The 2024 Oklahoma Sooners still have one final game to play before we can all officially move on to the 2025 season. OU went 6-6 overall and 2-4 in Southeastern Conference play, earning a berth in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl against the Navy Midshipmen.

After a brutal SEC schedule, Brent Venables[/autotag] and his team didn’t get a great bowl draw, as Navy went 9-3 this year. They recently defeated Army on Saturday, who had just won the American Athletic Conference title.

The Sooners have released their official depth chart for the last game of the year, which reflects the 25 players that Oklahoma has currently lost to the transfer portal. The Sooners could still see more players enter the portal between now and Dec. 28, but this is where things stand as of right now.

Some positions have seen plenty of change. Of course, OU will lose plenty more players to graduation, lack of remaining collegiate eligibility or the NFL Draft, but they’ll suit up in the crimson and cream one more time.

Here are the four biggest takeaways from OU’s depth chart for the Armed Forces Bowl.

1. No Stutsman, No Bowman

Both Danny Stutsman and Billy Bowman have played their final game in an Oklahoma jersey, and both had excellent careers in Norman.

As the duo prepares for their pro careers and the draft in April, let’s remember to salute what they did in their four years as Sooners.

Otherwise, Oklahoma’s defense will have plenty of familiar faces, and the coaching staff is hoping they will return in 2025. There are still plenty of decisions to be made there, but it looks like that unit will be mostly intact in Fort Worth.

2. Hawkins Takes Over Again

On the other hand, Oklahoma’s offensive depth chart is a work in progress, to say the least. Let’s start at quarterback. With Jackson Arnold’s transfer to Auburn, Michael Hawkins Jr. takes over at quarterback one more time in 2024.

Hawkins will make the fourth start of his true freshman season after he spelled Arnold midway through the year. Hawkins has a chance to show Sooner Nation his growth before he settles back into a reserve role behind newcomer John Mateer in 2025.

Hawkins’ decision to stick it out and stay at Oklahoma could prove fruitful for both parties, as he has a chance to be developed properly under new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle.

3. Wide Receiver Woes

Oklahoma currently has six scholarship wide receivers on the roster. They could be down to four scholarship players for the Navy game if Deion Burks is unable to play, as Jayden Gibson is still out after his preseason injury.

True freshmen Zion Kearney, Zion Ragins, Ivan Carreon and K.J. Daniels all appear on the depth chart, along with walk-ons like Jacob Jordan.

It’s a position that the coaching staff is doing some work to rebuild this offseason, as they have to find guys who can be both healthy and productive.

4. Barnes Won’t Play

Oklahoma hasn’t seen any of the top four running backs on the roster (Jovantae Barnes, Xavier Robinson, Taylor Tatum, Gavin Sawchuk) enter the portal as of yet. That could change, but there’s a chance that the room will be pretty good in 2025. Those four players all bring different skill sets, but one guy emerging to be the feature back would be ideal.

For a brief minute this season, that was Barnes. He had become OU’s best offensive player, but he was injured against Maine and missed the rest of the year.

However, unlike Robinson, Tatum and Sawchuk, he doesn’t appear on the depth chart. That could be because he’s definitely out, still nursing his ankle injury.

Barnes returning in 2025 would give Venables and Arbuckle a veteran guy in the backfield who is capable of being a workhorse when called upon. That room looks a bit crowded right now, so don’t be shocked if one of the four decides to look for more carries elsewhere this winter or spring.

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The Oklahoma Sooners are continuing to rebuild their wide receiver room through the transfer portal. After the 2024 season saw the top five wideouts miss all or the vast majority of the season due to injuries, and three of those five players decided not to come back, Brent Venables and his coaching staff have been hard at work building back the wide receiver depth chart in stronger, healthier fashion.

Oklahoma has now added former Arkansas Razorbacks wideout Isaiah Sategna in the transfer portal, marking the third WR that will be transferring to Norman.

Javonnie Gibson (Arkansas Pine-Bluff) and Keontez Lewis (Southern Illinois) will have some work to do when it comes to playing in the SEC, but Sategna will be right at home in college football’s toughest conference. That trio will join returners Deion Burks and Jayden Gibson to try and help the wide receiver room rebound.

Sategna is a smaller receiver at 5’11 and 185 pounds, but he managed to haul in 37 receptions for 491 yards this season. He also had a punt return touchdown for the Hogs.

There’s still plenty of work to be done when it comes to remaking OU’s wide receiver depth chart, but three additions in a few days is a good start.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @Aaron_Gelvin.

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority has been in operation for 77 years with the goal of creating and maintaining Oklahoma’s turnpike systems.

Executive Director Joe Echelle spoke with News On 6 about various topics surrounding the OTA including why it hasn’t invested in a high-speed rail system despite having the authority to do so.

Has the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) considered implementing train systems or parking garages?

According to Joe Echelle, Executive Director of the OTA, there are provisions in state statute that allow for the potential development of parking garages or train systems under the agency’s purview. However, these concepts have not materialized due to their immense costs and logistical challenges.

What are the challenges of building a train system between Oklahoma City and Tulsa?

Echelle explained that constructing a high-speed rail system between the two cities would cost billions of dollars. Beyond the upfront expense, the operational logistics make it difficult to justify such a project.

“In order to affect the number of vehicles that travel the Turner Turnpike, which is north of 40,000 vehicles on a weekday, you’d need to get thousands of people on a train. That’s just not feasible,” said Echelle.

Factors like frequency, ridership demand, and infrastructure costs all contribute to the challenge.

Could other forms of transportation, like buses, be more feasible?

Echelle believes there is potential for alternative solutions, such as an express bus service connecting Oklahoma City and Tulsa. He pointed to the success of the OSU bus system, which transports students between campuses in Stillwater, Tulsa, and Oklahoma City.

“As we get the Turner Turnpike widened, I think it’s a real possibility to get an express bus service. But first, we need to address congestion by separating truck traffic from commuter lanes,” Echelle said.

To be clear, OTA wouldn’t have any role in creating or maintaining a bus service, but Echelle believes the expanded turnpike would be able to facilitate one.

Why is expanding the Turner Turnpike prioritized over alternative transportation?

Echelle said the Turner Turnpike currently handles traffic effectively, but ongoing efforts to expand it to six lanes aim to improve flow and address future congestion. Echelle emphasized that widening the turnpike will allow truck traffic to remain in the outer lanes, giving commuters smoother travel options in the inner lanes.

Could parking garages still be part of OTA’s future?

While state law includes provisions for parking infrastructure, the focus for the OTA remains on improving roadways and exploring more viable transportation alternatives.

What is OTA’s overall vision for transportation in Oklahoma?

Echelle stated that a well-rounded transportation network, which includes trains, buses, and rapid transit, is essential for the state’s growing metropolitan areas. However, practical solutions like express bus services are more likely in the near term, especially as the Turner Turnpike widening progresses.