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Oklahoma players react to Gavin Freeman being put on scholarship

Wade-Peeryby: Wade Peery08/26/23

The Oklahoma coaching staff made Friday evening an unforgettable one for Sooners wide receiver Gavin Freeman. The coaching staff awarded him a scholarship and showed a video on the scoreboard at the football stadium. Naturally, his Sooner teammates mobbed him and jumped up and down in excitement for their teammate. They also lifted him up on their shoulders and doused him with their water bottles.

Check out the reaction of the Oklahoma players below.

“This is what it’s all about,” said Venables in the video. “You know what’s awesome about that? That’s literally a dream come true. As a little kid, he’d been coming to these games. Watched his dad come here, ball out. You want to talk about a legacy? You want to talk about a dream come true? Walking in the good ol’ days – right now, these are the good ol’ days for you. I’m so proud to honor you the right way. You’ve earned it every step of the way.”

Freeman also took the time to thank head coach Brent Venables. Last year with the Sooners, he hauled in three catches for 46 receiving yards.

Moments like this one are what make college sports so great. Freeman has been turning heads all offseason and it’s not surprising to see Brent Venables decide to offer him a full scholarship.

Once you take a look at Freeman’s high school profile, it’s pretty surprising that he was a walk-on in the first place.

After all, he finished his high school career with 4,550 all-purpose yards and 50 touchdowns (including 2,503 receiving yards and 33 touchdowns, 1,690 return yards and five touchdowns). He attended Heritage Hall High School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where he shattered records. Freeman averaged 20 yards per catch during his high school career, surpassing such legends as Sterling Shepard and Wes Welker.

Before choosing Oklahoma, he originally committed to the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Once they made coaching changes, he decided to flip his commitment and eventually become a preferred walk-on for head coach Brent Venables. In the offseason, Freeman has impressed, drawing plenty of praise from Sooners’ wide receiver Drake Stoops.

It’ll be exciting to watch his career progress in the next few years with Oklahoma.

They’ll kick off their 2023 campaign against the Arkansas State Red Wolves. That one will be played on Saturday, Sept. 2 at 12:00 PM. This year will be the final season for the Sooners in the Big 12, before moving onto the SEC in 2024.