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Oklahoma Loses Quarterback to the Transfer Portal per Report

The transfer portal officially opens on Friday but the Sooners' QB room has taken a hit
Brady Trantham|
Oklahoma offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle works with quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. at practice.
Oklahoma offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle works with quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. at practice. | Ryan Chapman / Sooners on SI

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Oklahoma Sooners

The transfer portal has yet to open officially, but the Oklahoma Sooners are getting a clearer picture of the roster they will take into the offseason.

Michael Hawkins Jr., who has served as second string quarterback in his two seasons at OU, has shared his intentions to enter the portal on Friday. ESPN's Pete Thamel was the first to report.

According to the report, Michael's younger brother Maliek Hawkins will also join him in the portal. He was a four-star recruit in high school when he committed to the University of Oklahoma and only appeared in one game in 2025 (Kent State), which was also the only game his brother started at quarterback.

Oklahoma Sooners, Michael Hawkins Jr.
Oklahoma quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. | Carson Field, Sooners on SI

Michael appeared in two games in 2025 — garbage time against Temple where he completed one of his three passes before filling in as the starter against Kent State following John Mateer's hand surgery. Hawkins threw for three touchdowns and rushed for another in a blowout victory.

Hawkins started in four games in 2024, winning on the road against Auburn before losing his remaining three starts. The third start came in the Armed Forces Bowl when the Sooners fell to Navy.

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Despite Mateer's struggles following his return from surgery, Hawkins never saw the field again. There were few opportunities due to the Sooners being in one-score games. Even when Mateer struggled in the Cotton Bowl against Texas or in the regular season finalé against LSU, Hawkins' name was never called.

Hawkins is the son of former Oklahoma defensive back Michael Hawkins Sr., who was a five-star recruit out of high school and appeared in a few games during his freshman season in 2002. He rerturned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown against UTEP that season.

Hawkins Sr. would try his luck challenging the NCAA rule by entering the NFL Draft, leaving the program in the process. He ended up playing Arena League football before catching on in the NFL from 2005-2009.

Now, Oklahoma looks to ensure Mateer returns as the entrenched starter and will have 2026 true freshman Bowe Bentley as one of the options for backup quarterback. Third-string quarterback Whitt Newbauer is, as of now, still with the program and has two years of eligibility left.

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Brady Trantham
BRADY TRANTHAM

Brady Trantham covered the Oklahoma City Thunder as the lead Thunder Insider from 2018 until 2021 for 107.7 The Franchise. During that time, Trantham also helped the station as a fill-in guest personality and co-hosted Oklahoma Sooner postgame shows. Trantham also covered the Thunder for the Norman Transcript and The Oklahoman on a freelance basis. He received his BA in history from the University of Oklahoma in 2014 and a BS in Sports Casting from Full Sail University in 2023. Trantham also founded and hosts the “Through the Keyhole” podcast, covering Oklahoma Sooners football. He was born in Oklahoma and raised as an Air Force brat all over the world before returning to Norman and setting down roots there.

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