NORMAN — It's clear the Sooners had a lot they needed to evaluate after their 25-15 loss to Tennessee last weekend.

Specifically, on offense, which mustered just 98 yards and three points through the first three quarters. The biggest change came during the game with Michael Hawkins Jr. replacing Jackson Arnold at quarterback, and Hawkins will remain the starter this weekend at Auburn.

But another change is centered around Jacobe Johnson, who is moving from cornerback to receiver, OU coach Brent Venables announced on Monday. The position swap comes as the Sooners' wide receiver room continues to deal with significant injures.

But more importantly, there's confidence that Johnson can succeed there.

"Jacobe is a natural receiver," Venables said Tuesday. "He played a lot more receiver growing up than he did defensive back. He's a fantastic DB that's really coming on. He's been an excellent special teams player for us. He plays with great effort, he's super physical and incredibly talented.

"Certainly this wasn't a decision that we took lightly. I wanted to find out what he thought of it."

There's certainly excitement that Johnson could provide much-needed help.

Johnson proved he could be an elite receiver during his time at Mustang High School, totaling 1,200 all-purpose yards and 19 touchdowns as a senior. There were discussions when he arrived about whether he'd land on offense and defense, with the Sooners eventually deciding to put him at cornerback. At 6-foot-2 and 202 pounds, Johnson also provides size and athleticism to a banged-up receiver corps that desparately needs it.

But the move makes sense for reasons outside of Johnson's potential at receiver. He hasn't seen much playing time at cornerback since he arrived in 2022. He's played just 56 snaps this season, per Pro Football Focus, and only played five last weekend against Tennessee. And even with the injury to Gentry Williams, the Sooners have leaned on Kani Walker and Dez Malone, and true freshman Eli Bowen has also risen up the depth chart.

But the more important reason is the injuries at wide receiver. Jayden Gibson is out for the year, while Jalil Farooq is still recovering from a broken foot. Nic Anderson, who has played nine snaps all season, has already been ruled out for Auburn after reinjuring his quad. Andrel Anthony hasn't played this season, and he's listed as "doubtful" ahead of this weekend. Most troubling is Deion Burks, who is listed as questionable this weekend and has accounted for 26 of the 42 receptions by receivers this season.

Venables is confident that Johnson's defensive acumen could help him on offense, too.

"Jacobe's aggressive and he's physical, and he knows what an offense is trying to do," Venables said. "Just say on a perimeter screen, and what kind of leverage he needs to maintain. He's just using all of his defensive acumen. We study offenses more than we study defense. We talk offense more than we study defense in the defensive room. What they're thinking, what the weakness of the defense is, the way we should anticipate them attack us this way If we take that away, it's a wrap.

"So he'll have that mindset. We call the routes what they call it, we call them that. So he's gonna be able to have this communication and conversation with the coach that should help expedite his transition. And that's everything. If you can say it, you can play it. So I think he'll be able to bring some of that more so than maybe some of the other guys that are there right now, as they learn and grow and get better. And just another body that can be some explosive guy that, like I said, has tremendous ball skills. And he's got great competitive toughness to him as well.”

Venables also made it clear that situation is nothing like DJ Graham, who moved from defensive back to receiver in 2022.. Graham approached the coaching staff about the change never logged an offensive snap for the Sooners before transferring in 2023, while the coaching staff has asked Johnson to flip sides.

"Jacobe, he’s incredibly eager to do it," Venables said. "Very natural in his skillset. He learns well. He’ll put the time in, the extra time that’s required. He won’t get disappointed if it doesn’t happen yesterday. He’s just being a consummate team guy knowing that he still has a home on our side of the ball at any point in time this year.

"And we felt, just look at the roster. OK, where do we definitively need some help? And again, we’ve lost a bunch of guys. Andrel hasn’t ever come back, amongst others. And so we know the issues that we have there. And he’s 6-2, he’s 210 pounds. He runs every bit of 4.4, if not faster and he’s been playing that way."

Will Johnson make an immediate impact? It's unclear. But the Sooners clearly need help, and there's confidence that Johnson can provide it sooner rather than later.

"He's a fantastic corner and has a chance to get to play this game a long time at that position," Venables said. "But he's a natural (receiver) and he looked like a natural in some ways yesterday. He's a smart guy and cares a lot. Those are always good ingredients to have success."

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