Open Post | Tuesday, February 25th
Posted on: February 25, 2020
Visit Note | Latrell McCutchin
– Charlie S
*** Super K made his way out to see 2021 cornerbacks Latrell McCutchin and Andrew Mukuba last Thursday…
*** As you can see in the tweet above, and as we reported on the Donor Board on Friday, McCutchin plans on visiting the Sooners in March. As a matter of fact, he plans on visiting as soon as the calendar flips to March as he and his family will be in Norman on March 1st.
*** McCutchin is currently committed to Alabama, but as you know for the past couple of months, we have been telling you to keep an eye on this situation as OU has been making a strong move in his recruitment.
*** After speaking with K last night, he once again made it clear that he likes where OU stands with McCutchin right now.
Weekend Notebook Snipet| The Keys to Speed D
– James Hale
*** The Holy Grail position on the Speed D of Alex Grinch has to be the nickel back position. When K reported that coaches had changed their mind about playing freshman Bryson Washington (6’2, 196) at nickel back and moved him to safety and had taken redshirt freshman Jeremiah Criddell (5’11, 194) and moved him back to nickel where once again he will compete with incumbent starter junior Brendan Radley-Hiles (5’9, 185) I had to chuckle.
*** Coach Grinch, who coaches safeties and the nickel back position, keeps trying to find competition for Bookie. At this point, it’s really hard to tell what the prototype nickel back is at OU because we know that Bookie is totally undersized yet has beat off all comers so far to hold onto the job. OU has tried Tre Norwood, Justin Broiles, Robert Barnes, Chanse Sylvie, Jaden Davis and Criddell. None of them have been able to unseat Bookie so far.
*** Bookie made some of the biggest plays on defense last year with a pick-six, a key fumble recovery, and a forced fumble. He knows the defense but for the most part, doesn’t support the run all that effectively and was okay in pass coverage. Then he got suspended in the Peach Bowl on a selfish play that he spent the entire post game apologizing to his teammates about.
*** However, you wonder if at this point the coaches are really going to find competition for Bookie and I know they love Criddell’s talent and hope this spring he plays up to this talent level.
*** Washington was Grinch’s choice at safety and by putting him back at safety, where he is a natural, he can use that speed that he has shown off this spring and just play football without thinking about what you have to do at the nickel back spot which is one of the most complicated positions to play on defense. Both are bigger players than Bookie and can run as well or better and Criddell will get every chance to unseat a player who has already played a ton of football at OU the last two years.
*** Bryson Washington will jump into the competition at safety and the coaches feel he can really push sophomore Pat Fields (5’11, 192). Coach Grinch really likes Fields and SS Delarrin Turner-Yell (5’10, 190) and the coaches feel Turner-Yell has star potential and in my opinion, he’s sure to be the starter at SS once he recovers from his injury. However, last year Coach Grinch didn’t feel he had one player that he could rotate in at the safety position and Washington and Woodi Washington (5’11, 183) will be counted upon to provide competition at both safety spots especially with Turner-Yell liable to miss most of spring as he heals from a broken Collarbone.
*** JUCO transfer Justin Harrington (6’3, 214) could be a factor at safety in June but he will get looked at corner as well.
Andrew Mukuba Visiting Sooners & McCutchin Teaser
– Super K
2021 DB, Andrew Mukuba tells me that he will visit the Sooners next weekend with his teammate, Latrell McCutchin.
As you know, Mukuba has seen his offer list absolutely explode this week. He’s picked up offers from Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee and others. He already has, what I see as the most important in-state offer for a defensive back – TCU.
Mukuba doesn’t have an offer from the Sooners yet. Their plan was to wait and see him during spring evaluation.
I can tell you that with him visiting, it means the Sooners told him an offer is coming. Yesterday, when I asked about visiting Oklahoma or any other schools, he said in no uncertain terms, “I’m not visiting any schools I don’t have an offer from”.
He added, however, that he would visit a school that guaranteed he would receive an offer on the visit.
So, I think it’s safe to assume that the Sooners have decided to go ahead and offer him.
Also, I’ll have more on McCutchin. But, I’ll tease you with this…something could go down fairly quickly on that front. Lincoln Riley has taken the lead in the McCutchin recruitment. McCutchin said he communicates with Riley at least three times per week!
5-Star Emeka Egbuka | Update
– Super K
Our guy, Scott Schrader of USC Scoop is out at the Las Vegas Pylon tournament. He spoke with 5-star ATH, Emeka Egbuka (Steilacoom, WA).
***Emeka has visited a number of schools but when asked what school stands out as one that he’s most interested in visiting, he named one school…
Oklahoma.
***Emeka says that among the schools coming after him the hardest are Washington, Ohio State, Clemson, LSU, Stanford, Oregon and Oklahoma.
***On Oklahoma specifically, Emeka said, “I’ve been talking to the coaches a lot and I haven’t had the chance to get down there yet…I’m looking to get down there because of their interest level and me and how much they’ve invested in me so I think it’s fair to give them my time”.
***Again, Emeka has been to a number of schools because of all his 7v7 travels. But Oklahoma is a bit out of the way from the major 7v7 tournament spots so he has yet to visit the Sooners. But I think that’s a good thing. It could be similar to the situation with Josh Eaton, last year.
***You’ll recall with the Eaton situation, most had figured OU really didn’t have a shot. But we stood firm believing that in the long run it would be better for Eaton to take the visit with his family. And it was ultimately Eaton’s family that made the difference.
***So, again, look for Emeka to make it down to OU sometime in the near future.
Updates | Additional Visitors Confirmed for March 1st
– Charlie S
*** As February comes to a close, the recruiting dead period comes to an end and the Sooners are wasting little time getting some high priority targets on campus.
*** Last week after K went over to Austin to see some targets, we were the first to report that both 2021 cornerbacks Latrell McCutchin (6’1″ 176) and Andrew Mukuba (5’11” 181) out of Austin, Texas would be visiting on March 1st and back on February 13th we noted that 2021 offensive lineman Connor Tollison(6’5″ 300) out of Jackson, Missouri would be in town that day as well.
*** K mentioned that things are going very well with McCutchin and we expect Mukuba to pick up an offer in person while on campus. Good news there for sure.
*** Tollison put out his top seven recently and the Sooners made the cut. Again, really good news.
*** Getting those three priority targets on campus immediately following the dead period is obviously a great turn of events for OU and it displays the mutual interest among all those involved.
*** They will not be the only targets on campus as I have touched base with 2021 linebacker Terrence Cooks (6’2″ 210) out of Pearland, TX (Shadow Creek) and he let me know that he is also planning on making his way to Norman on March 1st.
Cooks holds over two dozen offers which include programs such as Alabama, Texas, USC, Oregon, and Georgia.
Cooks tells me he is being recruited by Brian Odom and is looking forward to building that relationship.
*** Also making their way to Norman is a pair of 2022 wide receivers out of Lancaster, TX. Stephon Jones (5’11” 165) and Phaizon Wilson (6’4″ 200) will both be on campus on March 1st.
*** While we can confirm the names above, I would not be surprised to see additional names pop up and once we get confirmation, we will bring that to you.
