Oklahoma
Bauer Sharp and Jake Roberts’ Presence in Oklahoma’s Locker Room ‘a Refreshing Thing,’ Says Brent Venables
NORMAN — To the casual fan, Bauer Sharp and Jake Roberts are a pair of transfer tight ends looking to make an impact in their first year at Oklahoma. To Brent Venables, they’ve already made a tremendous impact in the Sooners’ locker room.
“They [Sharp and Roberts] love to compete,” Venables said last week. “They’re skilled. They know how to play tight end. They like blocking. They know how to get open. When the ball’s thrown to them they catch it. … They love their teammates. Those two guys have brought a spirit to that, really to the whole offense. Other guys are a part of that too, but those are guys that, they just love it.”
Their talents, and that of others in the position group, have already been utilized in the passing game under offensive coordinator Seth Littrell, who coached tight ends at North Texas, North Carolina and Indiana.
“I love where just the tight end in today’s world is going,” Sharp said. “I feel like in the past, it’s been just a big, heavy guy, you know what I’m saying, but I trust whatever our team has planned for me in the future for these games, we’ll get it done for our team for sure.”
Sharp, a team captain in his first game as a Sooner in last Friday night’s 51-3 win over Temple, was an accomplished pass catcher at Southeastern Louisiana University after making the switch from quarterback in spring of 2022. In his first game in a Sooners uniform, Sharp caught five passes for 47 yards and the season’s first touchdown, a 14-yard connection via Jackson Arnold to complete OU’s first possession as an SEC club.
“Bauer Sharp … he’s been phenomenal. Just a natural leader, done an outstanding job,” Venables said.
Roberts, a Norman North High School alum, didn’t hold an offer from his hometown team as a high school senior in 2020. He signed to play at North Texas (where he played under Littrell) and quickly became a rotation player and eventually a full-time starter. He transferred to Baylor in 2023 and made three starts before transferring to play his fifth year in Norman.
The pair was brought on by tight ends coach and co-offensive coordinator Joe Jon Finley to replenish a depleted position group that graduated Brayden Willis and Austin Stogner in back-to-back seasons. Venables was immediately impressed by the tandem’s work ethic.
“They love to practice. They show up in the building,” Venables said. “They’ve got a really positive attitude that is infectious and contagious. … If you work in an office building, if you work in a locker room, nobody wants to deal with people that are funky, you know, they’ve got a funk to them when they show it. … And those guys are the opposite of funky and they like all of it. When the day’s over, they’re not grabbing their stuff and running out of the building as fast as they can. They really have a locker room that’s like that.”
Sharp is a captain for a reason. His and Roberts’ energy has become infectious. Roberts didn’t have any receptions on Friday night against Temple, but quarterback Jackson Arnold did target him in the first quarter, launching a pass that sailed over Roberts’ head.
Sharp, meanwhile, delivered a steady intermediate target for Arnold who could conceivably, if things break right, be among the team’s leaders in catches and receiving yards this year. He ended his OU debut with five catches (one behind Deion Burks for team high) and 47 yards (tying Jalil Farooq to lead the team) and scored a first-quarter touchdown. Arnold targeted him six times, and the subtle adjustment he made on his route to separate and catch the touchdown shows an innate knowledge of the game.
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“I thought our tight ends played well, Jake and Bauer and Kade McIntyre, Kaden Helms got in,” Venables said after the game on Friday, “so that was really good to see as well.”
Well beyond their one-game performance, Venables has been sold on the presence of Roberts and Sharp since their arrival last January.
“They’ve made that group a lot better,” Venables said. “They’ve made Kade McIntyre better. They’ve made Kaden Helms better. Those were young guys that, you know, hadn’t been necessarily exposed to that,” Venables said. “Brayden Willis was a lot like that. Austin [Stogner], Austin was a lot like that last year. … That whole group has transformed. And those two guys, they have a genuine deep, deep, genuine appreciation for their coaches, for the resources, for their teammates, for their opportunity to be able to wear an Oklahoma jersey. They’re like, ‘I can’t believe it.’ It’s like a dream to them. And so that’s refreshing. That’s a really refreshing thing.”
OKLAHOMA CITY (KSWO) — Oklahoma lawmakers have voted to honor country music artist and Oklahoma native Toby Keith.
House Concurrent Resolution 1019 recognizes Keith’s lasting impact on music and proposes renaming a planned turnpike in his memory.
The concurrent resolution was authored by Rep. Jason Blair, R-Morgan, and Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman.
The planned route will extend from Interstate 44 east to Interstate 35, then continue east and north to I-40 at the Kickapoo Turnpike.
Copyright 2026 KSWO. All rights reserved.
Governor Kevin Stitt has said he wants the State Superintendent of Education to be a governor-elected position instead of an elected one. Political analyst Scott Mitchell examines what this would mean for the state.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is urging lawmakers to send a state question to voters that would make the state superintendent an appointed position, as he named Lindel Fields of Tulsa to the role and announced a turnaround team to help implement his education agenda.
Is the State Superintendent an elected role?
Yes, the State Superintendent of Education is still an elected role. Elections are scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026.
Cons of making the superintendent an appointed position
Mitchell said making this position appointed could cause distrust among some Oklahomans
“Over the years, we’ve seen that capture of regulatory sort of is easy to do when you have term limits, then lobbies become more powerful, and they have all the history. It’s very complicated.
He also said if the position were to be elected, they would likely have the same agenda as the governor.
“Yes, and I think the governor would be absolutely saying, ‘Yes, they’re going to do what I want them to do.’”
Changing how the superintendent is chosen changes what the founding fathers set.
“Voters are going to have to say yay or nay if it gets to them, is whether or not we want to change the way that the founding fathers set up the way that we make sure that power is not concentrated in Oklahoma,” he said.
Is Ryan Walters’ term the reason Stitt wants to make this position appointed?
Mitchell said he believes the former State Superintendent played a role in the government wanting to appoint this position.
During his time as superintendent, Walters was known to have multiple controversies. He resigned in 2025, allowing Stitt to appoint Lindel Fields.
“His impact on this, even though he’s gone, is certainly evident,” said Mitchell. “Walters left midstream, right? And so the governor had a chance to appoint someone. Well, it wasn’t just an appointment; it was chaos before and relative calm and competency after. And that has given the governor an opening for people to see with their own eyes. Yeah, you can put somebody in, we’re talking about Lindel Fields, that appears to get up every day, not trying to find some, get a click on social media, but rather to do his job. And across the board, for the most part, this guy’s getting thumbs up.
Stitt said electing Fields has already given him some leverage since he has been well perceived so far.
“That allows a governor to say, Look, I’ve got some standing, some leverage to go to the voters and say, let’s put expertise as the main reason that a person’s there, not because they were able to win an election because they had some sort of populist or dramatic ideas.”
Who is running for Oklahoma State Superintendent?
Republican Ballot
- Sen. Adam Pugh
- John Cox
- Rep. Toni Hasenbeck
- Ana Landsaw
Democrat Ballot
- Craig Mcvay
- Jennettie Marshall
Independent
To learn more about each candidate, click here.
A full breakdown of candidates in the 2026 Oklahoma State Superintendent race, including party affiliation, background and key education priorities.
An Oklahoma highway could soon be named after the late country superstar, Toby Keith, pending new legislation.
House Concurrent Resolution 1019 would rename a proposed turnpike project the “Toby Keith Expressway.” This roadway is set to be built from Interstate 44 East to Interstate-35, continuing East and North to Interstate 40. This road is a part of the ACCESS Oklahoma Long-Range Plan, which is meant to update and expand the state’s turnpike system.
This resolution was adopted by the House on Wednesday.
“Toby Keith was more than a country music star. He was a proud Oklahoman who never forgot where he came from,” said Rep. Jason Blair, R-Moore. “Naming this turnpike in his honor is a fitting way to recognize a man who represented our state with ultimate patriotism and generosity.”
Keith was born in Clinton, Oklahoma, raised in Moore and resided in Norman. He died on February 5, 2024, in a battle with cancer.
“Over the course of his legendary career, Toby Keith never forgot where he came from or what he stood for,” said Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman. “His Oklahoma roots shaped him, and his love of America defined him. He was a country music superstar and a true patriot. I can think of no better way to honor his memory than by naming this future stretch of Norman turnpike in his honor, creating a lasting tribute to the legacy he leaves behind.”
During his career, Keith sold over 40 million records and more than 20 number-one singles
Legislation authors believe this would commemorate the life and legacy of Toby Keith.
The bill will now head to the Senate.
To read the full House Resolution, click here.
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