NORMAN — There have been sightings of Jimmy Green Beans.
Oklahoma coach Brent Venables embraced his alter ego, playing as a scout team quarterback against the starting defense for a 1-hour, 45-minute portion of the Sooners' spring practice that was open to the media on Wednesday.
Osaka University gave reporters an extended viewing session and 30 minutes of photo and video time during its fifth spring ball practice, just two days after being allowed to watch for 90 minutes. With all this access, I had the opportunity to make a few more observations.
Here's what we learned from inside the Everest Training Center.
1. In some bad news, toward the end of media practice, center Troy Everett, who was scheduled to start, went down with a lower-body injury. Teammates knelt around him while trainers checked on him. If Everett's injury is serious, it would open the door for redshirt freshman Josh Bates to take over.
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2. That's a little bit of good news for the O-line. Washington transfer Gaelian Hatchett didn't play much Wednesday, but he wasn't wearing the protective boots he wore during Monday's practice.
3. Many of the other restricted participants who did not have individual practices or team sessions since Monday were restricted again Wednesday, including safety Billy Bowman and receivers Nick Anderson and Gavin Freeman.Baylor-bound tight end Jake Roberts did not practice again.
Four. Sophomore wide receiver Jaquise Pettaway led the team in breaking out down the stretch at the start of practice. He's a player who didn't get much time on the field as a freshman, but is ready to play more snaps with the second team and take on a bigger leadership role in his second year.
Five. The buzzword “competitive depth” that coaches used so often last year may be an even more accurate description of the Sooners' 2024 defense, especially at linebacker and in the secondary. OU will be trying out different combinations on defense to see what works best, so take these lineups with a grain of salt.
In first-team defensive drills, Trace Ford and running back Mason Thomas played defensive ends, while Graysen Hulton and freshman Jayden Jackson manned the tackle spots. Second-year Sammy Omoshigo was with the Cheetahs at inside linebacker alongside Danny Stutzman and Dathan McCullough.
OU has had more work with WILL backer McCullough since playing the Cheetahs last year. He spoke to the media about regaining strength after offseason meniscal surgery and transitioning to the medial side after practice. Stay tuned for more on that in the coming days.
Broken Arrow product Robert Spears Jennings and freshman Reggie Powers served as first team safeties. The cornerback was not on the field during this practice.
The second-team defensive line consisted of Caden Woolard, Dajon Terry, Ashton Sanders and Ethan Downs, all transfers from Miami (Ohio). Jalen Kanak and Kip Lewis were middle linebackers for the Cheetahs along with Taylor Heim. Eric McCarty and Cale Fugate were the safeties.
6. On the other side of the field, quarterback Jackson Arnold was once again running the offense like a confident maestro.
In offensive practice, he was behind a line that included Michael Tarquin, Heath Ozaeta, Everett, a transfer from the University of Southern California, and Febechi Nwaiiu, a transfer from North Texas, and Jake Taylor.
Arnold's skill men include Gavin Sawchuk at running back, Bauer Sharpe, a transfer from Southeastern Louisiana, at tight end, Jalil Farouq and Jayden Gibson at wide, and Deion Burks, a transfer from Purdue, in the slot.
OU posted a video on social media during practice last weekend of Arnold throwing a dime to Sharpe for a touchdown. He scored an extra point on the team's first drive of the season, hitting Sharpe along the sideline. The Sooners quarterback showed great chemistry with the new tight end, who is also a quarterback-turned-quarterback himself.
7. Two freshman quarterbacks followed Arnold.
Michael Hawkins Jr. worked with the skill group of running back Chapman McCann, tight end Josh Fanuel, wideouts Brennen Thompson, JJ Hester and Pettaway.
Coach Brendan Zurbrug selected Major Melson in addition to UT Martin transfer Sam Franklin at running back, freshman Davon Mitchell at tight end, and a receiver corps consisting of freshmen Zion Carney and Ivan Carreon. did.
8. It wasn't a team drill where the Sooners really mixed up the personnel, but Giovante Barnes and Kalib Hicks were behind Sawciak in the individual drill. Barnes looks healthy and strong, even though he wasn't completely healthy last year. More on that soon.
You may have seen photos on social media of Hicks flying over defenders during Tuesday's practice. He appears to have the explosiveness and agility to stake a claim as the third back behind Sawchuk and Barnes, even with the arrival of Franklin, freshman Xavier Robinson, and Taylor Tatum in the fall. .
9. Near the end of the open period, OU went 7-on-7, similar to Monday. Arnold placed Barnes at running back, Burks, Farouk and Gibson at receiver, and Sharpe at tight end.
The defenses he played against included Stutzman and Lewis Carter at inside linebacker and Kendell Dolby at Cheetah. Spears Jennings and freshman Michael Boganowski were the safeties, and Jacob Johnson and Jasiah Wagoner were the corners.
Ten. Burks, standout sophomore safety Peyton Bowen and his freshman brother, cornerback Eli Bowen and freshman receiver Jacob Jordan all returned punts.
