Tag: Troy Everett

Pair of Oklahoma wide receivers could get more snaps to start the season

Oklahoma’s wide receiver room has the pieces to survive some early-season injuries to veteran players.

The Oklahoma Sooners are a month and a half from beginning the 2024 season, their first in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. Head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] spoke to reporters at [autotag]SEC media days[/autotag] on Tuesday, as OU took its turn at the podium.

The third-year coach addressed local media before taking the stage, updating On3 and SoonerScoop’s George Stoia about players rehabbing from offseason or spring ailments before the Sooners begin preseason fall camp.

Quarterback [autotag]Casey Thompson[/autotag], offensive lineman [autotag]Geirean Hatchett[/autotag] and cornerback [autotag]Gentry Williams[/autotag] are cleared and ready to go for August. Another member of the offensive line, [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag], is ahead of schedule from his spring football injury, and Venables expects him back sooner as opposed to later.

However, two members of Oklahoma’s wide receiver room have a little more uncertainty with fall camp around the corner.

Senior [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag], who was injured in spring ball, is still recovering from a foot fracture. Venables said he didn’t have surgery and is taking it easy at this point. His status will be cleaerr when the week of the first game rolls around.

[autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] is still on the mend after getting injured in the [autotag]Red River Rivalry[/autotag] in October. Venables is hopeful the deep ball threat will be practicing before Aug. 30, but Anthony hasn’t been cleared yet.

The uncertainty of Farooq and Anthony is nothing to be downplayed, but it’d be even more of a problem most years in the wide receiver room. This year, however, is the exception. The position group is absolutely loaded in 2024.

Though leading receiver [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] is off to the pros, the Sooners have suitable replacements in the slot. [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] was a star in the spring after transferring from Purdue and [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag] was a standout in the 2023 recruiting class.

On the outside, if Farooq and/or Anthony miss significant time, two players are ready to step into an even brighter spotlight.

[autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] was a touchdown machine a year ago for the Sooners, making plenty of huge plays in 2023. He was electric, scoring 10 touchdowns and finishing with 798 yards receiving despite not stepping into the starting lineup until Anthony was hurt. He’d be a good bet to start on the outside, especially with the injuries factoring in.

[autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag] also saw more playing time in 2023 when Anthony went down. He came into his own as the season progressed, catching five touchdowns on just 14 receptions. He finished with 375 yards and could have pushed for a starting spot even if the entire receiver room was healthy. These two players, both from Venables’ first recruiting class in 2022, could see plenty of targets especially early in the season.

Behind them, wide receivers coach [autotag]Emmett Jones[/autotag] has [autotag]J.J. Hester[/autotag] and [autotag]Brenan Thompson[/autotag], who could also see an increase in playing time.

Anderson and Gibson are the pair that would benefit the most from more targets coming their way. Both possess tremendous upside. If one or both of them can develop great chemistry with quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], it might be tough to take them off the field, even when the veterans become healthy again.

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Pro Football Focus sees offensive line as Sooners biggest weakness

Pro Football Focus tabs OU’s offensive line as the team’s weakness going into the SEC.

It’s preview season in the world of college football, and the Oklahoma Sooners football team got the spotlight this past week from Pro Football Focus in their College Football Preview (subscription required).

PFF gave the Sooners just a 4% chance to win the SEC this year, but did have OU 13th in their power rankings.

Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman, who co-wrote the article, named Oklahoma’s offensive line as their biggest weakness heading into the new season.

Here’s what PFF had to say:

The Sooners won’t return any starting offensive linemen from last season. While SMU transfer [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag] is a terrific addition in the middle, there will be uncertainty around the other four spots.

Hickman was a big get for [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag] out of the spring [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] window. He should be a plug-and-play piece at center to begin the season. [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag] and [autotag]Joshua Bates[/autotag] provide depth in the case of an injury to Hickman.

It may very well be two transfers at the guard positions as well.[autotag] Febechi Nwaiwu [/autotag] and [autotag]Geirean Hatchett[/autotag] have the most experience in the room. Nwaiwu comes from North Texas and was a Freshman All-American in 2022. Hatchett is a veteran with big-game experience, transferring in from Washington after playing in the national championship game. [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag], [autotag]Heath Ozaeta[/autotag] and [autotag]Eugene Brooks[/autotag] headline the homegrown talent at this position.

Rounding out a transfer-heavy offensive line, [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] and [autotag]Spencer Brown [/autotag] could make it five-for-five on o-line starters who weren’t Sooners last year. Tarquin transferred in from USC, while Brown comes by way of Michigan State. [autotag]Jake Taylor[/autotag] is a younger option at tackle, and Sexton can kick outside if needed.

One thing Bedenbaugh has at his disposal is that many of these players are capable of playing multiple positions. Everett, Nwaiwu, Hatchett, Sexton, and Ozaeta all have some experience lining up at least two different spots. Sexton and Ozaeta could play anywhere but center in a pinch and Hatchett is capable of playing all five positions. He’s lined up at tight end as a blocker for the Huskies before, as well.

[autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] has surely heard all of the talk about this unit heading into his third year in Norman. The offensive line looks like the hinge point of the entire 2024 season for the Sooners. Don’t be surprised if these players have a chip on their shoulder and a fire lit underneath them.

After all, they’ve been hearing for months that they aren’t good enough to play in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

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Where are the Sooners in ESPN’s Power Rankings through 2026?

Where did the Oklahoma Sooners land in ESPN’s Future Power Rankings through 2026?

The future is bright for the Oklahoma Sooners. Brent Venables and his staff have been recruiting at a very high level since his arrival in Norman. Each of his first three recruiting classes has ranked in the top 10 of 247Sports team recruiting rankings. Even the 2022 class after it deteriorated following the departure of [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag].

The Sooners have added blue-chip prospects on both sides of the ball, including four five-star prospects. Though those recruiting classes have yet to fully take hold of the program, they’re very much the core of the future for the Oklahoma Sooners.

But there are still some questions about what that future looks like. Over at ESPN, Adam Rittenberg ranked the top 25 programs (ESPN+) over the next three seasons and the Oklahoma Sooners came in at No. 18.

Decorated offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh must find the right mix for 2024 with a largely new group, although juniors [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag] and [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag] are both back. (Febechi) Nwaiwu and (Branson) Hickman both can play through 2025, and the development of non-seniors such as redshirt freshman [autotag]Joshua Bates[/autotag] will be significant. The wide receiver and tight end outlooks are very strong. – Rittenberg, ESPN

Much of the concern surrounding the Sooners in 2025 and 2026 focuses on the offensive line. The skill talent is in really good shape and so is the quarterback position. Defensively, Venables and his staff continue to hit home runs on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal.

But while many around the country aren’t all that optimistic about Oklahoma’s offensive line, there’s reason to be. Namely, because Bill Bedenbaugh has a proven track record. He’s rebuilt offensive lines on a regular basis. He’s shown he’s a great evaluator of both high school and transfer portal talent and we know he can develop. He’s got a bunch of dudes on NFL rosters heading into 2024 NFL training camps.

In 2024, the offensive line will feature several transfer portal additions, but there are still blue-chip prospects in [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag], [autotag]Jake Taylor[/autotag], and [autotag]Heath Ozaeta[/autotag] vying for jobs up front. Bedenbaugh also added four-star offensive linemen [autotag]Eugene Brooks[/autotag] and [autotag]Eddy Pierre-Louis[/autotag] in the [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag].

For 2024 and beyond, questions about the offensive line may continue to be a theme, but we’ve seen the offensive line come together. There’s little reason to believe it won’t come together and be a strength for the Sooners.

The success that Oklahoma’s having on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal is reason enough to be excited about the future of the program. Now, they simply, or maybe not so simply, need to go and prove it on the field.

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Oklahoma Sooners are a wild card in 2024 according to On3’s Andy Staples

Andy Staples of On3 thinks the Sooners will be a “wild card” in Year 3 under Brent Venables. Could they make the expanded playoff?

The Oklahoma Sooners are at an interesting inflection point two and a half months from the beginning of the 2024 college football season.

The Sooners are entering year three of the [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] era in Norman. After he was hired to be OU’s next head coach in December of 2021, a disappointing 6-7 campaign in 2022 followed.

Oklahoma rebounded in 2023 with a 10-3 mark in year two, and there’s no question that this is a Brent Venables program now. He’s got his guys in place on the field and on the coaching staff.

But the Sooners head to the [autotag]Southeastern Conference[/autotag] in 2024, after a long run atop the [autotag]Big 12 Conference[/autotag] that featured fourteen conference titles. That’s ten more than anyone else.

The SEC will be a much tougher road than the Big 12 was, and On3’s Andy Staples has some concerns for the Sooners in 2024, calling them a mystery.

According to Staples, the floor for this Oklahoma team could be 6-6. However, he also thinks the ceiling could be a trip to the [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag].

“If they’re 6-6, if they’re 7-5,” Staples said, “What do you do about Brent Venables? How do you feel about Brent Venables if you’re [autotag]Joe Castiglione[/autotag], their athletic director?”

Staples and others present the offensive line as a concern for the team in 2024. Oklahoma is replacing the entire unit this season. [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the [autotag]NFL Draft[/autotag] and [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] transferred to Missouri. The Sooners also lost [autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag], [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag] and [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag] up front.

Staples notes that the Sooners added pieces via the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] to fill those holes. [autotag]Spencer Brown[/autotag] came over from Michigan State in the winter portal window. [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag] is a plug and play piece at center, transferring in during the spring window from SMU. [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag], [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag] and [autotag]Geriean Hatchett[/autotag] also arrived via the portal and will have an impact along the offensive line this fall.

These players will form the core of the unit along with young pieces like [autotag]Joshua Bates[/autotag], [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag],[autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag] and [autotag]Jake Taylor[/autotag], but it is a patchwork O-line that will have to protect quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] if the Sooners want to be successful in 2024.

Staples thinks the Sooners are the deepest they’ve been in a while on defense,  and he knows why the OU staff and fans are excited for Arnold. He praised the wide receiver group as well.

Many in the national media don’t seem to have the faith in Venables quite yet that most Sooner fans do. They site the SEC presenting a challenge that Oklahoma hasn’t seen before.

But Venables is one of the great defensive minds in college football. He’s leading the way for the program, in addition to all of the skill and depth on that side of the ball. Then, of course, there’s that talented but young quarterback stepping into the starting role.

The Sooners may very well be a wildcard in year one in their new conference. But if the offensive line can hold up long enough for Arnold to have time to throw, it could be a very fun year in Norman.

If not, it could be detrimental to Arnold’s development, and 2024 could be a long season in the SEC.

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Sooners land commitment from SMU transfer center Branson Hickman

Former SMU center Branson Hickman committed to the Oklahoma Sooners on Sunday.

With spring ball wrapping up, Oklahoma enters the break with a clear understanding of what their roster needs are before they return to campus for summer workouts.

One of those needs was filled on Sunday as the Oklahoma Sooners landed a commitment from former SMU center Branson Hickman.

Hickman entered the transfer portal in January and already holds his degree from SMU. Oklahoma reached out to him after Troy Everett’s injury, and he visited for the spring game. The visit went well enough this weekend that he committed. With more than 2,400 snaps to his ledger, he’s all but assured a leg up on starting at center this season.

Depth at the center was a significant issue when Everett went down. Joshua Bates was good in the spring game, but the addition of Hickman allows the Sooners to continue to be patient with Bates as he develops.

Hickman spent four seasons with the Mustangs. He started the final 33 games, including 12 in 2022 and all 14 this past season. This past season, he was named to the Rimington Trophy Preseason Watch List, which honors the best centers in the NCAA. He was also a Second-Team All-American Athletic Conference selection this year.

Hickman may be on the smaller side, playing just under 300 pounds this past year. However, his football IQ and technique have been lauded. He should add a lot of stability to the Sooners’ offensive line as they try to stabilize it in front of new starting quarterback Jackson Arnold.

Oklahoma’s commitment to improving their line play before entering the SEC continues with this commitment.

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Sooners center Troy Everett to have surgery, miss significant time

Brent Venables confirmed Tuesday night that projected starting center Troy Everett suffered an injury that would require hime to miss significant time.

The Oklahoma Sooners offensive line has been under the microscope this offseason. They’re working to replace all five starters up front, including a projected first-rounder at tackle, [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag].

The Sooners have a good amount of competitive depth to work within their position battles this spring, but that depth took a hit at practice last week. It was reported by several outlets that center [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag] went down in practice and didn’t return. At the time it was speculated to be a knee injury, though the severity was unknown.

At last night’s media availability, Oklahoma head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] revealed that the injury would require surgery. Venables shared that Everett would have surgery on Wednesday and miss significant time this offseason.

“We got some bad news with Troy Everett. He’s going to have a surgery,” Venables said. “But we’re hoping to see him back by the end of fall camp or so. And if anybody can do it, he will. We’ve got great doctors and a great plan for him.”

According to reports, Everett had been working with the first-team offense, but now the Sooners will turn to their depth to prepare for 2024.

[autotag]Josh Bates[/autotag] is expected to get the first crack at taking over for Everett. He hasn’t played much for the Sooners to this point, but the coaching staff are high on his potential.

“And we got a tougher guy out here than Josh Bates, man,” Venables said. “He’s just a football player.”

Edmond Santa Fe 2024 signee [autotag]Josh Aisosa[/autotag] and Washington transfer [autotag]Geirean Hatchett[/autotag] will also get some opportunities as well.

Oklahoma expects Everett to be back by the end of fall camp, but competition this spring could provide another answer at center for the fall if Everett isn’t ready to go for week one of the season.

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Febechi Nwaiwu could be the next star offensive lineman for the Oklahoma Sooners

The Sooners signed a pretty good transfer class but one guy flying under the radar is offensive lineman Febechi Nwaiwu.

The Oklahoma Sooners have spent their offseason trying to build their offensive line and make it SEC ready. They signed four from the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] and five in the [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag].

The aggressiveness comes after they lost five starters from a season ago. Only two who started any games last season return: [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag] and [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag].

One guy I’m highest on and think could be Oklahoma’s next star offensive lineman is North Texas transfer [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag].

When I watch Nwaiwu’s film, this guy has power and moves really well. He has really good size at 6 feet, 4 inches and 326 pounds. He’s a perfect guard for the Sooners this season. I’ve heard nothing but praise so far in the offseason and that only increases my expectations for him.

Nwaiwu spoke about the pitch to him to come to Norman and how he’d fit into the current offensive line roster.

“He (Bill Bedenbaugh) told me he saw a lot of potential in me,” Nwaiwu said. “He also told me that there were a lot of things I could also work on that he thinks he could help me get better at. That’s what really helped sell me that it’s not just that I’m good but that he can make me even better.”

There is a world where Nwaiwu has a big season and is one and done at Oklahoma but I think he could be a two-year guy. I also think he could get some postseason conference recognition and be another draft pick along the offensive line for the Sooners.

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Bill Bedenbaugh’s offensive line getting acclimated

Sooners offensive line getting closer as spring football is here.

The 2024 season for the Oklahoma Sooners will be defined by how well the offensive line plays. Oklahoma has a five-star quarterback taking the reigns in [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], a deep wide receiver room, and a running back in [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag], who closed the season with five straight 100-yard games.

But along the offensive line, Sooners are replacing five starters from last season.

They do return [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag], who started the last few games, and [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag], who started a couple of games in the middle of the season. Even though they’ve added transfer players with starting experience like [autotag]Spencer Brown[/autotag], [autotag]Geirean Hatchett[/autotag], [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] and [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag], there are still jobs up for grabs.

Bill Bedenbaugh has made it clear in his career he will start the best five. So, what these guys did previously doesn’t matter. That means even some of the young guys like [autotag]Daniel Akinkunmi[/autotag] will get a look.

Akinkunmi shared what it’s been like being around the other offensive linemen so far. “Getting to know those guys is amazing,” Akinkunmi said. “I absolutely love every single one of them. I feel like we are just getting closer and closer as the weeks go by. I feel like we are all close because we are all different and have different backgrounds.”

Akinkunmi said that hasn’t stopped the competition because having a strong offensive line group is important. As for the thing he was looking for most, as spring ball started on Monday? To show people what he can do and prove the doubters wrong.

Akinkunmi has quickly become one of my favorite recruits. I’m not sure he will see much playing time this season. He may need a year or two to develop. But with his mindset, I wouldn’t put anything past him.

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Oklahoma Sooners must solve their offensive line problem heading into 2024

The Oklahoma Sooners have their work cut out for them with the offensive line but could any of the young guys be an answer?

There is no doubt the Oklahoma Sooners’ biggest question mark heading into 2024 and their inaugural season in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] is the offensive line. The Sooners lose five guys who started a bunch of games last season.

[autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag], [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag], [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag], [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] and [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] are gone. Four are off to the [autotag]NFL[/autotag]. The other found a new home in Missouri. That means the Sooners will have their work cut out for them to replace those five.

[autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag] played some at guard but started the bowl game at center, which is probably his more natural position. We’ll see if he wins that job, but it appears he’s the leader to take over for Raym. [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag] started the last few games after Guyton went down with an injury and did pretty well. The Sooners also brought in two transfers [autotag]Spencer Brown[/autotag] and [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag], who look poised to take over at tackle and guard.

But that still leaves spots unfilled. The Sooners are almost certainly going to remain active in the portal, but it’s also possible an incoming freshman gets a look. Most people have assumed that would be [autotag]Eddy Pierre-Louis[/autotag], seeing how highly thought of he is. But a constantly mentioned top performer at the Under Armour All-American events is [autotag]Eugene Brooks[/autotag].

“I don’t know where it will start for me, but I’m just going to go in there and ball out,” Brooks said. “I’m going to work my butt off. I’m going to go in there every day and give it 110% and be the first one in and the last one out.”

It seems with Brooks, [autotag]Daniel Akinkunmi[/autotag], Pierre-Louis, [autotag]Isaiah Autry[/autotag] and [autotag]Josh Aisosa[/autotag], the Sooners have a class of offensive linemen that are physical and bring some nasty back to the offensive line.

That’s something they’ve been missing the last few years, and something we know Bedenbaugh wants out of his linemen. Combine that with what appears to be a strong work ethic from each, and Oklahoma could have a better offensive line class than many thought initially.

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Oklahoma Sooners depth chart for Alamo Bowl matchup vs. Arizona Wildcats

A look at the Oklahoma Sooners depth chart heading into the Alamo Bowl.

The Oklahoma Sooners released the depth chart for the 2023 Valero Alamo Bowl matchup with the Arizona Wildcats.

The depth chart is one of the more intriguing storylines, considering the opt outs and the transfer departures. That is particularly true on the offensive side of the ball. Oklahoma will break in a new starting quarterback and multiple offensive linemen when it takes on an Arizona defense that ranked No. 27 in the nation in points per game allowed.

The biggest storyline for the Sooners comes at quarterback. Jackson Arnold is set to make his first career start for OU. That alone makes the game incredibly intriguing for the Sooners, who hope Arnold can take their offense to another level as they prepare for their first season in the SEC.

The Oklahoma Sooners depth chart heading into the Alamo Bowl: