<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2U9d35_0vkr1zr000" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2U9d35_0vkr1zr000" width="1763" height="1176" ><figcaption>Sophomore wide receiver Jaquaize Pettaway during the game against Tennessee on Sept. 21. Aden Choate/OU Daily</figcaption></figure>Jaquaize Pettaway is used to Michael Hawkins Jr. throwing to him.After Brent Venables announced that Hawkins would be Oklahoma’s starting quarterback against Auburn on Monday, many have wondered how capable the true freshman is of leading the Sooners’ struggling offense. However, Pettaway has already been a positive product of Hawkins' capability and his preparation in practice."Me and Mike have been close ever since he got here back in December," Pettaway said. "It has been an ongoing relationship. We just got really close to each other. The connection we have is every day at practice, talking about staying on the same page."<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=02ySda_0vkr1zr000" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=02ySda_0vkr1zr000" width="889" height="500" ></figure><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2UetNc_0vkr1zr000" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2UetNc_0vkr1zr000" width="480" height="270" ></figure>Both the sophomore wide receiver and young quarterback have taken the majority of snaps during spring, summer and fall workouts together on OU’s second team. So, during the Sooners' first Southeastern Conference game against Tennessee, the Hawkins-Pettaway connection was evident.As OU’s passing game has struggled this season, ranking 111th nationally in total passing yards per game with 171.2, and with the wide receiver room having to manage without Jalil Farooq, Jayden Gibson, Nic Anderson, Andrel Anthony, Deion Burks and, at times, Pettaway due to injury, Venables has had to piece together a solution.“We have guys going down, so that means more people need to step up,” Pettaway said. “Whatever role I get, whether it is on special teams, anywhere on offense, I am just going to step up to the plate, so it is what it is.”Against Tennessee, in the absence of Burks — who exited the game due to a soft tissue injury on Saturday — signs of a quick fix flashed during the second half in the form of Pettaway.The sophomore, who has been dealing with a knee injury, had taken just 21 snaps through the first three weeks of the season, but as Hawkins scrambled to get OU back into the game during the fourth quarter, he found Pettaway early for a 19-yard gain. The quarterback later found the receiver for a 46-yard passing play — which is the second-longest of the season. He finished the game with 79 receiving yards on three targets, more than doubling redshirt junior tight end Bauer Sharp’s second-best 36 yards.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Got to see a little bit of Jaquaize Pettaway late last night - ended up leading Oklahoma is receiving 79 yards on 3 receptions<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sooners?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sooners</a> desperately need another WR to step up and be a big contributor - perhaps Pettaway can be that guy moving forwardThe ability is there <a href="https://t.co/bk6f2CgOpv">pic.twitter.com/bk6f2CgOpv</a>— Josh Callaway (@JoshMCallaway) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshMCallaway/status/1837892663355314466?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote>“Man, I ain’t going to lie, I got a lot of confidence from that,” Pettaway said of his fourth-quarter play. “Just going out there, balling out, just doing my thing, just being me and catching a ball and making a play, that is what it comes down to.”Pettaway's solid play and evident connection with Hawkins late in the game against the Volunteers represented a level of comfortability and a positive trend as OU heads into its first road game in the SEC against Auburn."Being on the field with him felt like another day at practice," Pettaway said. "I know he can place the ball where it needs to be at. I just need to turn my head and (catch it)."This story was edited by Louis Raser. 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'Another day at practice': Jaquaize Pettaway, Michael Hawkins Jr. connect against Tennessee, build hope for future

Jaquaize Pettaway is used to Michael Hawkins Jr. throwing to him. After Brent Venables announced that Hawkins would be Oklahoma’s starting quarterback against Auburn on Monday, many have wondered how capable the true freshman is of leading the Sooners’ struggling offense. However, Pettaway has already been a positive product of Hawkins' capability and his preparation in practice.