November 17, 2012; Morgantown, WV, USA; Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Trey Metoyer (17) catches a pass on the field before playing the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium . Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
When Trey Metoyer came to the Oklahoma Sooners two years ago, he was over-hyped as the program’s first ever five-star recruit at the wide receiver position. Unfortunately, the hype would have to wait a year because he ended up academically ineligible for the Sooners as a freshman. After he finally arrived in 2012, Metoyer failed to impress, falling behind not only mainstay Kenny Stills and transfers Justin Brown and Jalen Saunders, but also behind true freshman Sterling Shepard.
The Sooners have to hope he turns a corner in 2013, as he battles Durron Neal and Lacoltan Bester for a shot at playing time. Shepard and Saunders return to the Sooners as the unquestioned stars in the receiving corps, and Trey Metoyer needs to prove he deserves a look as well.
Trey Metoyer 2012 season
In 2012, Trey Metoyer started the season as a No. 1 receiver, but only ended up starting four games in his freshman season. He finished the season with only 17 receptions in 11 games for 148 yards and one touchdown, scored against Florida A&M back in week two of the season. 10 of those catches came in the first four games of the season and only seven came during the bulk of Big 12 play.
It wasn’t the performance fans dreamed of when he caught six balls for 72 yards in his freshman Red-White game. What makes fans think 2013 will be any different for the so-far underperforming former five-star recruit?
“I’ve seen a real change in him,” receivers’ coach Jay Norvell said. “I see a different maturity in him. I see a different focus in him… When a player really starts playing with confidence on a consistent basis, that’s when you really gain trust in him. It’s really obvious around here that we’re trying to gain trust in him. He’s one of the guys who hasn’t been consistent yet.”
Trey Metoyer 2013 season outlook
What bodes well for the Sooners is that Metoyer seems willing to work hard and learn, even connecting with the man who took his position in 2012, Jalen Saunders.
“He was taking himself out of the picture because he had high expectations and was feeling bad about himself,” Saunders said. “This spring me and him sat down and talked a lot, I kind of took him under my wing like a younger brother. I treat him like my younger brother because I want him to be the best out there.”
The question of how much Trey Metoyer will be able to help the Sooners won’t come until they take the field in their first game of the 2013 season against Louisiana-Monroe. If he can take the confidence from practices and spring into the regular season, the Sooners might end up with one of the better receiver corps in the Big 12 in 2013.