More Sooners’ scrimmage number two insider intel | Young WRs standing out | QB, OL, RB notes and more!

Wednesday the Sooners held their second scrimmage of fall camp, as they prepare for a pivotal 2025 season. OUInsider has a laundry list of scrimmage notes — via our guy Parker Thune — from last night HERE, but we did want to drop a bit more intel for you all to go with the initial batch of notes that the first scrimmage intel thread.

In this batch, we will touch on more about OL, QB, WR and RB play — along with some defensive notes on top stand outs and happenings on that side of the ball. That said, if you’re REALLY interested in more detailed, full-fledged insider intel on fall camp, we have a HUGE, HUGE batch of notes HERE on the first few weeks.

*** As we reported in the first batch of notes linked above, the offense had, arguably, their best showing of the fall camp and won the day.

*** A notable standout that was talked bout in the first scrimmage thread was freshman WR Elijah Thomas. The former Checotah (OK) four-star WR was the recipient of a few of QB John Mateer’s touchdowns on Wednesday. Naturally, catching passes from Mateer means that ET was getting first-team reps as well.

Source spoke with me over the last 24 hours about Thomas and the play that the OU offense got from the freshman WR was something that everyone has been working towards with him since his arrival in Norman.

“That dude played fast. Like really fast. Playing fast has been pushed on him since he got (to OU). But in the scrimmage he didn’t think like freshmen do sometimes,” the source told OUInsider. “When he plays fast he can be really good. I am telling you, if he plays like that, with what that offense has already, it could be something else.”

*** Another young WR, in Ivan Carreon, had a really good scrimmage. This is on the heels of my report about Carreon having his best week of practice this fall camp on Wednesday morning.

For those that missed it, a source spoke very highly of Carreon and his growth the past week or so, but they noted that the growth for Carreon took off from the spring until now, and said, “He’s been a tweener with his size, so it’s been a question on whether he would be able to consistently make plays for (OU) at the wideout spot,” a source said of Carreon heading into fall camp. “He’s come on and been a player that (Coach Emmett Jones and OC Ben Arbuckle) feel can make plays for (OU) when called on or needed. I don’t know if that would have been the case before the last few weeks. But [Ivan Carreon] is having a whale of a fall camp. Really cool to see his progress.” 

*** More praise of the QB room, with John Mateer and Michael Hawkins having themselves a night, per multiple sources.

“As long as 10 is back there, (OU) has a chance to make something happen. The players just rally around him. Fun to watch when he and the offense are clicking like they were (on Wednesday evening),” source said to OUInsider.

As noted, Michael Hawkins was really good during the scrimmage and I asked a source about where he is now when it comes to fully tapping into his potential. Source paused for a moment, but then added, “I wouldn’t say he is close to ‘fully tapping into his potential’ just yet,” the source said of the second-year QB. “Hawk is different, though. Much more than he was last year. That is the best part of his growth because that difference has added confidence and assurance in every decision he is making. Being a good decision-maker, along with freakish athleticism, will be what makes him special before his college career is over.“

*** I will add that both QBs threw picks, but that doesn’t change the fact that their overall play was considered some form of the best all fall camp.

*** I know you all are wondering who made the picks, and according to sources, sophomore safety Michael Boganowski got one against Hawkins (as I believe PT already alluded to), and Peyton Bowen got his from a throw that John Mateer threw.

Both safeties had their best days of the camp, with a source speaking about both pretty highly — particularly with their play this past week.

“[Michael] Boganowski is going to be a stud. He’s come so far from not being able to backpedal like most DBs coming into college,” a source said. “Just trying to put it in perspective. He never had the training at defensive back, with him being a linebacker his whole high school career. So to see him be where he is now is pretty remarkable. And the sky is the limit for [Boganowski]. His work ethic is what is going to help him reach far, too.”

*** Side note: Was told that Robert Spears-Jennings was limited last night, so that is why there was a lot more reps for the likes of Boganowski and others at safety.

*** Again, safety Peyton Bowen had his best week of camp, and his best overall practice. Bowen has continued to take on a leadership role on the back end of the defense so him having the practices that had the week, and during the scrimmage, was big in continuing to garner more growth in his role as a leader.

“Everyday [Peyton] Bowen is learning more to use his voice and lead by example. He can be as good as he wants, too,” source said of Bowen.

*** Freshman RB Tory Blaylock got a lot of second team reps during the scrimmage, but he has impressed enough that a few first team reps have been thrown his way. Again, we talked extensively about Blaylock in my team notes dropped prior to the scrimmage.

Blaylock had several really nice runs. He also scored.

Was told RB Jovantae Barnes and Xavier Robinson have been getting reps with the ones. X is just coming back, but in his return earlier this week I was told he looked good. Jadyn Ott is still nursing his sore shoulder.

*** OL was good, as noted in PT’s running thread of notes. RT Logan Howland had his best day of fall camp. Freshman LT Michael Fasusi also had his best day of camp — particularly this week. Sources say DE R Mason Thomas has been baptizing Fasusi this week and there was some that were pointing toward Jacob Sexton’s return from protocol. Those proverbial ‘worries‘ are now subsiding, with Fasusi “coming into his own and growing up before everyone’s eyes. He had a really good scrimmage. He just keeps getting better and better.”

I will add that Sexton is still the leader there at LT, from what I have been told. He has been really good all camp and has performed the best against the All-Everything DE R Mason Thomas through spring and fall camp. He may be back early to mid next week. That’s the hope. Same with Jake Taylor. Both add experience, leadership and talent needed for that OL.

As for Derek Simmons, I really don’t want to put a timetable on his return as all of these protocols go at a different speed.

*** As for the lineup last night, here is how we are told it looked:

LT: Michael Fasusi

LG: Heath Ozaeta

C: Troy Everett

RG: Febechi Nwaiwu

RT: Logan Howland

*** Finally, despite several players sitting out this week during practice, and the scrimmage — for precaution and more — there is a strong sense that the scrimmaged showed how balanced the Sooners, with both sides of the ball having a chance to win them ball games.

“Offense won the day, but the defense has won its fair share of days as well– probably more than the offense,” the source told OUInsider. “Lots of work still needs done on both sides, but the feeling around this years team is much better than last years. The culture. The mentality of everyone, including those that aren’t getting as many reps. Everyone seems to have bought in and that is something that you can’t replace. It’s critical for having success. Now, you gotta be detailed and disciplined in your attack. (OU) is doing that every day.”