Open Post | Monday, November 12th By: TFB Posted on: November 12, 2018

Post Game Thoughts | JY Edition
– JY

(Photo by Jason Swann)

Holy Smokes!

Bedlam is bedlam for a reason.  This game is often decided by just a few plays, and today’s version was no exception.  The two-point conversion, the missed field goal, the missed extra point, the phantom holding call, and the face mask no call.  One or two of those plays is different, OSU wins.  One or two plays different it’s a blowout.

But this time of year it’s as Al Davis would say.   Just win baby!  And that’s what the Sooners did.

I don’t have any idea what the Sooners were doing defensively.  It took them until the last play of the game defensively to put Tre Brown on Wallace, and it worked.  Bad throw, but still it altered the throw of Cornelius.

Do we even have corners?  The reason I ask is that there were times that you couldn’t even see the corners in the screenshot on the snap.  For all of the worry they had about potential rub routes, screens etc, it only paid off once the whole game when Norwood came up with a big stop.

How bout some Sooner Magic?  Forcing the fumble and going down to win the game.  That’s storybook stuff.  Still, I was hoping that we’d see more blitzing on that final drive, but it was just a hope.

The offensive line continues to dominate whomever they face.  And let’s face it if the o line wasn’t as good as it is, then this team would have three or four losses.

Another guy who is unbelievably good is Kyler Murray.  The guy makes everyone look silly, and he escapes and extends plays like few I’ve ever seen.

How is it a foregone conclusion that Tua Tagoviloa is the Heisman winner?  Kyler puts up like 500 yards of offense every game.

Both Brooks and Sermon went for over 100 today.  Brooks averaged 11 yards a carry while Sermon was pushing 8.

It’s scary to think about what this offense can look like with the influx of high flying recruits at receiver coming in next year.  I’ve got my fingers crossed that Kyler stays another year.

My Grown Ass Man award has to go to Curtis Bolton.  He made play after play.

I thought Caleb Kelly played well too.

Hopefully, the Sooners get a DC that can put these guys in position to shine.  For the life of me I don’t understand how the Offense can be so unbelievably good and the defense can struggle so mightily with so much talent.

I’m nervous as hell about playing West Virginia, but at least I don’t have to hear any puke fans this year

Boomer!

 

 

Redmond Out For Year | Per Lincoln Riley
– Charlie S

*** Lincoln Riley says that Jalen Redmond is our for the rest of the year. Riley said there was another “occurrence” with his condition. He said the prognosis is promising and that it was not as bad it was at the beginning of the year.

*** Redmond will take his redshirt this year and above all else, we hope he fully recovers and can live a happy and normal life.

 

 

TJ Pledger | Injury Update
– Super K

As you know, Sooners running back, TJ Pledger did not go against OkState. The running back depth has been decimated with both Rodney Anderson and Marcelias Sutton out for the year.

I’m told that Pledger is suffering from a hip flexor issue. Don’t have any word yet on a possible return date.

 

 

Jordan Battle | Quick-Update
– Super K

As you know, Sooners safety target, Jordan Battle is on his visit to Alabama this weekend. Here’s a quick note on what I’ve heard as far as where Bama is with their safety recruiting.

***It does sound like they have indeed given up hope on flipping Hill. Hence the push for Battle.

***I’m told there is another safety along with Battle that they are evaluating. Said safety is Florida State DB commit, Nick Cross out of Maryland (DeMatha Catholic).

I’ve heard that Bama sees Battle is the more polished football player while Cross has the upside. I’ve also heard that Cross is likely to open things up soon. He apparently visited Alabama in the summertime but they haven’t brought him in for an official. The fact they brought Battle in first gives me the sense that Battle may be a little ahead of Cross in the pecking order.

***I’m told that Bama does feel like if they push for Battle they’d have a great shot at landing him. Latest I’ve been told is that it’s going to be about this weekend and whether Nick Saban gives the thumbs up.

I’m hoping to find out more about how the visit went for Battle but the above gives you a sense of where I’m told Bama’s mind is right now.

 

 

Recruiting Notes | Bedlam | Part One
– Charlie S

Couple Quick notes to share with you…

*** Can confirm Stacey Wilkins did make the trip up to Norman for Bedlam. That is a very good development as you now had EJ Ndoma-Ogar, Marcus Alexander, and Stacey Wilkins all on campus to help recruit 5-star offensive tackle Evan Neal

*** Speaking of Neal, he was able to spend some time with former Sooners great and current NFL rookie and starting offensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens, Orlando Brown.

*** Touched base briefly with EJ Ndoma-Ogar and he said “The visit is going really well! GREAT GAME. The atmosphere was amazing. Having Evan and Marcus here, plus Stacey coming down has been the highlight so far! Also had a chance to hang with Orlando Brown which was awesome!”

*** EJ also mentioned he is really excited to be able to spend a lot of time this evening with the rest of the offensive line and he’s really looking forward to being a Sooner.

Left to Right: Brey Walker, EJ Ndoma-Ogar, Darrell Simpson, Evan Neal, Adrian Ealy

 

 

Recruiting Notes | Bedlam | Sunday | Part Two
– The Football Brainiacs

In case you missed it, we had some weekend recruiting notes on Friday and Saturday which you can review. We’ll be adding additional notes in this Sunday post…

***I’m told things were going really well with 2019 Oregon DB commit, Jeremiah Criddell. Checked in with someone close to Criddell who said, “He’s loving it. Sees where he can play right away. It is a bit cold for him though. We will see how the evening goes with Bookie as his host”.

I checked with an additional source and continue to hear good things including a possible flip.

If Riley can recruit on the defensive side like this without a DC, imagine what he can do with one.

***Been exchanging texts with 2019 DE/OLB, David Ugwoegbu…

On Friday before his visit, he had told me that Oklahoma was his leader. On his visit, he has said that the visit is going better than expected. So, that sounds like things are on schedule. I’ll likely speak with him in detail after the visit.

 

 

Bedlam Recruiting | Round Three | Quick-Hitters
– Super K

***David Ugwoegbu and I plan on speaking in detail about the visit tomorrow. As I mentioned Friday night, he said OU leads. He told me via text…

“OU took a huge step forward”.

In other words, still leading.

And yes, OU side is very confident.

***I spoke with 2020 4-Star DB, Miles Brooks (Jacksonville, FL). I’ll have a write-up on that conversation but he loved the visit. His thoughts on the defense were interesting. OU as a university really impressed him so I don’t think the defense performing well or not really mattered a ton.

He liked OU going into the visit and said, “They moved up in my recruiting. I liked them going in but even more now. I’ll definitely be back…official or unofficial I’ll be back for sure”.

Brooks was at Virginia Tech last weekend, OU this weekend and said he plans on taking an unofficial visit to Michigan this upcoming weekend.

***I mentioned this past week that based on my conversations with folks out at IMG and folks around the OU program, that the Sooners were real players in the recruitment with 5-star OT, Evan Neal.

Still, don’t have a ton on this front but we are working on it to get various perspectives on this one.

I was told earlier today that it’s down to OU and Alabama. Again, that’s just additional confirmation from a different source and perspective on what I noted earlier in the week when I returned from Florida.

Source said that Neal was very tough to read this weekend. Was told that his mother seemed to enjoy the visit but there weren’t any over the top reactions or telltale signs that one could read into. They play things pretty even-keeled.

***2020 4-star offensive lineman, Geirean Hatchett (Ferndale, WA) made in for a visit.

I plan on having a full update on Hatchett later but for now, wanted to share a nice quote from him. I had originally thought this was Hatchett’s third visit to Oklahoma – which is a lot. But I was wrong…

“This is actually my fourth time here. Gets better and better every time”.

Hatchett is definitely a name to know for this 2020 class.