Tuesday has been a giant news day for Oklahoma football.
Two days after the announcement that Marvin Mims was declaring for the NFL Draft, the Sooners on Tuesday announced the hiring of a new wide receivers’ coach and passing game coordinator from the staff at Texas Tech and also gained the commitment of former Michigan wide receiver Andrel Anthony Jr. from the transfer portal.
In two seasons at Michigan, Anthony played more than 500n snaps and posted 19 receptions for 328 yards and four touchdowns. He averaged 17.3 yards per reception, 6.4 yards after the catch per reception and a 44.4 percent contested catch rate. Those stats match up nicely with Mims’ production while at Oklahoma. Anthony will have two years of eligibility remaining.
The East Lansing, Michigan, native was a three-star prospect out of high school as a member of the Michigan’s 2021 class and the No. 81-ranked receiver in the class nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
what’s understood doesn’t need to be explained .. thank you God ✞.
— Andrel Anthony Jr. (@andrel_jr) January 10, 2023
B⭕️⭕️MER. pic.twitter.com/0MSiEM3qpx
Anthony’s best season was his freshman year when he had 12 catches for 248 yards and three touchdowns. He saw limited action this past season and saw limited future opportunities in Michigan’s passing game, which led to his decision to transfer.
The 6-foot, 2-inch wide receiver will have an opportunity to see the field immediately for the Sooners next season and will be a welcome addition as another deep threat for QB Dillon Gabriel and a strong target in the middle of the field to move the chains on third down. Twelve of his 19 receptions as a Wolverine were for first downs.
Late Tuesday afternoon, Oklahoma announced the hiring of former Texas Tech assistant Emmett Jones to coach Anthony and the other Sooner wide receivers as well as serve as passing coordinator on Jeff Lebby’s offensive staff.
Anthony will join returning starting receivers Jahlil Farooq and Drake Stoops as well as LV Bunkley-Shelton, Nic Anderson, J.J. Hester and Jayden Gibson, all four of whom are expected to have expanded roles in the receiving corps in the 2023 season. The Sooners also have TE Austin Stogner returning to OU after a season at South Carolina, who will serve as a prime replacement for Brayden Willis, whose eligibility ended with the 2022 season.
Oklahoma now has 10 transfer additions for 2023 to go along with 25 signees in the Sooners’ 2023 recruiting class. The 10 transfers include three offensive players, six defensive players and a punter.