How former OU football walk-on Gavin Freeman 'epitomizes' Sooners' culture
NORMAN — OU’s receiver group is filled with talent.
The Sooners boast five receivers who were ranked in the Top 300 of their respective recruiting classes. Jalil Farooq. Jayden Gibson. Nic Anderson. Brenen Thompson. Jaquaize Pettaway.
But which receiver has impressed OU football head coach Brent Venables the most?
“The best receiver coming out of spring was Gavin Freeman by a long way,” Venables said.
Gavin Freeman.
This time last year, the Oklahoma City native was a walk-on freshman at OU. He held offers from programs such as Texas Tech and Tulsa after graduating from Heritage Hall, but he opted to bet on himself by joining the Sooners.
And it paid off. Freeman made three catches and seven carries for a total of 117 yards and a touchdown as a freshman, which helped him earn a scholarship.
And while it may come as a surprise to some that Freeman is viewed as one of OU’s most valuable receivers, Venables sees the unlikely development as a positive.
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“People go, ‘Oh man, we must suck at receiver,’” Venables said. “I don’t think that’s reflective of that whatsoever. I think it’s more about what Gavin Freeman brings to the table and how hard he works.
"We're not entitled to anything. No player, coach or as a program. He epitomizes that, and I have great appreciation for that."
Freeman’s biggest strength is his speed. The 5-foot-8, 181-pound receiver makes up for his lack of size with great acceleration and change of direction.
Even in a limited role, Gavin displayed his speed last season. Two of his 10 touches went for over 40 yards.
“Some guys make the tough plays, the competitive plays,” Venables said. “Some guys don’t. They come in all shapes and sizes. My man is wide open. He wins everything.”
Freeman is rapidly developing at OU thanks in part to his mentor.
Redshirt fifth-year wide receiver Drake Stoops is the blueprint for Freeman’s success. He also began his OU career as a walk-on in 2018 before earning a scholarship and a starting role.
Stoops is now a seasoned veteran with 914 career yards and seven touchdowns to his name, and he has taken Freeman under his wing.
"He's been all of it," Freeman said of Stoops. "Any questions I have, whatever it is, I can ask him and he knows. He has been that rock that I can rely on."
Despite not being highly recruited out of high school, Freeman has stood out on an OU team that's loaded with talent.
And while the former walk-on is happy to get praised by Venables, he knows there's still work to be done.
"It means a lot to me just because I've put in a lot of work," Freeman said. "But I just have to stay focused. I haven't done anything on the field yet, so I have to put it together."
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OU is searching for a running back ‘bell cow’
Few OU players were as dependable as Eric Gray last season.
The senior running back racked up 1,595 total yards of offense and 11 touchdowns. He then declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, where he got selected by the New York Giants in the fifth round (No. 172 overall).
The loss of Gray is a big one for the Sooners, who are searching for someone capable of filling his shoes.
“You want to have a bell cow,” running backs coach DeMarco Murray said. “You want to have a guy who you can count on day in and day out just like Eric. … We need a guy who’s going to line up for us every day and set the tone for our group.”
OU has options in the ground game.
Sophomore Jovantae Barnes is the top candidate. He ran for 519 yards and five touchdowns last season.
Another young option is redshirt freshman Gavin Sawchuk, who erupted for 100 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries in OU’s Cheez-It Bowl loss to Florida State.
And then there’s Marcus Major, a redshirt senior who hopes to stay on the field after missing 11 games in the past two seasons.
All three running backs are sure to contribute this upcoming season. But as OU prepares for the start of fall camp on Thursday, Murray is still searching for his bell cow.
“We don’t know yet,” Murray said when asked who the team’s bell cow will be. “That’s what training camp is about.”
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Injury updates
Venables provided updates on numerous players who'll be out at the start of fall camp.
Second-year tight ends Kaden Helms and Jason Llewellyn are on that list. Helms (meniscus) doesn't have a timeline for a return, while Llewellyn is expected to return to full-contact practice soon after being "snake bit" with various injuries.
Wide receivers J.J. Hester and Thompson are also expected to miss the start of fall camp. Thompson (tonsil surgery) will only miss the first few days of practice, but Hester (foot) won't be available for "a little while" after he missed all but three games last season.
Meanwhile, sophomore offensive lineman Jacob Sexton still isn't full-go after tearing his ACL during last season's Cheez-It Bowl. Venables said Sexton is expected to be fully available in middle-to-late September.
OU is also dealing with injuries on the other side of the ball.
Sophomore defensive back Robert Spears-Jennings (shoulder) is expected to be fully available in early September, while redshirt senior defensive lineman Jacob Lacey (blood clots) is "in a good place" and expected to return in late September.
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football receiver Gavin Freeman is poised for big 2023 season
