Open Post | Tuesday, April 9th
Posted on: April 9, 2019
Update | 2020 OT Jeffrey Persi Post Visit
– Charlie S
Caught up with 2020 offensive tackle Jeffrey Persi who was on campus this weekend as an unofficial visitor. Persi and his family arrived in Norman on Friday and left Sunday afternoon to head back home to San Juan Capistrano, CA.
This was the first trip to Oklahoma for the 6’7″ 270 lb tackle and his family, and from the sounds of it, it will not be their last trip to Norman.
I exchanged some messages with Persi as he was on his way to the Airport Sunday and he is set to speak with Super K later this week.
As I mentioned, this was Persi’s first trip to Oklahoma and I asked him to talk about some things that stood out to him. Jeffrey said, “I would say what stood out the most for me is how clean the campus and facilities were. For as old as the school is everything looked new. The brick buildings were all very spread out and very well organized from the tour I took.”
Before last week, I had never had a recruit mention the buildings themselves, in particular, the brick aspect. Last week the brick stood out to 2021 DE Quintin Somerville, who knew!
As far as the staff, I asked him who really made an impression on him and Jeffrey said “I got to spend time with Coach Riley, Coach Bedenbaugh & Coach Manning. All were very cool and I really enjoyed my time with them.” He then added, “I did get to watch their practice and really enjoyed it. The whole thing was very upbeat and well organized. I spent most of my time around Coach B and his boys.”
We exchanged a few more messages and I asked him about the facilities. Jeffrey replied by saying, “I had never been to Oklahoma but found the environment to be very similar to Missouri where my grandparents live. The facilities were very impressive but we didn’t get to really visit the weight room due to a coaches clinic during Saturday. I’ve seen a lot of video on the football facility so I have a good idea of what’s inside.”
As far as his recruitment goes, I asked him if the Sooners made a big enough impression to get him back to Norman for an official visit. Persi said “Yes, I definitely would take an official visit after seeing everything on this trip. Overall I really liked this visit, spending the time with the coaches and what they have going on there! #BoomerSooner.”
The Mad Scientist | Snippet from Monday’s Notebook
– James Hale
*** Talking to DC Alex Grinch on Monday following the practice was fascinating. We are still getting to know him and learn how he ticks and one thing I learned on Monday is that every play effects how he feels about his defense, and if he doesn’t see what he preaches and wants out of his defense, it eats at him until he finally sees what he wants out of his players.
*** I tried to ask him how certain players did in the scrimmage like Bookie or Patrick Fields and Coach Grinch couldn’t get off the point that his defense did not dominate the scrimmage, in fact, by most accounts they didn’t win the scrimmage.
*** “Oh, we were up and down and there are always going to be good plays and bad plays every time we talk,” said Grinch. “It will be the same conversation every time we talk. I think from a performance standpoint there were too many ugly plays today. So overall I would say I’m kind of disappointed in the performance by the bulk of the guys, but if it was a great day, I would still be disappointed in several guys.”
*** “It’s where we are at seven practices into the spring and it’s going to continue to be that way. In any event, we have more film to evaluate, more film to coach off of and then get back out there at the next practice and try to be better.”
*** “This was the first time that we went out and touched our toes and played football. I don’t know that the bulk of our defense handled that the right way. On a normal practice day, you have your individuals, your walkthroughs, your inside drills, your one-on-one’s and an individual competitor needs those units to kind of build towards a certain part of the practice. A mature competitor walks onto that football field and says this is the order for that day and the standard by which I play the game and I will bring somebody with me because it’s not just about me and I’m going to play up to my capabilities, and I’m going to continue to raise the bar every single day.”
*** “The immature guy goes out there and says he’s going to see how the day goes and there was too much of that for us in that scrimmage.”
*** Grinch’s mind was so wrapped up on the unit as a whole that he just couldn’t analyze how any individuals were doing so to ask him about the play of Kenneth Murray or Tre Norwood or Bookie or Neville wasn’t easy.
*** “Yeah, through seven practices I remember every bad play that they had,” said Coach Grinch. “I would say those guys have been a steady group. You are always fighting to find play-makers on every level of your defense and certainly, those guys have made their share.”
*** “The secondary where Patrick Fields plays and I have to continue to work with those guys because if they are one step away I wonder why? Is it because of inappropriate footwork, is it because of inappropriate eyes, or is it because you are thinking too much. I mean he made more plays than he missed and through seven practices as a whole I would suggest those guys (Fields and Delarrin Turner-Yell) have been steady and if we played a game tomorrow they would be our starting safeties.”
*** While saying that, Grinch pointed out that last year’s starter at free safety Robert Barnes (6’2, 208) is exactly what he’s looking for at safety and he is watching him work out in training gear every single day trying to get his hammy right so that he can return to practice in June. Jordan Parker (5’11, 189) is also working to get back, but at least Coach Grinch admits that Fields and Turner-Yell are having pretty good springs. Not perfect springs, but good enough that if OU played today they would be the starting safeties.
*** For any position right now the inconsistency on performance and defensive intelligence is running Grinch ragged. I asked him who was standing out in the defensive front?
*** “It’s kind of indicative across the board,” said Grinch. “There will be several instances of defensive lineman playing aggressive, getting into the backfield and being disruptive. But, as I said about the back end, there will be instances where we have two good plays and then three bad or one good and one bad. It’s never enough.”
*** “On second down you have to do the same thing you did on first down regardless of the call. Across the board, it’s really hard to highlight guys from that standpoint. There are too many snaps at practice that go the other way and when that happens you are disappointed in their performance.”
*** “I think there is too much anticipation for them when the ball is snapped. Their anticipation is not there for enough guys and that keeps us from playing our best defense. Being content with just being in the right place is too much of a standard that keeps us from playing as a great defense. If you’re not going to make the play who is? Obviously, you are doing things within the structure that we’re asking you to do but we need more guys thinking that way. We need more guys reacting in the structure of what we are asking them to do.
*** “This is going to take a lot of time, and this is never fixed and you are never there. Whenever you are establishing the standard and you are playing great, then how can I get them to play greater? I mean the great player is great and then he becomes elite and that standard never goes away. We never say we got it. I mean we have had good days defensively and we are excited that we have had good days. Those are good feelings and you can build on those days, but through seven days I can’t sit here and tell you that we have had good days every day, but the days that we have had good practices is an exciting thing to mention to you.”
*** “However, I’m not sure we have been able to put one great day into two days this spring and we have not had the domino effect if you will. It takes time and you are never there and it’s going to be something that we will continue to work on all spring and all training camp.”
*** As I said, talking to Coach Grinch is like talking to a mad scientist.
*** Are your guys wore out from just thinking about what Coach Grinch has said? I was exhausted from trying to keep up with him at the media session. His mind is always racing and it is always two or three steps in front of the question he was asked.
*** Think about what his defensive guys are going through all the time. They are hearing about the process, the effort every single day, they get e-mails and texts at night when they are away from the field and he feels that is what it’s going to take to get this defense off the snide and from being ranked 129th in the country back to within the top 20 in the country.
*** The culture change is real and it is taking place right before your eyes.
This article was just a small sample from James’ Monday Notebook. If you would like to read both of James’ weekly Notebooks (Monday’s and Friday’s), please check the Donor Board.
Sourced | Linebacker Notes
– Charlie S
Just wanted to give you guys a heads up as to what both Super K and James have heard from two different sources…
*** They have both heard that the Sooners are thinking about moving Ryan Jones inside.
*** Jones has been working at the rush position this spring and while he has done a good job out there, they love his athletic ability and speed.
*** The Sooners have some depth at Rush with Nic Bonitto, Mark Jackson and K’Jakyre Daley as well as a couple of guys coming in this summer in David Ugwoegbu and Joseph Wete who could fit there as well.
*** Obviously this could affect some guys on the depth chart like Jonathan Perkins and Levi Draper
*** K mentioned that he’s hearing Brian Mead is behind Kenneth Murray at the MIKE. And now that DaShaun White is starting at the WILL in place of Caleb Kelly, OU is experimenting with a few guys behind DaShaun.
*** It sounds like there has really only been a walk/run through since Caleb went out. But in that time, we are told Asamoah was backing up White but both Ryan Jones and Draper received reps as well.
*** Again, we are told that OU is going to begin bringing Jones along at the inside backer position. So, don’t be surprised if he ends up being cross-trained between the MIKE and the WILL and earning his way into that 1st off the bench spot.
For our sourced practice notes from the week, please check the Donor Board!
Weekend Visitors | Quick Updates
– Super K
***As we previously reported, the Sooners hosted athletic 2020 Cali LB, Kourt Williams (St. John Bosco).
Kourt left Norman very early Sunday morning but I exchanged a few text messages with him before he left. I plan on speaking to him over the phone once he gets settled back at home.
Kourt said about the visit, “Man it was great!!! I’ll definitely be back”.
While Kourt plays OLB/SS, in the Big 12 he’s probably a guy who can play any of the LB positions. He measured in at the Opening at 6’1 216 lbs. So, about the same size as DaShaun White was in high school and is just as athletic.
***2021 OT, Reuben Fatheree (Foster HS, TX) also made it in for his visit…
Reuben’s mother, Lorraine said, “We did a two-day visit. It is going great! We don’t know when we’ll be back but we’ll definitely come back”.
Fatheree is one of the top offensive linemen in the 2021 class.
Odds and Ends
– Charlie S
*** Checked with most of the 2019 class who have yet to get on campus to see if they were able to make it out for the Spring Game…as you know I added the ones who confirmed they would be in attendance to the visitor list.
*** OG EJ Ndoma-Ogar, who was on campus this weekend, will not be at the Spring Game as he is going to his Prom. He said, “I missed it last year for the Spring Game and I can’t miss it for my senior year even though I would like to be at the game”. Good for him I say!
*** OT Stacey Wilkins will not be able to make it into Norman.
*** Edge David Ugwoegbu let me know he is not sure if he will be able to at this point and DB Jaden Davis told K he did not think he would be able to make that long distance journey.
