The Oklahoma Sooners are still feeling the ripple effects of their 23-6 loss to the Texas Longhorns. The defeat didn’t just expose the team’s weaknesses on the field — it also triggered roster changes off of it.
Head coach Brent Venables confirmed Wednesday that wide receiver Jayden Gibson is no longer part of the program, marking another setback in an already turbulent week for Oklahoma.
Gibson, a former four-star recruit, missed all of the 2024 season with a knee injury and was expected to return this year. Venables said the receiver was “on schedule” during the summer, but his comeback never materialized.
“Jayden is no longer with the team,” Venables announced during the SEC Coaches Teleconference.
According to On3’s Pete Nakos, the expectation is that Gibson will enter the transfer portal to find a new home. The 6-foot-5 receiver had been with the Oklahoma football team for three seasons, playing in 22 games and recording 15 receptions for 387 yards and five touchdowns — all scored during the 2023 campaign.
NEW: Oklahoma WR Jayden Gibson is no longer with the program, Brent Venables reports. https://t.co/oqNYxWd5d0 pic.twitter.com/ZPJHyf5q8P
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal_) October 15, 2025
His departure is particularly tough for the Sooners, who are already thin at wide receiver amid mounting injuries.
Gibson’s exit comes just days after Venables made headlines for his blunt comments about the SEC’s level of competition. Following the Red River Rivalry loss, the coach acknowledged that Oklahoma’s move from the Big 12 has brought a harsh reality check.
“This isn’t the old Big 12 days where Oklahoma destroys everybody every single week except one game of the year,” Venables said, per ESPN’s George Stoia III. “This league is about one-possession games.”
The statement didn’t sit well with the Big 12, which fired back on social media. “Coach Venables lost eight conference games in his two seasons in the Big 12,” the league’s official account posted on X, formerly Twitter. The response quickly went viral, adding to the scrutiny surrounding Oklahoma’s transition to the SEC and Venables’ leadership.
Now 5-1, the Sooners face a crucial stretch of conference play, with upcoming matchups against Alabama, LSU, and Tennessee looming. Venables is under pressure to stabilize his roster and silence critics questioning whether Oklahoma can consistently compete in college football’s toughest conference.
Jayden Gibson’s departure underscores that the adjustment period is far from over. Between off-field departures and on-field struggles, Venables must quickly rally his locker room before a promising start turns into another season of disappointment.
