Oklahoma Sooners Football: Four Offensive Players to Watch This Saturday

College football rosters are gigantic. Between the scholarship guys, the walk-ons and the transfers, it’s hard to keep track of the two-deep as players graduate, move on and move around.

At no time is this more evident than during the OU spring game, when dozens of semi-anonymous guys take the majority of snaps and do the majority of interesting things, like actually tackling, during the contest. With that in mind, here are four guys with zero OU snaps between them who are fighting hard to be an offensive factor in 2017. They’re worth highlighting in Saturday’s crowded game program.

OL Creed Humphrey

The coaching staff can’t stop raving about freshman offensive lineman Creed Humphrey, who’s working out at center this spring. Unfortunately, Humphrey seems blocked for playing time in one of the best position groups on the OU roster — but already talk is swirling about him taking over for Erick Wren at some point.

As talented as the OU O-line starters are, the unit isn’t exceptionally deep. So expect Humphrey to stand out among the second-teamers when he takes the field to block for Kyler Murray or Austin Kendall.

RB Trey Sermon

There are lots of interesting running backs to look out for this weekend, but Sermon may be the biggest X factor in the unit. As a freshman, nothing is guaranteed for the 6-foot, 215 pound rusher from Marietta, Ga. But behind the “veteran” guys like Adams and Anderson, Sermon has a real chance to assert his way to some carries.

Normally it’s pretty futile to read too much into spring game snaps. But I think Sermon’s number of carries might give a pretty good indication about how this coaching staff thinks of him right now.

WR/TE Grant Calcaterra

Mark Andrews’s shadow Grant Calcaterra is looking to finish off a strong spring with a good spring game, and with Murray and Kendall backing up Baker Mayfield, there will be plenty of good throws to go around.

Andrews has a couple of inches and about 20 pounds on Calcaterra right now, but the comparisons between them are understandable and generally fair. And with many expecting Andrews to have a huge season, no doubt Calcaterra will be taking notes. Who knows? Maybe the Sooners can find room for both their bruising so-called tight ends.

WR Marquise Brown

Okay, I wanted to focus this list on generally under-the-radar guys, but how can Brown not be included? The Sooners fan base has grown spoiled with standout receivers who seem to one-up each other every season, and the coaching staff has put that expectation on Brown’s shoulders this year.

If Brown hauls down a Dede-esque, over the shoulder 60-yard bomb, the Westbrook comparisons will flow fast and heavy and won’t let up until we see more of him September.