Oklahoma Preparing True Freshman Quarterback to Handle 'Tremendous' Auburn Atmosphere

Michael Hawkins Jr. is preparing to make his first career start in one of the SEC's toughest road environments this weekend.

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. (9) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Tennessee Volunteers at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NORMAN — Brent Venables has made his decision. 

True freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. will start this week at Auburn, and he’ll become the first OU true freshman quarterback to make his first start on the road since Troy Aikman against Kansas in 1984.

Auburn week was always going to be crucial for Venables’ No. 21-ranked Sooners (3-1, 0-1 SEC), as it was expected to be the first true road start for Jackson Arnold. 

Though the situation has gone differently than anyone expected at quarterback, the fact still remains that a first time road starter will have to take on a desperate group in the Tigers (2-2, 0-1).

“We as coaches gotta be the headlights for our players,” Venables said during his weekly press conference on Tuesday. “They’ve never been a two-year veteran yet. Mike hasn’t. He hasn’t played a whole bunch of college football. He hasn’t been to that stadium.”

Much like last week’s battle with Tennessee, Sunday wasn’t the first time Auburn was brought up to the offense. 

The Sooners dedicated bits and pieces of the offseason to looking ahead to SEC play, as OU is taking on eight new conference opponents for the first time this year. 

That prep work included a quick crash course on everything to expect inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. 

“(We) try to paint the picture. Accurate picture,” Venables said. “Pump in the crowd noise, tell him to focus on the things you can control. If he’s a strong-minded guy, he’ll do that. Try to think about the process. Think about managing things the right way, don’t try to do too much, and all those kinds of things.

“… We’ve been talking about going to Auburn for several months. So, if he’s been paying attention, this isn’t the first time he’s hearing about it.”

When he was at Clemson, Venables coached on the plains, so he has some experience to draw on to prepare his football team. 

“Got a great opponent… a great history and tradition in Auburn University,” Venables said. “… It's electric. They've got tremendous tradition and pageantry. They'll be deep. They're hungry. Very much like what we saw here. Our fans were (just) amazing. It'll be an environment like that.”

Oklahoma does have some experience to lean on in its quarterback room, however. 

Though he’s not in line to take snaps if everything goes to plan this weekend, Casey Thompson has been through the highs and lows of running an offense in college football. 

He’s dealt with transferring from Texas to Nebraska to FAU, he’s dealt with injuries and he’s battled through multiple quarterback competitions. 

The Sooners have leaned on Thompson to help both Jackson Arnold and Hawkins, and getting a young quarterback prepared to handle a hostile environment is no different. 

“He’s been there, done that,” Venables said of Thompson. “He’s started a gazillion games, played a lot of ball, been in a lot of meeting rooms, seen a lot of that kind of stuff happen, and so he’s got tremendous wisdom. 

“… He’s going to be a coach. He’ll be a fantastic coach. He’s kind of a coach now. But he’s been wonderful. He’s very intentional, constantly, about using the gifts that he has to make people around him better. … We have a great appreciation for Casey.”

Hawkins will have an excellent opportunity to build on his second half showing against Tennessee and make the quarterback job his own on Saturday. 

And Oklahoma is doing everything it can to prepare its new young starter to take on the unknown against the Tigers. 

“He’ll have to bear a heavy burden, like a lot of guys,” Venables said. “So you try to coach ‘em and prepare him in a week’s period of time.”