Not every highly touted freshman becomes a star right from the jump. And now in the day of the transfer portal, you’re always wondering if when there’s no immediate impact, does that mean it’s over?
Oklahoma wide receiver Jayden Gibson never said anything explicitly about ever considering leaving Norman, but there were rumblings just based on how 2022 went.
He was a fantastic last-minute addition for Brent Venables, just days into his tenure as head coach at OU. But all last season produced for Gibson was one catch for 12 yards.
Maybe even more concerning was that it felt as the season progressed, Gibson was being thought of less and less. His reps were taking a dip with each game.
Turns out, though, Gibson wasn’t flinching.
“Everything is like stepping stones. Coming in, you gotta put on weight. You gotta tone up. You gotta get bigger. Gotta get stronger Gotta be more cerebral about football,” Gibson said. “You gotta be that way. Gotta learn how to be a great teammate, great leader – all that kind of stuff I feel goes into it.”
“And the coaches that I have, that I was blessed to be able to come play for these coaches, they ain’t ever gave up on me. They’re constantly telling me that you’re doing good at practice, you’re doing good, you’re making strides, you’re making strides.”
Gibson dedicated himself, physically and mentally, during the winter and has been putting his best foot forward during the spring.
Because of all the portal departures at OU at receiver, it has meant the door is open for someone like Gibson to make a difference in his second year in Norman.
He knows he didn’t make the impact he hoped in 2022. That’s OK. He’s turned the page and ready for 2023.
“Obviously, we’re at a school like OU. Just ‘cause you’re not playing doesn’t mean you’re doing bad,” Gibson said. “Just ‘cause you’re not the guy don’t mean you’re not doing your job. I was blessed to be able to come to a great university with so much talent – offense, defense, my position included, just so much talent – and not only talent that was here when I got here, but it’s always gonna be a stream of talent.
“It’s always gonna be top-tier talent. I feel like – regardless of – the outer world ain’t seen nothing yet. I’m just working.”
Rowe bouncing back
He just could never get started. That’s how you could phrase the true freshman season for defensive back Jayden Rowe.
Known for his speed that had people excited like crazy, Rowe had one setback after another that didn’t allow him to show what he could do.
As he continues to fight his way back, Rowe admitted this process has not been easy for him. But he’s getting there, little by little.
“It was very difficult for me. Back in fall camp, I had a concussion. I had two concussions,” Rowe said. “And then I injured my shoulder and had to get surgery on that. It kind of affected me mentally.
“Also, when I was off the field and when I was injured, I kind of absorbed and learned from players’ mistakes so when I came back, I wouldn’t have the same mistakes they had. It’s just been learning when I was injured.”
OU has been very careful about how it has used Rowe during the spring. He said he’ll continue to rehab all spring and going into summer, saying he knows he’ll be fully cleared and ready to roll by the time preseason camp comes around.
Sears a force inside
When you think about pass rush, a lot of the attention comes from the edge and defensive end spots. But a common trait for the elite teams is the ability to generate consistent pressure from the interior.
When tackles can make a difference, it shows. It’s something defensive tackles coach Todd Bates has been preaching, and it’s something OU thinks it might have found in Texas State transfer Davon Sears.
“I was just blessed to have pretty strong legs,” Sears said. “I'm just really explosive, than just having natural strength. That always helps. It's just always something that I pride myself in since I was a kid.
“The first position that I played in when I was a kid was nose tackle. And I didn't even want to play football like that, but they put me in the middle because I used to get off the rock faster than everybody. I used to just make plays, so it's not too much different. It's something I've just been doing my whole life.”
Sears has been transitioning well in his first months at OU, saying he is learning a bunch every single day from Bates and the rest of the room.
Shaffer loving the OU experience
He’s only got a single year at OU to try to make something happen, but offensive guard Caleb Shaffer is ready for it and wishes he had more.
The transfer from Miami (Ohio) has had an incredibly positive attitude ever since arriving in Norman. Nothing has changed as spring football winds down.
“The turmoil and the struggle I was kind of going through internally when I was in the portal just waiting to see how things would shake out,” Shaffer said. “And just being here with the resources, the great people and just the mindset that people have here on a daily basis. It's everything I could have asked for.
“And I know I only have one year here, but if it were up to me, I'd definitely choose to come back if I had extra years because this is a place where you're forced to get better on a daily basis. And I feel like if that's something you embrace on a daily basis, it's really gonna be something that'll come to reward you once you leave Oklahoma.”
Between guys like Shaffer and Savion Byrd and McKade Mettauer, you can see how the competition that offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh is trying to get with his interior guys.
