Tag: OU Football

Sooners cornerback Jacobe Johnson moving to wide receiver

The Oklahoma Sooners are trying to find playmakers at wide receiver and Jacobe Johnson could be an answer.

The Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver room hasn’t simply had bad luck. It’s had terrible luck on the injury front.

Dating back to the Red River Showdown in 2023, the Sooners have lost four key wide receivers expected to make significant contributions in 2024. Andrel Anthony tore his ACL a year ago and still isn’t ready to play significant snaps for the Sooners. Jayden Gibson was lost for the season in fall camp. Jalil Farooq broke his foot on the first series of the season. And after battling a hamstring injury, Nic Anderson lasted just nine snaps in his week four debut.

To say they need some help at wide receiver is an understatement. In an attempt to get more size and speed on the outside, the Oklahoma Sooners are moving former four-star athlete Jacobe Johnson from cornerback to wide receiver.

The Mustang, Okla. native, has good size, speed, and athleticism to be a contributor to the wide receiver depth chart.

When meeting with the media on Wednesday, Brent Venables discussed the transition and shared that it may not be this week for Johnson to contribute, but he’ll have a chance to make an impact in several weeks.

Venables called him a “natural wide receiver.” The Sooners head coach highlighted his ball skills, his competitive toughness, and 4.4 speed that Johnson plays with.

With a bye week coming after the Auburn game, Oklahoma has some time to get Johnson ramped up. If he can be ready to roll by the Texas game, the Sooners could have another playmaker available.

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Sooners, Auburn’s Hugh Freeze featured on USA TODAY Sports’ ‘Misery Index’

Jackson Arnold’s performance against Tennessee and Hugh Freeze failures at Auburn highlight USA TODAY Sports’ Misery Index.

The Oklahoma Sooners fell flat offensively last week against Tennessee, losing at home by a score of 25-15 in front of a national television audience. OU was kept in the game by an excellent defensive performance, but first-half turnovers and offensive ineptitude led to the loss.

Now, Oklahoma needs to regroup and get to 4-1 heading into the first of two bye weeks during the regular season. They’ll head to Auburn in week five, but the national media is discussing the Sooners loss to Tennessee.

In that vein, Oklahoma found themselves on USA TODAY Sports’ misery index following the loss against the Volunteers. College football writer Dan Wolken had this to say about the Sooners:

… the actual story here is Arnold. He completed just 7-of-16 passes for 54 yards, threw an interception and fumbled in the first half when the Sooners were within sniffing distance of the end zone. He got pulled for [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag], who wasn’t amazing but looked steadier and more confident in the second half. – Wolken, USA TODAY Sports

The Sooners need a steadier hand at the wheel as they continue to work through injuries at wide receiver and offensive line inconsistency. Hawkins proved more comfortable and has earned the trust from the coaching staff.

Oddly enough, OU’s opponent this week is also on the misery index, as Auburn is in the midst of a difficult 2024 season. The Tigers are 2-2, with losses to Cal and Arkansas, and desperately need a win on Saturday.

The reason you want Hugh Freeze to coach your program is to score points. That’s why you overlook the NCAA violations at Ole Miss, the inappropriate phone calls that got him fired and the general sense of phoniness that has made him college football’s version of Jimmy Swaggart over the last decade. It’s not a bad tradeoff, in theory. If you believe the entire sport is a cesspool, then Freeze is worth the bad publicity — as long as he’s winning. But in two years at Auburn, the cost-benefit analysis on Freeze has hit a snag. His team doesn’t win. It doesn’t score points. It isn’t entertaining to anyone, unless punting and committing an unusual number of turnovers (14 through four games) is your idea of a good time… Freeze version 2.0 just isn’t working in the SEC. And if you want to blame the quarterback position — neither Payton Thorne nor Hank Brown has looked the part — then you have to blame Freeze too. He’s had two years to improve that position, and so far there’s zero promise of a better future. – Wolken, USA TODAY Sports

Neither team is playing well offensively at this point, but the Sooners have displayed an excellent defense through four games. With a new starting quarterback in tow, as Hawkins takes over for Arnold, Oklahoma hopes the offense can find a spark and the defense can continue to shut down opposing offenses, starting with Auburn.

The Sooners and the Tigers will kick things off at 2:30 p.m. The game will broadcast on ABC.

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Oklahoma Sooners lose defensive starter for the season

Kendel Dolby had become an integral part of the OU defense, but will miss the rest of the year.

The injury bug continues to bite the Oklahoma Sooners in 2024. After losing two key players on the offensive side of the ball for the season due to injury (wide receiver Jayden Gibson and offensive lineman Geirean Hatchett), they’ve now lost a starter from the defense as well.

After suffering an injury last week in the loss against Tennessee, starting cheetah linebacker [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag] will miss the remainder of the 2024 season. George Stoia, who covers Oklahoma for On3 Sports and SoonerScoop, took to social media to report the news, which was confirmed by head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] on his Monday night coaches show.

Dolby had become a vital contributor for the Sooners in his senior season after having some breakout moments a year ago. After multiple players rotated through at cheetah in 2023, Dolby made the role his own in 2024. He was carted off the field after suffering an ankle injury in the second quarter against Tennessee. The home crowd and Dolby’s teammates came to the support of the senior as he was being taken off the field.

Dolby could come back next season despite this being his senior year. He missed the Tulane game with a concussion, meaning he’s only played in three games this year. That qualifies him for a redshirt season if he’s healthy enough and chooses to return to OU in 2025.

Replacing Dolby will not be easy. Behind him on the depth chart is sophomore [autotag]Samuel Omosigho[/autotag], who was thought to be the future of the position after Dolby was finished. He’ll be the primary player to be asked to step up and take over.

True freshman [autotag]Reggie Powers III[/autotag] will likely move into the backup role, though defensive coordinator [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] has lined up plenty of players at cheetah, depending on health and offensive personnel. Senior [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] played there this season when Dolby was on the sideline. OU is also awaiting the return from injury of [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag], who played plenty of cheetah last year. He had been moved to inside linebacker, but might move back outside if the staff sees fit.

Dolby took to social media after the game, simply posting “God, I trust you.”

https://twitter.com/kd_937/status/1837717149244444838

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Breaking: Brent Venables names starting quarterback for Week 5 vs. Auburn

It didn’t take long for Oklahoma to decide on a starter for this week. Brent Venables announced who the starter would be this week vs. Auburn.

Four games into the 2024 season, the Oklahoma Sooners have made a change at the quarterback position.

[autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] became the full-time starter with the transfer of [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] this offseason. However, Arnold was benched late in the second quarter of OU’s 25-15 loss to Tennessee following three first-half turnovers. In the wake of that game, the coaching staff has decided, at least for the time being, it’s time for a change.

Instead, third-year head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] has named true freshman [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag] the starter for Saturday’s game in Auburn. Venables confirmed the move on his coach’s show on Monday night. OUInsider broke the news on social media.

Hawkins was inserted into the game on the final possession before halftime, and Venables stuck with him the rest of the night. Taking his first meaningful snaps at this level, Hawkins took a while to settle in, but when he did, he moved the ball and produced a couple of touchdown drives for the Sooners. Those drives were a stark contrast to the ineptitude Oklahoma had shown on offense the rest of the evening.

Hawkins finished 11-for-18 for 132 yards and a touchdown. He was also OU’s leading rusher, showing a knack for scrambling and gaining yards with his legs. He nearly ran for two touchdowns, coming up less than a yard short twice.

In contrast, Arnold struggled mightily, completing seven of his 16 passes for 54 yards and committing those three back-breaking turnovers. Quarterback hasn’t even been the biggest problem for the offense this year, as that unit has not produced up to the standard in Norman. However, after the turnovers that plagued the offense against the Vols, the head coach decided it was time to make a change.

Venables didn’t name Hawkins the starter for the rest of the season, and that distinction will come down to play on the field. Hawkins earned a shot to be the starter against the Tigers, and if he plays well, it’s likely Venables and his staff will stick with the youngster.

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Sooners tumble in updated ESPN Power Rankings after loss to Tennessee

After their loss to Tennessee, the Oklahoma Sooners nearly fell out of ESPN’s updated power rankings.

The Oklahoma Sooners received a rude awakening in their first SEC matchup against the Tennessee Volunteers. The margin of victory is so narrow in the SEC that three first-half turnovers and the failure to capitalize on first-and-goal from the 5-yard line are all it takes for the game to run away from you.

It was a disappointing loss for a Sooners squad that has higher expectations for itself.

After the loss to Tennessee, the Oklahoma Sooners dropped to No. 18 in the US LBM Coaches Poll and No. 21 in the AP Top 25. In ESPN’s updated power rankings, the Sooners held on by a thread, coming in at No. 24.

The Sooners’ offensive frustrations boiled over against Tennessee, with Brent Venables benching Jackson Arnold for freshman Michael Hawkins Jr., but neither quarterback had much time to throw, with the Tennessee pass rush pressuring the Sooners on 49% of dropbacks, according to ESPN Research.

And there was no running game to take any pressure off, with 16 of the Sooners’ 34 rushing attempts gaining zero or negative yards and OU gaining just 222 total yards. The Sooners’ defense held up against the Vols’ acrobatic offense, but it will need help through the Sooners’ first SEC season. – Dave Wilson, ESPN

The quarterback situation became the tip of the iceberg for the Oklahoma Sooners offense that can’t find a running game and a wide receiver room dropping like flies.

Arnold hasn’t been the only issue, but he hasn’t helped the offense with his decision making. He has to be better. Oklahoma hasn’t determined who will be the starter this week, but it’s safe to say there will be a legitimate quarterback competition this week. Hawkins proved capable of making the right reads in the game and taking care of the football. And as long as Oklahoma doesn’t turn the ball over, it has a defense capable of keeping it in games all season.

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Oklahoma Sooners drop five spots in latest AP Top 25 after loss to Tennessee

After their loss to the Tennessee Volunteers, the Oklahoma Sooners dropped five spots in the updated AP Top 25 after week four.

The Oklahoma Sooners are now outside the top 20 in the AP Top 25 after their 25-15 loss to the Tennessee Volunteers. It was a disappointing result, given the build-up to the primetime affair.

The Sooners loss dropped them six spots to No. 21 in the AP Top 25. Oklahoma was No. 18 in the US LBM Coaches Poll following the loss.

The Volunteers moved up to No. 5 with the win, swapping spots with Ole Miss.

The rest of the top five remained the same, with Texas still at No. 1, followed by Georgia, Ohio State, and Alabama.

Of the top six teams in the nation, the Sooners still have to play three of them. And after Saturday night’s game against the Vols, it looks like it could be a long year for the Sooners.

The defense was the lone bright spot until Michael Hawkins helped orchestrate a couple of late touchdown drives.

Heading to Auburn to face the Tigers in week five, the Sooners have a chance to right the ship. A loss could see them drop out of the top 25 in both major polls.

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Has Michael Hawkins done enough to earn the start vs. Auburn?

The Oklahoma Sooners have a decision to make at quarterback ahead of their week five matchup with the Auburn Tigers. Is it Michael Hawkins job at this point?

After Oklahoma moved on from [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] to chart their course with [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] at the helm, the Sooners have a quarterback conundrum just four games into the 2024 season.

Though Arnold has had promising moments, his three first-half turnovers on Saturday left the coaches with no choice. On the final drive before halftime, the Sooners went to Michael Hawkins and let him finish the game.

It took a minute for Hawkins to settle in. The Sooners punted on all three of their possessions in the third quarter, but Hawkins found his footing in the fourth quarter, helping the Oklahoma Sooners score touchdowns on two of their final three drives.

It wasn’t a perfect outing, but Hawkins showed greater comfort, even when under pressure, than Arnold had been during the game. In his two-plus quarters of work, Hawkins was 11 of 18 for 132 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 22 yards on 12 carries, leading the Sooners in rushing.

“He’s a tremendous athlete. There were several times there where we had edge pressure that we didn’t block and he got outside of,” Venables said of Hawkins after the game. “So, he has some playmaking ability. He can hurt you with his legs, but also, that can’t be your game. We did have some drives where we got into a nice rhythm, and he showed that he could make some plays.”

The Sooners haven’t decided who will start Saturday against Auburn, but you have to imagine Hawkins has earned a long look and some first-team reps this week.

“Figure out who the best guy is to help us get to No. 4, find our fourth win,” Venables said.

With the offensive line still playing inconsistently and not creating much in the running game, going with the faster and more athletic Michael Hawkins may be more of what this team needs moving forward. With the way he played in relief of Arnold on Saturday evening, Hawkins has earned an opportunity to start for the Sooners. We’ll see if the coaching staff comes to the same conclusion this week in practice.

For now, we have a quarterback controversy on our hands.

More: SEC power rankings after Week 4

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Oklahoma Sooners drop in latest US LBM Coaches Poll

The Oklahoma Sooners suffered a significant drop in the US LBM Coaches poll after their loss to Tennessee.

The Oklahoma Sooners suffered a disappointing loss at the hands of the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday night. The Sooners’ offense struggled to move the ball for three quarters and couldn’t take advantage of the great opportunities provided by the defense.

During the game, the Sooners went to true freshman quarterback [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag]. He settled in by the fourth quarter and led the Sooners on a pair of touchdown drives to give the Sooners a chance. But Hawkins and the Sooners couldn’t dig their way out.

In the wake of their first loss of the season, the Sooners fell five spots in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll to No. 18 in the nation. Michigan, LSU, Notre Dame, and Clemson made significant moves to go ahead of the Sooners. Oklahoma sits just behind USC at No. 16 and Louisville at No. 17.

The top five remained the same from last week, with the Georgia Bulldogs holding onto the top spot while on a bye week. They’re followed by the Texas Longhorns, Ohio State Buckeyes, Alabama Crimson Tide, and Ole Miss Rebels.

The Tennesse Volunteers, who picked up a pivotal road win in SEC play, moved up to No. 6 in the nation, jumping the Oregon Ducks.

Ranking Team Record Points
1 Georgia Bulldogs 3-0 1,350 (35)
2 Texas Longhorns 4-0 1,324 (18)
3 Ohio State Buckeyes 3-0 1,279 (2)
4 Alabama Crimson Tide 3-0 1,185
5 Ole Miss Rebels 4-0 1,145
6 Tennessee Volunteers 4-0 1,094
7 Oregon Ducks 3-0 1,016
8 Penn State Nittany Lions 3-0 967
9 Miami Hurricanes 4-0 912
10 Utah Utes 4-0 904
11 Missouri Tigers 4-0 887
12 Michigan Wolverines 3-1 692
13 LSU Tigers 3-1 632
14 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 3-1 553
15 Clemson Tigers 2-1 542
16 USC Trojans 2-1 520
17 Louisville Cardinals 3-0 509
18 Oklahoma Sooners 3-1 404
19 Iowa State Cyclones 3-0 386
20 Oklahoma State Cowboys 3-1 326
21 Illinois Fighting Illini 4-0 307
22 BYU Cougars 4-0 167
23 UNLV Rebels 3-0 124
24 Texas A&M Aggies 3-1 119
25 Kansas State Wildcats 3-1 116

Schools Dropped Out

No. 22 Nebraska; No. 23 Memphis;

Others Receiving Votes

Washington State 94; Indiana 67; Pittsburgh 50; Boise State 42; UCF 35; Iowa 34; Arizona 16; Boston College 15; Duke 14; James Madison 13; Nebraska 7; Washington 6; Rutgers 5; Colorado 5; SMU 4; South Carolina 2; Navy 2; Liberty 2; Arkansas 2;

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Best photos from the Oklahoma Sooners 25-15 loss to Tennessee

Some of the best photos from Oklahoma’s 25-15 loss to the Tennessee Volunteers.

What was a big-time matchup between a pair of top-15 teams fizzled in the first half when Oklahoma’s offense couldn’t muster more than three points. Turnovers and inconsistent play from Jackson Arnold led to a 19-3 deficit at halftime. Arnold was benched just before halftime in favor of true freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins.

Though Hawkins came in and provided a spark that led to a pair of fourth quarter touchdown drives, it was too little too late for the Sooners.

Oklahoma’s defense put together another strong performance, holding the No. 1 scoring offense in the country to just 25 points and 2.9 yards per carry on the day.

Despite the bright spots from Michael Hawkins and the defense, the Sooners took their first loss of the season and fell to 3-1. Now, the Sooners sit in the middle of a quarterback controversy. Brent Venables didn’t give a clear indication as to who would start in week four when Oklahoma makes the trip to Auburn. But based on their respective performances on Saturday night, Michael Hawkins has earned the right to a long look running the Sooners’ offense.

Here’s a look at some of the best photos from the Sooners loss to Tennessee.

Oklahoma Sooners fall to Tennessee Volunteers 25-15

Michael Hawkins led a pair of fourth quarter touchdown drives, but they weren’t enough as the Sooners fall to 3-1 in 2024.

The Oklahoma Sooners dropped their first game of the 2024 season to the Tennessee Volunteers, 25-15. Despite a fourth quarter spark from Michael Hawkins, Jr., the Sooners couldn’t overcome their big first-half deficit.

[autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] struggled to protect the football in the first half. Arnold turned the ball over three times, an interception and two fumbles lost. The Sooners defense gave Arnold and the offense the ball in Tennessee’s half of the field, including at the Volunteers five-yard line.

On the very next play, Arnold attempted to run, but the ball was knocked loose, giving it back to Tennessee. That took at least three points off the board but kept the Sooners from keeping pace with the Vols by not being able to get a touchdown there.

The Sooners weren’t able to take advantage of the work the Sooners defense was doing, and eventually, the Volunteer’s explosive offense hit on several big pass plays to take a commanding 19-3 lead into halftime.

Just before the half, the Oklahoma Sooners turned to true freshman quarterback [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] to lead the offense.

It took a minute for Hawkins to get his legs under him, but in the fourth quarter gave the Oklahoma Sooners’ offense some life. He helped orchestrate a 10-play, 68-yard touchdown drive to cut the lead to 13 after Tyler Keltner’s failed extra-point attempt.

The Sooners’ defense continued to get stops on the high-octane Tennessee offense, even after Brent Venables left his offense on the field on 4th and 14 deep in their own territory. The Sooners defense held Tennessee to a field goal, extending their lead to 16 points.

On Oklahoma’s next drive, Hawkins hit Jaquaize Pettaway on a slant and Pettaway took off for a 48-yard gain, putting the Sooners in the red zone. The Sooners were able to take advantage of a Tennessee roughing the passer penalty on fourth down and Hawkins showed off his athleticism, speed, determination, and heart as he somersaulted into the end zone but was ruled short. On fourth and goal from the one-inch line, Jovantae Barnes plowed into the end zone.

The Sooners weren’t able to convert on the two-point conversion, leaving OU down 10 points with just over a minute to play.

Oklahoma failed to get the onside kick and couldn’t stop Tennessee on 3rd and two, and the Vols were able to run the clock out to win the game.

Hawkins showed good poise and toughness in the second half. He was 11 of 18 for 132 yards and a touchdown. He also led the Sooners in rushing on the evening with 11 carries for 22 yards.

The Sooners offense wasted a strong defensive effort in which they held the No. 1 offense in the country to just 25 points. The Sooners held the No. 3 rushing attack to just 2.9 yards per carry on the night, recovered three sacks, and forced two turnovers.

It was an effort that would be good enough to win if not for Arnold’s play in the first half.

The Sooners now get ready to go on the road to face the Auburn Tigers and look like a team that will have a new starting quarterback next week.

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