Tag: Brenen Thompson

Bauer Sharp answered the question at tight end for the Sooners

Bauer Sharp impressed in this first game as a Sooner. Can he step up in the passing game?

Coming into the 2024 season, the Oklahoma Sooners had some questions at the tight end position.

Two years ago, [autotag]Brayden Willis[/autotag] was one of the best players on the team, combining his ability as a receiver with his excellent blocking skills to have a very productive season. Though OU went just 6-7, the senior had a career year in his final collegiate season, catching 39 passes for 514 yards and seven touchdowns while opening up holes in the running game.

Last year, the Sooners expected similar contributions from [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag], who returned to Norman after a year in South Carolina. But the tight end production dipped, as Stogner caught just 17 passes for 196 yards and one touchdown. He also struggled to match Willis’ effectiveness as a blocker. Too often last season, it felt like OU was playing 10-on-11 when running the ball with a tight end in the game.

But that’s where Southeastern Louisiana tight end [autotag]Bauer Sharp[/autotag] comes in. After serving as a game captain, he ended the night as OU’s leading receiver with 47 yards on five catches with a touchdown. He seemed to be the only option aside from Burks that could consistently create separation and catch the ball.

Though he came from an FCS school, Sharp looked the part of a Power Four tight end. He and [autotag]Jake Roberts[/autotag] got the initial snaps at tight end, with the latter serving in more of a blocking role. Sharp, who started the game, has been earning high praise since the spring, with one player in his corner being superstar senior linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag].

Sharp displayed sound chemistry with [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], often acting as a safety valve over the middle of the field for his quarterback as pressure closed in. With the struggles of the offensive line and the running game, he’ll be asked to provide more in the passing game, especially until the bigger names get healthy.

Of course, it’s only been one game. Maybe the running game will get on track in the next couple of weeks. Maybe the offensive line gets healthy and in sync. Maybe [autotag]Brenen Thompson[/autotag], [autotag]J.J. Hester[/autotag] and the other depth options at wide receiver just had a rough night and will be just fine. Maybe [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] gets back to his pre-injury self much earlier than expected and [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] is able to stave off any other injuries. .

But in the meantime, Bauer Sharp will need to build on his strong first game in a Sooner uniform to take some of the load off of Arnold and [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag]. Oklahoma has a struggling Houston squad on the schedule next, before a sneaky non-conference game against Tulane. The Sooners need to use the next two weeks to find a rhythm and an identity running and throwing the ball in [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag]’s offense before the Tennessee Volunteers and conference play arrive on their doorstep on September 21st.

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The Good, the bad and the ugly from the Oklahoma Sooners win over Temple

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly from the Oklahoma Sooners week one win over the Temple Owls.

The Oklahoma Sooners had a strong start in their 51-3 win over the Temple Owls. They did just enough on offense to take advantage of a great defensive effort.

Oklahoma knew it didn’t need to go deep into the playbook to beat the Owls. While the offensive performance isn’t quite what we’d expect from the Sooners, it didn’t need to be for OU to win and cover the 42 1/2-point spread.

There was a lot of good in Oklahoma’s win over the Owls and some stuff that has to improve as the Sooners move through the 2024 season. Here’s a look at the first installment of the good, the bad and the ugly from Week 1.

The Good: Defense is Back in Norman

It’s just one game, but the Oklahoma Sooners defense looked great against the Temple Owls on Friday night.

The Sooners held Temple to less than 200 yards of total offense and 1.9 yards per carry. Oklahoma’s defense recorded six turnovers, the most in a game since 2003. It also recorded six sacks and nine tackles for loss. The production came from everyone.

The Owls couldn’t get much going offensively as the Sooners frustrated them with a relentless defensive effort.

The Sooners will face tougher teams down the road, but you have to be happy about what they put on the field to start the 2024 season.

The Bad: Run Game Needs Work

Yes, the Oklahoma Sooners ran for 217 yards. You take the 28 yards from sacks out of the equation and the yardage number jumps to 245. On the surface, that looks pretty good. But nearly a third of that rushing total came on the final drive when [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] and [autotag]Taylor Tatum[/autotag] added 76 yards to the total.

In the first half, OU ran for 4.1 yards per carry. By contrast, the Sooners averaged 9.1 yards per carry in the second half. A much better number, but Temple went deeper into the depth chart as the game went on.

Yes, the offense had a vanilla game plan, but the first-team offense should have been more effective against the Temple Owls. The unit was without [autotag]Jake Taylor[/autotag] and lost [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag] to injury in the early going.

The Sooners will have an opportunity to right the ship when they take on a Houston Cougars team that allowed UNLV to rush for nearly 200 yards and average 4.1 yards per carry.

The Ugly: Wide Receiver Depth takes another Hit

The Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver room was lauded this offseason for being one of the deepest in the nation. Well, that depth is going to be put to the test as the Sooners suffered another significant injury.

[autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag], who was third on the team in receiving yards in 2023, was expected to have another strong season but suffered a broken foot in the first quarter of the win over Temple. That’s the second significant injury suffered by the wide receiver during the last month. [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag] was lost for the season in the preseason.

[autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] has been banged up and is expected to be ready to roll this week against the Cougars, and Oklahoma will need the breakout star from 2023 to have a repeat season this year.

[autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] looked good and [autotag]Brenen Thompson[/autotag] is off to a nice start to the season. But the Sooners need Anderson back and will need a younger player to earn a significant role in the wide receiver rotation.

Oklahoma can’t afford another significant wide receiver injury.

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Final thoughts on Oklahoma Sooners vs. Temple Owls

The Oklahoma Sooners get set to open the season against the Temple Owls and here are this week’s final thoughts.

It’s football time in Oklahoma, and the Sooners are stepping into a monumental season in college football. The Sooners enter 2024 in unfamiliar territory as a team with something to prove.

No longer are they the conference powerhouse, but instead will fight to earn their place at the SEC’s grown-up table alongside Georgia and Alabama. But that’s what this program has been about throughout its existence. The Sooners are one of the big boys of college football, a blue blood that’s had as much success as anyone.

But, like anything in life, the Sooners will have to earn the respect of their new conference brethren. And that’s the way Brent Venables wants it.

As the Sooners get set to kick off the 2024 season, here is this week’s final thoughts.

Offensive Line Time

So much has been said about the Oklahoma Sooners offensive line. Sure, they don’t return a primary starter from a year ago. But no reason to fret. The Sooners have had productive offensive line play for a long time and are coached by one of the best in the business in [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag].

It will come together and this week against Temple provides the first opportunity to see the unit begin to gel. [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag], [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag], [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag], [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag], and [autotag]Jake Taylor[/autotag] have a nice mix of blue-chip talent and experience.

Believe in Bedenbaugh.

Need for Speed

The Oklahoma Sooners will start two legitimate speedsters this week against the Temple Owls when [autotag]Brenen Thompson[/autotag] and [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] take the field. Burks showed off his big-play ability in the spring game and Thompson, though in a limited role, averaged more than 34 yards per reception on his seven catches last season because of his track speed.

The Temple defense is going to have a difficult time keeping track of Burks and Thompson, who will blow down the field like an Oklahoma wind on the prairie.

Welcome Back JoBa

[autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] got off to a great start to his collegiate career when he emerged as the backup to [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag] during the 2022 season. He ran for over 500 yards and looked headed for a jump in production as a true sophomore in 2023. However, injuries kept Barnes from getting going and last season was pretty much a wash.

In 2024, Barnes has stayed healthy and looks primed to reprise his role from the 2022 Cheez-It Bowl, where he and fellow 2022 four-star signee [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] operated in the lead running back tandem.

Sawchuk may get the start, but Barnes is going to get a lot of work in 2024 and the two will complement each other well in the Sooners rushing attack.

Jackson Arnold Show

The former five-star quarterback, Elite 11 winner, and Gatorade National Player of the Year is set to take the stage for his first season as a starter, and the anticipation has reached a fever pitch. [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] has all the talent in the world to be Oklahoma’s next great quarterback.

With an entire offseason to work with his wide receivers and to familiarize himself with [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag]’s offense, look for a much more comfortable and decisive heading into his second career start. Though the level of competition isn’t quite what Arnold faced in the Alamo Bowl, there’s still a lot to be gleaned from this game against Temple.

Defensive Dominance

The Oklahoma Sooners’ defense will lead the way for the Sooners in 2024. And that starts against Temple. The Owls are one of the worst teams in the country in SP+ offensive ranking and don’t have a settled situation at quarterback.

Oklahoma’s depth and talent are so much greater on the defensive side of the ball. The Sooners should be able to dominate the line of scrimmage, making life incredibly easy for the back seven. Look for this game to resemble what OU did to Arkansas State last year.

Brent’s Guys

It’s year three of the [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] era. All but a handful of guys on the roster committed and signed to play for Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners after his arrival.

This team has his fingerprints all over it on both sides of the ball. It’s a team marked by energy, intensity, and determination. They may not be the most talented team in the country, but they’ll be one of the hardest working and toughest teams in the nation.

Young Guns

The [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag] has already made a name for themselves with the way they’ve worked this offseason to get ready for OU’s first year in the SEC. [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag] earned a starting spot on the defensive line. Venables praised David Stone’s work ethic. [autotag]Taylor Tatum[/autotag] and [autotag]Eddy Pierre-Louis[/autotag] received rave reviews for the work they put in after arriving this summer.

We still need to see that group on the field. What they look like in year one isn’t a finished product. But from what we’ve seen, the Sooners coaching staff won’t have to wonder if this crew is going to work for what they want.

Tonight, we get our first glimpse of what this class is made of.

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No. 16 Oklahoma Sooners vs. Temple Owls: Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

Sooners Wire Staff predicts Oklahoma vs. Temple Owls.

The Oklahoma Sooners kick off the 2024 college football season on Friday night when they welcome the Temple Owls to Norman. The Sooners come into the contest No. 16 in the nation in both the US LBM Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25.

The Sooners are No. 13 in the final SP+ rankings prior to their opener, while Temple ranks No. 132 out of 134 teams in the FBS.

On paper, it’s a mismatch and the Oklahoma Sooners should be able to do whatever they want on the gridiron. This game won’t tell us everything we need to know about Oklahoma, but if they put on a performance similar to their 2023 outing against Arkansas State, then odds are this team will be pretty good in 2024.

Oklahoma is a heavy favorite. Fan Duel has OU as 42.5-point favorites heading into Friday’s opener.

As we will each week of the season, here are the predictions from our staff here at Sooners Wire.

More: SEC week 1 predictions

Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

Oklahoma starts fast in week one, showing off their supreme talent on both sides of the ball against Temple.

[autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]’s debut as OU’s full-time starter at quarterback goes well as he begins the process of getting more comfortable in Seth Littrell’s offense at game speed.

The starters on defense pitch a shutout before the backups give up a fourth-quarter field goal.

As with any first game, there will be things to clean up, but Brent Venables is happy with his team on Saturday morning.

Sooners 59, Owls 3

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Up Next: More Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

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Brent Venables updates injury status for pair of key wide receivers ahead of Temple

Brent Venables revealed that Nic Anderson will be out this week but Andrel Anthony will return vs. Temple.

The Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver room has been banged up this offseason. It’s arguably the deepest position group on the team, bu that depth has taken a hit through fall camp.

[autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag] will be out for the season, and now we know that [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] will be out for Oklahoma’s week one matchup with Temple. [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] confirmed that Anderson will miss week one.

Both players figured to be among the Sooners’ top four wide receivers this fall.

However, some good news came from Venables’ press conference. Wide receiver [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] will return to the field, suiting up for the first time since suffering a season-ending knee injury during Oklahoma’s win over Texas.

Anderson had a breakout campaign in 2023, hauling in 38 receptions for 798 yards and 10 touchdowns. Though listed as day-to-day by Venables earlier in the week, the Sooners will likely be patient with his recovery, knowing they’ll need Anderson for tougher contests ahead.

Anthony was experiencing a breakout season in his own right in the first half of the year. After catching just 19 passes in his first two seasons at Michigan, Anthony tallied 27 receptions for 429 yards and a touchdown before missing the second half of the season.

All eyes turn to senior [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag], incoming transfer [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag], emerging speedster [autotag]Brenen Thompson[/autotag], and Anthony to lead the Sooners passing attack this week against the Owls.

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Brenen Thompson rising to the occasion ahead of first career start

Brenen Thompson has had a fantastic offseason and looks like a breakout candidate ahead of his first career start.

It’s no secret the deepest unit on the team has faced its challenges in fall camp. The Sooners lost [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag] for the season. [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] was banged up early but looks to be on tract to start against Temple. [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] is working his way back from the season-ending knee injury he suffered against Texas last season, but [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] says there are no limits for Anthony as the season approaches. Another projected starter, [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] is currently listed day-to-day.

That’s opened the door for one of the under-the-radar options to take advantage and cement his place in the starting lineup come week one. Former Texas Longhorns transfer [autotag]Brenen Thompson[/autotag] is slated to start this Friday night against the Temple Owls. The speedster played in a rotational role in 2023, flashing his big-play speed with seven catches for 241 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged an incredible 34.4 yards per reception in limited time.

As the Sooners start the season, Brent Venables is pleased with the growth Thompson has shown ahead of his first collegiate start.

“He’s become one of our best leaders,” head coach Brent Venables said Monday. “Incredibly vocal. Really bright young guy that really cares about his teammates. He can run the entire route tree. He’s focused on not being labeled as just a nine-route or go-ball guy. He’s done a great job, whether it’s the curls, the mesh, the digs, cross the middle of the field. Shows great toughness and durability.”

The toughness and durability are going to be key for the Sooners going forward. But hearing Venables talk about Thompson’s expanded route tree shines a light on what the former track star could do for the Sooners.

If Thompson can be a threat to the defense at every level of the passing attack, it will open up so many more options for the Sooners offense. Combined with a guy like Deion Burks, who has flashed the speed to win deep as well, defenses will have a difficult time accounting for the speed that the Sooners have at wide receiver. And because of that speed, defensive coordinators will be forced to leave two safeties high, which will open up options in the short to intermediate passing game as well as the rushing attack.

Thompson has shown the potential to be a dynamic weapon in the Sooners offense, but there wasn’t a clear path to playing time. The injuries Oklahoma’s suffered, combined with his fantastic offseason have opened the door for Thompson to have a breakout season for the Sooners.

“I think (my expectations) are the highest,” Thompson said. “I think I got the highest expectations, even over Coach V. I think my expectations of myself are higher than what he has for me. I’m trying to go win for this team. I’m trying to put this team first. I’m trying to do everything in my ability to win for this team.”

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Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver depth being put to the test

Oklahoma Sooners relying on wide receiver depth as they work to get several players back from injury.

Entering fall camp, no position group on the Oklahoma Sooners roster was as deep as wide receiver. In just a year and a half, [autotag]Emmitt Jones[/autotag] has added and developed incredible competitive depth at one of the game’s most important positions.

Through a couple of weeks of fall camp, that depth is being tested. Jayden Gibson suffered a knee injury, [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] was dinged up last week and [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] and Andrel Anthony have been working their way back to game readiness.

Those four were among the top five wide receivers from 2023 and are expected to play significant roles in 2024. But the Sooners are working through fall camp without them.

As reports from the first scrimmage of fall camp surfaced, it sounds like the offense had a rough day. The defense is going to be really good, but the first team offense missing most of the two-deep at wide receiver (aside from Deion Burks) is going to make things a little more difficult for Jackson Arnold.

That’s why building depth and development is so important. With Anderson, Farooq, Anthony and Gibson out, [autotag]J.J. Hester[/autotag], [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag], [autotag]Brenen Thompson[/autotag], [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag] and Burks had an opportunity to work with the first-team offense.

The Oklahoma Sooners have 17 days before they open the season with Temple on Aug. 29, giving Jones and the training staff plenty of time to get wide receivers ready to go. For the Sooners to have their offense humming early and often in 2024, health is paramount.

Oklahoma has the depth it can rely on, but getting Anderson, Farooq and Anthony back to 100% will make a huge difference for the Sooners passing attack.

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Sooners WR Jayden Gibson focusing on the little things in 2024

The Oklahoma Sooners are loaded at wide receiver and that means the competition is heating up.

The Oklahoma Sooners are going into the 2024 season with arguably the deepest wide receiver room in the country. There is no question it’s the deepest unit on their team.

The Sooners have a lot of wide receivers who have earned playing time like [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag], [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag], [autotag]Brenen Thompson[/autotag], [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag], [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag], [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag].

Gibson by all reports is having a big offseason for the Sooners. He’s primarily been a backup wide receiver for the Sooners but really stepped up last year to become a guy who earned a lot of playing time. In a rotational role in 2023, Gibson had 14 receptions for 375 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged 26.8 yards per reception, showing off the incredible athleticism and playmaking ability that made him a four-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class. Now, he’s looking to earn more opportunities heading into his third season with the Sooners.

With Anthony and now Farooq out until at least fall camp, Gibson’s earned an opportunity to showcase his talents with the first-team offense. And he may earn a starting role in the Sooners offense come fall.

Gibson talked about what he’s learned so far in his career. “How you do anything is how you do everything,” Gibson said. “I’ve just been trying to live my life the best way possible on and off the field. I feel like that’s what is going to allow me to have the most blessings on the field. School work, how I treat people, how I talk to people, how I come out here and talk to teammates, how I attack film, how I attack recovery, I try to get on all of that. I’m still not perfect. I’m still far from where I need to be. I still need to get extra work on the jugs. So, I’m nowhere close to where I need to be, but I’m strides further than I was.”

Gibson’s been one of the standout performers at camp when the media has been in attendance. He’s got the size and ability to be a difference maker for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2024 and has all the tools that NFL scouts are looking for. Now it’s about continuing to build on the success he’s had over the last eight months.

With the spring game coming on Saturday, Gibson can further cement his role in the Sooners offense. Given the injuries the wide receiver group is dealing with, that role could be substantial come week one vs. Temple.

Watching him develop over the years has been one of the more fun things to see both on and off the field. It’s why he’s got a real shot at not just starting but being one of the top receivers in 2024.

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Oklahoma Sooners Player Profile: Wide Receiver Nic Anderson

After a breakout season in 2023, can Sooners wide receiver Nic Anderson follow it up with another sensational season in 2024?

Evaluating the current roster, Sooners Wire profiles the current players, with wide receiver Nic Anderson up next.

Continue reading “Oklahoma Sooners Player Profile: Wide Receiver Nic Anderson”

Oklahoma Sooners enter spring with tons of depth at wide receiver

Emmett Jones and the Oklahoma Sooners have assembled an incredibly talented group of players at wide receiver for 2024.

In each of the last two seasons, the Oklahoma Sooners have lost their leading receiver.

[autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag], who led the team in 2022, earned a Pro Bowl selection with the Denver Broncos in his rookie season in 2023. [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] is hoping to hear his name called in the 2024 NFL draft after his breakout season in 2023.

And despite the turnover, the Sooners are still stacked at wide receiver.

[autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] is back after his breakout season in 2023. Anderson caught 38 balls for 798 yards and 10 touchdowns. He led the nation in yards per reception among qualified wide receivers. [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag], who also experienced a breakout year in a rotational role also returns looking to build off of a season in which he had 14 receptions for 375 yards and five touchdowns. Swiss Army knife wide receiver [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] returns to give the Sooners a veteran in the room. He had a solid year that was marred by ball insecurity that reared its head in the Alamo Bowl loss to Arizona. Farooq was second on the team in receptions and third in receiving yards last season.

[autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] returns after suffering an ACL tear in the Red River Rivalry win over Texas. Prior to his injury, Anthony was leading the Sooners in receiving, winning at every level of the passing game.

Also back are speedsters [autotag]Brenen Thompson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag]. Though they saw limited playing time, their speed put defenses on notice last year. Thompson provided big play ability every time he stepped on the field and will look to earn a bigger role this offseason. Pettaway was getting his feet wet as a true freshman but could see an increased workload on offense and special teams.

And if that was the depth chart at wide receiver heading into 2024, you’d feel great about what Jackson Arnold will be throwing to. And yet, the talent that Emmett Jones has assembled at wide receiver looks like the heroes arriving at the culmination of Avengers: End Game for the battle with Thanos.

Jones also brought in talented playmaker [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] from Purdue. Burks could be a candidate to start for the Sooners in the slot, taking over for Stoops in 2024. And if that weren’t enough, the Sooners added a really good freshman class with [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag], and [autotag]K.J. Daniels[/autotag].

To say the Sooners are talent-rich at wide receiver heading into 2024 would be an understatement. From top to bottom, it’s easily the deepest position group on the roster. And with Jackson Arnold taking over at quarterback and transition along the offensive line, a lot will be expected of Emmett Jones’ wide receiver crew to provide big plays for the Sooners in 2024.

And with the talent that Jones and the Sooners have assembled, they’re about to have a huge season in their first in the SEC.

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