Open Post | Tuesday, March 22nd
Posted on: March 22, 2022
Sunday Quick Hitter | Additional Visitors
– Charlie S – Posted on: March 20, 2022
Just a quick note this fine Sunday morning…
Adding a couple new visitors to the ‘Working Visitor List | March 25th’ thread, one of which I felt was significant enough to warrant his own post.
***’23 DB Makari Vickers (6’1 180) out of Tallahassee, FL, let me know he will be making the trip up to Norman for an unofficial visit.
Vickers has been to Florida State a ton, he holds all the regional and Florida offers, and he would like to be committed to the school of his choosing prior to his senior season. While I am not inclined to think OU wins this recruitment in the end, I do think it’s pretty telling that they continue to pull top-shelf prospects in for visits on their own dime.
Getting another big time recruit on campus from the state of Florida is a good sign and we will catch up with Makari following his visit to see how much of an impact the Sooners made and if they have inserted themselves as a truly legit option going forward.
***The other visitor I will be adding is 2025 offensive lineman Owen Hollenbeck (6’3 295) out of Melissa, TX.
Nothing really notable on this one aside from the fact that his inclusion on this trip represents the fourth player from Melissa that we have confirmed to be heading to Norman next week.
Quick Hitter | Confirming a Significant Visitor
– Charlie S – Posted on: March 21, 2022
Last night K let me know that he has confirmed that ’23 DL Derrick LeBlanc (6’4 270) out of Kissimmee, FL, will be making a return visit to Norman this weekend.
I added him to the Working Visitor List | March 25th Weekend last night.
This is significant on a couple of fronts…
LeBlanc has a commitment date set for June 23rd.
He has already taken an extended unofficial to Norman previously, and we expect him to take an official visit following this second unofficial extended visit.
The commitment date is tied to OU ’23 OL target Payton Kirkland (6’6 345) out of Orlando, FL, and ’23 LB Malik Bryant who is also from Orlando.
The three are not necessarily a package deal, but the common commitment date is something of note.
OU will host Kirkland for an official visit, but we do not believe they are working with Bryant at all.
The fact that OU is getting a second unofficial visit from LeBlanc in addition to the expected official certainly puts them squarely in the mix for his signature.
Working Visitor List | March 25th | Originally Posted 3/16 – Updated
– Charlie S – Posted on: March 21, 2022
The Sooners are set to host some exciting prospects this week (March 18th-19th) in ’24 DL David Stone and the FSP group from the Pacific Northwest which includes ’23 DL Jayden Wayne.
They will shift gears and hold another large-scale visit weekend the following week (March 25th-27th) with a heavy focus on the ’24 and ’25 classes.
Below is a working list of those who have either announced they will be coming via social media or those we have confirmed independently.
There will be many more additions to this list and, as usual, there will be some kids who will not make it in.
We will update this post and bring it to the top every few days!
‘23 OL Brycen Sanders – Chattanooga, TN – OU offer
‘23 EDGE Derrick LeBlanc – Kissimmee, FL – OU offer
‘23 DL Kayden McDonald – Suwanee, GA – OU offer
‘23 DB Makari Vicker – Tallahassee, FL – OU offer
‘23 S Tyre Young – Kingsland, GA
‘23 LB Caleb Otlewski – Melissa, TX
‘24 DT Hevin Brown-Shuler – Atlanta, GA – OU offer
‘24 DE T.A. Cunningham – Johns Creek, GA. – OU offer
‘24 DE Xadavien Sims – Denison, TX – OU offer
‘24 DL Jeremiah Beaman – Birmingham, AL
‘24 EDGE Zina Umeozulu – Allen, TX – OU offer – Added: 3/21 11:20 am
‘24 CB Kaleb Beasley – Nashville, TN – OU offer
‘24 CB Jordon Johnson-Rubell – Bradenton, FL – IMG Academy – OU offer
‘24 S C.J. Heard – College Park, GA – OU offer
‘24 S Kenyan Kelly – Denison, TX – OU offer
‘24 WR Ka’Davion Dotson – Duncanville, TX
‘24 WR Kennedy Brantley – Melissa, TX
‘24 OT Trevor Goosby – Melissa, TX
‘24 ATH Dax Collins – Poteau, OK
‘24 ATH Jaylen Mbakwwe – Pinson, AL – OU offer
‘24 ATH Mario Craver – Pinson, AL
‘24 ATH Joseph Emilien – Jennings, LA
‘25 WR Dakorien Moore – Duncanville, TX – OU offer
‘25 RB Ravian Larry – Idabel, OK
‘25 RB Cayden Knighten – Wynnewood, OK
‘25 OL Owen Hollenbeck – Melissa, TX
‘25 ATH Ryan Grayson – Beggs, OK
‘25 ATH LaMason Waller – Hesperia, CA – OU offer
Keep an Eye on 2023 San Antonio Brennan DB Tyler Turner
– CJ Vogel – Posted on: March 22, 2022
A new name to resurface on the recruiting scene is San Antonio Brennan’s Tyler Turner.
Turner recently decommitted from Baylor and made an appearance at the 2022 Under Armour Camp Series event in Arlington to show off his craft.
With his recruitment back open, plenty of schools are eager to get Turner on campus. Oklahoma was able to host Turner at the end of January which was the last visit he took before re-opening his recruitment on March 9. Needless to say, the Oklahoma visit gave him several reasons to reconsider.
“That staff is great,” Turner said regarding Venables’ crew. “Everybody is a family and everybody knows what is going on. They all want the best for their players and recruits. They really push that family feeling and person over player.”
That trip to Norman at the end of January was the first time Turner was able to meet Brent Venables in person. From the sounds of things, the first meeting went very well.
“He definitely knows what he is doing,” Turner said about the Sooners’ HC. “His rap sheet and resume is a long list. I think he has a great background and a great future with that program.”
Coach Brandon Hall has been standing out in Turner’s eyes from the OU staff. The two have formed a strong relationship
“He just keeps it real,” Turner said. “He isn’t a person you have to sugarcoat things with and you can really be yourself around him. I think that is something that separates him from a lot of coaches.”
Right now, Turner said he is in a holding pattern regarding future visits. He wants to get out to several schools within driving range, however a busy schedule is holding him back and it the current gas prices in San Antonio certainly aren’t helping him out either.
Turner did say he would “love to get back to Norman” when he has the chance.
Baylor and Texas are also in the mix for now.
It is early in this recruitment following the decommitment, however I think the Sooners have some momentum here. Of course, a visit would be ideal before the end of spring ball. Turner wants to take some time to truly evaluate the schools in his recruitment, but I don’t see OU fading anytime soon.
Quick Clips | Spring Practice 1
– Charlie S – Posted on: March 22, 2022
Wanted to share a few of the clips James sent through to me this morning.
I tried to load them to Vimeo, but they were too big for the page when I brought them over here.
In the clips you can see what James was mentioning earlier in respect to DE/OLB coach Miguel Chavis working off of Co-DC and DL coach Todd Bates lead.
You can tell Bates is detail-oriented in these clips and at one point he even points out that it is about the little details.
As for Chavis, I’m not sure who number 8 is (it is NOT Kani Walker or Dillon Gabriel haha) in the second clip, but his first day out this spring drew some fire from Chavis!
Staff Addition | Former TTU Head Coach Matt Wells
– Charlie S – Posted on: March 22, 2022
As most of you have already heard, we can confirm that the Sooners have added former Texas Tech head coach Matt Wells to the support staff in an off field role.
I know this is ‘old news’ to most of you as it has already been discussed in the comment sections of the morning’s post, but I figured I would give you all a place to speak specifically about this move and I didn’t want to get in the way of the first practice notes.
Wells broke into coaching in 1997 and prior to taking the head job at TTU, he spent 5 years as the head coach at Utah State.
