Coach Brent Venables said on Monday that Oklahoma’s wide receiver and team’s top pass catcher, Andrel Anthony, will require season-ending surgery due to an injury sustained during the Sooners’ Week 6 victory over Texas. After suffering a non-contact injury in the third quarter of Oklahoma’s 34-30 victory, the Michigan transfer left the game.

Before the injury, Anthony was having an incredible season. The junior has caught 27 passes for 429 yards, all team-high totals, and his lone touchdown reception came in Oklahoma’s home victory over SMU in Week 2.

It’s difficult. You feel so bad for Andrel because of all of his hard work,” Venables said to reporters on Monday.”We reached the score of 6-0. He played a major role in getting us there. Right in front of him is all of his best football. After this surgery, he’ll have a fantastic career.”

With Anthony out of the picture, junior Jamil Farooq will be the Sooners’ starting wide receiver going forward. With a bye in Week 7 before hosting UCF in Week 8, No. 6 Oklahoma will have time to prepare him for further work.

Farooq has caught 20 passes for two touchdowns and 415 yards overall. Nic Anderson trails Farooq with 11 catches for 282 yards, but he leads the team with six touchdowns—including the game-winning

touchdown against Texas with just 15 seconds remaining in regulation.In Venables’ second season, Oklahoma’s passing assault has been a major factor in the team’s success. With 1,878 yards at the end of Week 6, Dillon Gabriel, a second-year quarterback for the Sooners, led the Big 12 in passing. Oklahoma’s offense leads the Big 12 in scoring, averaging 45.2 points per game, more than nine points higher than Kansas (36.0), the next-highest scoring club.