The Football Brainiacs

Continuing with our plan this offseason to share some content that a couple members of our community have been creating for close to a year now!

I am happy to be able to announce that TFB supports The Champion Standard Podcast!

Our guys @soonerbrad and @Birddawg have been pumping out some high-quality podcasts that talk about Xs and Os, hot topics, and OU football talk in general. This podcast represents the views and opinions of Rob and Brad and TFB is not part of their operation, but we do endorse it wholeheartedly!

Each time a new podcast drops I will post it here for the community. Give the guys a listen, sub to their YouTube channel, and include their pods on your mobile devices!

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New Sunday Episode-  Jaydn Ott – Standing Addition  

When Jaydn Ott announced he was transferring to Oklahoma, it wasn’t just another portal win for the Sooners. It was a signal: OU is serious about rebuilding its offensive identity heading into the first full SEC season.

In this week’s Champion Standard episode, Rob and Brad took their listeners on a full tour of OU’s latest spring headlines — from a historic softball sweep over Texas (and the ever-booed Mike White) to the futures of Billy Bowman and Danny Stutsman in the NFL — before spending a full breakdown segment on Ott, the Sooners’ newest offensive weapon.

“Patty’s his Daddy”
The show opened with celebration: Patty Gasso’s Sooner softball team swept their rivals once again, triggering boos and groans every time Texas head coach Mike White took a step outside the dugout. As Brad put it bluntly: “Mike White gameplans for Patty Gasso the same way people gameplan for a tornado — hide, pray, and hope it’s over quickly.” Rob and Brad joked that shirts with the slogan “Patty’s Your Daddy” are overdue.

But then the conversation shifted.

NFL Dreams Realized
Rob and Brad detailed how Danny Stutsman and Billy Bowman found NFL homes. Danny with the Saints and Billy with the Falcons and why both players landed in spots where they could play immediately. “Brandon Staley’s light-box defense fits Danny country leading run stop efficiency perfectly,” Rob said. “Staley failed as a head coach with the Chargers, sure, but his defenses are built for linebackers like Danny. They ask you to diagnose fast and trigger downhill — that’s where Stutsman shines.” – Rob

“I’m honestly surprised Danny fell to the fourth round. He was the most efficient run defender in college football. The Saints got a steal.” – Rob

 “And Billy? He’s a ballhawk. Falcons need a nickel. That room’s wide open.” 

A broader point emerged: Oklahoma players are landing in better developmental situations than some other high-profile programs. Notably, Brad cracked, “At least they’re not stuck in Cleveland’s graveyard.”

“Atlanta’s defensive coordinator said it right after the draft: Billy Bowman’s going to start his career at nickel. They drafted him for his instincts and ball skills in tight spaces.” – Brad

“He’s not a traditional safety at the next level. At nickel, you get Billy’s quickness, his ability to mirror slot receivers, and his hands to create turnovers.” – Rob

Sanders Drama Saga

Once mocked as a potential top-10 pick earlier in the year, Sanders slipped all the way to the fifth round, landing with the Cleveland Browns — and Rob didn’t hold back:

“He must’ve been the most spiritual quarterback I’ve ever seen — because he threw a lot of balls on a hope and a prayer to Travis Hunter,” Rob quipped.

The hosts broke down the reasons behind Sanders’ draft-night tumble. Among them: erratic film at Colorado, concerns about his ability to operate within structure, and rumblings of poor pre-draft interviews.

“When Pat Shurmur — a thirty-year NFL coaching vet — can’t get your game right, that says a lot,” Rob pointed out.

Brad added that the constant noise around Deion Sanders and the Colorado program only made it harder for NFL teams to separate fact from fiction:

“You never want bad buzz before the draft. Whether it’s true or not, it snowballs — and next thing you know, teams just back away.”

Enter Jaydn Ott

Ott’s film review dominated the second half of the episode. Rob pulled tape from Ott’s games against Oregon and UCLA, emphasizing the traits that make him an ideal fit for Oklahoma’s new offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle.

The headline quote:
“Jaydn Ott makes things right even when everyone else gets it wrong.”

While Cal’s offensive line and scheme left plenty to be desired — repeatedly asking Ott to “bend the corner” no matter the front — Ott’s vision, contact balance, and footwork allowed him to create explosive plays even when assignments broke down.

Rob showed how on one counter run against Oregon, “every single block was missed,” yet Ott made three defenders miss and outran a fourth to score. “That’s the type of back you want in Norman,” Rob emphasized.

Importantly, Ott’s running style — a combination of patience and suddenness — mirrors the kind of counter game that offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh excels at teaching.

Still, there was one lingering question:
Ott has never run wide zone, a run scheme that made up 18-20% of Arbuckle’s calls at Washington State. How quickly he adapts will influence just how high his ceiling can go in 2025.

New Competitive Energy in the RB Room
With Gavin Sawchuk’s transfer announced, Rob and Brad speculated that the competition between Jovantae Barnes, Ott, and Xavier Robinson could create the “iron sharpening iron” environment the Sooners’ running back room has lacked in recent years.

“Ott’s presence forces Barnes to prove it, not just hope for it,” Brad said. “And Robinson’s a totally different back — downhill, young, hungry. This room finally feels competitive again.”

Jaydn Ott equated 39 or 21% of explosive plays for Cal in 2023. (10+ yards or more)

OU’s Javontae Barnes had 22 last year. 

Tailgating Dreams and Thunder Brooms
Before wrapping up, the hosts excitedly teased plans for a Champion Standard tailgate party this fall — complete with TFB sponsorship, brisket smokers, music, and, if Rob gets his way, enough food to feed half the Sooner Nation.

One Year Later: Gratitude
Near the end, Brad reflected on the podcast’s one-year anniversary. “Without you listeners, we wouldn’t be doing this. Thank you for being part of this fun!”

The energy remained humble, grateful, and ready — ready for a fall that now looks a lot more exciting with Jaydn Ott in the mix.