Offense Edges Defense in Annual Spring Game

NORMAN – The Oklahoma football team held its annual spring game on Saturday afternoon, and the Red team (offense) earned a 65-58 victory over the White team (defense) in front of a crowd of 45,861 at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

With a modified scoring system in place, the Red team raced to an early 27-0 advantage, but the defense quickly closed the gap and trailed 42-38 at halftime. The offense continued to hold a slim advantage after third quarter, 53-48.

The White team captured its first lead with less than five minutes remaining after forcing the offense to punt. With the score knotted at 58, redshirt freshman running back Chapman McKown scampered down the right sideline for a 16-yard touchdown with 1:06 left for the game's final points.

OU's offense was dominant to open the contest and started the scoring with a 64-yard TD connection between sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold and redshirt junior wide receiver Deion Burks, a transfer from Purdue, on the opening possession. The duo connected for a second score on a 50-yard strike in the second quarter. Arnold finished the contest 10-for-20 with 233 yards and two touchdowns. Burks led all receivers with five catches for 174 yards and the pair of TDs.

Redshirt freshman Trey Brown recorded two catches for 54 yards, including a 47-yarder to help set up McKown's TD. OU receivers finished with 18 catches for 326 yards on the day. Eight players registered at least one catch.

In addition to the two touchdowns through the air, the offense scored four touchdowns on the ground.

Redshirt freshman Kalib Hicks crossed the goal line on a 30-yard rush in the first quarter, recording the Red team's second touchdown. Redshirt sophomore Gavin Sawchuk found the end zone on a one-yard rush on the next possession.

With the offense holding a 42-38 advantage, redshirt junior quarterback General Botty provided a spark to open the second period, finding the end zone after a 32-yard burst. McKown capped the scoring with his rush late in the fourth quarter.

Hicks led the Sooners on the ground, finishing with 10 rushes for a team-high 62 yards. Redshirt junior Sam Franklin added 58 yards on 12 rushes and Booty tallied 41 yards on three carries.

The White team recorded seven sacks, including a team-high two from sophomore Adepoju Adebawore. Freshman defensive back Michael Boganowski tallied a team-high six tackles, and junior Jaren Kanek and redshirt sophomore Owen Heinecke added five stops each.

Junior Dasan McCollugh, redshirt sophomore Kobie McKinzie, sophomore Lewis Carter, sophomore Samuel Omosigho, redshirt freshman Casen Calmus, freshman Jayden Jackson, junior Grace Halton and senior Caiden Woullard each recorded four tackles.

Passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach Emmett Jones presided over the victorious Red squad, while the White team was led by associate head coach/co-defensive coordinator Todd Bates.

SPRING GAME SCORING SYSTEM

The Sooners utilized a modified scoring system, awarding the offense six points for a touchdown, three points for field goals and two points for plays of 20-plus yards.

The defense received six points for a defensive touchdown, four points each for a turnover, fourth-down stop and missed field goal, three points for a three-and-out, two points for a sack and one point each for a missed PAT and forced punt. Two points were deducted from the defense's score for each offside penalty.

UP NEXT

The Sooners open the 2024 season on Friday, Aug. 30, against Temple at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.