Dennis Simmons Says of Sooner Wideouts, "All of Them Want to Be the Guy"

There will be admittedly plenty of turnover in the lineup for the vaunted Sooner passing attack come 2020.

But Dennis Simmons isn't concerned.

In fact, Oklahoma's outside receivers coach is extremely confident that the group of Sooner receivers at his disposal are ready to live up to the standard established by the likes of Ceedee Lamb, Marquise Brown and Dede Westbrook.

“We’ve got several guys that feel like it’s their time in the room," said Simmons. "When you talk about the leadership and things of that nature, we’ve had some guys here that have done some great things. You got a lot of guys that are hungry and passionate and want to be like their former buddies.”

With the departures of Ceedee Lamb, A.D. Miller, Nick Basquine and Lee Morris, Charleston Rambo is the elder statesman in the room, and the redshirt junior is expected to take over as the primary target for the Sooners. Former five-star recruit Jadon Haselwood, still recovering from an offseason ACL injury, is also out of the picture for the time being. Rambo is the Sooners' leading receiver among returners, as he racked up 743 yards and five TDs in 2019.

Can the Sooners replace the production of an every-down home run threat in Lamb? And will it come via aggregate, or a quantum leap from a single player?

“I don’t think it really matters," Simmons remarked. "If you run your route the way you want to, the ball’s gonna find somebody. The deeper you are, especially in a a situation that we’re dealing with right now where some guys may unfortunately get the virus… I think having a room full of talent is a good thing."

Senior Theo Howard, a graduate transfer from UCLA, is expected to challenge Theo Wease Jr. for the right to start opposite Rambo. As Howard recovers from an Achilles injury suffered in February, it's unclear how significant of a role he'll have right off the bat. But all early indications are that he's back to full health and ready to contribute.

“The season will tell how big of an impact he can have," Simmons said of Howard. "Older guy, so he’s gonna have some wisdom and knowledge that he can spread to some of the younger guys. He’s a talented young man.”

The Sooners also snagged Obi Obialo, a former Oklahoma State Cowboy, in the transfer portal. Obialo spent 2016 in Stillwater before transferring to Marshall, for whom he played in 2018 and 2019.

Simmons says that Obialo and Howard have provided outstanding leadership within Oklahoma's wide receiver room, and although they're still getting acclimated, they've displayed exceptional character.

“Our goal is to get them comfortable and understanding what we do here," Simmons said. "I would praise both of those guys; they’re both by nature quality young men. Being a good teammate is not something that was a stretch or a pull for either of them.”

Meanwhile, Simmons also extended a nod to true freshman Marvin Mims, who smashed several Texas prep records at Frisco's Lone Star High before taking his talents to Norman.

“He has put on a lot of muscle since he got here," said Simmons. "He stepped in with a sense of confidence, and he’s gone out and practiced and played with that same type of swagger.”

There's certainly a logjam of Oklahoma receivers ready to make their mark in 2020. But in Simmons' eyes, the youngsters and the veterans in his group have one thing in common.

“All of them want to be the guy," he said. "And I want them all to have that mentality.”

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