LIVE BLOG: Oklahoma Spring Game

Follow today's live blog and real time observations from publisher John Hoover, deputy editor Ryan Chapman, multimedia director Josh Callaway and contributor Ross Lovelace as they cover Saturday's Red/White Game from the Owen Field press box:

4:29 p.m.

Davis Beville takes the offense on a really nice drive (couple of big catches by D.J. Graham), and on his second attempt executes a play-action touchdown pass to Josh Fanuiel.

Fanuiel is a former basketball player who transferred from Division II Cameron University and walked on this year. Cool moment for him.

The defense leads this thing 72-72 at the end of the third quarter. There have been a LOT of substitutions.

First team to 84 wins.

— JH

4:27 p.m.

DJ Graham, wow. Two big plays in a row, Makes a man miss near the sideline and comes close to taking it in for six. 39-yard reception for the converted pass catcher. Gabriel McDaniel was the primary defender.

— RL

4:25 p.m.

Oklahoma wide receiver DJ Graham sighting in the third quarter. He reeled in a 25-yard pass from Davis Beville. Really impressive adjustment to the ball from the former corner. Graham has been putting together a solid spring season, and it was all on display there.

— RL

4:22 p.m.

General Booty aired it out along the sideline but overthrew the open receiver. He has a cannon for an arm and it was on display there. It’s looking like a Booty-Beville second half. Keep an eye on the playmaking wide receivers here.

— RL

4:20 p.m.

Davis Beville started the third quarter and his drive went nowhere. After a timeout, General Booty is behind center.

Remember, neither of those two QBs were here for last year’s spring game, so this is their first real action in this stadium.

— JH

3:59 p.m.

Kyler Murray had some choice words at halftime just now:

-- JH

Kyler: “I had a rocky start to my career. I chose the wrong school. As soon as I stepped on campus, I texted my pops and told him I should have been here the whole time.”#Sooners
— John E. Hoover 🌮 (@johnehoover) April 22, 2023

3:47 p.m.

So in the open practices media have been allowed to watch, we’ve seen extensive action for the running backs in the passing game.

That explains why Gavin Sawchuk just caught a touchdown pass from Dillon Gabriel, although it doesn’t explain why he was so wide open.

Still, that’s a good sign, getting these talented RBs in on the action.

At halftime, the defense leads the offense 60-55 — and Gabriel has thrown three touchdown passes.

— JH

3:43 p.m.

I don’t know what’s going on, but they’ve apparently stopped passing out points to the defense like candy.

Defense had 53 points and Jordan Kelley got a fourth-down sack.

It’s now 60-46.

Venables said he didn’t approve this, but maybe it’s a ruse. Maybe he wants opponents to see an obscene spring game score and believe the OU defense still stinks, and then when the Sooners show up in the fall and hit people in the mouth, it’ll catch ‘em off guard.

I don’t know.

— JH

3:38 p.m.

Dillon Gabriel connects with Blake Smith for a 25-yard score.

Smith playing with a cast on his right hand, a nice grab with essentially a club.

The score is now… 53-44 White Team, for whatever that’s worth.

— RC

3:31 p.m.

Defensive line swarming Jackson Arnold on that last drive. Gracen Halton sneaks through for a sack, but everyone had a hand in the backfield. Next play, Isaiah Coe picks up another sack. Not a ton of rhythm for Oklahoma’s offense.

— RL

3:29 p.m.

So far, through four possessions each, it’s been Dillon Gabriel with the first offense and Jackson Arnold with the second.

Gabriel to Jalil Farooq is the only touchdown so far.

— JH

3:27 p.m.

Looked like Kendel Dolby bit on Dillon Gabriel’s touchdown throw. Easy pitch-and-catch from Gabriel to Jail Farooq there for a 13-yard score. The offense is on the board. Defense still in front 51-30.

— RL

3:24 p.m.

Injured Sooner on the field. Veteran defensive lineman Isaiah Coe is the one down. Walking off the field on his own power.

— RL

3:23 p.m.

We've been appropriately hyping Dasan McCullough, but on a sweep to Gavin Sawchuk, Drake Stoops put McCullough on his backside.

— JH

3:19 p.m.

Well, to say the defense won the first quarter might be an understatement.

Peyton Bowen had the nice interception and Dasan McCullough appears to be everywhere.

A couple of good moments from the defensive line coming off the edge as well.

— RC

3:18 p.m.

Rocky start for Oklahoma’s passing game. This secondary is flying around, making it very difficult for the receivers to find any openings. Reggie Pearson and Peyton Bowen looked like seasoned veterans in the Sooners defense.

— RL

3:17 p.m.

First quarter: Defense 51, Offense 19

3:13 p.m.

Nice couple of drives for the defensive line against what appears to be the starting offensive line.

Jonah Laulu and Jacob Lacey both with nice moments, and Davon Sears is firing off the football quickly. Solid stuff up the middle.

— RC

3:11 p.m.

Good to see sophomores Kip Lewis and Kobie McKinzie making tackles as the inside LBs on this drive. Dasan McCullough and Reggie Pearson are also all over the place on this possession. Drake Stoops just caught a fourth-down conversion. McCullough just got flagged for offsides.

Drive ends as Dillon Gabriel throws incomplete out of the back of the end zone on fourth down.

The score is 50-19.

Defense hung half a hundred on 'em in the first quarter (2:12 to play).

— JH

3:11 p.m.

Reggie Pearson is a heat-seeking missile in the secondary. He covers so much ground in a short period of time. Has a reputation for being a hard-hitter, but he’s agile enough to make plays in open space. Brought down Tawee Walker on a swing pass one-on-one in the open field. Dove right at the feet and promptly took him to the ground.

— RL

3:04 p.m.

Ladies and gentlemen, Dasan McCullough.

He just broke up a fourth-down pass from Jackson Arnold to Gavin Freeman that would have been a first down. Instead, McCulloch’s hit dislodged the football.

That’s a playmaker.

— JH

3:05 p.m.

Trace Ford and Davon Sears both lining up on the left side of the defense during that series. Two impact transfers that could play a big part in Oklahoma’s defensive improvement. The added depth across the board is very evident early on.

— RL

3:01 p.m.

The defense leads it 34-9 after Peyton Bowen intercepted Dillon Gabriel. What a play. DG was going deep to Andrel Anthony but Bowen had him covered.

And Jackson Arnold is the No. 2 QB on the next drive.

Think it’s safe to say Arnold has pretty much locked up the backup job behind Gabriel.

— JH

3:00 p.m.

Lost in the frenzy of those first two drives, true freshman Jasaiah Wagoner was the cornerback opposite of Woodi Washington with what looked like the first team defense.

Both Brent Venables and Jay Valai have raved about him all spring.

— RC

2:58 p.m.

And after two possessions, the Oklahoma defense leads the Oklahoma offense 27-7. And five of the offense’s points were scored during the week in eating contests and other frivolities.

I knew this scoring system was a good idea.

— JH

2:58 p.m.

LV Bunkley-Shelton getting some action as a punt returner. Everyone raves about his footwork and route running skills, which would certainly bode well for him in the return game. He could really help Oklahoma’s special teams unit next season.

— RL

2:57 p.m.

Looks like it’s 1’s vs. 2’s so far, and the heart of the defensive line got a pair of tipped passes on that second drive going against Jackson Arnold’s offense.

Active hands from Notre Dame transfer Jacob Lacey.

— RC

2:56 p.m.

Brent Venables just took away a 60-yard touchdown run by Jackson Arnold because the kid is wearing a blue no-contact jersey. That was a touchdown.

And the Sooner fans know it. They love him already.

— JH

2:55 p.m.

Oklahoma defensive starters on the White squad:

R Mason Thomas, Jordan Kelly, Jacob Lacey, Jonah Laulu, Ethan Downs

Dasan McCullough, Kip Lewis

Peyton Bowen, Kendel Dolby, Reggie Pearson, Makari Vickers

— RL

2:50 p.m.

Started for the offense (going five-wide):

Cayden Green - Savion Byrd - Andrew Raym - McKade Mettauer - Tyler Guyton

LV Bunkley-Shelton - Drake Stoops - Austin Stogner - Jalil Farooq - Gavin Sawchuk

Dillon Gabriel

— RC

2:49 pm.

Well I’ll be darned. Cayden Green is starting at left tackle.

It should be noted that two candidates to start are out today.

Still impressive for the freshman.

— JH

2:47 p.m.

Pretty solid showing here from Oklahoma fans today. It's a chilly day with lots of wind, and the Sooner faithful showed up loud and proud. Kicking off in seconds. — RL

2:39 p.m.

"This, ladies and gentlemen, is the OU brotherhood," Brent Venables says. That's a lot of lettermen.

There you go. About 70 yards of former players. Some real luminaries down there.#Sooners pic.twitter.com/tWrXS3gbsy
— John E. Hoover 🌮 (@johnehoover) April 22, 2023

2:35 p.m.

Brent Venables just took the mic and told the 30-35,000 or so assembled here that fans of programs who are naysayers who believe the spring game fan attendance doesn't matter is because they're fans of programs that don't.

Make of that what you will.

— JH

2:33 p.m.

The Anthem:#Sooners pic.twitter.com/gJdkoAHEb7
— John E. Hoover 🌮 (@johnehoover) April 22, 2023

— JH

2:25 p.m.

Buckle up for a day of wild day of scoring.

The White Team (defense) already up 6-5 on the scoreboard due to all fo the competitions Oklahoma has released on social media today.

You’ll be as in the loop as we will as the score flies throughout the day.

— RC

2:23 p.m.

In case you missed it, Oklahoma picked up its fifth verbal commitment of the 2024 class today, about 90 minutes before the spring game. Here's a quick highlight of Jaydan Hardy, posted on his Twitter feed.

— JH

🥷 pic.twitter.com/h80RRUJ43c
— Jaydan Hardy (@jaydan_hardy) September 4, 2021

2:16 p.m.

Lots of amazing photo ops today from Kyler Murray's statue dedication. Here's one from Brent Venables' timeline:

— JH