NORMAN — Even big time college football players had the same dreams fans do when they were growing up.
For Bowe Bentley, prepping for his first Oklahoma Spring Game as a true freshman, the experience feels “surreal.” He described the shift: “… being in the stands watching all the games but being actually able to play on this field in front of a crowd is going to be pretty incredible.”
With spring practice wrapping up — the Sooners have four more sessions scheduled, with the Spring Game sandwiched between them — Bentley has already grabbed the attention of his coaches in a positive way.
Now, he’s focused on putting on a good show for Sooner fans when he gets his number called on Saturday.
“Just be efficient and move the ball, I think that’s the biggest thing,” Bentley said on Monday. “Just being able to operate an offense out here in front of the fans, just show my athletic ability. I think that’s the biggest thing.”
That’s the answer Brent Venables and Ben Arbuckle want to hear. What about the former high school hot shot who daydreamed about wearing the Crimson and Cream? Especially one who left high school early to earn valuable opportunities in spring as an early enrollee.
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“It’s been a dream. I mean, you kind of think about it during the fall. Obviously, graduating early, you’re gonna kind of roll into it. Kind of get prepared through January, February. But once it hits, it’s rolling,” he said.
Typically, when freshmen arrive for their first run of practices, the game feels like it’s going a thousand miles an hour. Everyone on the field was the best player on their high school teams.
Going from a high school playbook to a division-one playbook might be akin to going from reading a Harry Potter book to The Silmarillion.
Bentley, the Celina High School star, was no different in his adjustments to this new speed.
“I think just going from high school to college, understanding the playbook,” Bentley said. “It’s a lot more than what I’m used to, so it also helps me slow down the game. Understand why we run something. See the defense, it makes my checks easier, my reads easier. So I think that’s the biggest thing is just the speed.”
Of course, it doesn’t hurt the young quarterback’s development that he is going against a Venables-led defense every day.
“It kind of humbled me a little bit to be honest. I don’t think I’ve played a defense like that ever. So you’ve kind of got to settle in. I mean they’re the best defense in the SEC, so being able to go against them helps a lot.”
Bentley’s progress as a backup — maybe the backup — has been and will continue to be something to watch. John Mateer is the entrenched starter and Bentley has already learned so much from him. But competition keeps everyone sharp.
