It took a while for the young group to catch up with the rest of the offense.

Clearly, they got better as the season went along.

Kelly, Iglesias and Johnson combined for 62 catches and five of OU’s 10 touchdown receptions as freshmen. Kelly was the leading receiver with 33 and all three averaged over 14 yards per catch.

But receivers coach Kevin Sumlin said it is time for the group to enter the second stage in their maturation process.

“You spend so much time the first year just figuring out what the plays are, and there’s a lot to remember,” he said. “But to become good, that has to become second nature.

“They’re starting to reach that point where they are comfortable. They know the coverages, they know the alignments. They should be in a better position. These guys have played in big games. We talk about maturity all the time. What maturity means is giving us something we can count on every day.”

Thompson has seen what a difference a year can make in the six days the Sooners have been on the practice field.

“You know where they’re going to be and when they’re going to be there,” he said. “They know when they have to change up a route and they’re aware of everything and making good decisions.”

But there’s another reason Thompson’s confidence in the group has swelled. He expected to be a wide receiver this season. He spent the entire offseason working out with them and studying film with them.

There’s a bond that might have been missing before.

“Paul knows what’s going on and knows exactly what routes the receivers are running because he’s done all of it,” Kelly said. “That’s a good thing for all us.”

And, perhaps, for OU’s future.

John Shinn366-3536jshinn@normantranscript.com