A well-recognized face is returning to Norman in 2023.
Austin Stogner, the previous 4-star tight finish who signed with the Sooners in the 2019 class, will rejoin the staff subsequent yr after enjoying alongside former OU quarterback Spencer Rattler at South Carolina.
After catching 47 passes for 654 yards and eight touchdowns all through his first three years with the Sooners, Stogner determined he wanted a change of surroundings final yr.
The incoming teaching workers didn’t even have time to get acclimated with the 6-foot-5 go catcher, as his thoughts was already made.
“Actually, the first day I was on campus,” mentioned offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, “sat with Stog in my office and had a conversation. He decided to make the change.”
Brent Venables didn’t have time to persuade him in any other case both.
“I met Austin maybe my second or third day here,” Venables mentioned on Wednesday. “He just wanted to shake my hand and tell me he was gone. He had already made that decision.
“Once I realized it didn’t matter what I had to say, it was just something he felt he needed and wanted to do. I wished him well.”
Playing beneath his former place coach in now-South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer, Stogner totaled the second-most receptions and yards in his profession.
Stogner hauled in 10 catches for 210 yards and one rating final yr, serving to the Gamecocks end 8-4 this previous season.
Meanwhile at Oklahoma, Lebby made the tight finish, particularly Brayden Willis, a centerpiece of the passing sport.
Willis set profession highs throughout the board, catching 35 passes for 456 yards and 7 touchdowns.
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He shortly grew to become some of the priceless leaders on your complete staff, leaving a bigger void than simply the on-field manufacturing in Willis’ path after graduating out of school soccer.
With a pair of true freshman in Jason Llewellyn and Kaden Helms backing up Willis, the Sooners appeared to the switch portal for extra depth headed into 2023.
Reconnecting with Stogner made sense, as Venables mentioned Stogner felt he had unfinished enterprise at Oklahoma.
“Now he has realized he wants to finish his career here at Oklahoma,” Venables mentioned. “He felt like this was home.
“… He really felt like this was where he wanted to be to finish his career. We felt like he can be a tremendous addition.”
The Sooners additionally signed Kade McIntyre from Fremont, NE, throughout this week’s Early Signing Period, solely reinforcing that Stogner may have a nice alternative to lead OU’s younger tight finish room this season.
The Oklahoma program appears to be like a lot completely different than the final time Stogner took the sphere donning the Crimson and Cream, however the expectation is that he’ll nonetheless carry a excessive degree of manufacturing subsequent yr.
“We know the talent, the size, the length and the athlete that Austin is and what a weapon he can be in our offense,” Venables mentioned. “I’m incredibly excited about him.”
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