Why Oklahoma WR Nic Anderson's Three Touchdown Day is Just the 'Start of Something Special'
TULSA — Nic Anderson announced himself in historic fashion on Saturday.
In Oklahoma’s season opener against Arkansas State, the redshirt freshman caught his first two collegiate passes.
Two weeks later, he caught his first touchdown — three of them in fact — to help No. 19-ranked OU blow out Tulsa 66-17 at H.A. Chapman Stadium.
Anderson’s hat trick was the first time in program history a freshman hauled in three touchdown catches for the Crimson and Cream.
“It was crazy. I feel so blessed right now,” Anderson said after the win. “And a lot of my family is here this game, just adds a little bit of sweetness to the whole thing.”
Anderson’s first touchdown grab came while the Sooners were already up 28-7, but Oklahoma’s offense was facing third-and-11.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel found the 6-foot-4 receiver behind the Tulsa defense, and guided the ball into his outstretched hands for the score, promoting a celebratory shimmy from Anderson.
The second connection between Gabriel and Anderson was his finest catch-and-run of the day.
Gabriel threw a dart to Anderson on the 25-yard line, allowing him to turn outside and try and make a play in open space.
Anderson evaded a diving Tulsa defender, keeping his balance to outrun another blue shirt and waltz into the end zone. The 42-yard strike put the Sooners up 45-17.
“I think the world of Nic,” Gabriel said. “… He’s a very special human being. How big he is, fast he is and how well he’s able to get in and out of cuts, it’s hard to do.”
Anderson closed out his account in the third quarter.
With the game well in hand, Jackson Arnold replaced Gabriel, and immediately delivered fireworks.
Arnold led Anderson down the sideline, and he muscled through NuNu Campbell’s attempted tackle to cash in on a 50-yard score.
“That’s the Schmitty program,” Anderson said. “I dedicate that all to Jerry Schmidt. Man, he knows what he did.”
Oklahoma redshirt freshman Nic Anderson muscled his way into the end zone for three scores in the Sooners' 66-17 blowout of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.
Nathan J. Fish / USA TODAY Sports
Though things are still very early in his OU career, Anderson has faced plenty of adversity.
Injuries never allowed him to truly compete for playing time as a true freshman, and last week’s close contest against SMU meant the ball never came his way.
But Anderson fought through, and matched Curtis Fagan as the only Sooners to catch three touchdowns on exactly three receptions after he accomplished the feat against Baylor in 2000.
“We tell guys all the time,” OU coach Brent Venables said after the game, “this week we may be majoring in one thing but stay ready. Be ready for your opportunity.
“The hunger, the commitment, the willingness to stay locked in and be ready for your opportunity through three weeks has been there. But there’s lots of different opportunities that we can win, whether it’s players, whether it’s scheme, whether it’s quarterback, the precision – Dillon was incredibly accurate today and made several good plays in tight coverage.”
Anderson’s teammates were as happy for the young receiver as his head coach.
“I feel like his big brother,” OU receiver Jalil Farooq said. “Just him being out there going crazy made me smile.
“… I see him day to day grinding. He had a lot of injury problems last year, so him being able to shine is, you feel me, crazy? … He’s one of the guys that, you feel me, has put in that work.”
Anderson’s actual big brother — former OU running back Rodney Anderson — was present and cameras caught him fired up in the crowd celebrating his brother’s big day.
After the game, Nic Anderson was able to catch up with his older brother, who scored 21 total touchdowns for Oklahoma.
“He just said he was proud of me,” Nic Anderson said. “All the little stuff, all the big stuff.
“… I mean, it’s crazy. I can see it in his face. He’s just real proud of me, being in his shoes.”
As good as Saturday’s performance went for the redshirt freshman, Oklahoma hopes it will only be the beginning.
The Sooners start Big 12 play next weekend in Cincinnati, as the program is trying to prove that 2023’s 3-0 start will lead to much different results than last year’s perfect non-conference finish.
“On top of him being a great person and his great work ethic,” said Gabriel, “I think this is the start of something special for him.
“I’m excited to see where he’s going.”
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