NORMAN – Redshirt sophomore tight end Kaden Helms has become a difficult person to criticize within the Oklahoma locker room.

“Kaden Helms, what a great story,” Sooners interim offensive coordinator Joe Jon Finley said Saturday after OU defeated Maine 59-14. “He came back. What a tough wound. He fought for more than a year, a year and a half, two years. Man, he put his head down and got to work and it was a great story.”

Helms caught his first career touchdown during the second quarter of Saturday’s victory on a 9-yard connection from sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold to extend OU’s lead to 49-7 and retire the starting unit from the day. Helms called the moment “surreal,” but someone at Memorial Stadium familiar with his story might have called it inspiring.

Helms, a Nebraska native, was a four-star prospect at Bellevue West High School and chose OU over Miami, Auburn and North Carolina, among others. He was groomed to become a fixture in OU’s offense, but after appearing in three games his true freshman year, Helms missed the entirety of his redshirt freshman year with a knee injury and subsequent surgery. After one setback came another. Helms suffered a hamstring injury that forced him to miss time during the spring and summer of ’24.

“I’ve never had a major surgery like that,” Helms said. “I never missed a game all four years of high school, and then my freshman year, I was healthy all year and it was a tough process getting back into things. I wouldn’t say I was thinking about leaving, but I definitely had a few “Days that were more difficult than others and I definitely questioned myself a little.”

He never questioned his football future or succumbed to despair. While he couldn’t practice during his recovery, he caught balls from the JUGS machine — “on a damn scooter,” Finley said — and earned a reputation as a workhorse, maintaining a keen focus on his weight room responsibilities. and in meetings. .

“I got a little excited in the box just because I knew how hard he had worked,” Finley said.

“That’s my best friend,” Sooners defensive back Robert Spears-Jennings said during a postgame media meeting, imploring reporters to give the microphone to Helms. “All the hard work he does, he deserves it, really, really. That moment was very special for all of us.”

A Maine defensive lineman deflected the pass intended for Helms. As always, he stayed focused and dragged it to the front of the end zone.

“Honestly, it was a pretty surreal moment,” Helms said. “It has been a long time coming. The journey has not been easy but it has surely been worth it. “I’m happy to be out there with my guys and happy to score my first, for sure.”

“I think I saw a stat: That was his first reception since 2022,” Arnold said. “Almost since I’ve been here he’s been hurt, so it was awesome for him to come out and get his first touchdown today.”

The reaction of his teammates was indicative of the strength that his presence within the club has acquired. Starting tight ends Bauer Sharp and Jake Roberts were two of the first to run toward Helms to celebrate. Another, Kade McIntyre, followed shortly after. Perhaps no one on the team understood Helms’ perseverance better than those in his meeting room.

“This is one of my favorite tight end rooms I’ve ever been a part of,” Helms said. “I think that was kind of a testament to that. Bauer and Jake running onto the field, Kade was right next to me when it happened. “It’s a great feeling knowing where I’m coming from injury-wise and the battles I’ve fought that back me up.”

Helms attributed his strength in difficult circumstances in large part to his Christian faith.

“Honestly, there was a time when I didn’t (see myself scoring), but I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He’s really the main one… Him, my friends, my family and my teammates obviously really kept my spirits up when times got tough last year with my knee injury and then I had some problems in hamstrings in the spring and summer, so I was out for almost two years,” Helms said. “It was definitely tough mentally, but like I said, God got me through it. I believe He gives His toughest battles to His toughest soldiers. I just kept that mentality, kept pushing and I’m glad I did.”

“To catch him on a slant ball, all those JUGS paid off,” Finley said. “I’m very happy for him.”