Tag: Jeff Lebby

‘He understands what it means to be the guy’: Jackson Arnold already making a strong impression

As the Sooners embark on their first week of spring ball, Jackson Arnold is already making an impression.

Spring practice is underway for the Oklahoma Sooners. One of the more highly anticipated viewings is that of true freshman quarterback Jackson Arnold.

The highly decorated five-star quarterback is getting his first taste of the collegiate game this week, and according to offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, Arnold’s already standing out.

“He’s come in and he’s picked everything up and he’s worked incredibly hard,” Lebby said about his five-star quarterback signing. “He’s spent a lot of time building on his own. He understands what it means to be the guy here and understands what it is going to take for him to get to that point.”

The expectation for Jackson Arnold in 2023, is to sit behind Dillon Gabriel and learn what it means to be a collegiate quarterback. In a few short months, it appears he’s not sleeping on his opportunity.

With Dillon Gabriel’s final year at Oklahoma also coinciding with the Sooners final season in the Big 12, Jackson Arnold will be the quarterback that leads the Sooners into the SEC. It’s a tall task, but one that’s only going to be possible through preparation.

The talent is undeniable. He’s capable of making all the throws and has the athleticism to hurt teams with his legs as well. He’s got the competitive drive to build upon what he did over his final two years at Denton Guyer.

Arnold didn’t start on varsity until his junior year but helped lead Guyer to the Class-6A state championship game. In the build-up to year two, Arnold took the recruiting world by storm, earning five-star status and won the Elite 11 MVP and Gatorade National Player of the Year awards.

With the opportunity to learn from an experienced coordinator and quarterback, every mental and physical rep this offseason will go a long way to preparing Jackson Arnold for his future as the starting quarterback of the Oklahoma Sooners.

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Oklahoma No. 3 in ESPN’s future quarterback power rankings

With Dillon Gabriel returning and the arrival of Jackson Arnold, the Oklahoma Sooners have one of the best quarterback situations in the country.

With a number of losses on the offensive side of the football to the NFL draft, there’s reason to wonder how good the Oklahoma Sooners offense will be in 2023.

The Sooners lost their leading rusher, top two receivers, and a pair of starting offensive tackles that are likely to be top 100 picks in the 2023 NFL draft. And still, they’re returning the player that matters most to offensive success; the quarterback.

[autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] returns for his second season in Norman in what will be his last hurrah at the collegiate level. Gabriel brings back the most returning production at the position in the Big 12. That sets the Sooners up to be able to better mitigate the sting of the departures of [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag], [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag], [autotag]Brayden Willis[/autotag], [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag], [autotag]Wanya Morris[/autotag], and [autotag]Chris Murray[/autotag].

With Gabriel for 2023 and [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] waiting in the wings, offensive coordinator [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] has the Sooners set up really well at the quarterback position for 2023 and beyond. ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg ranked the top 25 quarterback situations for 2023 and beyond (ESPN+), and the Oklahoma Sooners landed at No. 3.

The start of the Brent Venables era in Norman didn’t go well, but Gabriel wasn’t the problem. He passed for 3,168 yards with 25 touchdowns and six interceptions, while adding 315 rushing yards and six scores. Despite missing a game and most of another, his numbers compared favorably to his first two seasons at UCF. He could play two more seasons at OU, which retained coordinator Jeff Lebby, and should continue to produce. Oklahoma seemingly is well-positioned for whenever Gabriel departs after signing Jackson Arnold, ESPN’s top dual-threat quarterback and No. 3 overall player in the 2023 class. Arnold earned Gatorade National Player of the Year honors after passing for 3,476 yards and 33 touchdowns as a high school senior, while adding 921 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns.

Arnold should help with depth, as Oklahoma struggled mightily without Gabriel in losses to TCU and Texas. OU lost a quarterback with Nick Evers transferring to Wisconsin, but returns veteran Davis Beville for another year. If Arnold delivers on the expectations around him, the Sooners should be in very good shape under center through 2025. – Rittenberg, ESPN

The Sooners landed one of the top quarterbacks in the 2023 recruiting class in Jackson Arnold. He’s an ascending player, growing into a five-star player during his senior year, which included Elite 11 MVP honors and the Gatorade National Player of the Year Award. Arnold got a jump start on his collegiate career as a mid-year enrollee but will serve as a backup quarterback for the Sooners in preparation for his turn at the helm, likely starting in 2024.

Though he hasn’t committed yet, the Oklahoma Sooners are heavily favored to land 2024 four-star quarterback [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag]. Lebby and the Sooners will have to do battle with Sonny Dykes, Kendall Briles, and the TCU Horned Frogs, but are in a good spot to land the talented Hawkins when he commits on April 8.

The Sooners have already received their quarterback commitment of the 2025 recruiting class with the pledge of [autotag]Kevin Sperry[/autotag]. He’s a talented dual-threat quarterback that will be a fantastic fit in Jeff Lebby’s offense.

The Sooners came in behind USC at No. 1 and Ohio State at No. 2.

The Trojans are set up well with Heisman trophy winner [autotag]Caleb Williams[/autotag] and 2024 five-star signee [autotag]Malachi Nelson[/autotag]. They’ll be a force offensively for as long as Lincoln Riley is in Los Angeles. But will the defense make enough improvements to help the Trojans get into national title contention?

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Brent Venables likes his ‘physically and mentally’ tough running back room

In an effort to replace Eric Gray’s production, Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners turn to a “mentally and physically tough” running back group.

One of the questions that the Sooners have had to deal with over the last couple of years is the production of the running back position in the wake of [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag]’s journey to the NFL. As they enter spring ball, they’re answering that question yet again.

Though Gray’s departure took a lot of production with him, [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] likes what he has in the running back room for 2023 with [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag], [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag], and [autotag]Marcus Major[/autotag].

Speaking with the media yesterday, Venables said, “So these are good, tough mentally and physically, players that we’re talking about at the running back position.”

They’re taking on the identity of running backs coach [autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag], who was a tough, do-it-all runner during his time in Norman and in the NFL. He took on heavy workloads during his playing days and was incredibly productive along the way.

“But it’s a really good strong group of guys that are really looking forward to having their opportunity to be the guy,” Venables said. “But I think for us to be at our best, we’re gonna have to have good competitive depth.”

Though offensive coordinator [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] and Oklahoma have this perceived reputation of being a pass-happy team, they’re really a running football team. In 2022, they averaged 13 more rushing attempts per game than they did passing attempts. Considering how much they want to run it, they’ll need several guys to be up to the task of taking 10-15 carries a game.

As a true freshman, Jovantae Barnes proved up to the task of being the backup running back. Although injuries opened the door for Barnes to get significant work as the backup to Eric Gray, his performance allowed him to hold onto the job. And with that performance, Barnes provided a glimpse of what’s to come for the Sooners in 2023.

Last season, Barnes ran for 519 yards and five touchdowns at 4.5 yards per carry. He ran with burst and with purpose, providing a physical element to the Sooners rushing attack.

As spring ball opened on Monday, Barnes is viewed as the frontrunner to lead the running back room in 2023. But the running back room gets a boost as Gavin Sawchuk takes on more responsibilities.

Waiting in the wings for much of 2022, Sawchuk got his opportunity to contribute significantly in the Cheez-It Bowl. In the three-point loss, Sawchuk carried the ball 15 times for 100 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 6.7 yards per carry, showing off his elusiveness and speed in the open field.

Another offseason to work in the strength and conditioning program and to get further acclimated to the offense has Gavin Sawchuk on breakout watch. Because of his breakaway ability, Sawchuk adds a big-play threat to the offense that can help replace the explosive plays lost by the departures of Gray and wide receiver [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag].

And then there’s Marcus Major. Major, a red-shirt senior, has yet to fully realize his potential. Injuries and academics have limited him the last couple of seasons, but we’ve seen what he can do when the opportunity presents itself. If he can stay healthy, he provides another player who can run with power and can create big plays.

Brent Venables is right to feel good about his lead group of running backs. There’s a lot of talent for Jeff Lebby and DeMarco Murray to deploy. If Oklahoma hopes to return to Big 12 title contention in 2023, they need their running back group to have a great year. With as much emphasis as the offense places on running the football, this group has a chance to put up some big-time numbers.

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2023 Player Profile: Dillon Gabriel looking to lead OU to one final Big 12 title

A look at Dillon Gabriel as the Oklahoma Sooners prepare for their final season in the Big 12.

Evaluating the current roster, Sooners Wire profiles the current players, with quarterback [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] up next.

Continue reading “2023 Player Profile: Dillon Gabriel looking to lead OU to one final Big 12 title”

Sooners receive another prediction for 2025 QB Kevin Sperry

Sooners receive another prediction for talented 2025 quarterback Kevin Sperry out of Rock Hill High School.

A few days ago, the Oklahoma Sooners offered 2025 quarterback [autotag]Kevin Sperry[/autotag]. Not long after the offer became public, OUInsider’s Parker Thune and Brandon Drumm issued crystal ball predictions in favor of the Sooners.

Oklahoma looks like the favorite in what will be a high-profile recruitment for the 2025 prospect out of Rock Hill High School (Frisco, Texas).

The Sooners received another prediction, this time from Chad Simmons, On3’s director of recruiting.

Sperry is unrated across the recruiting landscape, but when 247Sports, Rivals, On3 and ESPN drop their evaluations, Sperry will easily be considered a four-star prospect in the early going.

As a sophomore for Rock Hill, Sperry showed off what will make him one of the top quarterbacks in the 2025 recruiting cycle.

He has a strong arm that can get the ball down the field and hit all the intermediate throws. He does a great job throwing with timing and anticipation. Sperry excels throwing on the run in both directions.

Equally impressive is his ability to run the ball, a staple in Jeff Lebby’s offense. He’s a natural ball carrier that is unafraid to initiate contact but is also able to make players miss at the second level. He’s got the speed to get to the outside, and his agility allows him to move well in the pocket.

Though we’re a long way from 2025 national signing day, the Oklahoma Sooners already look well-positioned for one of their future quarterbacks.

With [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] on the way and the possibility of [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] coming in the 2024 cycle and Sperry in 2025, Jeff Lebby has the future looking bright at the quarterback position.

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Sooners look to be a player in race for 2025 QB Kevin Sperry

The Oklahoma Sooners offered 2025 QB Kevin Sperry, and recruiting analysts from OUInsider at 247Sports issued crystal balls in OU’s favor.

Oklahoma was put in a bind last year when starting quarterback [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] was unable to play after suffering a tough concussion in Oklahoma’s loss to TCU. Their scholarship quarterbacks weren’t good enough to run their offense. So the Sooners ran a wildcat-style offense during the Red River Showdown and were promptly shut out 49-0. It was downright embarrassing. However, the staff seemed to take that personally.

They’ve been aggressive in their pursuit of the quarterbacks they want, so they won’t be in a situation that dire again.

Five-star QB [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] is in the building. They are in hot pursuit of their quarterback for 2024, Michael Hawkins, and now, their 2025 QB target seems to have emerged.

Kevin Sperry out of Rock Hill High School in Prosper, Texas is a talented dual-threat signal caller and is tracking to be a top 2025 prospect. He was the Texas district 5-6A Offensive Newcomer of the Year as a sophomore.

With 20-plus offers, there’s no mistaking that Sperry will be one of the nation’s most coveted QBs in 2025. He has a strong arm, and the ball just effortlessly jumps off his fingers.

Jeff Lebby has obviously made an impression on Sperry, and two of 247Sports’ resident Oklahoma insiders believe the Sooners are already in the driver’s seat to land Sperry’s commitment.

Hours after Sperry received his offer, Parker Thune and Brandon Drumm of OUInsider at 247Sports entered crystal balls in OU’s favor.

Kevin Sperry’s Recruiting Profile

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Oklahoma QB target Michael Hawkins announces commitment date

Four-Star QB target Michael Hawkins announces new commitment date. Oklahoma Sooners set to battle it out with TCU.

Once thought a heavy Oklahoma lean, Sooners quarterback target Michael Hawkins backed off his original commitment date of January 31st. With the uncertainty created as Jeff Lebby was being approached for the Alabama offensive coordinator job, things became a little murky in the Sooners’ pursuit of the four-star field general out of Texas.

Things have stabilized regarding Lebby. He’s entrenched as the Sooners’ OC. Hawkins also has decided that he is ready to commit and will announce his decision on April 8th.

Hawkins said via his Twitter account, “‘Moment of clarity.’ I will be announcing my commitment April 8th…”

With his moment of clarity, Hawkins could set the table for Oklahoma as they look to break the ice on their 2024 class.

His decision also directly affects Big 12 rival TCU, who brought in Kendal Briles, the former offensive coordinator at Arkansas. Arkansas and Oklahoma led for months in the recruitment of Hawkins until Briles replaced Garrett Riley after Riley left for Clemson.

TCU is in the hunt for Hawkins because of Briles’ move and shouldn’t be counted out. As it stands, Oklahoma and TCU look set to duke it out on the recruiting trail for Hawkins and will likely do battle for four-star wide receiver [autotag]Bryant Wesco[/autotag]. Oklahoma appears the favorite for Wesco.

Hawkins’s recruitment also has a domino effect that could favor the Oklahoma Sooners if they were fortunate to land the quarterback prospect.  Davon Mitchell, a five-star tight end in the class of 2025, is a close friend and favorite target of Michael Hawkins when they played together at Allen High School. He seems highly invested in the final destination of his old QB. There are rumblings that Mitchell plans to reclassify for the 2024 class.

The desire to play together in college has been noted before. The Sooners would love to reunite Hawkins and Mitchell in Norman.

Additionally, Oklahoma could even get the jump on another Hawkins, as younger brother Maliek is a 2025 cornerback prospect who just received an OU offer this week. Landing Michael would position the Sooners to land the Maliek.

With months to spare before signing day, a commitment from Michael Hawkins could impact the present and future of Oklahoma football.

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Oklahoma offers rising star in 2025 TE prospect DaSaahn Brame

Oklahoma is one of the early schools to offer a potential national recruit in 2025 TE prospect DaSaahn Brame from Kansas.

Oklahoma’s focus is squarely on recruiting and building another top-five class with the class of 2024 to complement the top-five class they built in the 2023 recruiting cycle. However, they still need to be cognizant of building and nurturing relationships with the class of 2025. In the blink of an eye, the 2025 prospects will be the next prospects up and ready to make those final decisions.

The Sooners want to position themselves early in the fight, and that starts years in advance. Oklahoma knows this, and it’s precisely why they offered a rising star in 2025 prospect DaSaahn Brame. Brame is a tight-end prospect with impressive measurables.

Brame stands 6-foot-6 and is over 220 pounds as a sophomore. He’s a massive mismatch for opposing defenses simply because of his size and his athleticism. For an Oklahoma team that has an offensive coordinator in Jeff Lebby, that loves size in the passing game, Brame fits the Oklahoma offense to a tee.

Brame hails from Derby, Kansas, and is the son of not one but two former Kansas State athletes. Kansas State figures to be a big force in his recruitment because of this, and it will be hard to pull him out of the Sunflower State. However a player of his caliber is worth the effort.

Brame confirmed to 247Sports that he will be taking an unofficial visit to Norman on March 25th.

DaSaahn Brame’s Recruiting Profile

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Jeff Lebby among ESPN’s top assistants to watch for the next head coaching cycle

After speaking to “several industry sources,” ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg identified Jeff Lebby as an assistant to watch the next coaching cycle.

Good coordinators can be hard to come and when you find one, they don’t hang around for very long. We see every coaching cycle, offensive and defensive coordinators making moves to become head coaches or even taking lateral moves to other programs.

As this offseason revealed, Oklahoma Sooners’ offensive coordinator [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] has created a positive reputation for himself as a playcaller. So much so that Alabama and [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] were in hot pursuit. And it doesn’t seem like the buzz on Lebby will slow down any time soon.

ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg “surveyed several industry sources” (ESPN+) to come up with a list of the hottest assistants in college football, which included Jeff Lebby.

His return to his alma mater under new coach Brent Venables didn’t go as planned in Year 1, as Oklahoma lost seven games for the first time since 1997. But Lebby’s offense still averaged 32.9 points per game and 6.2 yards per play. The unit showed balance with quarterback [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag], running back [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag] and others, and eclipsed 30 points four times in losses. Lebby’s track record at multiple spots — he served as offensive coordinator at UCF and Ole Miss before OU — enhances his candidacy for future openings. His connection to Baylor and former Bears coach Art Briles, Lebby’s father-in-law, may give some schools some pause, but there’s an expectation among industry sources that he will soon get his chance to lead. – Rittenberg, ESPN

There are certainly some extenuating circumstances surrounding Jeff Lebby’s career that makes his progression to a head coaching job less straightforward. But that hasn’t slowed down the moves Kendall Briles has made. However, Lebby could take Brent Venables’ approach and stay with the Sooners until THE job presents itself.

As one of the top coordinators in college football, he doesn’t have to rush anything. He’s proven capable of leading successful offenses at multiple levels and in three different conferences. Additionally, Lebby has proven adept as a recruiter, helping the Sooners land Jackson Arnold.

After Alabama made a run at Lebby this winter, it would appear that Lebby’s ability to run an offense has kept him top of mind for programs across the country. According to Rittenberg, it seems like only a matter of time before the Sooners may be dealing with an offensive coordinator search.

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5 true freshmen who could have a big impact for the Sooners in 2023

With winter workouts ongoing ahead of the start of spring ball, which true freshmen have a chance to make an impact in year one for the Oklahoma Sooners?

Earning playing time as a true freshman can be difficult. Veterans on the depth chart with knowledge of the defense and experience against the higher level of competition often get favored because of the security the coaches feel with those players.

In 2022, players like [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag], [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag], and [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] made an impact for the Sooners. Guys like Kanak and Thomas flashed throughout the season, even if they didn’t get a full complement of snaps as a backup.

Barnes, on the other hand, was huge for Oklahoma as Eric Gray’s primary backup. Thrust into playing time due to the injuries of Marcus Major, Barnes held onto the job and gave Oklahoma a different element running the football. He’s expected now to be the Sooners’ lead back with [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag] off to the NFL.

After the turnover that Oklahoma experienced each of the last two offseasons, there’s an opportunity for several 2023 true freshmen to come in and be day-one impact players.

For the purposes of this exercise, we’re going to assume [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] stays healthy for the duration of 2023, which would limit [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] to backup duty. Arnold gives [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] and the offense a much better option at quarterback if the Sooners were to need someone to fill in for Gabriel in a pinch.