Oklahoma announces plans for spring game, Baker Mayfield statue unveiling

The Brent Venables era at Oklahoma is set to kick off with spring football action in the coming weeks, per a university release, and the Sooners also announced that the program will be honoring quarterback Baker Mayfield with a public dedication of his Heisman Trophy statue.

As for the spring scrimmage, Oklahoma said in a tweet that the Sooners will hold its annual Spring Game on Saturday, April 23 in Oklahoma Memorial Stadium at 3:00 p.m. CT.

“The love and support from Sooner Nation since my family stepped off the plane in Norman has been absolutely phenomenal,” said Venables, who was hired Dec. 5 as Oklahoma’s 23rd head coach, replacing Lincoln Riley. “We were quickly reminded about how incredibly passionate our fan base is, and we truly appreciate that unbridled enthusiasm – it’s one of the many things that makes OU Football so special. I can’t wait to see that passion on display on April 23rd, and my challenge to the fans is to fill up the stadium. As we say all the time inside our walls, ‘Best is the standard.’ Let’s pack the Palace and make it a great day for everyone.”

But the Spring Game, which will give fans a first look at the Venables era in Norman, may not even be the headline of the day, given the subsequent news regarding Mayfield’s statue. In the same press release, Oklahoma said that it will unveil a Mayfield statue in Heisman Park, and the unveiling of his statue will take place immediately after the scrimmage.

Mayfield in 2017 became the sixth Oklahoma Sooners player to win the Heisman Trophy. That season, Mayfield threw for 4,627 passing yards and 43 touchdowns, while throwing just six interceptions and maintaining a 70.5 percent completion rate. Additionally, Mayfield rushed for 311 yards and five touchdowns on 97 attempts. He led Oklahoma to a 12-2 record under Riley, and the Sooners claimed the Big 12 Championship game, ultimately clinching a spot in the College Football Playoff.

“I’m a Sooner for life and incredibly grateful for all of the success my teammates and I had at OU,” Mayfield, a two-time first-team All-American, said in the press release. “It’s humbling and surreal to think about having a statue in iconic Heisman Park. I can’t wait to be back in Norman and reunite with the most passionate fans in college football.”