Brent Venables: Oklahoma Was 'Preparing' for Roster Hits at Receiver

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said the program had been preparing for turnover at receiver, but that it will be an opportunity for players across the country to make an immediate impact in Norman.

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

NORMAN — Oklahoma’s wide receiver room is getting a face lift this offseason. 

Six receivers have entered the transfer portal — Nic Anderson, Jalil Farooq, Brenen Thompson, J.J. Hester, Andrel Anthony and Jaquaize Pettaway — since the winter window opened on Monday. 

But Sooners head coach Brent Venables said he wasn’t shocked by the roster movement. 

"I’ll be honest, most of the guys that were banged up and didn’t play this year, we felt like they wouldn’t be here a year ago,” Venables said on Friday. “So, we’ve been preparing for this for a while, just thinking they’d come and they’d play well and they’d be moving on. In some ways, you positioned yourself for that, but it’ll be a great opportunity for some guys across the country to come here and play.”

That does fly in the face of what he said during his weekly Coaches Show on Oct. 21. 

“Hopeful we'll get a couple of those guys back (this year) and then potentially all of them back for next year. That's kind of what they've expressed to me,” Venables said on his show. “… And they've come to me. I haven't gone to them. They came to me and said, 'man we're more excited to be back.' They were hurting that they can't be out there.”

So what changed since October?

“The wind,” Venables quipped. 

“Who knows what all goes into a lot of those things. And some guys, maybe some of the conversation is you need a fresh start too,” he continued. “Again, at the end of the day whoever’s here — my job is to make sure that who’s here, they have an appreciation, a thankfulness, a respect for their opportunity. I want guys that show up every day, they’re driven, they’re ambitious, they’re gonna fight for their opportunity and fight for their teammates.”

In today’s college football environment, Venables said you can’t dwell on the change. 

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“The guys that chose not to be here, hey man, they did a great job while they were here,” Venables said. “And certainly wish them well. We’re thankful for the time that they were here. But change is a part of where we’re at in college football right now.”

As of right now, Oklahoma is set to retain all of its 2024 class of receivers — Zion Kearney, Ivan Carreon, Zion Ragins, KJ Daniels and Jacob Jordan. 

OU also signed a pair of receivers in the 2025 class, Elijah Thomas and Emmanuel Choice, and will be active in adding through the transfer portal. 

And while the plans at quarterback are uncertain — Michael Hawkins Jr. will return and the Sooners will look to add at that spot in the portal as well — Venables said the coaching staff, complete with new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, has had no trouble selling that side of the ball to portal prospects. 

“This is a wonderful opportunity. If we get a little better on offense, take care of the football, make layups that are there,” Venables said, “… I think it’s a great opportunity. 

“It goes without saying. Whether you’re an offensive lineman, you're a tight end, you’re a receiver, you’re a quarterback. To be able to align on the other side of the ball with what you’re going to see every day on defense and how we’ve recruited and developed there. 

“And the platform that Oklahoma has, this has been as good of a place offensively over decade after decade after decade. So I look at this year as an aberration. I’ve got a lot of guys that we’ve been talking to that look at it as well.”