Open Post | Tuesday, August 20th

Quick Hitter | 2020 OL Anton Harrison Locks In Official Visit
– Charlie S

*** Touched base with Sooners 2020 offensive line offer Anton Harrison (6’5″ 329, Washington, DC) and he confirmed that he has locked in his official visit to OU for the Houston game on September first.

Harrison, along with Aaryn Parks (6’4″ 320, Fort Washington, MD) and Brady Ward (6’7″ 310, Mobile. AL) are three guys that OU seems to be focusing on as potential additions to the 2020 offensive line class.

Jonah Monheim (6’5″ 280, Moorpark, CA) has long been thought to be the Sooners main target for the class, but as Super K has mentioned, the longer his decision is delayed, the less likely it feels that he will leave Southern California as he has a bunch of ties to USC and they have the home turf advantage.

With Harrison confirming his official visit, and both Brady Ward and Aaryn Parks mentioning that they plan on officially visiting OU early in the season to me (both have mentioned the Houston game as a possibility), it is clear the Sooners are ready to make a push to close out the offensive line portion of the class.


2nd Batch | More Sourced Scrimmage Notes
– The Football Brainiacs

Super K, James & Charlie contributed to this post..

In case you missed our first batch of notes from the weekend, you can view them here on the Donor Board.

*** Multiple sources reiterated that the scrimmage was discombobulated because of weather…thunder and lightning…forced them inside a couple times…

*** One positive that came out of this is that OU was able to work on a game situation where a weather delay occurred and they went through the exercise of nourishment during the delays and stretching and warming up following the delays

*** Was told the scrimmage went 42 – 50 plays.

*** Again, we all heard it sounds like it was an offensive day as the defense could never get their footing. Felt like with all the delays the defense just kept coming out and were out of rhythm.

*** Along the offensive line, with Swenson still dinged up, it sounds like RJ Proctor and Stacey Wilkins both received a bunch of reps with the first team today. Left tackle is proving to be the position along the line to keep an eye on. James will have more in his notebook tomorrow.

*** Super K mentioned Rhomondre Stevenson had a good day, sources also told us that Marcus Major had a big run of 45 plus yards and continues to impress.

*** As for Trejan Bridges day, was told he had a big catch of over 30 to go along with the earlier notes.

*** K mentioned earlier that he had heard there was an interception. It seems an additional source noted there were perhaps two interceptions. Was told Rattler threw one cause he held onto it too long on a crossing route and the defender stepped in for the pick.

*** On Jalen Hurts, we were told…’very conservative’ in the passing game…but…40 yards scrambling on a couple of plays and when you consider he had a no-contact jersey on, that’s saying something.

*** No surprise at corner…Tre Brown and Parnell Motley started, Jaden Davis and Jordan Parker were the two’s.

*** Was told the Safeties were Patrick Fields and Delarrin Turner Yell as expected.

*** Word is that Robert Barnes tweaked something…didn’t scrimmage. Told he could be back as early as Monday but with those things, you never know.

*** Was told Drake Stoops had a nice day in the slot.

*** As for the other side of wide receivers, was told Rambo had a quiet day.

*** Was told Theo Wease is running second behind Rambo. In general, it sounds like that side of the ball was quiet.

*** As we have mentioned, Bridges is playing outside behind CeeDee Lamb. And, that is where a lot of the production came from.

*** Source says Tyrese Robinson and EJ Ndoma-Ogar were handling the bulk of the snaps at center with Creed being out for the scrimmage. Robinson has actually been taking some reps at center throughout camp. Also, EJ has been playing some guard, as well. We know Bedenbaugh likes to cross train his guys.

*** Was told Ronnie Perkins was back out there for a bit and Jalen Redmond went a few reps.

*** Sounds as though Gallimore played only a few snaps but that was based on an abundance of caution. Faamatau & Overton played a bunch.

*** Was also told true freshmen Kori Roberson and Marcus Stripling played a lot inside as well.


TFB Talking Point
– Charlie S

The Sooners had a strong showing in the 2019 NFL Draft back in April.

Quarterback Kyler Murray became the second consecutive number one overall pick to come out of Norman.

Coach Bill Bedenbaugh sent four big guys off his offensive line to various destinations across the league and wide receiver Marquise Brown was the first receiver taken.

Running back Rodney Anderson, who was coming off a torn ACL, was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Heck, even kicker Austin Seibert was taken in the draft by the Cleveland Browns.

One thing that was missing…an Oklahoma defensive player.

However, as the NFL training camps heat up, a couple of former Sooner defenders in that same class are starting to make a mark.

Linebacker Curtis Bolton has worked his way into pole position for a starting spot in Green Bay…

And defensive end, Amani Bledsoe, is turning some heads in Tennessee as he has performed at a high level and has increased his chances to make the roster and be a contributor…

MY TOPIC OF DISCUSSION IS…

Is the strong showing of the two defenders in NFL preseason beneficial to the Sooners, or will it be viewed as a negative for prospects as the Sooners obviously had some talent on defense and yet were so completely inept over the past few years?

I will be the first to admit, after watching Buzzy’s career in Norman, despite some of our readers declarations that they felt he could succeed in the NFL, I thought the next time Bolton would be strapping on the helmet would be in the XFL or north of the border in the CFL. I was wrong and it looks like Buzzy is creating a great chapter in his storybook.

As for Bledsoe, I was actually surprised he did not get drafted as I felt his narrative was a product of the two-gap system in Norman as well as getting the shaft from the NCAA with the loss of eligibility for testing positive for a banned substance. In my mind he had the measurables and tape to be selected. Again, he was not, but his early success is not as eye-opening to me as I had reasons I could attribute his UDFA status to.

Can the Sooners spin Bolton’s and Bledsoe’s impending success in a positive manner in the recruiting game (by saying they have the OUDNA and work ethic to succeed and are exceeding scouts evaluations because of the program in Norman), or will there be more questions asked by recruits and families as to why they defense performed so poorly with said talent?

Mike is gone, let’s try not to focus on bashing him, I am curious as to how you feel OU can use Bledsoe and Bolton to their advantage (Tony Jefferson as well) if they can at all.


Hale Yes Camp Is Over | Monday Notebook | Sourced Notes, News & QuotesSnippet from Hames’ Monday Notebook
– James Hale

Prepping For The Season

*** As training camp gets ready to break, and school having started on Monday, the offensive line has to make a major adjustment just when it hoped to be coming together.

*** Projected starting offensive tackle junior Erik Swenson (6’5, 317) has been out for about a week with an injured shoulder and that injury looks fairly serious putting his start in the opening game against Houston in jeopardy. I feel for the guy because he had worked his way into a possible starting role at left tackle and could have been set to hold that position for the next couple of years.

*** For the past two years, he has been the backup at left tackle playing in six games in 2017 and four in 2018. He played behind All-American Orlando Brown and Bobby Evans over the last two years. OU was in a lot of tight games and even though they won most of them, there was not a lot of playing time left for Swenson to play.

*** “I still learned a lot playing behind Orlando and Bobby,” said Swenson. “I got a chance to watch two of the best-left tackles in the game and every day I could ask them anything I wanted and they would help me. Coach Bedenbaugh has coached me just as hard as he coached them and I’ve paid attention and taken a million mental reps.

*** “When I’ve had a chance to play I’ve always graded out well and felt I did well. I haven’t given up a sack and I’ve felt like I could play left tackle here. I know it’s a big position in this offense but I’m up for the task and now that I’m going to get a chance I feel ready to go.”

*** Before his injury, by all accounts, it was clear Swenson was going to get his chance to be the starting left tackle.

*** “Erik has been a very solid player for us in the spring and in training camp,” said OU Offensive Line Coach Bill Bedenbaugh recently. “He’s a physical player that knows what he’s doing and is a natural left tackle. We feel pretty good about having him there and while we have some competition for him he looks pretty good there. We would feel pretty good about starting him there if the season started today. He has good feet and does a good job in the run game.”

*** If Swenson can’t go, that will be a big blow for the offensive line year. It’s like being without a starter in game one or the early part of the season, but it does open a door for a couple of players to step and get an opportunity to get on the field, and both have played mostly guard during their career.

*** I had been told Junior college transfer Finley Felix (6’5, 314) moved out to left tackle the second week of camp to give Swenson some competition and he was doing well, and when Swenson went down he moved in and had been running with the ones.

*** Later in the week Virginia transfer R.J. Proctor (6’4, 337) moved to left tackle and looked very good there too. Both players have played mostly guard thus far in their career and they are raw at tackle, and especially left tackle, but they are both very athletic and have the ability to be players.

*** Then, I was told that Felix missed the Sunday scrimmage with a minor injury and Proctor and Wilkins got all the reps at left tackle with Proctor running with the ones.

*** Coach Bedenbaugh’s goal is to find spots for what he believes are his five best players and if players get hurt, he has to come up with a new ‘best five’. When there is an injury, he has to make adjustments to fit his five best players on the field. At times that can seem like a math equation to him.

*** “Sometimes it seems like a geometry problem trying to make everything work,” said Bedenbaugh. “I mean sometimes I have to have a feeling that a player can play there and then just try to see if it can work. Last year I knew I had needed a tackle and I knew three of our top five players were guards (Ben) Powers, Dru (Samia) and Cody Ford. If they are three of the top and we only have two guard spots and I already had a center in Creed (Humphrey) so how out of that group do I find another tackle? I knew I could move Dru there because he had played right tackle before, but I felt really good about how he was playing at right guard and Cody was just so athletic I thought he could do it. When we moved him there it took him about a day to get the footwork down and after a while, he looked like a natural there.”

*** That move solidified the offensive line last year and by the end of the year, that group won the Joe Moore Award given every year to the best offensive line in college football. Four seniors in that offensive line were drafted in the top four rounds of the NFL draft with Ford going in the second round as the first one picked by the Buffalo Bills. In training camp, Ford has not disappointed as he has moved back to his natural position at guard and looks like he will be a starter this season for the Bills.

*** So, fitting players into new positions along the offensive line is nothing new to Coach Bedenbaugh and in college football, it is just the way it is every year.

*** “This year we have to be a little more patient because we have to find four new starters and that is basically a whole new unit that we have to put together,” said coach Bedenbaugh. “We have to open up the competition because we have recruited good players and they all deserve a chance to compete but I had a good idea who was going to be my top six or seven guys coming into camp. Out of that group, it’s my job to find ways to get all of them in good positions to help us win games.”

*** Humphrey (6’5, 315) is a definite starter and he’s been held out a great deal in camp just to make sure he’s healthy for the season. Freshman Edgar Nadoma-Ogar (6’3, 344) will be his primary backup but they will still try to redshirt him this year with senior Clayton Woods (6’2, 295) and sophomore Ian McIver (6’3, 326) jumping in at center when needed.

*** Sounds like Sophomore Adrian Ealy (6’6, 326) has won the right tackle job and will be backed by either Finley or Proctor and sophomore David Swaby (6’9, 319) is also there.

*** Have heard Freshman Stacy Wilkins (6’6, 309) has looked good in camp and while the plans are to redshirt him Coach Bedenbaugh feels he has a player in Wilkins.

*** Have been told Sophomores Marquis Hayes (6’5, 332) and Tyrese Robinson (6’3, 328) are winning the guard positions and both Felix and redshirt freshman Brey Walker (6’6, 342) and Darrell Simpson (6’7, 349) are learning the interior and will get valuable playing time this year.

*** Due to injuries, left tackle is becoming a trouble spot for Coach Bedenbaugh but he still has players among his top seven that can play it and even though Proctor has never played offensive tackle, he has played in 38 games and started 12 in his career. Coach Bedenbaugh called him a very intelligent player that picks up things pretty easily. It goes without saying that the offensive line is still a little bit of a work in progress with two weeks to go before the season opener.

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