NORMAN \u2014 Tyler Ruxer admitted that his first two weeks at OU weren\u2019t easy.<\/p>\n
Ruxer, a tight end who signed with Oklahoma as part of the Sooners\u2019 2026 recruiting class, graduated high school early before enrolling in January.<\/p>\n
Like the vast majority of first-year college students, Ruxer had never left home \u2014 so the more-structured setup with no parental guidance was new for the freshman tight end.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just a big adjustment, coming from high school,\u201d Ruxer said. \u201cThe first two weeks were kind of an adjustment phase, getting set up with the schedule, learning to wake up early in the mornings to come in and be ready to go. Lifting and just the intensity of everything was big.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thankfully for Ruxer, the older people around him have helped him get acclimated.<\/p>\n
The Sooners hired Jason Witten to be their new tight ends coach in January. Witten replaces Joe Jon Finley, who Oklahoma parted ways with after the 2025 season.<\/p>\n
Ruxer acknowledged that he was a bit starstruck when someone with Witten\u2019s pedigree \u2014 11 Pro Bowl appearances in 17 NFL seasons \u2014 joined OU\u2019s staff.<\/p>\n
But Ruxer quickly learned that Witten is essentially his teacher now, not a celebrity that he should idolize.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour eyes get woken up the first time he really chews into you,\u201d Ruxer said. \u201cIt\u2019s just another coach, not an NFL superstar. It kind of opens your eyes to everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oklahoma\u2019s tight end room also has a wide range of ages.<\/p>\n
Ruxer and fellow freshman Ryder Mix are the lone first-year players, while Tennessee transfer Jack Van Dorselaer will be a sophomore in 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Sooners added a pair of veterans from the portal, too, in Rocky Beers and Hayden Hansen. Hansen will be a senior<\/a> in 2026 after three seasons at Florida, while Beers has played college football since 2021 \u2014 and he is a married 24-year-old with a child on the way.<\/p>\n While they aren\u2019t coaches, Hansen and Beers have combined for thousands of snaps at the collegiate level, and Ruxer sees them as role models in the position group.<\/p>\n