Mason Young
Tulsa World OU Sports Reporter
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NORMAN — Injured cornerback Eli Bowen and wide receiver Javonnie Gibson have both been practicing for Oklahoma this week.
The duo appears to be gearing up for likely 2025 debuts when the Sooners come out of their bye week and face Kent State on Oct. 4.
Bowen, a freshman All-American for OU last season, has been dealing with a foot injury since the spring. The Sooners are excited to be getting him back soon, but expectations should be tempered. It’s hard to think Bowen will be a force on the perimeter, like he was at times last season, right away in 2025.
“It takes time,” head coach Brent Venables said. “He’s missed a lot of football. So we’ll see. I believe in him. He’s worked incredibly hard to get back. He’s gonna — I’d give him some grace in knowing you develop through the course of a season.
“But if there’s anybody that can pick up where he left off, it’s Eli. He’s been working diligently off the field and rehab, doing the things on the field as well. So I’ve got great confidence that he’ll get in and get right back at it quickly.”
Older brother Peyton Bowen, the junior OU safety, has kept a close eye on his younger sibling.
“He’s in a really good mental state,” Peyton Bowen said. He’s working back daily, like slowly, and he’s looking to make a comeback in the next couple of weeks.”
Perhaps it does help that Eli Bowen battled injury at the start of the 2024 season, before he began to carve at the jump of Southeastern Conference play.
“I think he just comes in with the same mentality he had at that same moment,” Peyton Bowen said. “He was battling injuries early on in last season, made a great impact for the rest of the year. And so I think he has that same drive to him that he did in his freshman year now.”
OU receiver Deion Burks hasn’t gone up against Eli Bowen in practice yet but has been observing the corner’s progression toward a return.
“He’s a technician, man,” Burks said. “He’s around great guys. He’s a leader in that room as well, and having him back, that’s going to be a great thing. Perfect timing, too, as well.”
Gibson, meanwhile, has been rehabbing a broken leg sustained in spring ball. An FCS All-American at Arkansas Pine-Bluff a year ago, Gibson emerged as OU quarterback John Mateer’s top target in spring practices, prior to his injury.
Gibson has remained present and engaged on OU’s sideline during the Sooners’ first four games of the 2025 campaign.
With OU’s shift from the now-injured Mateer to Michael Hawkins Jr. at quarterback, it can’t hurt to have another threat in the passing game.
“The receivers have done a nice job,” Venables said. “Javonnie will get in and be another playmaker, as well. It helps everybody having another big, live athletic body to catch the ball.”
Burks is looking forward to having Gibson running routes alongside himself, Isaiah Sategna, Keontez Lewis and Jaren Kanak once again.
“Man, it’s very exciting, man,” Burks said of Gibson’s impending return. “Dude’s explosive, man. I feel like he hasn’t missed a beat either, you know? Even when he wasn’t playing, I still feel like he was always there, mentally there, still playing, so it’s definitely great to have him back.”
mason.young@tulsaworld.com
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Mason Young
Tulsa World OU Sports Reporter
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