Jackson offers some advice
What Mark Jackson Jr. is telling true freshmen about the season-opener
Defensive end Mark Jackson Jr. is warning true freshmen to be prepared to hear their name on Saturdays this season.
NORMAN — When Mark Jackson Jr. tugged on his white and crimson uniform for the first time a year ago in the bowels of NRG Stadium, he hardly thought he’d be jogging out on the field a couple hours later.
Not while Oklahoma’s season opener against Houston was being played, at least.
Sure, he’d go out for pregame drills, but he was a true freshman barely clinging to a spot on the depth chart behind outside linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo.
If Okoronkwo went down or needed to rotate out, it would be up to Jackson Jr. or redshirt freshman Ricky DeBerry to step in for him.
When Okoronkwo buckled with a cramp, Jackson Jr. heard his name being called down the sideline.
Suddenly, the 17-year-old Jackson Jr. was jogging out on the field in front of 71,016 to make his collegiate debut.
No pressure.
“They just kind of threw me out there,” he said. “I went out there and got to pash rush a little bit.”
By the end of the 33-23 loss, Jackson Jr. was one of two true freshmen to check into the game, giving him membership into an exclusive club of true freshmen who’ve played in a season-opener.
With last year’s experience under his belt, Jackson Jr. is imparting advice to this year’s crop of true freshmen in case their name is hollered down the sideline at Owen Field on Saturday when the Sooners take on UTEP (2:30 p.m., FOX).
“Just truly, trust the process, trust the people next to you,” Jackson Jr. said, listing off what he tells the new players. “Make sure that you’re prepared for anything, instead of letting things catch you by surprise. Be the forerunner for all those things.”
One rookie seeking his advice is Kenneth Murray, who’s slated to join a more exclusive club as the first rookie to start at middle linebacker in the season opener since 1975.
When the first depth chart of the season was released Wednesday, Murray’s name was in the top spot at his position.
“He’s more than ready, but he’ll take any advice that he can get,” Jackson Jr. said of Murray. “He’s very open-minded, even though some people in his position might not be.”
Murray is one of eight freshmen who appeared on the depth chart released Wednesday, and it seems likely that many of those will see action against UTEP.
Along with CeeDee Lamb, who’s listed as the top receiver at one of the wide out spots and punt returner, players like defensive tackle Tyreece Lott, free safety Robert Barnes, tight end Grant Calcaterra and cornerbacks Tre Norwood and Tre Brown will probably check into the game at some point.
While the stakes may not be as high as last year’s season-opener in NRG Stadium against a top-15 opponent, the first game for many freshmen is still nerve-racking, no matter the environment.
But coach Lincoln Riley is confident in his younger players, even if they haven’t been in the system as long as the veterans.
“I think it just shows that we’re going to be open minded,” Riley said of playing freshmen early on. “We’ll certainly always give our guys that have been in the program first crack at things. But, it’s about producing, and once they get here, and you get a chance to work with them, we’re not going to have favorites from before we’re not going to have favorites in recruiting.
“It’s based on performance and trust. If you perform and if we trust you then you’re going to get opportunities to play.”