04-08-2025
Oklahoma's Ben Arbuckle pleased with young wide receiver's offseason work ethic
It's no secret that one of the most significant factors in the Oklahoma Sooners' going 6-7 in 2024 was the poor play of their offense. They couldn't put enough points on the board with any consistency to help out what was a really good defense. Additionally, one of the many factors that hindered OU's offense last year was the numerous injuries it faced. One position that was extremely hampered by injuries was wide receiver.
Oklahoma's top five projected wideouts at the beginning of the season missed either the entire season or the vast majority of it. That led to plenty of snaps against SEC competition for depth pieces and true freshmen from the 2024 recruiting class.
One such player was Ivan Carreon, a 6-foot-6 WR from Odessa (Texas) High School. He wasn't projected to play for the Sooners as a true freshman in 2024, but saw spot action during the season. His biggest performance came in the Armed Forces Bowl loss against Navy, where Carreon had 72 yards on seven catches against the Midshipmen. He'd caught just three passes through the first 12 games of 2024.
Carreon came back for his second season in Norman in 2025, one that will come in a new offensive system with a new offensive play-caller. In new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle's Air Raid scheme, the Sooners are looking for wide receivers to go out and take key roles within the offense. The OC raved about what Carreon has done this offseason last week in his pre-fall camp press conference.
"He's put in the work to change his body to be able to go out there and be able to be a guy for us," Arbuckle said. "My favorite thing about Ivan is how much I've seen his body change over the last eight months. He's really invested himself in the weight room and the nutrition room, and it shows in his numbers too. I'm not just talking about his body weight and stuff like that; it shows in his numbers in the weight room, out on the field."
Arbuckle grouped a couple of wideouts in the '24 class together that he was impressed with, praising sophomore Zion Kearney along with Carreon. Both had their best games of the season in the bowl game, which could be a sign of things to come.
"I've been really pleased with those two guys, the work that they've put in," Arbuckle said. "They've kind of done it in a quiet manner, just put their head down and gotten after it, but I'm excited about those two guys. I'm excited to see them over the next couple of weeks."
Carreon was a star at the Texas 6A level while at Odessa, set in the heart of West Texas and Friday Night Lights country. By the end of his high school career, he was the Bronchos' all-time leader in receptions (192), receiving yards (3,315), and receiving touchdowns (40). He wasn't just a red zone threat; Carreon was a force in catch-and-run situations as well. He was originally a Texas Tech commit, but decommitted when WRs coach Emmett Jones left Lubbock to come to Norman.
The Sooners have plenty of interesting options in their wide receiver room. If Carreon can continue to improve and produce like he did in the Armed Forces Bowl, it'll be tough to keep him off the field.
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