Oklahoma could start 2024 without one of its greatest playmakers.

OU head coach Brent Venables mentioned on the “Sooner Sports Talk” show on Sunday evening that star wide receiver Nic Anderson has been ” a little limited” at practice and is considered “day-to-day” because of an injury. Venables went on to say Anderson has “a chance” to play in the Sooners’ Week 1 matchup against Temple at 6 p.m. Friday. 

“Nic, he’s been a little bit limited,” Venables said. “We feel like he would have a chance to go this weekend.”

OU released its first depth chart of the 2024 season earlier Sunday, and on it, Anderson had an “or” next to his name alongside junior Brenen Thompson. Anderson battling an injury and his status for the season opener not being guaranteed would explain why the Sooners’ best receiver was not alone at the top of the depth chart. 

Anderson, a redshirt sophomore, was projected to be one of the best receivers in the country this seasonafter finding his name on the preseason watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, given to college football’s top receiver.

Last season as a freshman, Anderson caught 31 passes for 798 yards and 10 touchdowns while starting in six games. It was one of the best seasons a freshman OU receiver has ever had, with his 10 touchdown catches being the most ever by a Sooner frosh and setting a Big 12 freshman record. His receiving yards were the second most by an OU freshman.

Anderson was named a Freshman All-American by The Athletic and an All-Big 12 honorable mention at the end of last season. 

If Anderson misses the opener, it will apparently be Thompson filling in. After mentioning Anderson’s injury Sunday, Venables then raved about Thompson and his speed. 

“He’s a legit 10.2 (seconds) 100-meter guy, and he plays really big,” Venables said.

Thompson, a 5-foot-9 junior, does not have the same size as the 6-4 Anderson, but it seems his speed still makes him a home run threat for the Sooners. He transferred from Texas after the 2022 season before appearing in six games last year for OU. He missed most of the season because of injury. 

In those six contests, Thompson caught seven passes for 241 yards and a pair of TDs. He averaged 34.4 yards a catch, proving his big-play capability. His best game came in the Alamo Bowl against Arizona, during which he caught two passes from Jackson Arnold and took one 63 yards into the end zone. His other touchdown was a 53-yarder from Dillon Gabriel against TCU.

At Texas as a freshman, Thompson played in nine games, recording only one 32-yard reception. Before playing for the Longhorns, though, Thompson was an Under Armour All-American. Every major recruiting service ranked him as a top-30 prospect at his position in the 2022 class.

The Sooners are already without Jayden Gibson in the receiver room. He injured his knee during a practice and will miss the entire season. He will now redshirt this year.

“We’ve got one player that won’t be back, and we know that’s Jayden Gibson,” Venables said two weeks ago, confirming the injury.

Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners will meet this week and for the first time in a few weeks, the matter of the Todd Hiett scandal is not on the agenda.

The agenda does not include any discussion of the allegations that he drunkenly attempted to grope a man at a hotel bar in June in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Instead, it will be back to business at hand for the state regulators including a possible vote on a Performance Based Rate Change Plan Calculations for Oklahoma Natural Gas Company.

There will also be discussion on a 2023 ruling that authorized schools to receive E-rate support for Wi-Fi on school buses.

The meeting will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the Concourse Theater of the Will Rogers Memorial Office Building at the state capitol.

As for Commissioner Hiett, his lawsuit filed last week in state Supreme Court against Corporation Commissioner BobAnthony awaits a ruling. Hiett is seeking a writ of prohibition to stop Commissioner Anthony from conducting his own investigation into the allegations that arose during a national convention. The court set a Sept. 9 deadline for Anthony to respond.

The Temple Owls head into the 2024 season with significant challenges on the defensive side of the ball, primarily due to the departure of key playmakers. One of the biggest losses is linebacker Jordan Magee, who has moved on to the professional ranks. Magee was a standout for the Owls in 2023, leading the team with 80 tackles and 14 tackles for loss. He also tied for the team lead with 3.5 sacks. Replacing Magee’s production will be a difficult task for the Owls, as his presence was felt in both run defense and pass rush.

During the offseason, defensive coordinator Everett Withers introduced a new 4-3 defensive scheme, a significant shift from the strategies Temple has employed over the past few seasons. This change could bring some positive outcomes, particularly by adding more size and strength to the box. However, the transition also raises questions about how well the current roster will adapt to the new system.

In 2023, the Owls struggled to contain the run, allowing 198.3 rushing yards per game, which ranked them near the bottom of the American Athletic Conference (AAC) at 13th. They also managed to record only 22 sacks, placing them 10th in the AAC. The new scheme might help tighten up the run defense, but the question remains whether it will generate more pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

For Oklahoma, this matchup offers an excellent opportunity for quarterback Jackson Arnold to gain valuable experience early in the season. With Temple’s defense undergoing a scheme change and facing personnel challenges, Arnold could find the game conditions favorable to work on his development and establish confidence.

Additionally, the Sooners’ receiving corps, which is being tested for depth following several offseason changes and camp injuries, will face a Temple secondary that could be vulnerable. This gradual challenge should allow Oklahoma’s wide receivers to build chemistry with Arnold and find rhythm before facing tougher competition later in the season.

Overall, Temple’s defensive unit, while adjusting to a new scheme and trying to replace key players like Magee, presents a potentially advantageous scenario for Oklahoma to fine-tune their offense. The matchup could serve as a building block for the Sooners as they prepare for the more rigorous tests that lie ahead in their schedule.