Why Oklahoma WR Jaquaize Pettaway Saw Zero Targets Against SMU

NORMAN — Despite arriving on campus over the summer, true freshman wideout Jaquaize Pettaway seemed like a shoo-in to be one of Oklahoma's main targets in 2023.

Against Arkansas State in week one, Pettaway lived up to expectations, catching nine passes for 56 yards. The Houston-area native tied CeeDee Lamb's record for most catches by a freshman in one contest during his college football debut.

After a solid first performance, OU offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby said he believes that Pettaway could be even more productive.

"We’ll always talk about this, but just being able to live the experience part of it, him being able to go through it was a huge deal," Lebby said the week after the Sooners took down Arkansas State. "Was happy for him just being able to get out there his first game, have some production. And he left something out there, which he knows. That’s the good thing, but it was great for him to get his first action."

Despite earning praise from Oklahoma's play caller and his production in week one, Pettaway didn't see the field for a single snap in OU's week two victory over SMU.

While most true freshmen who aren't early enrollees don't see the field consistently, Pettaway's talent and football IQ led many to believe that the 4-star prospect would be able to earn his keep in the Sooners’ offense early in his career.

During fall camp, Pettaway received rave reviews from coaches, teammates and the media, who noted that the 185-pound wideout looked noticeably bigger than many expected.

The young wideout was a track star in high school, running a 10.41 in the 100-meter dash. With Pettaway’s impressive speed, he seemed to fit perfectly into the Sooners’ offense, which emphasized the addition of faster playmakers over the offseason when OU added Brenen Thompson and Andrel Anthony in the transfer portal.

Additionally, Pettaway was one of the top 10 wide receivers in his high school recruiting class, creating an expectation that the skilled pass catcher would push for playing time as a true freshman.

On Monday, Lebby said in his weekly press conference that Pettaway's lack of playing time in week two is in large part due to Drake Stoops' return to the lineup after injuring his shoulder against Arkansas State.

"Part of it was Drake was back healthy," Lebby said. "Obviously, we lost Drake early in week one. He comes back. With the way the game was going, wanted to lean on some older guys who had played a bunch of ball, obviously Drake was a guy I wasn’t quite ready to get out of the game full-tilt. That’s kinda how that played out."

Stoops sprained his AC joint after catching a pass in the first quarter of the Sooners' 73-0 victory over the Red Wolves, keeping the sixth-year senior out for the remainder of the contest. Seemingly healthy enough to play against SMU, Stoops earned the start at wide receiver against the Mustangs, catching two passes for 17 yards and contributing in the run game as an effective blocker.

Despite Pettaway not seeing the field against SMU, the true freshman could get back on track this week when the Sooners meet Tulsa, who is 1-1 after falling 43-10 to Washington over the weekend.

Lebby admitted that he was too conservative as a play caller after OU's win over SMU, saying that he was looking to keep the clock running and help Oklahoma's defense.

"I got a little conservative there in the middle part of the game," Lebby said on Saturday night. "We were playing great defense. I wanted to find ways to sustain and chew up clock and continue to put our defense in good position. We had a couple of chances to take some shots and didn’t. I’m really proud of our guys to continue to play and being able to score those last two drives. We only had four opportunities in the second half."

If Lebby is more aggressive in the future and decides to take more of the shots he mentioned, it would not be surprising to see Pettaway earn more snaps as the season progresses.

Additionally, many of Pettaway's targets in week one came from backup quarterback and fellow true freshman Jackson Arnold, with whom Pettaway said he has a great connection.

"We’ve been on the same page, and he keeps putting the ball on the money, and I’m in the right spots," Pettaway said of his relationship with Arnold. "Off the field, we’re very close. We’re going, like I said, we’re going to continue to build our bond and strike up the band."

When Arnold is on the field, it is more likely that Pettaway will receive targets due to the familiarity he and the former 5-star QB prospect have formed. Next season, when both members of the talented duo are sophomores, Sooner fans should see plenty of highlight plays from Arnold to Pettaway.

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