Open Post | Wednesday, October 24th By: TFB Posted on: October 24, 2018

Chris Steele | Schools to Watch
– Super K

Since Sooners 2019 DB target, Chris Steele, decommitted from USC, there have been a number of schools discussed as possible landing spots. Steele himself has mentioned quite a few.

When I spoke with Steele face to face he was pretty candid about the fact that if he doesn’t stay with USC, his most likely landing spot will be one of Florida or Oklahoma. He didn’t hedge or equivocate much.

I know other schools have been mentioned but I still believe those are the two front-runners.

Oregon is a school that a lot of folks feel has a strong chance with Steele. Unless something changes, I don’t feel that way. Steele has talked about his relationship with Oregon OLB coach, Donte Williams. Williams is very close to Steele’s trainer. But based on my conversations with folks, I don’t believe the strength of that relationship is enough, right now. Right now, I just don’t see him staying in the Pac 12 for any school other than USC.

There is a lot of smoke around Florida. I spoke with a friend in California who told me that Steele’s family is discussing Florida quite a bit. In fact, my guess right now is Florida has a bit of an edge on Oklahoma. However, if Steele makes it back to Oklahoma, my trending pick will likely shift strongly towards Oklahoma.

I don’t believe Oklahoma’s fate is solely tied to Steele getting back to Oklahoma. Steele wants to play for a championship team and I just don’t see anyone beating Oklahoma again this year (not counting the playoffs…though I suspect OU is the one team Bama does not want to see). But Steele has already been to Florida twice. So, without that return visit, in my estimation, it makes things far less likely for OU.

If Steele does make it back to OU for a visit, I could see Bookie, Pledger, Viney, and co. wrapping it up.

 

 

Follow Up | EJ Ndoma-Ogar Visits Tennessee
– Charlie S

*** As we have mentioned previously, Sooners 2019 OL commit, and major peer to peer recruiter for the #NewWave19 class was going to take some official visits.

The Sooners staff was well aware of the plans for a visit for EJ this weekend and, in fact, they have encouraged EJ to take any and all visits he would like too.

This weekend, he was in Knoxville to visit the Vols who were hosting Alabama.

Following his visit, many of you saw some tweets from a service that interviewed him following his visit which seemed a little sensational…

EJ is truly a joy to cover, and I shared some messages with him following his visit (seems like he shared the same quote with several of us who cover the Sooners) and when I asked him if there was a message he would like to share with Sooner fans, he said:

“Let them know that I am still sold on OU. I shared with Coach Lincoln and Coach B that I would like to take a few visits during the process. They know where my heart is. Coach Lincoln has given me the best advice about going through the process.”

He added “The purpose of the trip was not to create a buzz or confusion. As I promised Coach Lincoln, my last OV is with OU in a few weeks. Thank you, Charlie, for always giving me a chance to share my thoughts.”

Not much to worry about here at this time.

 

 

Introducing 2020 Wide Receiver Quentin Johnston
– Charlie S

Last week the Sooners extended an offer to 2020 wide receiver Quentin Johnston out of Temple, TX (Temple, HS).

Johnston is a 6’4″ 180 lb junior who currently holds offers from Duke, TCU, and Virginia Tech among others.

His recruitment is really beginning to take off since the OU offer as he is drawing attention from some big programs in the wake of the Sooners throwing their hat in the ring.

I had an opportunity to catch up with Quentin and Super K will be heading out to see him in person in the near future.

Johnston comes from an athletic family. His father played football throughout high school and while he was in the Army and his brother played both football and basketball before turning his focus to his studies.

Johnston has been playing football since the third grade. When I asked him about his introduction to football, he said, with a laugh, “I started as a wide receiver in the little league, and little league football it’s all about the running so they kind of just stuck me out there in the beginning. Later on, I moved over to QB and was able to be more involved in the game, but then one of my best friends said he was interested in being QB and I discovered I liked playing wide receiver because when you’re older, there is more passing so it worked out for both of us”.

Quentin is a three-sport athlete. He participates in track and basketball along with football. I asked him if he enjoyed any one of the sports more than the others and he said, “I just love to compete. Any sport. I like showing what I can do”.

I love that mindset and I also believe an athlete has no better path to success than by competing in multiple sports as each athletic endeavor adds crossover weapons to one’s repertoire.

Duke was the first to offer Quentin and that in itself is an interesting story in regards to how that offer materialized. The Duke coaches were on a scouting trip when bad weather kept them in the area. The Duke staff members decided that instead of sitting idly by, they would venture out to a local game, which happened to be a game Temple was playing. Upon arriving at the game, the Duke guys reached out to some people and inquired on who they may want to keep an eye on and Johnston was one of the names given to them. Shortly after the game, the Duke coaches reached out to Quentin and offered him. Guess you could say he made a very good first impression.

Image result for you get an offer GIF

As for the OU offer?

I asked him how the offer went down, and he said “Coach Gundy called me a while ago. We got to know each other a little bit and then he came to watch me at our recent game. The next day, Coach Riley called to offer me”

We talked a bit about the OU offense and I asked him if he had any connections to the program or anyone he particularly liked to watch at OU and he said “I started looking at the wide receivers and how they play up there. I played against CeeDee Lamb a couple years ago and ever since then, I’ve loved the way he plays. I compare my style of play to his”.

Looking at his film, it is easy to see the comparison between Lamb and Johnston as they are both big wideouts who are long striders and run great routes.

He went on about the offense at OU by saying “I’ve spent a lot of time looking at it I like it more an more over time”.

As for what he feels the strength of his game is, Quentin said “My route running. I take a lot of pride in that and I spend a lot of time focusing on it”.

Quentin is trying to take a visit to Norman this season and he is currently working on setting that up as his schedule will allow. One of the most viable dates for that visit would be the Bedlam game, which is shaping up to be the second half of the seasons big recruiting weekend for the Sooners.

Johnston is a priority for the Sooners right now, and he will be one for many other programs in a very short amount of time. Once again, the Sooners evaluations got them an early jump on a young man who will be highly coveted.

 

 

Quick Hitter | 2020 Offensive Tackle Sets Unofficial
– Charlie S

– Was checking around with some recruits to see who may be visiting for the KSU game and I came across a nice little bit of information.

– 2020 offensive tackle Chris Morris out of Memphis, TN (Freedom Prep Academy) let me know that he is currently planning on making the trip up for Bedlam on November 11th.

– Morris picked up his OU offer last November

https://twitter.com/ChrisMo75901/status/934592953607221248

– Morris, a 6’4″ 287 lbs junior currently holds offers from just about every major program in the country.

– Anytime you have a kid who is willing to make that road trip, twice as he visited last year as well, on his own dime, it speaks a lot about his interest in the program.

– I will have more on Morris and his interest in the Sooners in the future.

– As we have been saying, Bedlam is setting up to be a really big recruiting weekend for both the ’19 and ’20 classes

 

 

Sooners Offer JUCO OT Myron Cunningham
– Charlie S

Yesterdaymorning, I posted an article on a JUCO name to potentially keep an eye on for the Sooners on the offensive line.

Myron Cunningham, who was offered by Texas Monday night, told me he has been in contact with Coach Bedenbaugh for a couple of months now.

He let me know that he was considering taking a visit to OU even though they had currently not extended an offer to him at that point.

That changed last night when he let me know that the Sooners did, in fact, extend him an offer.

He told me that he is currently working with the staff to set up an official visit for…you guessed it…Bedlam

He’s 6’5″ and close to 300 lbs and while he is listed as a tackle, he told me that he has discussed a potential move inside based on his versatility should the school he chooses see him as a better fit there.

I will have more on Cunningham as things progress and his visit date approaches.

 

 

Spencer Rattler Ruled Ineligible at His High School
– Charlie S

I am sure most of you are aware of this development, but it is not our policy to divulge what the transgression was that got him ruled ineligible.

What we will look for is more along the lines of how OU will address/handle this situation if they feel they even have too.

At this time, after speaking with a few people, it sounds as if this will have no impact on his eligibility/admittance to OU.

The Rattler family has been in touch with the OU staff throughout the process.

Shortly after the news was broken by local Arizona media, I was able to get in touch with Spencer and he said  “Just moving forward supporting my team. Getting ready for the All American game and Oklahoma”.