Just before kickoff, Kendall Miller took a look at his sideline and was surprised at who he saw.

Emerson High School’s head coach spotted Michael Hawkins Jr., Oklahoma’s true freshman starting quarterback, making the trip from Norman to Frisco, Texas, to surprise his former team in its final game on Oct. 3.

As soon as Hawkins took the field, Miller felt the energy on his team’s sideline change, similar to what happened during his playing days at Emerson.

“Here is someone who is at the top of the nation, and he came back here to cheer on his high school team,” Miller said. “That sparked something for us.”

Spark is the word that could characterize Hawkins’ game and a half as Oklahoma’s starting quarterback. With flips into the end zone and explosive plays, Hawkins revitalized the Sooners’ stagnant offense.

On Saturday, he will become OU’s first true freshman quarterback to start in the Red River Rivalry when the No. 18 Sooners (4-1, 1-1 SEC) face No. 1 Texas (5-0, 1- 0) compete. at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Dallas. But as Hawkins interacted with players, coaches and staff after Emerson’s game, it seemed as if he was no more than nine days away from entering Cotton Bowl Stadium for the biggest game of his life.

“We all noticed,” Miller said, “he didn’t look or act any different.”

Joining Hawkins on Saturday will be an offensive line that gave up 12 sacks, the fourth-most in the SEC and the worst rushing attack in the conference. With Deion Burks out on Thursday, Oklahoma will be without its five primary wide receivers against the nation’s second-largest pass defense.

On the other hand, Texas, the second-best defense in college football, has given up the fewest touchdowns in the nation (3). The Longhorns are the eighth-best defense in the country on third downs, while the Sooners’ offense ranks 130th of 134 in 3rd down conversions.

The odds seem stacked against Hawkins and the Sooners, who are 15-point underdogs to their rivals.

But those who know Hawkins know better than to discount him.

“I have confidence,” head coach Brent Venables said. “He’s easy to bet on.”

Despite everything, the true freshman’s calm demeanor has not wavered until his biggest task, instilling a sense of confidence in many of his teammates.

“His preparation has stayed the same from when he was in the backup role to (now) the starting role,” redshirt senior tight end Jake Roberts said. “I can’t tell if he’s nervous.”

After watching a confident Hawkins on his alma mater’s sideline, Miller thought back to last year’s regional final, when Emerson fell 14-0 to Colleyville Heritage, which was 12-1 with one of the best offenses in the nation Time stood in the region.

Emerson’s slow start panicked many on the team, except Hawkins, who looked to his coach with words of encouragement.

“Coach, we’re good,” Hawkins told Miller, “I get that.”

“It was the look in his eyes that sold me,” Miller said, reflecting on the moment before Emerson’s 59-48 comeback win. “I don’t know if we stumbled after that.”

Two weeks ago, as Hawkins watched him try to catapult over three defenders to reach the end zone for a two-point conversion, screams from Miller’s family filled his living room. The conversion gave the Sooners a 24-21 lead over Auburn in the fourth quarter after trailing in the previous two quarters and helped OU to its first SEC road win.

MICHAEL HAWKINS JR IS ELECTRIC SOARING EAGLE FOR THE 2PT CONVERSION AND OKLAHOMA LEADS 24-21 🦅 pic.twitter.com/ZBa8EqXqeJ

– NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) September 28, 2024

His jump into the end zone against Tennessee confirmed his desire to win and position himself as OU’s starting quarterback moving forward. A week later, his pylon jump against Auburn secured the comeback win and added the spark the Sooners’ offense had been missing.

“It got everyone excited,” senior wide receiver JJ Hester said. “It gets everyone’s mojo going. … It’s great to have that on the team.”

OU is ranked 131st nationally with just 13 plays over 20 yards this season. Five of those came in the final game and a half under Hawkins, compared to eight in the Sooners’ first three and a half games when sophomore Jackson Arnold was the starter.

Hawkins has already ignited OU’s offense in his short time at the helm, thanks in large part to the two memorable moments he created.

Now he’s taking part in the Red River Rivalry, the game that Baker Mayfield used for his 2017 Heisman moment – a game-winning 59-yard touchdown pass to Mark Andrews. It was also where Caleb Williams delivered a 66-yard touchdown run and a thrilling 55-48 victory in 2021. The then-true rookie had taken over from struggling former five-star Spencer Rattler – sound familiar?

And last year at Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dillon Gabriel made his mark in OU history by leading a game-winning 75-yard touchdown drive to beat the Longhorns 34-30.

No game has cemented the quarterback legacy in Norman like the Red River Rivalry.

Now, against all odds and alongside the offense he has created, Hawkins has a chance to make his own name in Oklahoma football history.

“I saw what he did when the odds were stacked against him,” Miller said. “If there’s anyone I’d bet on, it would be him.”