(This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.)
The 2024 Oklahoma Sooners still have one game to play before we can move on to the 2025 season. OU went 6-6 overall and 2-6 in Southeastern Conference play, earning a berth in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl against the Navy Midshipmen (noon, Friday, Dec. 27).
After a brutal SEC schedule, Brent Venables[/autotag] and his team didn’t get a great bowl draw. Navy went 9-3 and defeated Army, which won the American Athletic Conference title.
The Sooners have released their depth chart for the last game of the year, and it reflects the 25 players who entered the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag]. The Sooners could still see more players enter the portal before it closes on Dec. 28, but this is where things stand.
Some positions have seen plenty of change. Of course, OU will lose more players to graduation, lack of remaining collegiate eligibility or the NFL draft, but they’ll suit up in the crimson and cream one more time.
Here are the four biggest takeaways from OU’s depth chart for the Armed Forces Bowl.
1. No Stutsman, No Bowman
Both [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] have played their final game in an Oklahoma jersey, and both had excellent careers in Norman.
As the duo prepares for their pro careers and the draft in April, let’s remember to salute what they did in their four years as Sooners.
Otherwise, Oklahoma’s defense will have plenty of familiar faces, and the coaching staff is hoping they will return in 2025. There are still plenty of decisions to be made there, but it looks like that unit will be mostly intact in Fort Worth.
2. Hawkins Takes Over Again
On the other hand, Oklahoma’s offensive depth chart is a work in progress, to say the least. Let’s start at quarterback. With Jackson Arnold’s transfer to Auburn, [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag] takes over at quarterback one more time in 2024.
Hawkins will make the fourth start of his true freshman season after he spelled Arnold midway through the year. Hawkins has a chance to show Sooner Nation his growth before he settles back into a reserve role behind newcomer John Mateer in 2025.
Hawkins’ decision to stick it out and stay at Oklahoma could prove fruitful for both parties. He has a chance to be developed properly under new offensive coordinator [autotag]Ben Arbuckle[/autotag].
3. Wide Receiver Woes
Oklahoma has six scholarship wide receivers on the roster. They could be down to four scholarship players for the Navy game if Deion Burks is unable to play because Jayden Gibson is still out after his preseason injury.
True freshmen Zion Kearney, Zion Ragins, Ivan Carreon and K.J. Daniels appear on the depth chart, as do walk-ons including Jacob Jordan.
It’s a position the coaching staff is doing some work to rebuild this offseason; they have to find guys who can be both healthy and productive.
4. Barnes Will Not Play
Oklahoma hasn’t had any of the top four running backs on the roster ([autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag], Xavier Robinson, Taylor Tatum and Gavin Sawchuk) enter the portal yet. That could change, but there’s a chance the room will be pretty good in 2025. Each of those four brings a different skill set, but one guy emerging to be the feature back would be ideal.
For a brief minute this season, that was Barnes. He had become OU’s best offensive player, but he was injured against Maine and missed the rest of the year.
Unlike Robinson, Tatum and Sawchuk, Barnes doesn’t appear on the depth chart. That could be because he’s definitely out because of his ankle injury.
Barnes returning in 2025 would give Venables and Arbuckle a veteran guy in the backfield capable of being a workhorse when called upon. That room looks a bit crowded, so don’t be shocked if one of the four decides to look for more carries elsewhere this winter or spring.
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