Oklahoma Spring Game: Live Blog

Keep up with the Sooners' annual Red/White Game throughout the day on Saturday as OU takes a huge step toward membership in the SEC.

Oklahoma QB Arnold Jackson / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

NORMAN — John Hoover and Ryan Chapman offer their observations during Saturday’s Red/White Game from Memorial Stadium. Newest posts are at the top. Just keep your browser open and refresh often.

4:09 p.m.

General Booty opens the second half with a touchdown drive, capped off by his 32-yard touchdown run. The defense was lost, the field opened up and Booty took advantage with a scramble up the left hashmark. 

Liam Evans PAT makes it 53-38 in favor of the Red team.

— JH

4:00 p.m

It’s halftime and the Red leads the White 42-38 thanks to a nice rally by the defense.

Jackson Arnold is 10-of-20 for 233 yards with two TDs. Deion Burks has five catches for 174 yards and two scores. Kalib Hicks has seven catches for 51 yards and a TD, and Sam Franklin has 10 carries for 54 yards. Michael Hawkins completed 4-of-8 passes for 35 yards. Gavin Sawchuk has five carries for 27 yards and TD.

— JH

3:44 p.m.

Kani Walker has made a pair of nice plays today, including dislodging the football from Jayden Gibson (running back Kalib Hicks had a great blitz pickup to divert a blitzing Kobie McKinzie to make that play even possible) on that last drive. Walker and San Diego State transfer Dez Malone give the OU secondary a different size dynamic than both Woodi Washington and Gentry Williams. Important options there for Venables and Co. 

Gibson scored on the next play but it was negated for an offensive pass interference. 

In the end, Zach Schmit hits his 29-yard field goal attempt with 25 seconds left in the first half to move the score to a 42-30 lead for the Red Team. 

— RC 

3:40 p.m.

A first for the spring game — we have reached the two-minute warning. That rule officially got passed through this week. 

And yeah, of course it was a 20-yard reception by Burks that took things to the two-minute warning. This is officially the “Deion Burks (Spring) Game.”

— RC 

3:33 p.m.

Jackson Arnold might want that possession back. 

Lead Bauer Sharp a little high on first down (which allowed Michael Boganowski to deliver quite the pop), and then a bit high on the third down throw to Pettaway. 

Both throws better than a turnover or anything like that, just a smidge high. 

Been pretty impressed with how that first offensive line unit of Tarquin-Sexton-Bates-Nwaiwu-Taylor has held up. 

— RC 

Jackson Arnold might want that possession back. 

Lead Bauer Sharp a little high on first down (which allowed Michael Boganowski to deliver quite the pop), and then a bit high on the third down throw to Pettaway. 

Both throws better than a turnover or anything like that, just a smidge high. 

Been pretty impressed with how that first offensive line unit of Tarquin-Sexton-Bates-Nwaiwu-Taylor has held up. 

— RC 

3:26 p.m.

Welcome to Norman, Deion Burks. 

The Purdue transfer hauled in his second touchdown of the day, this time adding a 50-yard strike to his 64-yarder that opened up today’s game. 

This one wasn’t a free play, either. Burks found some space over the middle and Arnold delivered a fantastic ball to keep his momentum rolling into the end zone. 

Tyler Keltner made the PAT, pushing the Red Team’s lead to 37-16 with 5:50 left until halftime. 

— RC 

3:19 p.m.

Defensive line getting some pressure the last couple of trips out. 

A sack for David Stone and then an uncalled sack from Adepoju Adebawore Should have pushed that field goal attempt beyond 50 yards from Tyler Keltner. 

Something to send into the league office for stat corrections tomorrow. 

Also… Keltner pushing the field goal wide left is less than ideal for the kicking race. Both Keltner and Schmit have been money in the limited bits of practice we’ve been permitted to watch this spring. 

— RC 

3:17 p.m.

After David Stone gets a sack, Tyler Keltner comes on and misses a 45-yard field goal.

The kicking competition will rage on — I predict into the season.

Red leads 28-12.

— JH

3:14 p.m.

Kalib Hicks with a wicked cut to loose Jaydan Hardy in the second level and it’s a nice gain for the 1 offense. That follows a big-play screen pass to Deion Burks.

This team absolutely has the playmakers to hang in the SEC. Big guys up front? Still a work in progress.

— JH

3:12 p.m.

Truthfully didn’t know what to expect from Arnold today. Plenty of buzz that he’s had good moments all spring, though the interceptions have been there. 

No signs of that today. Making good, decisions with the football regardless of if the pocket is clean or not. 

Today is merely one practice, but good sign for Arnold to close out the spring. 

— RC 

3:08 p.m.

Finally, a defensive stop. Ethan Downs throws Samuel Franklin for a loss, and Michael Hawkins goes down (credited as a sack for R Mason Thomas) while trying to scramble on third down.

Luke Elzinga punts it away.

End of the first quarter, and Red leads 25-2.

— JH

3:04 p.m.

Jackson Arnold looks calm despite lacking perfect protection. The offensive line is doing enough for him though to move down the field. Between Gavin Sawchuk, Deion Burks and Jaquaize Pettaway cutting upfield on jet sweeps, the Sooners should have plenty of skill position depth. 

Jake Taylor still is struggling at times at right tackle. If Ethan Downs hadn’t gotten the best of tight end Bauer Sharp on his sack, R Mason Thomas would have been right behind Downs to touch Arnold. 

Arnold’s offense still moving, though. A good sign. 

— RC

3:02 p.m.

Jackson Arnold directs the No. 1 offense back to the end zone and Gavin Sawchuk hits the middle of the defense for runs of 9 and 1 yard to finish it off. 

The “starting” offensive line looks good, but let’s be honest. The defensive front is hardly at full strength, and has a long way to go itself.

Liam Evans kicks through the PAT.

Red team (offense) leads 27-0 on the scoreboard, though a “sack” by Ethan Downs for 2 points was taken off the board.

— JH

2:52 p.m.

The No. 2 offense (against the No. 1 defense) doesn’t seem to have any problems. After a couple of third down conversions, Kalib Hicks pops through the line and scores untouched for a 30-yard touchdown. 

A reaction from someone in the press box: “The defense sucks.” Cynical? Joking? Probably.

Schmit kicks the PAT, and Red leads 18-0.

— JH

2:47 p.m.

Michael Hawkins rolls out with the No. 2 offense, and he’s protected by two redshirt freshmen, two true freshmen and a transfer.

So yeah, expect Bill Bedenbaugh, Brent Venables and company to be very active in the portal over the next 10 days.

Still, credit Hawkins with a completion on second down and then a scramble for a first down.

— JH

2:45 p.m.

Really nice protection from the offensive line there on the third down pickup by Arnold. And then smart by the OU quarterback knowing he had the free play. Successful first drive for the offense.

— RC

2:44 p.m.

Turns out Deion Burks is as fast as advertised. He just brought down a deep ball from Jackson Arnold behind the secondary and pulled away from the defense on a 64-yard touchdown.

Tyler Keltner kicks the first extra point.

Red leads it 7-0.

— JH

2:37 p.m.

Have to feel bad for the defense here. They had to come out of the visitor's tunnel with no fanfare, whereas the offense got the full intro video experience complete with the Boz declaring that the program is now taking the step "into the Southeast."

Let's football!

— RC

2:41 p.m.

Zach Schmit is getting the party started with a kickoff through the end zone.

Stay tuned on the kicking battle.

— JH

2:27 p.m.

The notable stars of Oklahoma's past linked up with Venables and took the commemorative photo at midfield. Now, we're just waiting for this scrimmage to get underway in full in the next 10 minutes.

— RC

2:18 p.m.

Billy Bowman is fully healthy, I’m told. But he’s not suited up today. He’s been kind of coaching up the young guys this spring, and someone who led the nation with three pick sixes last year really doesn’t need a ton of reps in the spring game.

Bob Stoops used to say, “I don’t really need to know what Adrian Peterson/DeMarco Murray/Sam Bradford can do in the spring game.”

Same thing with a handful of dudes today.

— JH

2:16 p.m.

Fun note: the theme of the players’ bios on the big video boards this year seems to be in a comic book style: animated, bright, flashy colors, comic sans, the whole bit. 

As an old comics kid from the ‘70s, I’m all about it.

— JH

2:14 p.m.

One guy that’s out today who could really use the reps is redshirt freshman DB Erik McCarty. He hurt his ACL in the high school playoffs and wasn’t able to get back last season. Now it seems he’s hurt again. Here’s hoping he is able to get healthy soon, because he’s an explosive and versatile (and local) player who can help this team somewhere.

— JH

2:12 p.m.

DT Da’Jon Terry is sitting out today. Probably nothing there other than rest. Seniors at this stage of their career — a la Woodi Washington, Ryan tells me — don’t need to prove anything today.

— JH

2:09 p.m.

Circling back to Jake Roberts for a moment. He hadn't been a participant in the practice sessions that have been opened up to the media this spring, but the cast on his lower right leg is new. Previously he had been held off to the side and was in tennis shoes.

— RC

2:08 p.m.

OT Daniel Akinkunmi has also missed most of spring with a right ankle/foot injury. He’s also cruising around Owen Field on the injury scooter.

— JH

2:06 p.m.

So no Thompson, no Farooq. Also no Nic Anderson and Andrel Anthony, as expected.

Does that mean no big plays today?

— JH

2:04 p.m.

WR Jalil Farooq is also among the walking wounded and on a scooter. He’s been out most of the spring with an ankle/foot injury as well.

— JH

2:02 p.m.

Also not dressed today is TE Jake Roberts. He’s got a soft wrap on his right foot/ankle and is motoring around on a scooter.

— JH

2:00 p.m.

As expected, WR Brenan Thompson is not suited up and won’t play today. As not expected, cornerback Woodi Washington isn’t dressed out and also has the day off.

— JH

1:52 p.m.

No real shock but wide receiver Nic Anderson is in street clothes. He's not participated at the practices that have been opened up to the media. Jalil Farooq obviously won't play a role today, either. Should clear the way for a lot of Deion Burks and Jayden Gibson early. Oklahoma isn't short on wide receiver talent, a credit to the work of Emmett Jones.

— RC

1:45 p.m.

Pregame activities are progressing and the sea of humanity — more than 100 recruits and transfer portal prospects — has arrived and are standing in the southeast corner of Owen Field. If the Sooners land just 10 percent of those guys over the 2025, 2026 and 2027 classes (there’s even a couple 2028s here), then today is a huge success.

— JH