Javonnie Gibson's 'Abnormal' Preparation Habits Helping Fuel Oklahoma WRs Return

 Ben Arbuckle’s flight to South Carolina last week was a bit more cramped than he’s used to.

Usually Arbuckle shared a row with offensive analyst Blaise Bentsen, with the middle seat between them open.

But Arbuckle got bumped to the middle seat on the flight east last weekend.

The reason? 

Wide receiver Javonnie Gibson, who sidled up next to Arbuckle for much of the flight to go over the game plan and his role in the offense.

“Anytime a kid wants to get extra work, it’d be coaching malpractice of me not to want to give them what they want on that,” Arbuckle said.

Gibson’s role has steadily increased since he returned from an injury that kept him out of the season’s first four games.

Against Kent State, he had a 5-yard catch in 23 plays. The next week, against Texas, he played 33 plays and had one 17-yard reception and completed an 8-yard pass.

Then last week against South Carolina, he had five catches for 24 yards on 60 plays. 

“I’m proud of him,” quarterback John Mateer said. “He’s putting in the work, and he’s getting the fruits of it.”

Read More Oklahoma Football

• Oklahoma May Have to Battle No. 8 Ole Miss Without DB Gentry Williams
• 'Selfless' QB John Mateer Built Trust With Oklahoma Teammates in South Carolina
• Oklahoma HC Brent Venables on Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin: ‘He’s Done a Great Job’
• How Brent Venables Quickly Remade Another Defensive Juggernaut at Oklahoma

Sooners coach Brent Venables wasn’t aware until being asked about it Tuesday that Gibson had sought out Arbuckle on the flight.

“That’s not the norm,” Venables said. “It doesn’t surprise me. He loves ball.”

He graded out at 65.5 in the game, according to Pro Football Focus — fifth-best on the team offensively and second-best among wide receivers behind only Isaiah Sategna.

“It’s really exciting for us to watch him get back into this rhythm and the confidence and those types of things,” Venables said. “But he’s very hungry. He shows up every day to the facility with an edge and hunger, wants to contribute.”

Gibson figures to once again play a significant role this weekend when the 13th-ranked Sooners host No. 8 Ole Miss at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium at 11 a.m. Saturday in a game televised on ABC.

With Keontez Lewis’ status in doubt, Gibson figures to have plenty of opportunities. He’s earning them even when Lewis is back to full health.

Gibson is earning those opportunities not only with things like sitting with Arbuckle on plane rides, but with the extra time he’s spent with Arbuckle during the week, and the rapport he continues to build with Mateer.

“The biggest thing, if a player wants to watch extra film with me, I ain’t gonna tell him no,” Arbuckle said. That’s a level of buy-in that I think is huge for development. Javonnie, he wanted to make sure he was prepared and he was. He went into the game and no busts, was where he was supposed to be.

“There’s a few things I pointed out to him after like, ‘Hey, I need a little bit more strain right here from you, all right?’ But he knew what to do.”