Oklahoma tight end Jaren Kanak is both proof of the Sooners' offensive improvement this season, and just how bad they were last year.
Before it was even halftime of the No. 5 Sooners' fifth game of the season against Kent State on Saturday, Kanak already tallied more receiving yards than OU's leading receiver from all of last year in less than half the time.
Jaren Kanak surpasses Bauer Sharp in receiving yards
After converting from linebacker to tight end over the offseason, Kanak went into the locker room against Kent State with 328 receiving yards on the season. As Parker Thune of Rivals pointed out during the game via X, that's already more than former tight end Bauer Sharp, who led the Sooners in receiving last year, had all of last season.
Sharp caught 42 passes for 324 yards in 12 games last year before transferring to LSU after being the Sooners' leading receiver. So far this season through five games, Sharp has 15 catches for 179 receiving yards.
The Sooners were dreadful in the passing game last year, ultimately leading to offensive coordinator Seth Littrell getting fired midseason and quarterback Jackson Arnold eventually transferring. A lot of the passing woes could be credited to poor pass blocking and OU's top five wide receivers missing most of the season with injuries, however, now at Auburn, Arnold is still struggling to throw the ball downfield while taking sacks.
OU head coach Brent Venables then went and hired Ben Arbuckle from Washington State to be the Sooners' new offensive coordinator. Arbuckle then brought quarterback John Mateer with him, and the duo has transformed the Sooners' offense together. However, Mateer is currently injured and did not play against Kent State on Saturday.
Throughout all of last season, OU averaged 175.8 passing yards a game. In the first four games this year, the Sooners have averaged 305 as Mateer led the SEC in passing yards before his injury.
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