© Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Three Quick Takeaways From Oklahoma's 2024 Red/White Game
The Sooners closed down spring football with the annual Red/White Game on Saturday, introducing a host of new faces to the fanbase before this fall's SEC debut.
NORMAN — Oklahoma closed the spring on an overcast, but ultimately dry afternoon at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
Moving the game back 90 minutes avoided the morning rain, allowing the OU offense to take to the skies and throw the ball all over the place in the annual Red/White Game.
A marquee transfer portal addition shined the brightest in the first half, but Brent Venables’ defense, the White Team, closed the gap in the second half.
Ultimately, running back Chapman McKown's touchdown run with 1:06 remaining was enough to deliver a 65-58 win for the Red Team to close down spring football for the Sooners.
Burks Steals the Show
Purdue wide receiver transfer Deion Burks didn’t wait long to announce himself on Owen Field.
He outran Oklahoma’s defense for a 64-yard touchdown grab on the first drive of Saturday’s Red/White Scrimmage to nullify an encroachment penalty.
Burks later hauled in a 50-yard score to cap off his afternoon.
Throughout the spring, Burks pointed to Drake Stoops’ production as a reason he was excited to uproot his life and move to Norman.
And while Stoops was as tough and consistent as any OU fan could ask for, Burks’ vertical threat gives Oklahoma a different threat out of the slot.
Seth Littrell was happy to use Burks as both an option behind the line of scrimmage and downfield, a glimpse at the versatility he’ll show off in full this fall.
Even without wide receivers Jalil Farooq and Nic Anderson, quarterback Jackson Arnold moved his unit up and down the field — a testament to the work wide receivers coach Emmett Jones has done to already build a deep group of skill players at OU.
Pair Burks’ strong showing with impressive bursts from running backs Kalib Hicks and Samuel Franklin, and the Sooners again look loaded across the board. Understandably, Gavin Sawchuk didn’t get much run, but if he’s healthy he’ll trot out as OU’s starter this fall.
As long as the protection holds up, Arnold should have plenty of firepower to put points on the board in the SEC.
Arnold Airs it Out
Speaking of Arnold, Saturday was the first chance for Sooner fans to see their quarterback since the up-and-down showing in the Alamodome last winter.
His protection held up decently well, but even when plays broke down Arnold was able to move behind the line of scrimmage and make plays.
He ended up connecting with Burks five times for 174 yards and two scores in the first half. Crucially, Arnold was able to marry his ability to push the ball downfield without putting himself in any real danger of throwing interceptions.
Arnold’s misses were slight, throwing a ball slightly too high for a receiver without allowing defenders to make a play on the football. He finished 10-for-20 with 233 yards and two scores through the air.
As with any young quarterback, the quality of the protection in front of Arnold will likely go a long way to writing his 2024 story. Over the course of Saturday’s scrimmage, Arnold looked the part.
Defense Steadies for Balanced Day
Let’s not forget about the defense!
Burks’ big day wasn’t wholly indicative of the balance between Venables’ defense and the offense on Saturday.
R Mason Thomas and Adepoju Adebawore both had nice days rushing the passer off the edge, and David Stone and Gracen Halton both held up on the interior of the line. The Sooners are looking to add a pair of defensive tackles to add size and bolster the rotation, but Da’Jon Terry, Stone, Halton and Jayden Jackson will be strong building blocks to build upon this summer.
Cornerback Kani Walker also had a strong showing on Saturday. With Woodi Washington held out of the scrimmage and Gentry Williams still on the mend, Walker got plenty of opportunities along with San Diego State transfer Dez Malone.
Walker often found himself opposite of 6-foot-5 receiver Jayden Gibson, but Walker was still able to produce a nice pair of pass breakups, playing through Gibson to get to the football.
Getting the spine of last year’s defense was the first major victory of the offseason for Venables and new defensive coordinator Zac Alley, but the next objective will be to improve the Sooners’ pass defense before the season kicks off this fall.
