Gettin' Freaky With It

Gavin Freeman, a lifelong Sooner fan, is living his dream, being a difference maker for the University of Oklahoma. But Freeman’s underdog story goes far beyond the statement he is making on the field every gameday.

From undersized prospect to preferred walk-on, playmaker to now scholarship player, the Heritage Hall product has provided some big moments over the last two seasons. As he continues to shine, his story as a hometown kid living his childhood dream is starting to get the attention it deserves.

A FAMILY TRADITION

Gavin Freeman was a star at Heritage Hall High School in Oklahoma City. But long before the wide receiver was dodging defenders and making big plays, his last name was well known throughout the state of Oklahoma. His grandfather Ron was a standout linebacker at Oklahoma State and a legendary high school football coach. His dad Jason was an All-Big 12 tight end for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Gavin, who grew up a Sooner fan in Oklahoma City, was surrounded by elite athleticism his entire life. While his dad, the former Oklahoma Sooner Don Key award winner, coached him and watched him grow, he knew there was a chance that Gavin could be special.

“Just being around it, you know, it just kind of soaks in,” Jason Freeman said of his son. “When you’re in an environment like that, and you’re always around football on a team, it makes a difference.”

Despite the family history of success playing football, Jason was slow to let his son take to the gridiron. Wrestling was the first place his dad wanted to see what might bring out the best in his son.

“Growing up, I didn’t have them play football. I had them wrestle,” Jason said. “Wrestling is one of the most competitive sports out there and I think that has a lot to do with where he’s at, as well.”

The message needed to be clear - hard work pays off.

“Make sure you’re tough and work as hard as you can you,” Jason said was his message to his kids. “If we’re going to play a sport…. If you’re going through those streams, that’s what you got to do. I saw the dedication in him.”

THE PATH TO OKLAHOMA

Long before Gavin was starring on Friday nights for Heritage Hall, he was making an impact on the youth football fields.

“Early when he had the ball in his hands in middle school, I could see some special things he was doing and it was really natural for him,” Jason said. “He always had a certain amount of balance and body control - core strength that not everybody had.”

As Gavin grew and matured, his physical development led to more speed and more opportunities. Though he was viewed as undersized, Gavin took advantage of the opportunities that he had in front of him. The athletic ability was obvious, the drive and passion were undeniable.

“In the middle of his junior year in high school, the speed started taking over. In a junior varsity game, he returned three punts for a touchdown,” Jason said.

RECRUITING

Gavin has created his own identity to add to his incredible family legacy. He finished his career at Heritage Hall with 35 career touchdowns in 11 games as a senior at Heritage Hall, caught 74 passes for 1,438 yards (19.4 yards per catch) with 18 touchdowns, and rushed 14 times for 117 yards and four TDs.

Despite several scholarship offers, including one that seemed to disappear from Texas Tech, Gavin bet on himself and decided to accept a preferred walk-on offer from Oklahoma, as opposed to going somewhere else on scholarship. Following in the footsteps of his father and former Heritage Hall standout Sterling Shephard, he chose to play college ball at OU.

Despite his desire to someday see his son wear Crimson and Cream, Jason stayed out of the recruiting process, supporting his son in whatever decision he made.

“I didn’t pressure him in in any way, but it was kind of hard not really being recruited by the school (I) went to,” Jason said. “I wanted it to be open where he could make his decision, do what he wanted to do and where he wanted to go, but it was kind of a non-issue because there wasn’t any interest.

“In the end, Coach Venables took over and everything changed because that’s where Gavin wanted to go.”

For Gavin to have the opportunity to play on the field where Jason played was a dream come true for both father and son.

FIREWORKS

Gavin did not wait long to make his impact in a University of Oklahoma uniform. Despite his walk-on status, Freeman found himself in position to make a play in the season opener in 2022.

“My motto is belief, self-belief really,” Gavin said. “Just being able to come to terms with yourself, like, ‘I can do this. I have the ability.’”

In the opening game of the season, Gavin took his first touch as a Sooner, in his first ever game, to the house. He turned the corner on a reverse handoff and got up field, spinning off a would-be tackler and racing 46 yards to the end zone.

As Gavin’s dream came true, his head coach could not hide how proud he was of the freshman walk-on.

“He chose to bet on himself,” Venables said after Freeman burst onto the scene in 2022. “He had opportunities to go to a lot of spots and I loved (that) he’s been super low maintenance, really humble, but he’s wide open every day. He’s fearless. I’m really excited to see where he goes.”

After playing in 13 games during his freshman season, Gavin started off his second season in a Sooner uniform with the same energy and playmaking ability. On the very first punt return of the 2023 season,

again his first touch of the season, he stepped toward the football, made an immediate cut up field, burst through a wide-open hole, cut back to his right, easily dodged the punter and exploded away from the coverage team for the final 40 yards.

“I just remember catching it and then I remember seeing the gaping hole because my guys were blocking their asses off. I just hit it,” Gavin said. “I hit the outside and they made another massive hole on the sideline.”

In each of the last two seasons, Gavin’s first touch of the football resulted in a touchdown.

“He’s exactly what we expected - a guy that plays wide open, incredibly fast,” said Jeff Lebby, OU’s offensive coordinator. “When he has the ball in his hand, he’s a guy that can do some electric things with it. He’s earned everything that he’s gotten, and the dude is going to make some big plays here.”

SCHOLARSHIP

On Aug. 25 of this season, Venables closed practice by gathering the team at midfield in the stadium and directed their attention to the video board.

As a Gavin Freeman highlight video played, the entire team watched on the big screen in the south endzone. The video ended with the announcement that Gavin was no longer a walk-on, he was now officially on scholarship. His parents were there on FaceTime to see the whole thing.

As his teammates mobbed him and celebrated, chants of “G-Freaky,” his nickname among his teammates, resonated throughout the team mosh pit.

“You want to talk about a legacy?” Venables told his players. “You want to talk about a dream come true? You’re walking in the good ol’ days — right now. These are the good ol’ days for you.”

Gavin told his teammates how much he loved every minute with them, and still was at a loss for words after his big punt return after the first game.

“I don’t think it’s fully sunk in yet,” Gavin said after Arkansas State win. “It’s an incredible moment that I do not take for granted.”

For his family, it was an emotional moment but by no means was there a sense of mission accomplished.

“That’s the pinnacle of the work that you put in. He did it on his own, and to go compete and prove that he could play at that level, and not only play at that level, but play out at that level. It’s an incredible feeling,” Jason said. “Gavin really values what his teammates think of him, what his coaches think of him, that’s important to him. The work is not finished, in fact it’s just beginning.”

THE GRIND CONTINUES

“I love an underdog story,” Venables said. “Gavin Freeman’s a guy that I love everything that he’s about. He’s a football player. He’s always wide open. He’s gonna continue to help this football team. He brings the heat every day.”

Even though he is now a scholarship player, there has been no drop off in effort. Gavin says he doesn’t run through defenses with a chip on his shoulder. He’s not looking to prove anyone wrong or seeking affirmation. He lets his performance take care of all that.

His difference-making ability on gameday is no surprise to his teammates, including all world linebacker Danny Stutsman. It’s something he witnesses every day in practice.

“That’s a blue-collar dude. He works for everything,” Stutsman said. “It kind of shows what this program is about. He’s just a dude who’s going to put that work in, put that time in and see the fruits of his labor pay off on that field.”

As his family watches on, his father can’t help but feel an incredible sense of pride. While the family name provides a certain sense of pressure, Gavin has done it his way.

“I know my ability and confidence-wise what I can do,” Gavin said. “It’s more about proving myself right. You got to believe in yourself at the end of the day. You have to have confidence you can make plays.” – BSM