Oklahoma’s offense (203rd in the nation in total yards per game) dwelled in inconsistency in 2024.
Between neither former quarterback Jackson Arnold or sophomore quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. earning the starting spot for the entire season and a struggling, injury-riddled receiving core, the offense held status as a question mark. Specifically, the receiving unit had five wide receivers in the injury report against Alabama on Nov. 23, including redshirt junior Jayden Gibson, former Sooner Nic Anderson, redshirt senior Deion Burks and former Sooner Jalil Farooq. Without a solid, healthy receiving group from game to game, the offense succumbed to disappointment.
However, in 2025, Oklahoma added wide receivers, redshirt junior Javonnie Gibson, redshirt junior Isaiah Sategna and freshman Elijah Thomas, to the roster in addition to Zion Kearney, Burks and Jayden Gibson returning. The new-look unit has already impressed with its connections with each other and the quarterbacks.
#Sooners transfer wide receiver Javonnie Gibson showing off his agility in today’s practice: pic.twitter.com/P3VlHngNIr
— Josh McDaniel (@JoshJ_McD) April 1, 2025
“We got a good amount of receivers, young guys like Elijah Thomas, Manny (Choice) (and) also Isaiah Sategna … Those are (a) great three. Javonnie Gibson is a good one, Zion Kearney,” sophomore offensive lineman Eddy Pierre-Louis said. “All those guys and (redshirt junior quarterback) John (Mateer) or Mike (Hawkins), they've been doing a great job. I feel like they're a lot closer than last year as well, having film time with each other each and every day. That's something that we got to overemphasize this year.”
Between the quarterbacks and the receivers, the offense has been working diligently to develop strong bonds. In addition to group practice, while the team was on spring break, Mateer developed his chemistry with Burks and Javonnie Gibson in a training session on March 20 with NFL wide receiver and tight end specialist Delfonte Diamond.
Connection dangerous 🔥@yeahhjv11 @John_Mateer4 @deionkburks #boomersooner #TROTD pic.twitter.com/JTTKWV5Oyf
— Delfonte Diamond (@DelfonteDiamond) March 20, 2025
Mateer takes every opportunity to grow with his receivers. However, he recognizes that it is something that will take time.
“They've been doing a really good job, all the transfers. Getting in a quarterback-receiver relationship … you can't build it day one. It's not going to be perfect. Every human is different. Every player is different,” Mateer said. “But we were taking some time together, talking and getting to know each other, and (I) and Isaiah were just throwing after practice, just to get to know each other more.
“It's been good, and it should be really good.”
Sategna, who transferred from Arkansas, brings three years of SEC experience to the position group, and in his last two seasons, he has recorded 129 receiving yards in 2023 and 491 in 2024 (13.3 yards per catch). In a game against Auburn on Sept. 21, he finished with 85 yards on three receptions.
Despite already knowing what it is like to perform in the SEC, Oklahoma feels different for Sategna.
“It's been a smooth transition though, SEC to SEC, so I knew what to expect. But it's a little more professional here, so I'm loving the transition. I'm loving Oklahoma,” Sategna said. “John likes to push the ball downfield, and that's my specialty – big plays and just being explosive.
“And I feel like it's the perfect offense to suit my gameplay.”
The receiving group looks forward to playing fast, explosive football, and to have success with it, the unit must embrace offensive coordinator Ben Abruckle’s system, who joined the Sooners on Dec. 2.
Alongside Mateer, Arbuckle improved Washington State’s offense from 38th in 2023 to 12th in 2024 and now works to bring his successful, detailed offense to Oklahoma.
“I've been in a lot of offenses, so all the plays that we've run, I've already run it before," Sategna said. "It's just the detail of how Coach Arbuckle wants (it). That’s the biggest thing to me right now."
As every receiver has worked to find his fit in Arbuckle’s style of offense, the group has impressed the defensive-back unit, which competes against them in practice.
“Javonnie, Isaiah, they're all doing good, man. I'm proud of the whole group,” redshirt junior defensive back Gentry Williams said. “They've all come in … They're mostly transfers, so to come in and learn the playbook this fast and play at a high level, I'm proud of them.”
With all of the receivers striving to build for better consistency in 2025, Sategna remains confident that each of them can contribute to fast, successful football.
“We're all playmakers, and it doesn't matter who's out there,” Sategna said. “The ball is going to get pushed down the field, and like I said, the big plays are going to happen.”
