Jason Witten’s Tight End Makeover: Who Will Fill the Gap?
NORMAN — Oklahoma’s tight end room has been completely overhauled ahead of the 2026 season under new coach Jason Witten. Gone are Jaren Kanak, Kaden Helms, Will Huggins and Carson Kent; in are portal additions Rocky Beers (Colorado State), Hayden Hansen (Florida), Jack Van Dorselaer (Tennessee) and signees Ryder Mix and Tyler Ruxer. Witten’s arrival prompted one of his first portal grabs: Van Dorselaer. Analysts project Hansen as the starter, with Beers as the backup and others providing depth. Returning reserves include Trynae Washington, Kade McIntyre and John Locke Jr.
In what can only be described as the offseason equivalent of musical chairs, Oklahoma decided that the best way to solve its tight end woes was to empty the cupboard and refill it with shiny new toys. Jason Witten—fresh off his Hall of Fame highlight reel—now moonlights as a collegiate treasure hunter, digging in the portal for pass-catchers like a linebacker craving late-night drive-thru. If this doesn’t work, expect OU to tap Tom Brady next—after all, who better to catch third-down crosses than the guy who invented them?
Sooners’ Softball Stars Earn Top 50 Watch List Honors
Oklahoma’s softball roster boasts five players named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 watch list, tied with Texas for the national lead. Junior Ella Parker (.423, 15 HR, 53 RBI) and outfielder Kasidi Pickering (.392, 18 HR, 57 RBI) both earned NFCA First Team All-American honors. Third baseman Nelly McEnroe-Marinas (.339, 15 HR) and shortstop Gabbie Garcia (.351, 20 HR, 58 RBI) also make the cut, alongside LSU transfer pitcher Sydney Berzon (2.02 ERA, 416 Ks). The Sooners open 2026 at Arizona State on Feb. 5, then host a Feb. 27 doubleheader at Love’s Field.
Meanwhile, the softball team appears to have discovered the secret sauce to world domination: hit the ball really, really hard. Five watch-list nods? That’s practically a one–two–three–four–five punch to the national ego. If these ladies swing for the fences any harder, opponents will need protective gear just to stand at the plate. With stats like that, it’s only a matter of time before the Sooners start considering moon-launch sponsorships instead of dugout banners.
Sooners Eye Illinois Exec as Next AD Power Player
Oklahoma is closing in on Illinois deputy athletic director and COO Roger Denny as the replacement for Joe Castiglione. Denny, a former attorney with 15 years of experience in private equity, corporate finance, and real estate, joined Illinois in 2021 and has overseen football administration, facilities, sponsorships and long-term coach partnerships. An official announcement is expected soon, following multiple campus visits and internal reviews.
After months of frantic committee meetings, whiteboard diagrams and indecision rivaling a group text about where to order pizza, Oklahoma finally zeroed in on Roger Denny—the corporate-finance savant who knows his way around a tax code better than most know their Netflix passwords. Rumor has it Denny even helped draft exit strategies for rogue mascots. One thing’s for sure: if this gig doesn’t work out, OU could always hire him to untangle their cable bill.
Jerry Schmidt’s Power Move: From Weights to Whiteboard
Following 22 years as Oklahoma’s strength and conditioning coach, Jerry Schmidt is shifting into Brent Venables’ new chief of staff role, replacing Woody Glass. Glass managed administrative affairs, strategic advising and communication with senior leaders. Schmidt’s longtime assistant James Dobson will assume head strength-and-conditioning duties. Schmidt’s career includes national titles with Notre Dame (1988) and Florida (1996), plus OU championships in 2000 and over a decade of Big 12 crowns and Heisman winners.
In a stroke of pure genius or desperate symbolism, OU decided that the guy who spent decades yelling “One more rep!” is exactly who you want doing strategic advising between board meetings. Schmidt’s new desk gig will probably involve fewer dumbbells and more email chains, but don’t worry—the only thing stronger than his lats is his ability to schedule staff birthday parties with military precision. Meanwhile, poor Woody Glass finally learns what “running in place” feels like at a desk job.
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