Image via Aberdeensports.net via SI.com
I was working on an OU vs. WVU preview when a couple of interesting pieces of news/information came out. First, Cedar Hill WR DaMarcus Lodge decommitted from Texas A&M. The second was the report that OU offensive coordinator Josh Heupel is a candidate for the SMU head coaching job (Jordan noted the details of the report on TOP here).
I’ve spoken to a source in the Dallas area with information on both of these matters and this is what I was told:
– DaMarcus Lodge: Lodge decommitted from Texas A&M because of the depth at the wide receiver position (this was also reported by 247’s Taylor Hamm and I’m told he was correct). Lodge is looking to start as a freshman and be the feature wide receiver wherever he goes. Texas A&M is already playing a lot of wide receivers and a lot of them are very young. Lodge felt this was not the best opportunity for him.
The question is does OU have a chance? First, I was told that OU will recruit Lodge despite having closed down their wide receiver recruiting to anyone not named Ryan Newsome. I was told that schools like LSU and Ole Miss are already asking around the Dallas area to see if they can get back in with Lodge. I was also told by someone very close to Lodge’s recruiting that “I’d be very surprised if he ended up at OU.” He didn’t say it’s impossible but he said “it will be tough.” To be honest that is a better chance than I had given OU, so I suppose it’s positive in that respect.
If OU does indeed get back in with Lodge and there is any semblance of a chance we will be hearing about a visit to Norman soon. Watch out for Baylor in Lodge’s recruitment.
– Josh Heupel and SMU: I am also being told that SMU absolutely does have interest in Oklahoma co-offensive coordinator Josh Heupel, and he may in fact be the leading the candidate on SMU’s list. However, that does not mean that the interest in reciprocated. I am being told that right now SMU is simply targeting Heupel as a candidate for the head coaching position. We do not have any information on whether there is any interest from coach Heupel himself.
52 Comments
When I hear SMU it makes me think of one of those jobs you take to end your head coaching career.
SMU the Cleveland Browns of CFB
Actually they are worst than the browns.
At least it isn’t Cleveland. :0
Any OC with a job at a school like OU would be foolish to waste all that “blue sky” on SMU. That is a job for those coaches that are at the end of their career and want something to while away their time.
I’d assume for him to seriously consider it they would have to make sure everything is just right…the money, the future plan, etc.
I’d be glad for Heupel to take the job if all those things align…I just don’t want it to be a distraction for our team midseason. At least we have Norvell as Co-OC. He might just step into playcalling duties…
Guys, coordinators need to get a start as a head coach somewhere. There are not many coaches like Stoops who go from a coordinator to a head coaching gig on the big stage or even in a big conference. The “vanilla” offense we have run this year scares me a little when I saw the Tennessee game. At some point it makes me wonder if Heupel just doesn’t get it as an OC and if we would be better if he did go to SMU. Why must we run the ball against 8 man fronts to prove we can? Can’t you be vanilla and still take what the defense is giving you? I mean he called a brilliant Sugar Bowl but looking at his record does anyone here think he couldn’t be replaced pretty easily?
There are definitely plenty of great OCs out there that would be more than interested in OU if it came to that.
The worry I have about losing Heupel lies not in his offensive philosophy or direction, but in his ability to develop QBs. Deny it if you will, but under Heupel, OU has been home to several elite QBs (hence being termed QB U). The questions is: is the success at the QB position the responsibility of Heupel or the coaching staff as a whole?
What Brian said. Outstanding comment.
Another thing I would worry about if Heupel leaves is that we could easily have another “Venables” situation with Norvell, in the sense that he might not want to play second fiddle to one of those “great OC’s that would be more than interested.” Those who think Stoops is too stupid to know who the best play caller on the staff is, will assume that Norvell might just take over, but even though he’s fully involved in the offense and the play calling as things are, I suspect that you’re right that they would bring in an outside hotshot, and if so, Norvell might be gone, too.
Other than the Sugar Bowl game Josh hasn’t been a very good game caller himself imo.
I think most Sooner fans covet him more as a QB coach and not as an OC. If he leaves I’m not worried about the OC part of things, but who comes in and works with the QBs. I would have loved to see Norvell up in the booth calling plays and Josh down on the field with the QBs. But that’s me.
I’m one of those. Great with QB’s, not so much game plan.
I’m not really worried about that either. We have a former OU QB on staff in C.Gundy & I was lead to believe Norvell has also coached QB’s in the past. I may get burned on this but I don’t see the QB’s developing now like they did when JH was JUST a QB coach. I think him being the CO-OC isn’t working so well for their development.
My old friend Phil Bennett took the HC job after being a DC for many good programs, leaving K St. for SMU. Being a Texas boy and with his East Texas recruiting ties he was ecstatic to get his first HC job.
He had one good season and it deteriorated to the point he was let go in the middle of a very bad season. He was replaced by Jones.
SMU is a tough job and not one I would recommend for a first HC job.
This
Agree. Private school with lots of rules and horrible past in breaking the rules.
It’s fascinating that what they called a “death penalty” for SMU football really was a death penalty for SMU football.
Well said!
the 30 for 30 on them was eye opening. Pretty amazing to see smirking Craig James and Eric Dickerson, all these years later, doggedly refusing to come clean about anything that went on back then.
one thing about jh,…….he is able to get in on good qbs …….after reading some of jy’s breakdowns I don’t know what is jh’s problem(s) or if it’s more the players screwing up..
I wonder what Lodge’s thinking in terms of Baylor. Cannon and Hall, their 1st and 3rd most productive receivers, are both true freshmen. KJ is a RS freshman, but our leading receivers are juniors. If he wants to play early, seems like OU is a bit less crowded.
I really don’t know anything about this young man, but what I am seeing turns me off a bit.
It appears his choice is one of those “it’s all about me.” No affection for any school or winning championships, but about his playing time.
Pardon me if I don’t fawn over him.
I’m with you EasTex. Not concerned with Lodge at all. Next.
That goes back to the “how much do the stars matter” argument. I’m with you that attitude matters more than stars.
Don’t snub a kid based solely on what you read on one site. Whether your like to believe it or not, choosing where to play should be a business decision, and it’s foolish not to say most (if not all) recruits look to places where they can contribute early. In fact, our very own Samaje Perine was on record saying he was disinterested in Alabama simply because of the depth and Oklahoma had an opportunity for him to contribute early.
Yes and for Perine it was between Bama and OU.
Not snubbing the kid, don’t know anything about him, just not going to fawn over some one I don’t know that has committed/decommitted to another school and now has as many as three possibles based solely on his chance to play as a freshman.
It’s not about what a kid is looking for in terms of contribution and playing time, it’s his attitude about it. There’s a difference between wanting to be the best guy on the squad and as a result, contribute early, versus demanding it and projecting the attitude that if you’re not going to be featured right away, you’ll just take your toys and go home.
Agreed.
Everything I’ve seen has suggested Lodge to Baylor. Is Baylor not deep at WR? Cannon is killing it so far and they had a nice WR class last year if I’m not mistaken.
Agree with this analysis. Baylor’s WR stance seems stronger than ours, with us having so many guys who have done little to nothing. Cannon has almost done more in 3 games than Neal and the other WRs, outside of Shepard, have done in their careers combined.
Agree. Lodge could come in and compete for outside WR playing time at OU. Very talented and polished WR.
How about learning a tip or two from DGB. How much would that speed up his curve along with Norvell.
I would think UT would be his best option if he wanted immediate playing time.
Obviously this Heupel to SMU thing, were it to happen, wouldn’t take place until after the season, right?
Yes I was told it wouldn’t happen to after the season.
247 says Lodge is planning visits to UT, Baylor & OU…
wouldnt heupel be the heir apparent to stoops, considering his relationship with the boren family?
Since mike already tried and failed as a HC, I always figured josh was the HC- in waiting.
If Bob quit tomorrow, Mike Stoops would be the heir apparent. Josh isn’t ready for a big-time head coaching job.
That’s not to say that Mike would be automatic. There might be some head coach out there Joe C would want, but if it is a promotion from within, Mike will be the guy.
I would really hope Heupel isn’t OU’s next head coach in line. That may just be me tho.
I don’t think because his sister is married to Boren’s son would keep him here it’s that SMU is a crappy program with no or much support.
Monty or Mike would move up instead of Heupel.
I would rather have newsome not lodge. I don’t want a guy worried about playing time. Especially since tamu spreads the ball around about as much as any team in college. If he wants a national title he’s going to have to have competition at his position. If not he can be like Calvin Johnson at ga tech and never compete for much.
On Lodge…He could definitely come in and compete for PT as a freshman. He’s that good…
I will say though that Dallis Todd and Mark Andrews were thought to be immediate contributors at WR. That hasn’t been the case…Norvell would play more freshman if they were ready. If Mead and Quick had shown more against LA Tech, you would’ve seen them against Tulsa too…
what Zack said,,,Josh is better than SMU and we don’t need to compete against him in the recruiting arena…
I heard Heuple take a lot of flak throughout the years, and I’ve given him more than my share. With that in mind, I’m surprised at the support for him amongst the readers here. What kind of options would OU pursue, if he were to take this job, or any others out there? Any opinions?
You’ve gave him flak? Tell me it ain’t so Toats. HAHA.
LOL. Half full, remember?
Co-coordinator title is a joke. Josh as hc at any school is better than a qb position coach. My big gripe on Josh was all these 7 on 7 superstars coming out of Texas for the last 7-8 years. Manziel, Daniel, Griffin, Luck, etc. Knight is our first after missing out for a long time. Every coach recently replaced has turned out golden.
I’m late on this one! Lodge! Here we go, watched Lodge’s tape awhile back before he committed to TAMU and watched this season’s tape today. I know he’s been saying he wants to start right away and how that is bad attitude to have…I disagree. This guy is as big of a deep threat as Ryan Broyles/Manuel Johnson was,but obviously doesn’t make the same open field cuts that Broyles was able to make. I don’t see why this guy can’t come in and earn a spot right away. (I say earn because OU has a bevy of talented but unproven recievers) If we have a chance, I don’t see why we shouldn’t give it a chance or at least give Baylor a run for their money.
Heupel, I’ve been indifferent on this one but the more I think about it, the more I feel like it could be a very good mutual move. Heupel imagination for offense hasn’t been up to par outside of Bama and Bedlam last year. I’m not sure why that is, but it hasn’t been the best thing for a group of athletes with that much size and speed. Heupel, in my mind, has all the intangibles to manage a staff and team but maybe not the skill set to design a high motor offense on a consistent basis, yet has had flashes. If Heupel can go be a quality head coach somewhere, why hold him back? On the other hand, I think we could freshen up this offense a little bit like OU has done under Mike Stoops and Coach Montgomery. Either way I think it’s a win/win with the Heupel situation, more worried about losing Monty too soon.