Open Post | Monday, Dec. 8th (UPDATE 2:48 pm)
Posted on: December 8, 2014
Image of Gabriel Campbell via @DemetricDWarren
Despite the difficult loss OU took on Saturday, by most accounts we’ve been able to gather, it sounds like it was still a successful recruiting weekend for the Sooners. The crowd was into the game and overtime always offers some great entertainment. It obviously didn’t go the Sooners way, but the most important thing at this point is getting things moving in the right direction for the future. And recruiting is certainly key to making that happen.
Darrin Kirkland: Although the talented LB was not in Norman this past weekend, he was in town for the Kansas game and has announced his Top 4. Kirkland will commit at the US Army All-American game and will decide between Oklahoma, Texas, Ole Miss and Tennessee. We’ll be totally honest here, we don’t see this one going OU’s way.
We’ve been told that Kirkland and WR Ryan Newsome want to play together, and we just don’t see OU landing either of them.
Kareem Orr: The 2015 DB from Memphis, Tennessee was in Norman on an official visit this past weekend. Orr told us that the OU family treated him like royalty. He said the visit and first class treatment he received led to him de-committing from Louisville, and he was seriously considering a commitment to the Sooners. Signs are definitely leaning towards him pulling the trigger for OU. We’re going to stay in regular contact with Orr, because this one feels like it is the Sooners’ to lose.
Nate Dalton: We caught up with Dalton last night. He said every single thing about the trip was fantastic. He admitted that he doesn’t have much to compare it to since he hasn’t taken an official visit to any other high major schools, but it certainly sounds like the trip blew his hair back. At 6’3″, we thought OU might be looking at Dalton as a possible safety prospect, but he said they told him they do want him as a cornerback.
We asked about his plans on a commitment, and he said he will take a visit to Kentucky next week before making any decisions. He said he’ll wait until January, try to take a couple more visits, and expects to make his decision late January, near signing day. We could see that changing though depending on how many offers come in, because he is a bit of a newcomer on the recruiting scene. If the offers don’t come in right away, then we expect schools like Kentucky will pressure for an earlier decision. Bottom line is, in talking to Dalton, it’s clear OU did their job and have put themselves in a position to land his commitment.
Justin Reid: This past Friday, LSU offered 2015 OU safety target Justin Reid. Who is the younger brother of former LSU star safety and current San Francisco 49er, Eric Reid. We’ve chatted with Reid and with someone close to Reid since the offer and, unfortunately, this one is all but over. We are fully expecting him to end up in Baton Rouge.
Gabriel Campbell: I (K) was texting with Campbell much of the weekend to check on his trip. And I can share that he absolutely loved the visit. I plan on catching up with him again tonight, but he did text and tell me that OU was already “up there with Ole Miss and Miss State before the trip.” So it seems this visit might have given the Sooners a slight lead.
I’ve spoken to Gabriel quite a bit just in general, and I know that he’s looking for a certain kind of coach. A coach who is a morally upright man that is a great teacher of the game. A guy who can be a teacher to him on and off the field. It sounds like he’s found that coach in Jerry Montgomery. It’s still going to be tough for OU to pull Campbell out of Mississippi, but it seems a lot more likely now that it did before the trip.
We hope to have more with Gabriel later in the week, but if the Sooners can close on Campbell and Neville Gallimore…that make for a filthy defensive line class.
Cody Ford: The 2015 OL OU commit had a great time on his visit as well. Ford said that while the Sooners did take a tough loss, the trip solidified is his commitment to the Sooners. Interestingly, despite being a fit big man, Ford made a big deal about how in awe he was of how much OU made nutrition such an important facet of their training.
Ford actually did a little recruiting for OU himself during the weekend. He said he spent time working on Josh Wariboko and Du’Vonta Lampkin. Just trying to show them OU is a great fit for both.
Tyler Banta: The 2016 OK Preps offensive lineman made it to Bedlam and it was just one of several Oklahoma games he’s attended this year. Banta grew up an OU fan so he was naturally bummed about the loss. He did say that it was the loudest and “most live” game of the year. We get the impression that if OU did offer at some point, they’d be very tough to beat.
Martinas Rankin: As we mentioned last week, Rankin’s in-home visit was scheduled for this Sunday and he tweeted out a picture yesterday of himself along with coach Bedenbaugh, coach Heupel, and the head man himself.
– UPDATE (10:17 am): OU has reportedly offered 2015 LB & Vanderbilt commit, Josh Smith.
– UPDATE (10:53 am): 2015 QB Chason Virgil has let us know that Oklahoma has offered him.
– UPDATE (2:48 pm): OU coaches checking in on much-needed 2015 LB offer, Arthur McGinnis.
Shoutout to OU for stopping by #Sooners
— 須藤 莲 🥰🥰 (@Soil40262) December 8, 2014
122 Comments
Frankly sick of the program right now. Sorry
I get your sentiment. I tend to always be more of optimist but I’ve got some serious concerns myself. I think at this point it would just be delusional to not feel concerned unless you’re a person who isn’t particularly concerned with competing at the highest level. I think OU still has some consistency to hang their hat on but I suspect most folks are like me who want to see OU in the NC discussion.
At this point I would like to see us in the Big 12 Championship discussion. And none of this “co” nonsense, an outright championship.
Yup. That’s right.
…consistent what?
Four years without an undisputed conference title. Six years since national relevance.
That’s never been good enough at Oklahoma, and it shouldn’t be now.
Hey Super K, if OU was in the market for coaches at LB and or DB is there anybody out there that would really help our cause with recruiting this year! I mean any particular Coaches that already have great relationships with some of these Recruits!
Did ford have any luck with wariboko and lampkin? I think getting lampkin back could be huge because I think he will be better in a 4 man front and I believe ou needs to switch back to a 4-3.
I think OU should be able to play two techniques. They should have a 30 hybrid alignment and then an under front. It’s something they could install in the offseason.
Had one of the resident ‘brains’ on another site tell me it couldn’t be done…was too confusing for the players to play both a 4 man and a 30 front.
With the athletes ou gets they should be able to do both. And I think it would help give different looks to the opposing offenses because it changes the alignment and who knows maybe in the run game it would throw off their blocking schemes.
You have to have it between your ears for multiple systems not whether your athletic, although it makes it easier if you are both.
Unfortunately I don’t think we’ve had guys with it between their ears since 2004 on defense. I remember venables system being to complicated. I get that sometimes you have to make things simple so guys athleticism can just take care of business. But you look at Alabama and they are sound because guys understand the system and use their athleticism within the system.
Yep. Let them just go out and play. You’re not gonna be very good if you’re thinking all the time. Just let natural abilities flow
I’m with you Zack but look at it this way. We almost had that this year with Grissom at 260. That’s 4 across the front. To me, that’s why getting DeBerry is so important. He’s that guy for Grissom’s position. he’s 250 or more and he would be awesome. Bond will get to 245 but that will give DeBerry a year to learn. Our 3 DL will average 300 and be stout. Also, having Striker back and utilizing him better would help our cause. I like what we have but we need a different philosophy on how to use them because this last experiment wasn’t so good.
That’s true and I don’t think the coaches use the 3-4 to it’s potential. It’s not at all meant to drop 8. It’s capable of allowing the DC a ton of creativity with coverages and blitz packages. Because even in a 4-3, occasionally you will see coaches drop the ends or tackles into short zone coverages and blitz the linebackers. My reason for wanting to see the 4-3 is that I just don’t think mike is comfortable with the 3-4. He did some good things with pressure but in all the losses our defense looked weak.
In other words, if you usin the 3/4 then put both feet in.
Because football is a reaction game not a thinking man’s game you have too many mental bust constantly switching from a 3 man to 4 man audience.
Agreed, OU should be able to go with a multiple front. This would really keep coaches guessing.
Scares me to death. This goes back to players inserting themselves back in the game and leading to more confusion and timeouts. K, you know more than me but from what I see in the Big 12, this leads down a rough road with young players
Ok so we can put the fire out now..
Not putting the fire out til someone gets fired.
Sounds like of the players in for this game, OU’s best shot on NSD is with Orr at a position of need. Would love to get Rankin. The oline next season is a huge ??? and he could make an immediate impact for next year.
Super K – who do you believe we’ll land at LB? Looks like Houston was the only LB visitor last weekend
And he (Houston) is not a realistic option
Man tough to say but at some point I think they’ll offer Dwaine Thomas and hopefully the Sooners can land him.
I guess Ezekiel Turner takes Justin Reid’s safety spot…
DB class of Orr, Dalton, Mbanasor, Sunderland, Johnson, Haughton, and Turner? Do we really take 7 DBs?
I think dalton will end up at Kentucky just the feeling I get. Reminds me of the situation last year with Randolph.
But to answer your question they need to take as many DBs as they think can play since they don’t have faith in guys like Austin and Taylor who saw a lot of the field in 2013.
Turner is high on OU and Washington and right now it isn’t necessarily a forgone conclusion that he’d end up at OU.
Did OU offer Chason Virgil?
We haven’t confirmed it just yet.
I see the update on Virgil. That’s good to know. I hope he commits.
Yes Josh Smith!!! looks good
We need CB’s and a lot of them.
It’s nice to have some good news. I wish we could get a trench warfare of Samaje’s record game just so there is something else positive on here, plus, recruits that I know do like to come here and that’s another way to break down the success of Bedenbaugh. I hope to get some positive news about the big XII adding someone or two
Jordan or anyone, If the Big XII did add two teams to go back to 12, could they change the schedules immediately for next season? Obviously everyone’s three out of conference would stay the same but if we had 12 teams, two divisions, then I don’t see why they couldn’t change our conference schedules for next year to playing 6 division games and 3 from the opposite division to make a 12 game season. I don’t know any rules behind this though
Also, Why haven’t we at least tried to get some JUCO LB help? We are losing two great outside and I do like Obo and Bond, as well as Curtis Bolton and Tay Evans, but it would be nice to get a solid inside LB and outside LB.
Hit JY on twitter and remind him how much y’all love it 🙂
That Smith kid looks fierce! Any insight into our chances?
Gonna see what we can find out 🙂
Also, see if there’s a chance we could get his brother to transfer from Vanderbilt to OU. Older brother Emmanuel was a 4-star safety in the 2014 class…just finished his freshman season.
Man, Coach B is incapable of taking a good picture isn’t he. He either looks constipated, suprised, or both.
haha
So the feeling going into the game was we would win and we would pull in at least two recruits. Now that the weekend is over can we officially call it a failure? We lost and we got no one to pull the trigger.
What I am curious about is how we went from having a good chance to land two and now we know no one pulled the trigger. Was it the loss or the way we lost that burnt us?
Maybe neither? Not all kids like to commit on the spot. Things look really good on a few of them, the ones we thought might commit. Let’s let it play out.
There are no commitments until February.
Sorry. verbal.
Not sure where to ask this, but is Shannon going to play for OU next year, or is he gone?
Everything I’ve heard is that he’ll be back next year.
That’s a good thing, right? I feel like Alexander and Evans do a lot right, but they just don’t have the size to be disruptive.
I think Evans will get better and better. Alexander’s production is consistent but he does seem to disappear at times
HoustonChiver- I blame this on the scheme that is being called. Why Mike never calls any Middle blitzes drives me crazy. We had a True Freshman QB playing against us and we don’t bring the house.
Coaches scared, just like he has all year.
You did see the tacking at the backend, so, no wonder he is scared, and also when he does bring the blitz, our LBs constantly miss, which has been a problem.
I think you have Shannon and Alexander on 1st and 2nd down…sub Alexander out on 3rd for Evans.
Frank Shannon?
Miller
Now that’s funny
Not sure but he can if he wants from what I understand
In that same eligibility vein…when would he be able to resume working out with the team? Bowl prep? Can Mixon work out with the team during bowl prep?
Question for anybody, is it the year-end banquet this weekend? It’s generally a solid recruiting weekend for OU, so I’m just curious if it is and if there are any known visitors?
hey, tfb……….obviously, many are clamoring for coaching changes……..when coaches appear in recruiting photos, esp with bstoops present, could that be taken as that coach is probably safe………..case in point, above with jh………you don’t see photos of him on recruiting trips very often…………or, do you think it’s meaningless
jh does recruiting in-house visits from up in the booth
Wait…….JH recruits?!?
Who knew?
I think it’s matter execution really. Just kidding. In all seriousness, TFB mentioned last week that the presence of Stoops on a lot of these in home visits could possibly signal that he wants to have a solid relationship with the recruits in the event an assistant leaves the program…be that by firing or resignation. It would make sense that if he’s more present with certain assistants, he’s not as sure of those assistants as others. I think Bedenbaugh is safe though.
It’s not meaningless.
Sorry to rain on this parade but Stoops and JH did an in home visit together yesterday. A lot happens outside of what you see on social media, guys.
Anybody heard these rumors?
Sterling Shepard, Eric Striker Plan on Declaring
http://walterfootball.com/nfldraftrumormill.php
I don’t think either is ready. I think it would be a mistake, more so in Striker’s case then Shepard’s
Shep isn’t leaving from what Dede Westbrook said about his visit.
That site is about as credible as the dump I took this morning. But let me tell you how I really feel.
Not sure we wanna know how you really feel after that.
A couple pounds lighter 🙂
They once had Tom Wort as a late first round daft pick, if that makes you feel better? True story.
And I just read a story there that the first round would be loaded with rb’s. They said TJ Yeldon and 4 others not named Melvin Gordon would be first round picks lol I guess they didn’t get the memo that RB’s are rarely taken in the first round these days. Oh well, at least Tom Wort got drafted in the first round.
Just letting you guys know I survived the epic meltdown Saturday. This season has been so up and down(mostly down lately) that this is absolutely the perfect finish for it. Lose to Okie State and take one on the chin from Brent Venables. Theres always 2015, or is there!!!!!?
At this point I give up on trying to predict commits for OU.
Baylor learned a good lesson about strength of schedule and I hope the Big 12 learned their lesson about a conference championship game.
My choices about 2 additions to the Big 12 and some reasons.
1. University Central Florida (UCF)
A. ACC champions 2 years in a row (2013, 2014.)
B. 2nd largest university in the country
C. located in Orlando (theme park capital of the world.)
D. In 2013 they beat Penn State, Louisville, and of course the Baylor Bears.
E. In In 2014 they lost to Penn State, Missouri, and beat BYU. They won the ACC championship game on a last second Hail Mary Pass.
F. Closer for W. Virginia-?
G. Florida has been known for their excellent football players
H. Greater Orlando metropolitan area has a population of 2.1 million.
2. University of Cincinnati.
A. AAC champions for 2014. A final record of 9-3, losing to Ohio State (50-28) and Miami (55-34)
B. Completing a 86 million dollar upgrade for their football stadium.
C. Sports town ( Bengals and Reds.)
D. Greater Cincinnati metropolitan area population of 2.2 million.
E. Closer for W Virginia-?
F. Ohio does have some excellent football players also.
If and when the Big 12 does expand what teams would you choose?
Gary did you mean AAC nor ACC?
I think one is in the ACC and the other is in the AAC???? Whatever somebody help me.
UCF=?
Cincinnati = ?
They’re both in the AAC, & each tied w/ Memphis for the conference title @ 7-1, although UCF easily had the worst loss of the 3 (UConn? Really?)
UCF would be atop my wish list. I think BYU would be a solid grab as well, but are a little too far away and I don’t see the Big XII adding another timezone so basically if they were to expand, it would be east.
Cincinnati is in Conference USA, I believe.
UCF is in AAC.
Both are in the AAC.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Athletic_Conference
So little to pick from out there. SMH we missed the MF’ing boat. BYU, UCF, and a couple more from the east. Don’t know who, but IMO we need to bring in 4 if they are going to be perceived as weak. BYU seems to have Texas’ number so we would be able to watch UT lose again. 🙂
We need only add a championship game, not more members. The Big 12 is second in per team payouts by only a little to the Big 10. Any member added must be a high quality addition in order to negotiate the contract upward to maintain the same level of payouts. There really isn’t such a team out there that isn’t locked into their conference by a grant of rights.
Cincy is a decent-sized TV market, and UCF is in a very large market. One major problem exists unfortunately: neither team garners much interest in their markets. Ohio State dominates all of Ohio. Cincy has about as much interest in Cincinnati as TU does in Tulsa…very little. UCF is in the same boat; Florida State, Florida and Miami dominate the TV in Florida. If we added these 2 weak sisters, our payouts decrease.
If we simply add a conference championship game, for example this year we had a rematch between TCU & Baylor, we would have a team in the playoffs. And we’d get extra $$ per team for that game.
It’s not fair to the teams or players. JB, we have 10 teams, only 7 are going to a bowl. That’s lost revenue. $14 mill this year alone. Yep, keep 10 teams without a big 12 channel. That will get exposure and increase it’s revenue and create credibility with CFB & ESPN. Hate ESPN but if they were on our side, we would love them. JB, it’s about money and we are left behind.
Bottom line is to follow SECs blueprint. You don’t need the best teams to have the BEST conf.
That is TOTAL per team payouts…TV revenues, bowl payouts, etc.
Adding a conference championship game would give the conference bowl-game type of money to spread around (like the other conferences) and it puts a team in Final Four. We don’t need to add any teams to have a playoff between 1 & 2 in the conference. We really didn’t need to have a conference championship game this year if Bowlsby had done what he said he would in the summer and determine a tiebreaker to name a single champion.
If we dilute the conference by adding teams that bring little fan interest or market share like cincy & ucf, the payout amount per team goes DOWN. We lose money. Adding those teams is illogical.
All of the teams in the Big 12 have sold their Tier 3 rights, and make as much money or more (depending on the school, particularly OU and UT), and that DOES NOT factor in the conferene’s total team payouts since these deals are negotiated by individual schools.
I thought the NCAA refused to allow a CCG without at least 12 teams.
I think you thought right.
Dilute the conference? How can we get any lower in the eyes of the voters and ESPN. Perception and reality are what got us where we are now. UCF beat the tar out of Baylor last year – dilute? This is 2015 and they are not grading on the curve.
Tier 3 rights – other than OU & UT, no one has the money to internally set up the infrastructure to use their rights. That was a UT thing. Blow it up and go to a conf channel. Hmm, seems like all of the conf channels are doing better than our T3s. I don’t see ESPN knocking down our doors to use our rights much less show our games.
Big 12 is at the backend of the trend and that’s not good for any business. Most of those get acquired at a low price and dissolve.
Baylor is a bottom feeder along with TCU and guess who is in the lead and they have new stadiums. Who says UCF or Cincy couldn’t do that.
Business people who run these programs see what is going on they (boosters) don’t like it. Like above, they have money because they were good at their business. The Big 12 is in a mess and there needs to be an overhaul. Or, you can watch SEC, Pac & the B10 continue to pass us by.
Unless you get the NCAA to change its rules requiring a championship game to be played only by those conferences with 12 or more members you do.
The addition of 31 million potential viewing fans from Ohio and Florida would allow the conference to renegotiate their TV contracts to an increased amount large enough to cover the earned TV fees for UC and UCF. Perhaps even enough to add a million dollars or more to each of the existing members coffers annually.
The factor you are not considering with regard to market draw is both UC and UCF are of the AAC and are presently playing Tulsa, Temple, SMU, Houston, USF, Memphis, UConn, East Carolina and Tulane in conference.
OU, Texas, Baylor, TCU, West Virginia, KSU, Tech, OSU, ISU and KU are a much better draw. Moreover, joining the B12 would allow both schools to sell playing in a power 5 conference which would greatly improve their ability to much better athletes, improve their level of play and further create more viewing interest.
Don’t forget lowly Baylor has shown how better athletes that win more games greatly increase fan interest. Get money to build a new state of the art stadium. And that is in a state where all the interest is supposedly focused on Texas and aTm.
Personally I would like to see some covert negotiations to substantially upgrade the Big 12. Is it doable? I have no idea but I would like to see Nebraska, Mizzou and A&M back while adding Arkansas and LSU. Tell Texas they can get an even split and not be the prima donna or find another Conference. THEY (UT) are to blame for the demise of the Conference. You have to admit it would be a hell of a conference!
It would upgrade the competition year in and out and they would all be contiguous States in the same time zone. Stranger things have happened. I guess the 1st thing would be to get rid of the D-bag Big 12 current commissioner. One TRUE Champion my AZZ.
Nebraska, Missouri and aTm as members of the B1G and SEC have signed grants of media rights contracts with their respective conferences. A move to the B12 would force all those school to give their respective conference all their B12 TV revenue through the duration of the contract (approximate 2025-26). This could amount to as much as $250 million over the next 10 years.
To costly to move between power 5 conferences in the future. It is not going to happen.
Maryland was the last school to be able to make that transition from the ACC to the B1G because they were under a liquidation damages contract of $52 million not a grant of rights contract. The Terps were able to negotiate their liquidated damages cost to $31 million.
Great research there gary. I think those would be 2 good additions at this point. I don’t think byu is a good idea because of geography (would like it more if no wvu). But cincy and ucf would be good choices.
IMO don’t screw around and just add teams to add teams. Act like you are the 2nd best conference in the country because football wise you are. I know the CFB comittee made a statement about not having a Champ. Game but I honestly feel like it was way more the big 12 not naming a champ and OSU did what they needed to do and they are OSU. Where more fan base, and more name to sell to sponsors.
So I would go after Clemson, FSU, and even Virginia. Team 4 I maybe Cincinati. That adds tons of quality football and tons of TV’s and at the end of the day those 2 things are what makes TV contracts go up!
On and they are all close to WVU and you make a very natural rivalry with WVU and VU and could with Clemson and FSU. The ACC is trash so move those teams in and make the Big 12 or 14 the new power conference!
I know its a big dream but big dreams start somewhere.
Pipe dream. Big 12 was a front runner with SEC when we had 12. Big 12 is not viewed as the 2nd best conference anymore. If OU/UT was in the mix, maybe but not having the CCG is the killer.
Financially, we are losing a ton of money this year and will continue unless we expand. Like the article said, $14 mill just in bowl games alone. Add more teams and put together a Big 12 network to increase exposure and money.
I agree we are not currently seen as strong or united but football wise I believe we are seen as second. Some say pac12 but last weekend big12 was 3,6,and 8. Not bad!
You have to sell FSU and Clemson on the fact that the ACC is viewed as week and it is as seen by going undefeated and rated lower than schools with losses.
So sell them on how a conference would be viewed with them Clemson WVU Baylor Texas and OU. OU and UT maybe down currently but they are know on and with history. Just saying all those names of schools together that can be sold to networks and schools and recruits. And you tell them all your coming for the sec.
Just my dream
OK, think about what you are asking for. OU would play a very hard schedule. So if the SEC has the blueprint, lets see how Bama gets there. First and foremost – 4 patsies for non conf and one or two of those near the end of the year.
West good teams – LSU/Auburn
West Mid level – ATM/Ole Miss/Miss St and Arky.
East – Good teams – Georgia/Florida/Mizzou
East – Mid to low – Tennessee Kentucky, Vandy, SC
Bama hardly ever plays Florida, Georgia, or SC – maybe once in 15 years unless it’s a CCG. Bama has their rival, Tennessee in the east. So Bama plays Tenn & Vandy from the east – there two wins. Now they play and beat LSU and Auburn – they are in the show.
The old Big 12 was a 2 year rolling schedule to the north teams. Not in the SEC, that would hurt their chances.
My point is you bring in some teams that may not be show stoppers but will fill out the conf and provide a CCG just like the SEC. Bring in Cincy & UCF. Louisville ship sailed which was a very bad decision. I would like to add more but……
Virginia, FSU and Clemson are also committed to the ACC with a grant of media rights contract that would cost them close to $250 million over 10-12 years. See my post above for details.
That’s what I thought. I didn’t mention them to start with because of the grant of media rights. I read somewhere that Bowlsby was in Cincinnati or going to visit. Can’t find the article now. Isn’t the reason for scheduling Big 12 games on conference championship game dates a concession of some sort . Also it seems like UCF and Cincinnati are not afraid to schedule top teams in their ooc games. I just hope the Big 12 doesn’t just sit back and do nothing. An old poker friend of mine used to say ” think long you think wrong.”
Additionally, allowing UCF and UC to join the B12 would add a target TV population for Florida and Ohio of approximately 31.0 million which is a lot of TV sets. The current population of the targeted states in our conference is 38.1 million. Adding the two new states would increase the conference targeted TV audience by 81%. A renegotiated TV contract should increase each conference members annual TV revenue significantly not to mention the additional TV revenue from a conference championship.
DAMN!! Tough break on Reid, though it could be a nice get, damn u LSu!
Not to touch on a sensitive subject but was Zach Sanchez doing that stupid “hands up, don’t shoot” stunt when he was coming back to the sidelines and everyone was congratulating him? Maybe I’m wrong, just curious if I’m the only one that noticed that. If that’s the case someone needs to update him on the facts of the case and not the false narrative that is being pushed by the MSM. Just saying. Added insult to injury.
maybe he was. Maybe he was using it as a joke referring to the huge attention he was getting. Maybe he was mocking the offense. Maybe he was doing some other gesture that happened to look like it and it was misinterpreted. Whatever.
Generally, when an 18-25 year old male does most any hand gesture that appears to be an attempt to signal something, you’re better off ignoring it. (unless on a construction site, in combat or crossing a street.) This goes triply for gestures that might imply a political opinion.
I don’t pretend to know the facts of this case but I would probably lean toward the side of the police officer. However I won’t pretend to know the anxiety a young black man feels when it comes to law enforcement or the public view of them being “thugs”. Regardless this is not a political forum and these topics tend to get out of hand so it’s better not to make these comments here as they may offend some people.
People who are on the side of Brown seem to want to believe he was doing that…but the fact is defenders have ALWAYS put their hands up to say “wasn’t me” or “I did nothing wrong”. That’s all he was doing after he laid that guy out, but it appears that some of his ex – teammates wanted to believe he was doing the hands up don’t shoot garbage.
If you don’t understand the bigger problem then maybe you shouldn’t bring that to this site. Obviously this is something that you don’t have to deal with.
This isn’t exactly OU related, but here is an awesome breakdown of Demarco Murray’s carries against the Bears: http://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/2onl26/demarco_murray_32_carries_179_yards_1_td_versus/
If the “Hulk” size and speed are legit, I am thinking he is must get…. He might be the rock we need in the middle… What’s your guys feeling on him???
IMHO, of all of the LBs OU has offered and has a legit shot with, DeBerry, Wheeler, McKee, Peat, McGinnis looks like the guy that has a chance to be most successful in OUr scheme. DeBerry and Wheeler and Peat not as quick but could be great if used in the right scheme, McKee a role player hybrid type. Really want McGinnis.
I wonder if anyone has checked to see if Allan Trimble has any college coaching dreams? I mean all the guy has ever done is win championship after championship in the largest class of Oklahoma HS football.
Curious if he’d ever jump to follow Blankenship at TU (seeing as they used to coach against each other when Blankenship was coaching Tulsa Union). But it’d be interesting to see if he did ever make the leap to college…
After watching Bill and how tough it can be at TU, I’m not sure he would take that same path. If everything is right, it can be a great stepping stone but hit it wrong and it can make you look bad.
Yes bring Trimble in to coach running backs and promote cale to offensive coordinator. Which should have happened 4 years ago. Need some young enthusiastic d back coaches to help mike clean his mess up. But he needs to be willing to let them do their jobs. Square peg through round hole type of deal.
I bet he could be a good LB coach
If I was looking at a LB coach, I would look for a Monty/Coach B type. Meaning, someone who has shown the ability to recruit and develop LB’s. Someone who could hit the ground running.
That’s true, honestly my top pick would be LeVar Woods if we are getting a new Linebacker coach. He is familiar with recruiting in the south, he played linebacker, he’s younger, and he would be a favorite of Bob Stoops because he’s an Iowa alum. I think he could be a great pickup. I also think we need a secondary coach, not just Cornerback. Have someone come in who can develop and work those guys hard everyday in practice and relieve Mike from the safeties. He can just focus on his scheme and game plan, and Jamba Juice smoothie.
Is virgil still planning on graduating early?
Yep. A decision coming real soon.
Anyone heard the rumors that Gundy is going to resign? Something about him fooling around with the wife of an assistant coach?
Which Gundy?
The douche Gundy of the family…not Cale.
I know a Josh Smith but he’s better at riding broncs than playing football. This Josh Smith we’ve offered looks like he can smell the ball and nothing will stop him from getting there. I don’t know our odds here but I hope we can get this kid.
Thanks for being you, SK and also for all the effort and time you expend providing us with so much info and insight into OU recruiting.