What Oklahoma is getting in TE transfer Carson Kent

Skepticism is warranted when Joe Jon Finley brings in talent from one of the worst offenses in FBS to try to bolster his position group.

Former Kennesaw State tight end Carson Kent committed to Oklahoma on Monday. He's the first tight end Finley has added with Bauer Sharp transferring to LSU and Jake Roberts exhausting his eligibility.

As bad as the Sooners were offensively this season, Kennesaw State was even worse in its first year in Conference USA. The Owls were second-to-last in FBS in total offense, averaging 250.9 yards a game. For comparison, OU averaged 322.5.

Those offensive woes didn't fall on Kent, though, who's now looking for more production on a better functioning offense. Despite playing one less game, Kent was third on the team with 18 catches and 217 receiving yards. He also added three TDs.

Sharp led OU pass catchers this season with 42 receptions and 324 receiving yards.

Kent is a redshirt sophomore with two years of eligibility left. He started eight games for Kennesaw State in 2023 a redshirt freshman, again finishing third on the team in receiving yards. He does have a lot of size at 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds.

Although Kent will still be playing under Finley, who is OU's tight ends coach, Finley no longer has input as a co-offensive coordinator. Brent Venables hired Ben Arbuckle from Washington State on Dec. 2 to be OU's new offensive coordinator.

Finley was promoted from tight ends coach to co-offensive coordinator last year, but then when Seth Littrell was fired midseason, Finley was given play-calling duties for the latter half of the season.

The Sooners struggled mightily in the passing game, especially with deep balls. Finley also had a knack for almost forcing the ball to tight ends, whether that was because it was the guys he coached, to help relieve a young quarterback or because OU was so thin at receiver.

Now with Arbuckle in control and the Sooners hopefully having more talent readily available at receiver, Kent should not have as large a role as other tight ends in OU's offense this season, even if he does get on the field a lot.

Kent's numbers could dwarf what Sharp put up this season while also putting together a better season, so don't let Kent's stats next season dictate his success at tight end.