NORMAN - Oklahoma got a welcome sight at its eighth fall camp practice of 2026: Trell Harris moving like the player the Sooners believe he can be.
After missing all of OU spring ball while recovering from a “cleanup procedure” tied to an injury from 2025, the Virginia transfer showed enough in Friday’s workout to draw a strong update from Brent Venables.
“That was great to see, making competitive plays when there’s turbulence,” Venables said. “We faced eight defenses last year in the top 10 or 15 in the country.
So you’re going to get some stick turbulence. People are going to be rerouting you at the line of scrimmage, and then on the way as you’re crossing the field, there’s going to be some bumping and elbowing across the field, and you gotta be able to make plays… in tight windows and when people are hanging on you… and we’ve been better at that.”
Venables said Harris has looked smoother as camp has gone on, and that the progress is showing up in the details.
“I think those guys understand, we’re counting on ’em,” Venables said. “For the Oklahoma Sooners to be the team we want to be, we’ve talked about wanting to be, it includes Manny and Elijah Thomas as being dudes.
Not being freshmen that are forgotten that are now sophomores, but being dudes. Showing up and having some purpose to what they’re doing.
So far, camp’s been good for those guys. They’ve taken another step from where we were in the spring.”
Harris is one of several receivers still fighting for rotation snaps this fall. Alongside him, the group includes anticipated starters Isaiah Sategna, OU’s leading wideout in 2025, and Parker Livingstone.
At the top of the battle are sophomores Elijah Thomas and Manny Choice, a 6-foot-1 burner and a 6-foot-2 matchup problem. Venables said both have been trending up.
“Manny established himself, and Elijah established himself on special teams last year,” Venables said. “Elijah led our team in the ‘special teams performance’ points last year, a huge part, and Manny came on at the end of the year.
And all they’ve done in the offseason is just grow and get better. In the last several days, Elijah’s really done some really good things that lend credibility to taking another jump.
And again, it’s for both of ’em, the test is will they show up every single day?”
Venables also said former OU wideout Ryan Broyles spoke to the team earlier in the week. After being redshirted in 2006 to get out of trouble off the field, Broyles found another gear and reeled off three straight 1,000-yard seasons for the Sooners from 2007-09.
Venables said Broyles’ message centered on “the hunger to show up every day and act like you’re a walk-on,” to have an underdog mentality.
“I think those guys understand, we’re counting on ’em,” Venables said. “For the Oklahoma Sooners to be the team we want to be, we’ve talked about wanting to be, it includes Manny and Elijah Thomas as being dudes.
Not being freshmen that are forgotten that are now sophomores, but being dudes. Showing up and having some purpose to what they’re doing.
So far, camp’s been good for those guys. They’ve taken another step from where we were in the spring.”
The Sooners are trying to build that identity in a receiver room that has seen some black hole over the last two years. Sategna was the only consistent playmaker in 2025, and OU is hoping that changes in 2026.
“That’s a group that I’m seeing unit pride for the first time in a few years,” Venables said. “Maybe it’s more continuity.
It’s the guys that came in. It’s guys being healthy.
That’s a group that’s developing some pride and confidence through a lot of hard work. And I think we went against each other this summer, close to 1500 snaps, good against good and all the player-led practices, some of the stuff that we’re all allowed to do as well.
And it’s starting to show again, confidence and a little more precision, a little more consistency, and there’s still room to grow.”
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