Former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops loved to say that everything has its season so he never got emotional when it came to senior day.

Saturday is going to mark the first one as head coach for Lincoln Riley, and it does appear it’s going to get misty on Owen Field.

“Yeah, I’ve always gotten a little emotional around senior day,” Riley said. “Not always outwardly. But these guys … these guys have put in a lot. So yeah, it’s always been an emotional day for me. I don’t think it’ll be any more now that I’m a head coach.

“It’s always an emotional day. I do get attached to these players, and to see all they’ve gone through and it kind of culminate right there, I think it always will be emotional for me.”

As OU prepares to honor its seniors, we take a look back at who they were coming out of high school and junior college and what they have been in Norman for the Sooners.

WR Jeff Badet

High school: 3-star (signed with Kentucky)

OU: The graduate transfer has certainly had some moments, but he’s also battled injuries and has had some issues with his hands. Badet’s speed has been a huge boost this season, and he has 24 catches for 388 yards and three touchdowns.

DB Will Johnson

Junior college: 3-star

OU: Concussion issues have plagued what looked like could have been a very promising career. Through it all, Johnson has stuck around despite advice to retire from football last season. Cornerback, nickelback, safety, the jack-of-all-trades. Johnson has 41 tackles and that huge interception in Bedlam this season.

OL Ashton Julious

Junior college: 3-star

OU: Definition of depth. Julious was never able to crack the starting lineup for the Sooners, but he has seen time and was never a problem off the field.

QB Baker Mayfield

High school: 3-star (walk-on at Texas Tech)

OU: Really? You need something here? Mayfield has gone from unheralded walk-on to one of the most liked quarterbacks in OU history. On pace to win the Heisman Trophy this year, Mayfield has been exceptional all three seasons with the Sooners.

OLB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo

High school: 3-star; No. 32 WDE; No. 60 in Texas

OU: Maturity issues off the field stunted his growth initially, but that’s well in the past now. ‘Obo’ has been a cornerstone of the defense the last two seasons and has become one of the top voices in the locker room as a senior. He has 61 tackles, 17 TFL and eight sacks this season.

DT Matt Romar

High school: 3-star; No. 48 DT; No. 91 in Texas

OU: Like Johnson, the concussion issue has been a major problem for Romar. He overachieved in 2015 and 2016, but 2017 was never allowed to get off the ground because of a concussion. He hasn’t been seen again since the initial game of the season.

WR Jordan Smallwood

High school: 3-star; No. 46 WR; No. 5 in Oklahoma

OU: Injuries plagued Smallwood initially, but he’s the definition of finding and accepting your role. Smallwood is one of the best blocking wide receivers in a long time, and he has three touchdowns this season (two rushing, one receiving), which were his first touchdowns in his career.

FB Jaxon Uhles

High school: NR (walk-on at OU)

OU: Now you know he did everything right as he was the lone walk-on to earn a scholarship before the start of the 2017 season.

DE D.J. Ward

High school: 4-star; No. 6 WDE; No. 154 Rivals 250; No. 1 in Oklahoma

OU: You feared for his health after his splenectomy, but Ward has kept trucking. Among the quietest players you’re ever going to find, Ward has had a banner senior season with 31 tackles, 6.5 TFL and 4.5 sacks.

C Erick Wren

High school/juco: NR

OU: Who knew Wren would go from walk-on to essentially a two-year starter at center for one of the best offensive lines in the country? Wren has been a stable force in the trenches and a vocal leader in the locker room.

LB Emmanuel Beal

Junior college: 2-star

OU: Undersized, no idea how he’d fit in, but Beal made it work. He’s still undersized, but he’s never let that affect him. It’s Beal who leads the team in tackles with 70, and he earned his first career interception last week.

FB Dimitri Flowers

High school: 3-star; No. 45 ATH; No. 85 in Texas

OU: Geez, is there a bigger overachiever for senior day than Flowers? And is there anything he can’t do offensively? Flowers has done everything asked of him and done it at a high level. This year alone Flowers has four rushing touchdowns to go with 21 catches for 369 yards and four more scores.

LS Wesley Horky

High school: 2-star

OU: Horky was a late signee for the 2014 class, coming after signing day. Bob Stoops knew what he wanted, and it worked. He has one job, and Horky has done it well all four seasons.

WR Jeffery Mead

High school: 3-star; No. 75 WR; No. 8 in Oklahoma

OU: After showing glimpses as a junior of breaking out, it just never happened for Mead at OU. He has six catches for 98 yards. If you talk to Mead, you know he’ll be successful in life. Just never happened as a Sooner.

S Steven Parker

High school: 4-star; No. 6 S; No. 53 Rivals 100; No. 1 in Oklahoma

OU: The former Jenks star has basically been a four-year starter for the Sooners and a stabilizing presence in a rocky secondary the last two seasons. He hasn’t made all the plays, but he’s made a lot and been a leader on and off the field. Parker has 50 tackles this season.

CB Jordan Thomas

High school: 3-star; No. 29 S; No. 38 in Texas

OU: Everything was gravy with Thomas entering the 2017 season. And even during the first month, things were pretty dang good. But inconsistent play and a knee injury have sort of tarnished Thomas’ career at OU in the last month. He has 25 tackles and an interception this year.