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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Momentum – Featuring Charlie from The Football Brainiacs

Champion Standard, Rob and Brad are joined by Charlie from The Football Brainiacs for a deep-dive into the state of Oklahoma athletics. The episode flows from OU softball’s gritty postseason, through the heart of recruiting battles, and ends with optimism and realism surrounding the Thunder’s Finals matchup. 

🥎 Softball Talk – OU’s Run Isn’t Over

The episode opens with reflections on OU softball’s tough loss to Texas in the Women’s College World Series. Brad and Charlie both acknowledge the difficulty in beating a rival consistently. While disappointed, they express pride in a young Sooner team that exceeded expectations despite being short on experienced returners.

Charlie points out the inexperience, lack of a true ace pitcher, and some costly errors as key contributors to the loss. Still, the crew agrees that OU wasn’t beaten by Texas as much as OU failed to execute in the moment. Charlie remains optimistic that OU could bounce back and, if they meet Texas again in the championship, they’ll take care of business.

They discuss Patty Gasso’s coaching brilliance in guiding a green roster to a deep postseason, possibly her best coaching job yet. A fun moment emerges as Charlie humorously rants about Texas head coach Mike White and his sideline antics, calling him out for his “douchebaggery.” It’s clear the trio is united in their disdain for him rather than the Texas program as a whole.

💰 NIL in Softball

Charlie pivots to NIL’s growing influence in non-revenue sports, highlighting the jaw-dropping million-dollar NIL deal awarded to a softball player at Texas Tech. While acknowledging the athlete’s right to earn, he laments the direction of amateurism when programs essentially “buy” championships in sports that don’t generate significant revenue.

There’s a compelling ethical tension in Charlie’s commentary: admiration for athletes maximizing their value, paired with concern over the integrity of competition. He uses the situation to illustrate broader issues around NIL, fairness, and imbalance—especially in smaller sports. It’s a rare candid moment exposing the uncomfortable intersection of money and purity in college sports.

⚾ Quick Baseball Check-In

The hosts briefly shift to OU baseball. After taking a loss to North Carolina, the Sooners rebounded by absolutely dismantling Nebraska 17–1. They’ll have to beat UNC twice to advance, but there’s life in the season. Charlie keeps the energy positive and hopeful.

🏈 Recruiting Deep Dive – Bowe Bentley, Jaden O’Neil, and Momentum Shifts

From here, the show transitions into recruiting mode. The headline name? Bowe Bentley — the 5-star quarterback from Celina, TX. Charlie, with insider insight, outlines Bentley’s recruitment timeline, highlighting the upcoming official visit to OU and the pressure LSU is applying to close the deal. The outcome, Charlie says, will be a tone-setter for the entire class.

Bentley’s recruitment is unusually open, and Charlie emphasizes that nothing is finalized. He’s heard from LSU sources that the Tigers are “throwing everything” at the Bentley family—including relationships, legacy, and NIL. If OU can get Bentley on campus next weekend without a commitment to LSU, Charlie believes OU has a very strong chance to close.

Jaden O’Neil, a quarterback prospect who would become the staff’s priority if Bentley commits elsewhere. Charlie stresses that the staff is playing their cards right: keeping multiple options warm without overplaying their hand.

🧱 The EDGE Room: Concerns and Cautions

The tone shifts slightly as the crew dives into OU’s EDGE room, where Rob expresses concern about the future after players like RMT and Marvin Jones Jr. move on. Charlie echoes the worry, noting that despite recent elite recruiting at EDGE, the production hasn’t matched the hype.

Players like P.J. Adebawore, Danny Okoye, and RMT have all the tools, but the development curve has been slow. Charlie is blunt: “There’s no excuse this year.” The team has two 5-stars and a 4-star returning. If they don’t dominate, it’s an indictment on player development—not just talent.

Rob also points out how Ethan Downs gave max effort but had physical limitations that defined his ceiling. The pressure is now on the young talent and the staff to finally break through.

🔮 OU Needs 9+ Wins – Not 8

Charlie draws a hard line in the sand: 8–4 is the worst outcome possible for Brent Venables and OU. It’s not bad enough to force major change, but not good enough to energize the program. Rob agrees, saying OU must be clearly competing by November 1st for an SEC title to change perception and lock down elite recruits.

They lay out the danger of stagnation: lose games you’re expected to win, fail to make the SEC title race, and the recruiting momentum dries up. In contrast, a 10-win season—paired with a strong NFL Draft showing—would jolt the program into a new gear.

🎯 Film Room – Bowe Bentley Breakdown

The show circles back to Bentley, this time breaking down his film. Rob is blown away by Bentley’s arm strength, pocket presence, and especially how well-coached he looks.

Plays like:

• 60-yard bombs across the hash
• Footwork reset into an across-the-body strike
• Ball security under pressure

All signal that Bentley isn’t just talented—he’s well coached. Rob  and Brad agree: his fundamentals separate him from most other 5-star QBs.

They’re hopeful OU can close the deal and make him the cornerstone of the 2026 class. As Charlie notes, landing the QB tends to pull in top-tier WRs and OL right behind.

🏀 Thunder in the Finals: SGA Time

The final segment turns to the NBA Finals. The Thunder face the Indiana Pacers in what the crew calls “the fastest Finals of all time.” Rob is high on OKC’s chances and believes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is about to enter superstardom.

Key themes:

• Coaching chess match: Daignault vs. Carlisle
• No drama/choke artist like Durant-era teams
• A full team buy-in culture
• Shai’s “clutch gene” will win out

They forecast a close series (likely 6–7 games) but express confidence that OKC’s defensive intensity and leadership will carry the day. Rob even jokes about planning the parade route, showing the kind of belief that only comes when a city is this close to a title.

📣 Final Thoughts

The pod ends with the crew plugging Charlie’s work at The Football Brainiacs and encouraging fans to become donors to support the kind of in-depth coverage that makes episodes like this possible.