The Football Brainiacs

 

– Austin Faoliu: This past weekend the Sooners hosted a lone official visitor in 2017 DT, Austin Faoliu (Santa Ana, CA).

I had a chance to speak with the parents of Faoliu as well as Austin (the phone was on ‘speaker’ and we all spoke). Coach Thibs, coach Stoops and the Sooners staff impressed the Faoliu family, “You can tell coach Stoops has been doing this a long time,” said Austin’s father, “he knows what he’s doing, he knows what to say and he knows just how to say it. He doesn’t pressure the kids. He’s lowkey and we really liked that”.

The Faoliu family is very tight knit and they want to make sure they trust the person coaching their son for the next few years, “Coach Thibs is a good person. He’s a good coach but we also feel he’s a good person. You can see it in his face. He’s a sincere person and he was upfront and honest with us. They treated us with love and it’s like a big family over there”.

Austin, his mother and father all said they were “amazed” by the trip, “it was amazing. They have everything, just amazed with the amenities as well…the whole town is about OU football and when there is a game it’s like everything shuts down or everybody is about the game”.

It’s clear that despite how well the OU trip went, Austin is torn, and the Oregon offer, as his father put it, “really made us think”. Oregon’s new defensive line coach, Joe Salave’a did an in-home visit with the Faoliu’s last night. Additionally, due to the strong relationship they have with coach Henderson, the Faolius originally planned on officially visiting UTSA on the final weekend before signing day. However, that has changed and they will now officially visit Oregon.

The family talked about both Oklahoma and Oregon and despite the fact that both Eugene and Norman are far away, the distance perception is clearly in favor of the Ducks. Mr. Faoliu added that while neither location is up the road, he has work ties to the state of Oregon and I get the sense that helps the Ducks as well.

The depth chart favors Oklahoma, “Coach Thibs laid it out for us. They brought in one defensive lineman last year and they have one committed this year and a defensive end (Isaiah Thomas) so they need guys”. Faoliu also talked about the change to the 4-man front, he said the Sooners see him a three technique but also noted that Oklahoma said they will be “multiple”.

It’s pretty clear that this one will come down to OU and Oregon with Arizona having an outside chance. It’s tough to say at this point which way it will go. Again, the perceived distance and job connection seemed to be a big factor playing in favor of Oregon. Also, the Faoliu’s noted that the city of Norman was a big change from what they are used to though I’m sure Eugene will be as well. At the same time, the Oklahoma coaches have quickly built a rapport and a trust with the family and I get the sense that that, and the prestige of Oklahoma as a football program, are playing strongly in favor of Oklahoma.

Tough one to call at this point. The Sooners will do their in-home visit with Faoliu on the 25th. And again, Austin and the family will take their official visit to Oregon on the 2th.- (Super K)

– Marvin Wilson: Yesterday, we mentioned that a source close to Marvin Wilson confirmed that they have recently been told the Sooners are moving to a 4-man front. Last night, Brandon was also confirm that information directly with Marvin.

Here’s the deal. I have maintained for a while that Wilson would head up elsewhere. In fact just last week I noted I have been hearing FSU has taken over the top spot for Wilson. What I didn’t say was that the reason cited by the source for FSU’s run to the top is the fact that they, unlike OU and LSU, run a four-man front.

Later that week, Brandon spoke with both Marvin and a source close to Marvin and both said very clearly that the Sooners are still very much in it. This isn’t something we’ve heard in a while. Neither Marvin or the source said why the Sooners were very much in it. And while I cannot say definitely, it’s seems obvious enough to me that the sudden uptick in interest is due to the anticipated schematic change.

I don’t know how strong the Sooners chances are now but I’m confident Oklahoma’s move to a 4-man front significantly raises their chances. You’ll recall Marvin Wilson was expected to take a second unofficial visit to Oklahoma for the Bedlam game but that visit did not happen. It would certainly be big news if the Sooners could get Wilson and his mother on campus for one final visit.

Oklahoma head coach, Bob Stoops is expected to do an in-home visit with Marvin Wilson tomorrow night. – (Super K & Brandon)

– Tre Norwood: In case you missed it, last night Oklahoma offered 2017 CB, Tre Norwood (Ft. Smith, AR). Norwood let me know that he plans on officially visiting Notre Dame this weekend. He will follow that visit up with an official visit to Oklahoma on the 27th. Norwood is also set to host Sooners defensive backs coach, Kerry Cooks, later this week. – (Brandon)