As I sit here waiting on another delayed flight tonight, I figured I’d tell you some things I have heard about fall camp lately:
*** As noted in the title, there is a scrimmage tomorrow. Starts at 10:30 am, I’m told.
*** I know some want to see it to believe it, and rightfully so, but I continue to hear really solid things on returning starting QB Dillon Gabriel. I know, I know… he needs to do it in a real game. I hear you all and I agree that there needs to be growth with DG and the team in general this season. That said, sources say he has been “different.” And that’s in a good way. Some sources even attribute DG’s fall camp performance to the fact freshman QB Jackson Arnold has also been “very good” and it goes back to old adage of ‘iron sharpens iron.’ Something that was drastically missing in 2022, due to zero depth at the QB spot.
*** Another name that I continue hearing has a chance be special this year is RS freshman RB Gavin Sawchuk. That goes in line with a “tell us something we don’t know” statement and I get that as well. However, it’s been Sawchuk’s running between the tackles that has impressed sources, with one telling me, “He’s more physical. He’s more apt to take that one, two, three-yard run and wear the defense down,” the source said. “Last year, he would try to make the big play instead of taking what is given. That gets negative yards sometimes. Sawchuk hasn’t been doing that in fall camp and you can tell he has more confidence in how powerful he is as a runner now.”
If Sawchuk can be just a smidge more physical, to go along with his game-changing speed, that has to be a good combo for Jeff Lebby and the Sooners’ offense. Especially if Sawchuk plays anything like he did in the Cheeze-It Bowl all 2023 season.
*** Offensive line play continues to be a positive and this stems all the way back to the spring when Coach Lebby told the media that he believed the OL was going to be “really good.”
Right now, I hear transfer offensive tackle Walter Rouse and returning OT Tyler Guyton have been working at the tackles with the ones. At guard, it’s been Savion Byrd and McKade Mettauer at the guard spots, and Andrew Raym at center.
Caleb Schaffer, Jacob Sexton (who I hear will have a good chance to be the guy at one of the tackles when they let him fully go), Cayden Green, and a few other guys like Jake Taylor have all been said to be “impressing” so far this fall camp.
*** On the defensive side, the talk of DT Gracen Halton has continued as fall camp has gone along. Another few names are Jonah La’ulu and Da’Jon Terry. Source told me that La’ulu’s speed as a DT will be something to watch this season. They also said Terry “brings a mindset and strength on the inside that was missing last season.”
I’ll add on the negative side, that sources like the depth OU has this year, but was also told “it’s still developing and will take time to have a good feel how the rotation will go.” Source said they were glad Oklahoma had a few more weeks and felt they will be ready when the times comes.
*** At LB, transfer LB Konnor Near has been talked about by almost everyone when I ask about the LB spots. The more I hear about the transfer LB, the more I believe he can help OU at least with depth this season.
Sources also think Kobie McKinzie has made some big strides. Source told me that McKinzie still needs to continue working on playing in space with pass coverage, but they said, “He’s grown up so much,” source said when speaking about LB Kobie McKinzie. “His body has been redefined and he has been very focused on getting all the mental stuff down with the defense. If he can become more proficient in pass coverage, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him as a starter at MLB, at some point this season.”
Obviously, Jaren Kanak has been more than impressive, but the growth of him, Mckinzie and addition of Near has made the LB spot much deeper in 2023. And that isn’t even mentioning the elite LB haul the Sooners brought in from the 2023 class, along returner and leading tackler in 2022, Danny Stutsman.
Everyone, I mean EVERYONE, has been glowing about Stutsman this fall camp. But will he be more consistent is the question. Again, most think the depth at LB will give him the breaks needed to be consistent mentally and physically during the 2023 season. We will see, though.
*** Finally, we have talked about free safety Reggie Pearson on our YouTube Lives and podcasts. That’s by design, as I continue to hear he has a chance to be a leader on the defense with strong safety Bill Bowman.
At corner, we all know Woodi Washington is the guy at one of those spots. However, the other side is a battle between Gentry Williams and Jasiah Wagoner. The freshman and sophomore, both, have had a great start to fall camp. So far, it sounds like Williams is running with the ones more, but they have let Wagoner in there as well and he has been nipping at the heals of Williams.
We will watch that battle closely as fall camp moves along and hope to have more updates from the scrimmage and from fall camp this weekend and beyond.
*** As noted in the title, there is a scrimmage tomorrow. Starts at 10:30 am, I’m told.
*** I know some want to see it to believe it, and rightfully so, but I continue to hear really solid things on returning starting QB Dillon Gabriel. I know, I know… he needs to do it in a real game. I hear you all and I agree that there needs to be growth with DG and the team in general this season. That said, sources say he has been “different.” And that’s in a good way. Some sources even attribute DG’s fall camp performance to the fact freshman QB Jackson Arnold has also been “very good” and it goes back to old adage of ‘iron sharpens iron.’ Something that was drastically missing in 2022, due to zero depth at the QB spot.
*** Another name that I continue hearing has a chance be special this year is RS freshman RB Gavin Sawchuk. That goes in line with a “tell us something we don’t know” statement and I get that as well. However, it’s been Sawchuk’s running between the tackles that has impressed sources, with one telling me, “He’s more physical. He’s more apt to take that one, two, three-yard run and wear the defense down,” the source said. “Last year, he would try to make the big play instead of taking what is given. That gets negative yards sometimes. Sawchuk hasn’t been doing that in fall camp and you can tell he has more confidence in how powerful he is as a runner now.”
If Sawchuk can be just a smidge more physical, to go along with his game-changing speed, that has to be a good combo for Jeff Lebby and the Sooners’ offense. Especially if Sawchuk plays anything like he did in the Cheeze-It Bowl all 2023 season.
*** Offensive line play continues to be a positive and this stems all the way back to the spring when Coach Lebby told the media that he believed the OL was going to be “really good.”
Right now, I hear transfer offensive tackle Walter Rouse and returning OT Tyler Guyton have been working at the tackles with the ones. At guard, it’s been Savion Byrd and McKade Mettauer at the guard spots, and Andrew Raym at center.
Caleb Schaffer, Jacob Sexton (who I hear will have a good chance to be the guy at one of the tackles when they let him fully go), Cayden Green, and a few other guys like Jake Taylor have all been said to be “impressing” so far this fall camp.
*** On the defensive side, the talk of DT Gracen Halton has continued as fall camp has gone along. Another few names are Jonah La’ulu and Da’Jon Terry. Source told me that La’ulu’s speed as a DT will be something to watch this season. They also said Terry “brings a mindset and strength on the inside that was missing last season.”
I’ll add on the negative side, that sources like the depth OU has this year, but was also told “it’s still developing and will take time to have a good feel how the rotation will go.” Source said they were glad Oklahoma had a few more weeks and felt they will be ready when the times comes.
*** At LB, transfer LB Konnor Near has been talked about by almost everyone when I ask about the LB spots. The more I hear about the transfer LB, the more I believe he can help OU at least with depth this season.
Sources also think Kobie McKinzie has made some big strides. Source told me that McKinzie still needs to continue working on playing in space with pass coverage, but they said, “He’s grown up so much,” source said when speaking about LB Kobie McKinzie. “His body has been redefined and he has been very focused on getting all the mental stuff down with the defense. If he can become more proficient in pass coverage, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him as a starter at MLB, at some point this season.”
Obviously, Jaren Kanak has been more than impressive, but the growth of him, Mckinzie and addition of Near has made the LB spot much deeper in 2023. And that isn’t even mentioning the elite LB haul the Sooners brought in from the 2023 class, along returner and leading tackler in 2022, Danny Stutsman.
Everyone, I mean EVERYONE, has been glowing about Stutsman this fall camp. But will he be more consistent is the question. Again, most think the depth at LB will give him the breaks needed to be consistent mentally and physically during the 2023 season. We will see, though.
*** Finally, we have talked about free safety Reggie Pearson on our YouTube Lives and podcasts. That’s by design, as I continue to hear he has a chance to be a leader on the defense with strong safety Bill Bowman.
At corner, we all know Woodi Washington is the guy at one of those spots. However, the other side is a battle between Gentry Williams and Jasiah Wagoner. The freshman and sophomore, both, have had a great start to fall camp. So far, it sounds like Williams is running with the ones more, but they have let Wagoner in there as well and he has been nipping at the heals of Williams.
We will watch that battle closely as fall camp moves along and hope to have more updates from the scrimmage and from fall camp this weekend and beyond.
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