Open Post | Weekend, April 1st – 3rd
Posted on: April 1, 2022
Cayden Green Returned Yet Again
– Super K – Posted on: March 29, 2022
2023 4-star OT, Cayden Green (Lees Summit, MO) made yet another return trip to Norman to visit the Sooners last Saturday.
As you may recall, Green recently released a top five which included: Missouri, Miami, Nebraska, Michigan and the Sooners.
Green has been on campus a number of times. In fact, his life began in Oklahoma. He spent his early years there as both his parents played basketball at Oral Roberts. And, Green did grow up a Sooners fan.
Cayden just came in to see practice. He told me he sat in on the position meetings and then watched practice. After that, they had lunch and then headed back up to Kansas City.
I asked how he felt the Sooners looked overall and he said, “They looked real good! Very fast paced and intense. They got a staff and a roster full of dogs!”
The Sooners do have a threat in Michigan but all the connections to Oklahoma and the proximity to home – this one feels like the Sooners are in the drivers seat.
OL Target Updates | Formby & Sanders
– Charlie S – Posted on: March 29, 2022
The Sooners played host to a couple of additional ’23 offensive line targets over the last month in Wilkin Formby (6’7 295) out of Tuscaloosa, AL, and Brycen Sanders (6’5 280) out of Chattanooga, TN and we wanted to share the latest we have on those recruitments.
***In regard to Wilkin Formby, Super K spoke to a source close to the situation who believes OU could be a player here with one large caveat…if Alabama doesn’t push. That is no shock in regard to a kid from Tuscaloosa.
The interesting part of what K was told is that Ole Miss was in a very good spot for Formby prior to Jeff Lebby leaving and heading to Norman as the Sooners OC. Source close to the recruitment told K that if Formby leaves the state, OU could be the program that benefits.
Super K was told that Formby will be taking an official to Norman this spring/summer.
***When it comes to recent visitor Brycen Sanders, the Sooners were somewhat late arrivals to his recruitment but the visit was enough to get them included in his top 4 which I mentioned following his visit and he will release that list tonight.
As you know, Sanders said that OU was likely to get an official from him before his commitment in early June.
What I did not know is that not only does Tennessee hold the in-state ‘home field advantage’ but K was told his father played ball with the Vols OL coach. So OU will have that to overcome.
We will be keeping an eye on both of these guys as things progress.
Sourced Practice Notes | March 29th
– Charlie S – Posted on: March 29, 2022
Picked up a few sourced notes from Monday’s practice…
***Secondary got their hands on a lot of balls. Eaton and Walker had picks off Evers and source believes Bowen
***Jovantae Barnes gets skinny in a hurry and broke some arm tackles also. ‘Kid is explosive and he’s a sponge…don’t have to tell him twice’.
***Ran some situational scrimmage stuff and trenches were pretty much a draw. Ethan Downs and Reggie Grimes had some moments over the right side of the OL
***McKade Mettauer put a few guys on their backs at guard. He’s gonna be the starter there and from the early returns, it sounds like OU may have upgraded.
***Gabriel was on target and in control but you can see the other guys behind him have work to do adjusting to the system. The rest of spring ball, summer, and fall camp will be vital for the backups.
***Intensity was high, there was some pushing and shoving after a couple plays. Players fighting for recognition and to stand out leads to high intensity, you have to love that.
***Key Lawrence was very vocal. Sounds like more leadership happening organically.
***Billy Bowman looked very comfortable, like he was made for safety in this new scheme. Bowman also looks ‘dangerous’ as a return man.
***Players not participating: C Andrew Raym, TE Carsten Groos, LS Kasey Kelleher, K Gavin Marshall
If you would like to read additional sourced notes, please check the Donor Board.
Quick Hitter | ’23 LB Target
– Charlie S – Posted on: March 29, 2022
CJ was out to see ’23 LB target S’Maje Burrell (6’1 215) out of Fort Worth, TX (North Crowley) today following his visit to Texas.
Burrell visited Norman in early March for their Elite Junior day and following his visit, I noted that OU made a massive move for the linebacker. HERE.
I also noted that it did not feel as though a decision was imminent.
Things change quickly!
Turns out, while OU did make a big impression on him (and his family), it sounds like Texas not only countered the OU momentum, but we believe he will be making his decision in the next couple weeks in favor of Texas.
Update | ’24 QB DJ Lagway Post Visit
– Charlie S – Posted on: March 30, 2022
The Sooners hosted ’24 QB DJ Lagway (6’2 215) for a visit last weekend and I was able to catch up with him following his trip up to Norman.
The signal caller and his family made the six hour drive up to Norman from Willis, TX. When I asked him what stood out about the trip he said, “What stood out to me was the facilities and the coaches. The facilities were top tier and the coaches are really good men that love to coach football”.
While Lagway does not currently hold an OU offer (OU has not offered any ’24 QBs yet) he is eagerly building his relationship with Sooners OC Jeff Lebby. He said “My relationship with coach Lebby has grown a lot over the past few weeks. I love talking football with him and he has already helped me to expand my game”.
I asked him if he planned on camping at OU this summer and he is not committed to doing that at this time, bue he did say he plans on getting back on campus. “I’m going to come back for a game in the fall for sure”.
It also sounds like Lebby is seriously considering Lagway as an option at QB in ’24 as DJ told me “Coach Lebby said he is going to come to a practice this spring to see me throw”.
Lebby is being very deliberate with his ’24 QB target. I would assume you will see the ’24 QB offer(s) start to go out once the OU spring practice schedule is cleared and Lebby and company can get out and see some of these guys in action.
Quick Hitter | Lebbeus Overton
– Charlie S – Posted on: March 30, 2022
It has been reported on Twitter by 247’s Steve Wiltfong that Lebbeus Overton will be announcing his commitment this Friday.
If you have been following along with us, this should not come as a shock to any of you for a couple of reasons.
The first reason is that he just visited Texas A&M and while we have long considered them the leader for Overton, it does not hurt their case with how they approach paying players…I mean providing NIL deals…no I don’t, they pay players to come to their school based on thinly-veiled NIL language. It’s ridiculous.
Also, since he announced his intentions to reclassify, anytime we are asked about it, I have made it clear that we didn’t think he was coming to OU. I have said repeatedly that ‘I would be shocked if the brothers Overton ended up in Norman”.
When news came out about OU getting the last scheduled visit, I would make sure to include ‘If that visit comes off’.
Look, I’m not going to sugarcoat it…it’s probably for the better that the pursuit ended now as, in my opinion, a kid looking at NIL first is not what Brent Venables is looking for.
Good luck to Lebbeus, hope he has a healthy and productive career…but this was never headed in OU’s direction despite what some people were trying to sell you.
Visit Note | ’23 DB
– Charlie S – Posted on: March 31, 2022
James let me know the Sooners are expecting to host ’23 DB Peyton Bowen (6’0 185) for an unofficial visit tomorrow.
Bowen is scheduled to head to Norman to view practice and he confirmed as much with me.
This will be yet another unofficial (at least 4 now) visit for the OU target who is verbally committed to Notre Dame.
Bowen is teammates with OU QB commit Jackson Arnold.
Following a February visit, CJ caught up with Bowen who had some high praise for Sooners safety coach Brandon Hall and OU corners coach Jay Valai. You can go back and refresh HERE.
Update | ’23 DL Peter Woods
– Charlie S – Posted on: March 31, 2022
The Sooners made the cut for ’23 DL Peter Woods (6’3 260) out of Alabaster, AL, and are in his top four.
Let’s cut to the chase, shall we?
***An Alabama source tells Super K that Woods is at, or near, the top of Bama’s board.
***We do believe Woods will OV to OU, but we should be able to confirm that next week when they return from spring break.
***Bama may be tough to beat here buuuuut….
***The silver lining may be with OU making so many top lists for these DL from Alabama, should Woods choose Alabama, that takes up one of their spots which could allow OU to pick up one of the other studs in the state…like a Kelby Collins, Keldric Faulk, Hunter Osborne etc…the state of Alabama is currently a gold mine for DL
***Not to mention the possibility of Bama taking an out of state kid or two along the DL
***So while Woods may very well wind up at Bama, the fact OU keeps making these lists puts them in a position to make some gains as Bama cannot take all the linemen and we believe OU has the ability to beat the other in-state school, Auburn, for many of these guys.
Update | Justin Harrington
– Charlie S – Posted on: March 31, 2022
One topic that continues to come up in the comment section of posts and in private messages is the situation with DB Justin Harrington who quit the program and entered the NCAA transfer midway through the season last year.
Harrington entered the portal back on October 1st, shortly after we reported that he was finally getting some looks at safety after starting his career at corner.
He never left Oklahoma while he was languishing in the portal and once the coaching change took place, he admitted to me that he was interested in returning to the program.
Back in January, following some Twitter activity, I touched base with him and noted the following:
‘***Also touched base with Sooners DB Justin Harrington who is also in the transfer portal to see if anything was up with the Perrion Winfrey tweet from this afternoon that many of you inquired about…
Cutting to the chase here…I asked him if that was something that could happen (returning to OU) and he said ‘for sure’.
I also asked him if he and the new staff have made any progress towards that becoming more of a realistic possibility and he said ‘A little progress, I’m just being patient’ and he let me know that he believes that people in the building know he is open to hearing more from the new staff.
Bottom line, as of right now, there isn’t much to talk about in regard to Harrington and OU, but the door, on his end, is not closed.’
Over the course of the last few months, I have kept tabs on him and he continued to let me know that he was hoping to rejoin the program.
Harrington has had several meetings with OU coaches to express his desire and as I have mentioned numerous times in our chats (as recently as yesterday morning in the comment section), he was open to the possibility of walking on if that is what it took.
The last time I spoke with him, he let me know that he was scheduled to meet with Brent Venables. I have not spoken with him since as that is too fine of a line to cross in my opinion.
Recently, it was brought to my attention that there was a social media image of him (courtesy of Josh Eaton) at a gathering with the team.
James touched base with a source who confirmed that OU is working with him in an effort to bring resolution to his situation.
As of right now, we have not heard anything has been finalized, but if both parties are looking to make this happen, you would assume things will come together. It is all about timing from the looks of things.
I would expect this to come together and OU at the very least could be adding some nice depth to their safety room, as I don’t believe anyone would go through the charade of him being a corner once again.
If things come together, I do not know if he will join the team as a walk on or as a scholarship player since a couple of the ships they were holding (Overton and Conerly) appear to be going left unused at the moment. I would lean towards a walk on situation, but we will know if OU makes something official.
Hopefully, there is a resolution for both parties in the very near future and we can move on!
