OU fall camp 2024 intel: Week 1
OU fall camp is here as the Sooners have finished their first three practices of the preseason.
There are a lot of question marks for Oklahoma entering the 2024 season. And it’s likely we won’t have answers for at least a few more weeks. But SoonerScoop has kept its ear to the ground this first week of OU practice. Here’s what Scoop is hearing after the first few days of camp.
Injuries
WR Andrel Anthony: While the expectation is still that Anthony likely won’t be ready to play on Aug. 30, he has been out at practice running around. He hasn’t partaken in practice necessarily but has been attempting to get his legs underneath him. I anticipate they will remain cautious with him, but it’s good news he’s showing progress.
WR Jalil Farooq: Farooq has been practicing. I believe he is still limited in some ways and is likely not a full-contact participant, but he’s out there running routes and taking part in practice, including team activities.
C Troy Everett: He has not been practicing and I don’t really have a feel for when he will be ready to practice. I know he has been working hard to recover and participated in some of the off-season workouts, but his timetable is still a little unclear.
Offensive line
There’s been a lot of rotating in the first few days of practice. But there does appear to be some leaders in a few spots. Josh Bates and Branson Hickman have been battling at center, with Bates taking the majority of the first team snaps on Wednesday. Hickman though has started to work with the first team and I expect that to continue.
At left tackle, it’s been Jacob Sexton and Michael Tarquin splitting time, as expected. It seems like Sexton will be a starter somewhere on this line, I’m just not sure where yet. So far, he’s been primarily working at left tackle. Right tackle has been primarily Jake Taylor with the first team and Michigan State transfer Spencer Brown with the second team. OU is hopeful that Taylor, now in his third year, can earn a starting spot.
Meanwhile, at left guard, it’s been Heath Ozaeta taking the majority of the first-team reps. He was a standout in the spring and earned the right to get the first crack at that job this fall. But behind him? Freshman Eddy Pierre-Louis has made quite the impression. He has worked with the second and third teams, primarily at left guard. Eugene Brooks has also been battling at guard. Washington transfer Geirean Hatchett has mostly been playing right guard on the second team, behind North Texas transfer Febechi Nwaiwu.
As a whole, I haven’t heard the offensive line has been good. I also haven’t heard they’ve been bad. Somewhere in the middle. That’s probably welcomed news considering what we heard in the spring. Obviously, still a ways to go.
Individual player notes
S Peyton Bowen: I have made it clear I love Robert Spears-Jennings. But early returns from camp are that Bowen has been one of OU’s best defensive players. He had an interception during Friday’s practice and has shown a lot of comfortability on the backend playing beside Billy Bowman.
WR JJ Hester: Yes, you read that right. Hester has had a nice camp so far. He also had a nice spring, so this isn’t totally surprising. He has gotten some run with the first team and is pushing for any sort of role. But is this just one of those camp stories that fade once the season gets here? We’ll see.
DE Danny Okoye: While the freshman hasn’t gotten many reps with the first team or really even the second team, word is that he has been terrorizing the third-team offense. I’m not sure if that means a lot, but he is making a good early impression.
RB Jovantae Barnes: I know, I know. But Barnes has been getting a good amount of reps with the first team so far in camp. I’m curious to see what his role is this season, given the mysterious sophomore season he had. There is still clearly a lot of confidence in Barnes.
WR Deion Burks: No surprise here, but Burks has been Arnold’s go-to receiver. He’s made several big plays in camp and continues to impress. Sounds like they are using him a lot of different ways in this offense.
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