game yet this season. Parker Thune of OU Insider was the first to report the good news that Wease is going through warmups for Oklahoma ahead of the Iowa State game.
Folks, Theo Wease is warming up for the #Sooners.
— Parker Thune (@ParkerThune) November 20, 2021
Several weeks ago during the Sooners’ bye week, Oklahoma head football coach Lincoln Riley updated Wease’s injury status and the report sounded positive.
“He looks good physically. He’s progressing really well. I don’t know that there’d be, that there’s a 100 percent plan in place yet, but we’re getting close and I do think I can certainly see a clear path and defined path to him being able to help us here in this last stretch of the season. I just don’t know exactly when it’ll be yet, but we’re getting close,” Riley said.
Then, last week before the Baylor game, Riley sounded less optimistic about either Wease or redshirt sophomore cornerback Woodi Washington playing against the Bears.
“I don’t know yet. They didn’t do anything full with us last week. They’re encouraging, but not to the point where we’re giving them team reps, anything like that. Hopeful they’ll continue to push forward and the bye week was good for them. They’re making good progress, but still too early to say and probably a little bit of a reach right now,” Riley said.
Washington wound up playing versus Baylor and now Wease is at least going through warmups with the possibility of playing against Iowa State.
Wease finished the 2020 season as one of Oklahoma’s best wide receivers. The junior from Allen, Texas, hauled in 37 receptions for 530 receiving yards with four touchdowns last season.
Those 37 receptions tied for the Sooners’ team lead alongside Marvin Mims. His 530 receiving yards were second on the team behind Mims, and Wease’s four touchdown receptions ranked third.
His return could be a big boost to Oklahoma’s wide receiver corps.
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