Open Post | Monday, April 2nd By: The Brainiacs Posted on: April 2, 2018

– On Friday, 2019 star CB, Trent McDuffie (Bellflower, CA) tweeted out that he was visiting the Sooners…

McDuffie is one of the most highly coveted DBs in the country. He tells me that he visited with his mother and was in Norman on Friday and Saturday.

It sounds like McDuffie will visit additional out of state schools like Alabama, Oregon and Michigan. I don’t expect a decision anytime soon but I’m told the Sooners are somewhere in his top group.

We will have more on McDuffie soon. – (Super K)

 

 

– I came across some OU grad transfer news. This past weekend, Texas hosted Wake Forest grad transfer wide receiver, Tabari Hines.

I reached out to Hines to ask him about the visit and he mentioned three other schools he plans on visiting in addition to Texas:

Oregon, Marshall and…the Sooners.

We’ll be checking today to see how serious the Sooners are. Obviously OU has gone the grad transfer route plenty of times at the wide receiver position. Also, it’s important to keep in mind that Basquine getting injured at slot could play into the decision.

In fact, Brandon mentioned to me, recently, that Rambo hasn’t been taking reps at slot. So, it’s certainly reasonable to think OU would consider bringing someone in for that slot role. – (Super K)

 

 

– Recently, Garrett Wilson announced a change of plans when it comes to he and the Sooners, as well as his overall timetable on a decision. The elite 2019 Lake Travis wide receiver announced that he will be taking a visit to Ohio State on April 13-15th and Texas on April 20-22nd.

I spoke with Wilson shortly after his announcement and he said, “OU told me they only had two other spots available at the receiver position and I know of a couple of guys that seem to really like OU, so I moved in another direction.” I spoke to an OU source and was told, “He contacted the (OU) staff earlier and let them know. I’d say if two committed and a Theo, Arjei or Jadon Haselwood decided to commit, they’d make it work and take that third receiver.”

The fact that OU isn’t going to get a visit from Wilson is shocking, but the fact that Ohio State is who he will visiting instead is not. Wilson spent the first 12 years of his life in Columbus (OH) and grew up a Buckeyes fan. He took an unofficial to tOSU last week and really came away impressed to the fact it reiterated his love for the university (K did a write up on this).

If I had to guess where Wilson ends up, I’d say Ohio State, but the Texas visit is something to watch. The hometown team is always hard to beat and his family now resides in Austin, not Columbus. Still, the odds on favorite are the Buckeyes, in my opinion, and a heavy favorite at that.

Wilson has spoken highly of Texas and their staff. He even made it clear, on my podcast, that they were more of a threat than most had even realized. Up until tonight it was thought to be an Ohio State and OU battle. If Wilson was quick to make it an Ohio State and Texas battle, I’d hold off making bets on anyone.

A decision, from Wilson, is expected in late April-early May. Whoever gets the star wideout will have a big time get for their 2019 class. – (Brandon)

 

 

– This weekend, 2019 Offensive Tackle Wyatt Tate, Geronimo, TX, made his way to Norman for a visit.

I was able to quickly catch up with him to discuss his time in Norman as well as how his recruitment is shaping up.

Wyatt spent Friday and Saturday on campus. This was not his first time in Norman as he previously came up for a couple of games last season, so he is quite familiar with the campus and staff.

During his visit, he was able to spend a little time with the OL group, saying “I was only around them for a little bit this weekend, but I felt really comfortable with them because it felt like the OLine is just one big family”.  He went on to say, “The whole staff is like that, they treat you like you are part of the family already.”

When the discussion turned to his recruitment and the possibility of an OU offer, he said “Coach B is going to come to my school this spring to check in on me, then he would like me to come to their camp that they hold. That’s when they’ll know if they will offer me.”

While Wyatt may not be a well known name at this point for Sooner fans, he is one to keep an eye on. Other schools have taken note of the massive young man as well. He will be visiting Texas this coming Tuesday and plans on attentding the spring game in Austin as well.

Tate will be returning to Norman for the Spring Game on April 14th. I asked him what his thoughts were on Coach Bedenbaugh and Coach Riley and he was very quick to respond, saying “Coach B and Coach Riley are absolutely awesome. I love both of them and would love to be able to play for them.”

I hope to have JY provide a breakdown of his film in the near future. – (Charlie)

 

 

– Theo Wease dropped the top 5 on April 1st in honor of his older brother, Mikey, who has passed away.

https://twitter.com/_TheoWeaseJr/status/980535287418966017

I spoke briefly with Theo after he dropped his top 5, and I asked him why those schools made the list. Wease has made it clear that he had certain parameters for schools, and meeting those parameters was going to be a big deal going forward.

One thing that Wease made a major priority was comfortability. Wease said that all the schools that made the cut “had a family like feel to them” and that is the most important aspect of all for Wease.

Some on that list will NOT be getting official visits, but Wease has yet to determine all of that. He did say that A&M was just a “maybe” so they may not be as high on that list as previously thought.

I also got specific about OU, with Wease, and he broke it down as to why they were so high on the list saying, “It’s a sports town. They are die-hard about everything in Norman. When I am there I still feel like I am in Allen.”

Wease being comfortable with OU, and the city of Norman, is a plus, but his closeness to Sooners outside WR coach, Dennis Simmons, is what might just give OU the edge. Wease said, “I have a father, but coach Simmons is like another father figure in my life.”

Theo still plans on announcing his committment in the latter half of spring/early summer, so Sooners fans and the others that made the list should know their fate fairly soon. – (Brandon)

 

 

– Fast Five: Team Notes: Spoke with a couple sources about certain positions on the team. Very interesting stuff here, we have additional notes posted on our Donor Board.

*With Lampkin leaving, the Sooners need a big body at NG. It sounds like Gallimore has been moved primarily to NG. I asked how he looks and was told that he looks good so far, “easier for him to play there. Less thinking. He’s playing well”. Obviously anything to get a big athletic body like that flying around is a good thing for a what has been a passive Sooners defense.

*On the back end there is a lot of competition, “everyone has to get better daily because they know someone is behind them”. It’s been a while since there were legitimate question marks about who would be the starter at multiple positions in the secondary. The safety battles are intense.

*Also of note, one source said, “Bookie will be special…as well Norwood”.

*One source noted, “Redmond is going to be beast”. I asked if Redmond is ready yet and source said that the staff is hopeful he will be by the season but he isn’t just yet.

*Interestingly, am told that the offensive line combination they are currently working is having Bobby Evans at left tackle and Cody Ford at right tackle. I’m not sure how set that is. We all know Samia can kick out to RT if need be. So, moving Evans to left makes a lot of sense. We all remember Bronson Irwin handling the RT duties in Sugar Bowl against Alabama. With Ford and Samia, again, the Sooners will be solid gold at RT. If this experiment having Bobby at LT works out, then the line is solid gold. – (Super K)

 

 

– Practice Notes: Was able to grab a few quick-hitters from my sources on the most recent team practice.

*Jalen Redmond and Ronnie Perkins are getting better everyday and the athleticism is beginning to flash. It’s that athleticism that OU has had sparingly but is getting more and more of on defense that is starting to peak through. Got a text from one source, very excited saying, “Perkins and Redmond are going to be goooooood…once they figure it out”.

*Was told Rambo had been good but was also told, “consistency is the issue with him right now but when he’s on, he’s a handful”.

*Was told Tre Brown had an interception today.

*Also told the big offensive play came from AD Miller who caught a 40 yard fade. – (Super K)