Oklahoma WR Nic Anderson Will Miss Season Opener, Andrel Anthony Cleared

Anderson is the Sooners' top returning receiver after putting together one of the best seasons ever by an OU freshman receiver last year.

Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Nic Anderson / Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma will start its season without its returning top receiver. 

OU head coach Brent Venables confirmed Wednesday on the weekly SEC coaches teleconference that wide receiver Nic Anderson will not be available for the Sooners’ season opener against Temple at 6 p.m. Friday because of an injury. He also updated the status of receiver Andrel Anthony, who suffered a season-ending injury against Texas last year. 

“Andrel will be available and Nic will not be,” Venables said. He did not elaborate any further. 

Venables first mentioned Anderson’s injury on “Sooners Sports Talk” on Monday, saying Anderson had been “a little limited” at practice and considered him “day-to-day.” 

"We feel like he would have a chance to go this weekend,” Venables said Monday. 

His status obviously changed two days closer to game time. 

Anderson returned as the Sooners’ leading receiver for 2024 after a stellar redshirt-freshman season. His 10 touchdown catches were the most by a freshman in OU and Big 12 history. He also recorded 798 receiving yards, the second most by an OU freshman. Anderson started this upcoming season on the preseason watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the best receiver in college football. 

Brenen Thompson, a 5-foot-9 junior, will fill Anderson’s spot during his time out. There was an “or” with Anderson and Thompson on the first depth chart of the season, which was released Monday. 

Thompson hasn’t gotten much opportunity yet, appearing in six games last year. He caught seven passes for 241 yards and a pair of TDs in those contests. His best performance was against Arizona in the Alamo Bowl with Jackson Arnold at quarterback. Thompson caught a 63-yard touchdown pass from Arnold in the bowl game. 

A transfer from Texas, Thompson arrived to OU before last season after only one year in Austin. He played in nine games as a freshman for the Longhorns, catching only one pass. Thompson went to Texas as an Under Armour All-American out of Spearman, TX. 

As for Anthony, Friday will be his first action since Oct. 12, 2024. A transfer from Michigan, Anthony started the first six games of the season in 2023 before the season-ending injury. He was leading the Sooners with 429 receiving yards, plus a TD, when he went down. Now that he’s healthy, Anthony was listed behind Anderson and Thompson on the first depth chart. 

OU will also be without Jayden Gibson at receiver. Gibson suffered a knee injury in practice during fall camp. Venables already confirmed the Sooners will be without Gibson all season. 

Gibson, a 6-foot-5 junior, averaged 25.8 yards a catch last season for OU. He pulled in 15 passes for 387 yards and five scores. He will now redshirt for 2024 with plans of returning in 2025. 

The Sooners are without these receivers while sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold will make only his second start Friday night. However, OU did add Purdue transfer Deion Burks at slot this offseason and also return Jalil Farooq, who started all 13 games last season. Burks and Farooq are both at the top of OU’s depth chart to begin the season.