Open Post | Tuesday, March 29th
Posted on: March 29, 2022
Friday Night Late Night | Update – ’23 OL Brycen Sanders – Post Visit
– Charlie S – Posted on: March 25, 2022
Caught up with Sooners ’23 offensive line offer Brycen Sanders (6’5 280) out of Chattanooga TN, earlier this evening following his visit to OU.
Sanders let me know he enjoyed his time in Norman and the Sooners have definitely become a larger factor in his recruitment now that he has been to Norman and has had a chance to sit down with the coaching staff.
Brycen said ‘hanging with the coaching staff was definitely a highlight. All of the coaches are super cool and I definitely built a good relationship with them.”
When I asked him specifically about Coach Bedenbaugh, Brycen gave some really cool insight. He said ‘Coach B is smart. I got to sit in on the O line meeting this morning for 2 hours, and he knows how to communicate clearly with the players. The man knows what he is talking about.”
I asked him if OU would be getting an official visit from him and he said he would most likely take an official to Norman
Sanders mentioned he would be trimming his list down in the near future (OU will be included) and told me he plans to commit to the school of his choosing in early June ‘So I can focus on my team and my season’.
(Top 4 will come tonight)
Saturday Night Live | Late Night Visit Notes
– Charlie S – Posted on: March 26, 2022
Caught up with a bunch of the visitors from today’s event.
Every recruit or family member I spoke to used the typical superlatives. ‘It was amazing’ ‘Great experience’, ‘Incredible vibe and atmosphere’, ‘Felt like family’.
With that in mind, I sifted through the responses and pulled some I thought you may enjoy.
’24 ATH Dax Collins – Poteau, OK
I asked Dax what stood out to him, he said ‘Yeah it’s crazy how much alike OU is to my school. They have the same morals and they are trying to make better men and not just be a football team. They want to be a family. I like the SOUL program, they actually care about their players and later life.”
He added ‘The intensity of the practice was what I expected…maybe more. All of the personalities of the coaches matched perfectly OU is a great program.”
’24 CB Jordon Johnson Rubell – IMG Academy
When I asked him what stood out to him on the trip, he cut right to the chase. ‘Family…The Leadership of Coach V and also Coach Valai. How to is more than football to them, it’s about molding me into a better player and person.’
He mentioned he was able to watch practice and said, ‘It was intense in the practices. Very vocal and sound.’
He concluded by simply saying it was a ‘great visit’.
’23 EDGE Caleb Otlewski – Melissa
What stood out to him? ‘The Coaches and their faith! I loved that a lot. They were all uplifting and energetic! I loved the atmosphere y’all had and can’t wait to get back up there!’
’24 ATH Jaylen Mbakwe – Pinson, AL
When I asked him what stood out to him he was quick to reply, ‘The soul mission program, that was really impressive’.
He noted that coach Venables and Coach Valai made a big impression. ‘Coach Valai and coach V…man that intensity is great.’
’24 DL Xadavien Sims – Sherman, TX
I asked him what stood out to him on the visit. Xadavien said ‘I loved the visit and the culture. The love the players have for the coaches stood out the most, they really are all bought in’.
I mentioned that he looks like a guy that both Coach Bates and Coach Chavis may battle over, he said ‘I do play edge/defensive end but I’m sure as I get bigger and put on more weight I will find myself moving more inside closer to the ball.’ (LOVE THAT ATTITUDE)
As for the practice, Sims said, ‘I thought the intensity and energy of the practice was great! I loved how they moved around with high energy and how coach Venables kept the practices energy high.’
Just wanted to give you a taste of what we are hearing.
I think it is safe to say that the SOUL program is no gimmick. It is having a tangible effect on the vast majority of visitors, whether they end up as OU targets or not.
I was talking with a community member earlier this evening on Twitter and we both are at the same place right now…OU appears to be positioning themselves much better for the future of the program than they were say four months ago…at least off the field.
I believe the new culture and accountability will also improve their trajectory on the field as they prepare to head to the SEC.
More from the recruits down the line, but I can confidently report that I came across no issues in communication/scheduling/transportation etc…and no kids that I am aware of were left without uniforms for their photoshoots like Lebbeus Overton was at the BBQ last year.
So it was a good event.
Sunday Morning Visit Notes
– Charlie S – Posted on: March 27, 2022
Overnight and into this morning I heard back from several more visitors who were in Norman for this weekend’s mega-event.
Gonna get your Sunday started with a couple notes from ’24 OL Jordan Seaton (6’6 295) out of Washington, DC.
***Seaton made his way to Norman without an OU offer…that changed in short order…
Seaton was very grateful to receive the offer and he came away from the visit very high on OU.
When I asked him to give me his overall feeling on the trip, Seaton was quick to respond by saying ‘The vibe was like no other school I have been to. The facilities and the staff are amazing’.
He added ‘They made me feel like I was already part of the program (picking up a theme here?). I will be back in Norman as soon as possible!’
As you all know, the Sooners have a pair of offensive linemen from the DC area already in the program in Anton Harrison and Aaryn Parks. I asked Seaton if he knew either of the current Sooners from his region and he said ‘My coach knows Anton pretty well so when I got up there, he was open arms.’
I asked him if either Harrison or Parks took the time to speak to him about OU and he said ‘They did. Both of those guys let me know that they love the new staff and the culture that coach Venables is setting up…and so do I’.
I would say the Sooners put themselves in a very good spot for the big lineman. Obviously, there is a long way to go for a ’24 kid, but I would venture to say that the Sooners will get Seaton back on campus multiple times over the coming year and they will be squarely in the mix for his commitment when that time comes should they stay involved here.
Derrick LeBlanc | Quick-Hitter
– Super K – Posted on: March 28, 2022
As you know, the Sooners are in hot pursuit of 2023 4-star DL, Derrick LeBlanc (Kissimmee, FL).
LeBlanc has been on campus multiple times. As Charlie has noted, the number of high profile out of state visitors coming in for this staff is like nothing we saw under Riley. And LeBlanc is already back again.
I wanted to pass up an initial thought from Derrick that I felt was perhaps most noteworthy. LeBlanc clearly loved his first visit and loved the follow up visit. He’s surrounded by top programs in SEC territory but he told me that something keeps him coming back to Oklahoma…
“Just the relationship and the bond, man. It’s really the best in the nation.”
I don’t know if you can get much better than that.
In other words, if the Sooners miss out on this one, it will be factors beyond their control and that’s all you can ask for.
