Oklahoma made several changes to their depth chart ahead of their Week 5 matchup against Auburn, particularly at quarterback, Oklahoma made several changes to their depth chart ahead of their Week 5 matchup against Auburn, wide receiver, and on the defensive side.
**Quarterback**: The most significant change is at quarterback, where freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. will take over as the starter from sophomore Jackson Arnold. Hawkins will be expected to lead an offense struggling after their first loss of the season to Tennessee.
**Wide Receiver**: Injuries have decimated Oklahoma’s receiving corps. Leading receiver Deion Burks, along with Nic Anderson and Andrel Anthony, have been ruled out for the game, leaving the Sooners without their top five receivers. In their absence, Jaquaize Pettaway is expected to start in the slot alongside Brenen Thompson and J.J. Hester. Sophomore Jacobe Johnson, who recently transitioned from cornerback to wide receiver, will serve as a backup to Thompson while still listed as a co-starter at cornerback.
**Running Back**: Freshman running back Taylor Tatum is also ruled out, and his absence has reshuffled the running back rotation. The “OR” separating Tatum and Sam Franklin is now removed, with Franklin now firmly behind Gavin Sawchuk and Jovantae Barnes.
**Defense**: On defense, the biggest change is at the “Cheetah” position, where sophomore Sammy Omosigho steps into the starting role after Kendel Dolby’s season-ending ankle injury. The defensive line and linebackers remain relatively unchanged, but Jacobe Johnson continues to serve a dual role, appearing as a co-starter at right cornerback with Dez Malone.
**Special Teams**: On special teams, Tyler Keltner remains listed as a co-starter at kicker with Zach Schmit, though Schmit is expected to handle place-kicking duties as Keltner is ruled out for the game.
These adjustments reflect the injuries and performance shifts Oklahoma has faced as they prepare to take on Auburn in their first road game of the season and their debut SEC road contest.
