Open Post | Tuesday, June 16th
Posted on: June 16, 2020
Saturday Quick Hitter | 2021 DB Dakota Mitchell
– Charlie S
On Saturday I wrote:
*** In the chat discussion thread, a couple of you asked about 2021 DB Dakota Mitchell (6’0″ 185) out of Winter Park, FL following his decommitment from LSU.
*** He let me know that he is still interested in Oklahoma and a virtual visit is ‘In the works’
*** I asked him if he planned on officially visiting when/if visits are able to resume and he said “Good chance, yea I will visit”
*** Mitchell was offered by the Sooners back in February and they are in on a bunch of other targets at safety so I cannot say definitively where things stand on the OU side right now, that is something we will be checking on this week.
*** Just wanted to let you know that he has interest in Oklahoma.
On Sunday, Mitchell posted his new top 5 via Twitter…
*** Still checking to see where things are at on the OU side here in regards to where they stand in their pursuit of Mitchell priority wise.
Snippet from: Monday Notebook | NCAA Adjustment
– James Hale
The NCAA will approve on Wednesday an additional two week period of training camp that will allow the coaching staff to work with their athletes on the field for a 20 hour a week period. The additional period will be scheduled to begin two weeks before the start of a program’s training camp. Each team has 29 practices that they are allowed to get in before the start of the first game and now they can add an additional two weeks of that.
There will be some limitations on what teams can do during the two additional weeks. The evening practices during those two weeks would act as a walk-through, but from what I hear the teams will be able to throw the ball around which means you will have complete team throwing drills that will replace what teams usual use of 7v7 drills. No pads will be allowed of any kind so in that way it will resemble a 7v7 drill but the additional teamwork will be a huge benefit for the Sooners with young quarterbacks in redshirt freshman Spencer Rattler (6’0, 198) and sophomore Tanner Mordecai (6’2, 210)
This will give Coach Lincoln Riley and his staff an additional two weeks to evaluate the quarterbacks who they actually get to watch and learn which quarterback really is moving the team, throwing the ball the best, and who is becoming the best leader among the two. This is a much-needed development of the Sooners.
I know many of you watched the QB1 episode with Rattler, future Kentucky quarterback Nik Scalzo, and Maryland quarterback Lance Legendre. I just watched them this weekend and Rattler did not come off well in the Netflix feature as many considered him brash and cocky. I’m told he has been nothing but a great teammate since he’s been at OU and when he first arrived on campus the team busted his chops pretty good but he took it in good spirits.
What was clear to me in that series is how well Rattler can throw the football. He was so much better than Scalzo and Legendre throwing the ball and it wasn’t even close. Rattler is a special talent and if he keeps his act tougher on and off the field he has a chance to be really special.
“One thing I’ve appreciated about the kid, even though he wasn’t here for spring, he’s not afraid of the moment,” Coach Riley said. “He thinks he should be right in the middle of it, which you know, you better believe that. He certainly has that self-confidence”
Rattler will need that swagger and that confidence when he returns to campus and really gets into the competition with Mordecai for the starting quarterback job. If you are wondering how good OU will be this year look no further than who is behind the center in the shotgun where Coach Riley will have a quarterback who has not started a game at OU and that’s a totally different ball game for Coach Riley and OU since the quarterback guru came on campus.
No matter who the quarterback he’s going to enjoy playing behind another great offensive line for the Sooners. OU returns four starters off the Joe Moore semi-finalist group of a year ago but they must find their next great left tackle.
The headliner is junior center Creed Humphrey (6’5, 307) who has been a two-year starter, and most felt if he had come out at the end of last year he would have been no worse than a second-round draft choice in the NFL Draft. All believe Humphrey is a first-round draft choice and he does to and Sooner offensive line Coach Bill Bedenbaugh convinced Humphrey that he is a first-round draft choice and another year at OU could solidify his status as that first-round draft choice.
Junior right tackle Adrian Ealy (6’6, 341) is considered a high draft choice if he comes out after this year if he makes the progress that he is expected to make this year. Starting junior guards Tyrese Robinson (6’3, 334) and Marquis Hayes (6’5, 344) are both back and the coaches feel they will be better next year.
However, it’s the overall depth in the offensive line that has the coaches in the program giddy about what they have in the unit going into next season. I hear that sophomore Brey Walker 6’6, 352) has worked his tail off during this quarantine period and while he has always been a physical marvel he’s even amped it up a little. Redshirt freshman E.J. Nadoma-Ogar (6’3, 330) is another talented guard that the coaches are very high on and freshman Andrew Raym (6’3, 293) looked great until everything was shut down.
The coaches can’t hide their excitement about UCLA transfer Chris Murray, (6’3, 300) who they feel is a transfer that will have a big impact on the team when he is eligible to play. Currently, it looks like he is going to redshirt and he and Raym may be redshirting together learning under Coach Bedenbaugh and challenging the defensive line on the scout team. I say Raym will redshirt because he needs to get bigger and stronger. Humphrey did the same thing when he came out of Shawnee redshirting his freshman year because he felt he needed to get bigger and stronger. It wasn’t because he wasn’t good enough to play but OU had other centers they could go with and this year OU has other good centers and guards they can go to which will give Raym the chance to redshirt.
As we have talked about many times the battle at left tackle is a big question mark going into the season. The favorite is redshirt freshman Stacey Wilkins (6’6, 319) over senior Erik Swenson (6’5, 314). I hear Wilkins has had a great quarantine time leaning up but working hard on his footwork and the fundamentals that it will take to be a great left tackle.
Now, he hasn’t been playing against anybody and that’s the big problem with projecting competition in the offensive line. Individually this group has been dedicated to working out on their own, and as a team unit checking in with one another to push each other to get more reps in and to do their fundamental work on their own. This group is tougher and they have already started to include Murray from the West Coast and that’s what has the guys in the coaching offices so pumped about this season.
This unit feels they can be the next great offensive line and that’s the goal and with the quality depth pushing the starters they feel can be as good as any unit in the country, which will make things easier for the new quarterbacks, whoever the starter is going to be.
2021 Offensive Big Board
– Charlie S
Put together a quick list of names to know on the offensive side of the ball at each position. Just because a recruit is not mentioned does not mean OU is not working on them. I have simply listed the commits and the guys we feel are priorities at each position.
At each position, I have also noted the number of commits we believe OU is looking for. Mind you, that number can (will) change with attrition, and should a guy like Tristan Leigh or Emeka Egbuka all of a sudden want in (and both are guys that could potentially want in)…obviously OU would do all they can to make that happen.
Quarterback: 1 total
Quarterback Commits: Technically 0
Priorities: Right now, only one name to know…Caleb Williams.
Running Back: 1 total (previously believed 2 total)
Running Back Commits: 0
Running Back Priorities: Camar Wheaton (5’11” 190), Donovan Edwards (5’11” 190), LJ Johnson (5’10’ 204), TreVeyonn Henderson (5’11” 195 Ohio State Commit)
Wide Receiver: 4-5
Wide Receiver Commits: Mario Williams (5’10” 165), Cody Jackson (6’0″ 175)
Wide Receiver Priorities: Emeka Egbuka (6’1″ 190), Jalil Farooq (6’1″ 200), J.Michael Sturdivant (6’2″ 183), Christian Leary (5’9″ 180), Keon Coleman (6’4″ 186),
Tight End: N/A this cycle
Offensive Line: 3 (potentially 4 based on recruits)
Offensive Line Commits: Cullen Montgomery (6’5″ 315)
Offensive Line Priorities: Bryce Foster (6’4.5″ 340), Tristan Leigh (6’5″ 270), Savion Byrd (6’5″ 265), Kingsley Suamataia (6’5″ 280), Noah Pulealii (6’4″ 300)
I may also have missed a name or two, but I am sure you all will let me know about it in the comment section!
