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Oklahoma football: Top 5 “What if?” scenarios for the 2023 Sooner football season

By Brandon Self

Dec 29, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Gavin Sawchuk (27) runs with the ball against the Florida State Seminoles in the second quarter during the 2022 Cheez-It Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 29, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Gavin Sawchuk (27) runs with the ball against the Florida State Seminoles in the second quarter during the 2022 Cheez-It Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports /
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What if the offense never has a true WR1?

LUBBOCK, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 26: Wide receiver Jalil Farooq #3 of the Oklahoma Sooners walks across the field during the first half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium on November 26, 2022 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 26: Wide receiver Jalil Farooq #3 of the Oklahoma Sooners walks across the field during the first half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium on November 26, 2022 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

Looking back on Oklahoma football history, there’s typically always been a WR1. Clayton, Shepard, Stills, CeeDee, Westbrook, Mims, etc… Will there be one this year? If not, will it matter?

Answer: Committees aren’t a bad thing.

Jalil Farooq returns to the Sooners’ offense as the leading returning wide receiver from last season. Farooq caught 37 passes for 466 yards and 5 touchdowns. All other returning receivers from last year caught 58 passes. Scary stat: Brayden Willis, Theo Wease, and Marvin Mims (all gone now) caught 112 passes last year. Basically, close to 70 percent of receiver production from last year is gone.

Farooq, Drake Stoops, Gavin Freeman, LV Bunkley-Shelton, Andrea Anthony, and Jayden Gibson are all names thrown around looking to compete for WR1 status. However, I think it’ll be either Jaquaize Pettaway or D.J. Graham who ultimately comes closest to earning that title.

Ultimately, if the Sooners have to utilize a wide receiver committee, that’s not bad. Example: Who is the best Georgia Tech wide receiver ever? – Easy, Calvin “Mega-Tron” Johnson. WR1, no doubt. Okay, who is the best Ohio State wide receiver ever?… too many to count. Aka. Committee receiver play. Which of the two, the Buckeyes or the Yellow Jackets, has had more college football success. No brainer.

Spreading the rock out isn’t a bad thing. Not having a single go-to guy opens up the offense in multiple ways. More zone coverage allows a more experienced quarterback like Gabriel to pick defenses apart. It also keeps more defenders in coverage, allowing the offensive line fewer rushers to protect against and more time for the Sooner receivers to find holes in coverage. Committee receiver corps is a useful attack option, especially when many of the receivers on the field are inexperienced.

If Graham or Pettaway don’t take the WR1 crown, don’t worry. It’ll be alright if we don’t have another CeeDee Lamb emerge this year. When you ask this, what if, ask yourself in return: Buckeyes or Yellow Jackets?

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