Who will replace Andrel Anthony for OU? ‘It’s a committee’

Through six games, the OU receiving corps has been arguably the team’s greatest strength. 

Six different receivers have caught 10 or more passes and five have over 100 yards receiving. The ball has been spread around by quarterback Dillon Gabriel and that is largely because of the depth the Sooners have at the receiver position. But moving forward, OU will be without arguably its top target, Andrel Anthony, who tore his ACL against Texas. 

Anthony led the team in receiving yards with 429 and was second in receptions with 27. But more importantly, Anthony had become Gabriel’s security blanket, especially on third down. Of his 27 receptions, eight of them came on third down and seven resulted in first downs. 

There’s no question losing Anthony could be a big blow to the Oklahoma offense.

“We know what comes with this game. Injuries are never a good thing,” said Jalil Farooq, who is second on the team in receiving yards with 415. “Day in and day out, we’re going to help our brother up. Make sure after he gets surgery after he gets treatment, he’ll be back in no time. I can’t wait till he touches the field again. Just a minor setback for a major comeback. Just keeping him in our prayers.”

Farooq, who has been maybe OU’s best receiver this year, will certainly share more of the load for the Sooners. He’s been spectacular for Oklahoma, playing multiple roles. But he’s also confident that other guys will be able to step up. 

“Players have to be ready to step up,” Farooq said. “I feel like we’ve got the receivers for it. We don’t have a weak link. We are as strong as our weakest link. I feel like we’ve got all studs, so everybody is ready to step up to that plate.” 

One of those players is redshirt freshman Nic Anderson. 

Anderson leads the team in touchdowns, catching six touchdown passes on only 11 receptions this season. He is quickly becoming a budding star. But now? He will likely be relied on even more as a young guy. 

Said Anderson: “I mean we’re all ready. I mean it’s been talked about since the beginning of the season. We have a lot of competitive depth and everyone’s ready to step up and fill that place. If somebody goes down we are ready for that moment. And we’ll be ready for the rest of the season, filling his shoes and making sure that we don’t lose a step.”

Anderson isn’t the only one who will see more playing time. Jayden Gibson, Brenen Thompson, LV Bunkley-Shelton, J.J. Hester and Jaquaize Pettaway could all see increased playing time. Gibson and Thompson especially feel like reliable replacements for OU, given their abilities to stretch the field — Gibson with his size and Thompson with his speed. 

“All of them. I think it’s a committee,” Gabriel said. “You just heard Nic. Nic’s going to be stepping up. I just say all of them. Jay-Gib. LV. JJ. Brenen. Pettaway. Guys who are playing now. And then even Stog. I think as a unit…I just want you to know that as a group I think we have to step up for someone who’s missing.”

Whoever steps up will have big shoes to fill. That’s why it might take several players to fill Anthony’s shoes. But it’s not something OU doesn’t feel like it can’t overcome, which is not something most would’ve though a few months before the season started when many were skeptical about the receiver depth. 

Now, it’s one of the few positions OU can afford to take a hit. 

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