How Oklahoma WR Nic Anderson Got Healthy and Seized His Opportunity

As the Sooners routed Arkansas State, wideouts made plays all over the field, but it was Anderson who had to come back from a freshman season full of injuries.

NORMAN — Andrel Anthony got the first big throw. Drake Stoops delivered big in key moments. Gavin Freeman did his thing as usual. Jayden Gibson made a couple of circus catches. Jaquaize Pettaway led the team with nine grabs in his college debut.

But flying a bit under the radar for Oklahoma in last week’s season opener against Arkansas State, Nic Anderson was ready for his moment in the spotlight. And like a football spiraling through the air, he absolutely seized it.

Back-to-back throws from quarterback Dillon Gabriel resulted in big receptions — 16 yards and 52 yards — and opened the door for Oklahoma’s gifted redshirt freshman wide receiver to thrust himself into the Sooners’ upper level of offensive playmakers.

Anderson finished the game with just two targets and caught two passes, but the ability he put on display on those two plays showed everyone why OU coaches have been so high on Anderson since he was a recruit.

“In the system, I feel like I'm just a little bit more comfortable with the plays, me being in it for two years now,” Anderson said after practice this week as the Sooners prepare for a week two matchup with SMU.

At 6-foot-4 and 209 pounds, Anderson has physical tools that most wide receivers can only dream of. But last year, during his freshman season in Norman, it was Anderson who was dreaming — of being healthy enough to just play football again.

“Of course it was difficult to deal with,” Anderson said. “But just having that trust in God, He knows what's best for me and He has His plans. I just have to have faith in Him and everything is going to work out for the better.”

Anderson appeared in only three games last year and played just 23 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus data. Anderson said he leaned on the leadership from upperclassmen like Marvin Mims and Theo Wease to help him through the frustrating times.

“Especially with my injuries, they were always just patting me on the back and making sure my head was high,” Anderson said. “And when it came to football, I was just watching them do their thing. They're both great players. It was just a blessing learning under them.”

Anderson said he didn’t feel 100 percent until just recently.

“I think it was during the summer when I started to put a lot of trust into the training room and Coach Schmitty (Jerry Schmidt). Coach Schmitty was a big part of me getting out there and getting my trust back in my body. He was definitely a big part.”

While Anderson only caught two passes against the Red Wolves — Stoops led the Sooners with four catches in the first quarter as OU rolled to an uncontested 73-0 victory — he played 26 offensive snaps and graded out well at 72.6, per PFF.

He and several other receivers actually stood out just as much on plays to others — as blockers. Anderson (61.6), Stoops (60.4), Jalil Farooq (82.7), Gibson (81.6), Freeman (73.1), Anthony (61.6), LV Bunkley-Shelton (61.6), Pettaway (61.2) and even walk-ons Major Melson (61.6) and Eli Merck (61.4) all finished the game with winning grades on their blocking assignments.

Center Andrew Raym, who makes his living in the trenches, said it was fun to watch the Sooner wideouts getting gritty on the edges.

“Oh, yeah,” Raym said. “We watch film and we see our receivers doing that stuff and we love it. That's something we've been needing for a couple years now. And our guys…like I said, we have an offense that wants to dominate people this year. We’re getting our hands on people and our feet and we’re trying to mash people.”

One big key for the wideouts’ growth as a group — especially as blockers — has been the coaching of new receivers coach Emmett Jones.

“Definitely,” Anderson said. “He wants us to get a pancake (block) at least every game. We actually get a positive point if we put somebody on the ground, so that's definitely going for us.

“ … It's the physicality standpoint. It's the mindset. And then just getting out of breaks. He's really a receivers coach, so he's going to get everything tightened up. I feel like I got better at all my phases as a receiver.”

Healthy again and with an established position coach and a confident quarterback and a multitude of receivers around him and another year in Jeff Lebby’s offense, it’s now up to Anderson to make the most of the plays that come his way.

“He's a big frame guy, plays big, gets in and out of his breaks amazing,” Farooq said in August. “So I feel like his stock is up here for me in my eyes. I can't wait to see him showcase his talent. I know he had a lot of problems coming in being hurt and everything, so he never got a real chance.”

“Nic's a baller,” said Stoops. “He's an explosive player. In and out of his breaks, he's great. Off the ball, he's so explosive. He gets up to top speed real fast. He's got great hands, great route running ability, and he's big, physical and strong. I'm really excited for him. I know he's gonna burst onto the scene for him. It's his time and he's definitely prepared.”

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