Open Post | Weekend, December 9th – 11th
Posted on: December 9, 2022
Quick Hitter | Jasiah Wagoner
– Super K – Posted on: December 6, 2022
Sooners were in-home with OU DB commit, Jasiah Wagoner (Spanaway, WA).
We’ve been told Deion Sanders and co made it one of their first priorities to go after Wagoner once they arrived at Colorado. Probably a very good sign that OU’s evaluation was good. Have to think Sanders knows a good DB when he sees one.
Having said that, sources on the OU side believe they’ll be able to hold off the push from Sanders and Colorado. But we are going to continue to watch this one.
Wide Receiver Room Thoughts
– Charlie S – Posted on: December 6, 2022
As you all know, the Sooners currently have an interim wide receiver coach since the resignation of Cale Gundy in the summer.
L’Damian Washington assumed the position with an interim tag following Cale’s departure.
OU currently has the following players on scholarship heading into the 2023 season:
Freshman Jayden Gibson
Sophomore Jalil Farooq
Freshman Nic Anderson
Redshirt Sophomore LV Bunkley Shelton
Redshirt Senior Drake Stoops
Redshirt Sophomore JJ Hester
Junior Marvin Mims (Undecided on NFL Draft)
OU currently has two wide receivers committed in the ’23 class:
Jaquaize Pettaway
Keyon Brown
Following the resignation of Gundy, the Sooners immediately pivoted and offered TCU wide receiver coach Malcolm Kelly the position, but he chose not to take the position (rightfully so) due to the timing of it.
OU went through the season and saw its receiver room underperform once again. I am not blaming that on anyone, just stating it was what it was and there were far too many drops and not nearly enough explosive plays.
Jeff Lebby’s offense needs wide receivers who can stretch the field, make plays in space, and most importantly, catch the ball.
So the 2022 season was not a great year for the room. One of the more alarming notes in relation to their performance was that OU brought in 4 new guys on scholarship last cycle (Gibson, Anderson, Hester, Bunkley Shelton) and they had a combined three catches. Three.
So as the end of the season approached, we became aware of the Sooners speaking with LA Rams running back coach Ra’Shaad Samples as well as revisiting Malcolm Kelly.
Per our sources, Kelly has indicated he is not likely to make a move, and Samples announced his intentions to take a job at Arizona State this morning as we reported that it was likely that he would have his decision this week. It is important to note that OU never extended an offer to Samples.
So here we are with L’Damian Washington out on the trail working to close out the ’23 class as far as early signing day goes and by all accounts, Washingtion is well-liked inside and outside of the program. Venables and Lebby obviously have some faith in him and the recruits all speak highly of him.
Maybe he is the answer. Perhaps Coach Venables did not see Samples as the answer and right now they are fine in sticking with Washington.
What prompted this note, in part, was a look at the numbers once again. OU currently has seven scholarship wide receivers on campus and they are bringing in two more with the recruiting class which would bring them to nine. That is not taking into account Gavin Freeman who is a walk on but saw a bunch of playing time…so they have 10 rotational wide receivers at this point.
You figure OU can find two guys in the portal to get the number to 12, which is more comfortable, but then you have to consider the potential loss of Marvin Mims. If you keep Mims and add Stogner to the tight end room, you’re not in terrible shape.
Over the past 24 hours I have spoken with Micah Tease. I asked him if he was considering taking an official visit this weekend or next and he said he has not booked a visit to Norman. I asked him if he felt like the staff had turned up the heat in his recruitment and he said “They are pushing a little bit harder, but not too hard”.
So all that information we have vetted and gathered has led me to this point.
OU needs their wide receiver room to improve. It is vital, for Lebby’s offense, to have a group of wide receivers who can open up the field for everyone else. The QB, the Offensive Line, and the Running Backs all look and perform better with a good receiving corps.
The lack of urgency on the hire of a new wide receiver coach not named Malcolm Kelly tells me that the Sooners have a plan. I do not know what that plan is currently, but I have to believe they are working on something in several areas.
Perhaps it is as simple as LD Washington is OU’s second choice behind Kelly on the hiring front. Perhaps they have another guy in mind who they will approach following the conclusion of the season and recruiting cycle. Heck, they may even circle back to Malcolm Kelly again. I do not know, but I do know Brent and the staff are not being rushed into a decision.
In regard to the personnel issues, I have to believe they are going to work the portal and they are planning on securing a couple additions. A top-flight guy would be almost imperative if Marvin Mims decides to leave for the NFL. Right now we know they have extended a couple of offers to Kent State WR Dante Cephus and Mississippi State WR RaRa Thomas. Those offers almost feel like a smoke screen. Yes OU would like to have either of them, but both are being hotly pursued and I wouldn’t call OU the favorite to land either of them.
Right now, after having all the answers for you on Kelly and Samples (to this point) we do not know what the plan is, but we have to believe there is one in place.
When we get anything new, you know we will pass it along!
Trending | McCullough Brothers, Bowen & Akana
– Super K – Posted on: December 7, 2022
***As you know, the Sooners are hosting the McCullough brothers this weekend. That includes Indiana Transfer DE/OLB Dasan McCullough and his brother 2023 4-star DB, Deah McCullough (South Bend, IN).
I’ve asked around and am told that the Sooners feel like if the visit goes as they expect then they are likely to land both. So there is some confidence around the program regarding both.
I’ll put this one trending at 65/35 Sooners.
***Also, I know Charlie mentioned that he was hearing good things on the possibility of OU landing 2023 4-star DE/OLB Tausili Akana (Lehi, UT).
I wanted to add to that. I spoke to a separate source who also indicated to me that OU some reason to feel confident.
Based on what I’ve heard I’ll put this one trending OU at 55/45.
***Also, OU will be visiting Peyton Bowen today and again, that’s another one that feels like it’s trending OU.
I’ll give that one to the Sooners 60/40.
Could be a strong close for OU. Just need to keep Marvin. Add a good transfer wide receiver and hopefully some bodied DL (numbers probably depend on what Hicks ultimately decides to do).
Defensive Line by the Numbers
– Charlie S – Posted on: December 7, 2022
Earlier this morning, Josh Ellison announced his intentions to enter the NCAA transfer portal joining Alton Tarber and Cedric Roberts in exiting Todd Bates’s room.
Jalen Redmond and Jeffrey Johnson will also be leaving. Johnson exhausts his eligibility and Redmond has declared early for the NFL Draft.
OU added Notre Dame transfer Jacob Lacey and currently, they have Derrick LeBlanc and Ashton Sanders committed.
Oklahoma is still working on DJ Hicks and they are looking through the portal for additions as well.
While the numbers for next year are not terrible and you assume they will add a couple more players, the numbers for the bowl game are pretty bleak.
Interior DL Expected in Norman for the ’23 Season:
Gracen Halton
Kelvin Gilliam
Jordan Kelley
Kori Roberson? (No real idea what the plan is here and we have tried to get answers…still trying)
Isaiah Coe
Jacob Lacey
Derrick LeBlanc
Ashton Sanders
And you can likely add on at least two more bodies through the portal or in the form of DJ Hicks or another HS kid.
I also wonder if a guy like Ethan Downs moves inside.
Either way, no matter what happens, I expect the numbers are fine for the ’23 season it would appear.
However…whew lads…the bowl game is tight tight tight.
Jeffrey Johnson
Jordan Kelley
Gracen Halton
Isaiah Coe
Perhaps Kori Roberson can play? (again, we are trying to find out more here) Or some of the walkons?
With all that said…while the loss of the young guys is disappointing because whenever you bring in a freshman you hope you catch lightning in a bottle. That wasn’t happening with Tarber and particularly Roberts so no real harm there.
The loss of Ellison for next year doesn’t move the needle for me at all either as I think it is highly likely OU can replace his 10 tackles on the year with a warm body.
I don’t hate the purge here at all and depending on who OU pulls, the room has a greater chance of being improved than it would have been if those guys all stayed.
In my opinion, this is part of the ‘necessary disaster’ I have talked about before. It may look ugly, but I absolutely believe OU will be better off having gone through this now, rather than later.
I guess the point of this note is to say that while it seems like OU is losing a lot…they really aren’t (10 combined tackles) and there is a better chance than not that they will actually upgrade the talent and potential of the room as they go through this house cleaning.
Just have to get through this bowl game!
Putting One to Rest | Rumors
– Charlie S – Posted on: December 8, 2022
There are so many rumors flying around at this time with the recruiting cycle coming to an end and the transfer portal cruising at a fever pitch that I think it is noteworthy to put down some of the rumors prior to them becoming a bigger thing than they are when we are able to.
In today’s edition of debunking the rumors, after speaking with multiple sources, we can put the Clemson Safety Andrew Mukuba potentially entering the portal and transferring rumor to OU to rest.
Chalk that one up to a ‘not happening’ at this time. I suppose things could change, but this is what we are hearing at this time.
Latest Sooner Moves | Recruiting (Updated)
– Super K – Posted on: December 8, 2022
***Sooners offered Alabama transfer CB, Khyree Jackson. As you know, coming out of JUCO, Jackson was very interested in OU and visited Norman.
He’s also friends with current OU WR, Jalil Farooq.
I am told that Jackson is likely to drop a top list, shortly. I checked with Jackson’s high school coach and he wasn’t sure if OU would be on there. But with his ties to Norman and the fact that Valai coached him at Alabama, I’d be surprised if the Sooners aren’t in this one.
***Also, this morning OU also extended an offer to 2023 DB, CJ Blocker (New Caney, TX).
It appears he has upcoming visits scheduled to Kentucky and USC. We are checking to see if he is visiting OU before the signing period.
***Also, Sooners made a couple of DL offers – one 2023 and the other a transfer. Both seem to indicate their desire to get a certain body type.
The 2023 offer was made to Arkansas commit, Quincy Rhodes. Rhodes is clearly a guy who can slide inside. He’s listed at 6’7 around 260 lbs and has a good first step. Arkansas source tells me they’d be surprised if he flips. But, again, probably an indication that OU is trying to get bigger guys who can run up front. As I’ve mentioned, sources on the OU side have indicated that they’re trying to get some guys up front that can actually run.
The transfer offer made was to Louisville DL, Caleb Banks. Similar body type to Rhodes – Banks is listed at 6’7 300 lbs (was around 260 lbs coming out of high school).
Banks has a number of suitors including Tennessee who threw their hats in the ring, yesterday.
Not sure just yet what will come of this but again, clear indication that OU wants to get some actual big guys up front to compliment the smaller quicker guys they’re bringing in.
UPDATE (12:02 PM)
***Quick update here on CJ Blocker, the new 2023 DB offered. It seems his visit scheduled has changed. Am told he was expected to visit TCU this upcoming weekend and cancelled TCU (and presumably Kentucky) to visit Alabama.
The Latest | Portal Running Back Talk
– Charlie S – Posted on: December 8, 2022
The Sooners will lose Eric Gray to the NFL which leaves them with a pretty inexperienced running back room heading into the ’23 season.
Without Gray, OU has Jovanate Barnes, Gavin Sawchuk, and Marcus Major in the fold (if none of them leave, and I am not expecting them to at this point). Barnes and Major have limited experience and Sawchuk has seen very little action.
They also have Bentavious Thompson, Tawee Walker, and Emeka Megwa on the roster and only Walker has seen any real time on the field for OU to this point in that group.
OU will add incoming freshmen Daylan Smothers and Kalib Hicks to the room in the offseason.
I have communicated with a pair of backs that are currently in the portal who have had some sort of communication with the Sooners.
***Former Texas A&M running back and one-time OU target LJ Johnson tells me he has been speaking with DeMarco Murray. Johnson was a class of ’21 recruit and over the course of two years in College Station he has compiled 31 carries for 115 yards.
***Former Oklahoma State running back Braylin Presley also let me know that he has been in contact with the Oklahoma recruiting staff, but he has not spoken to any coaches to this point. So right now, things are just in the initial phase and OU does not appear to have jumped in here with both feet yet.
I have to say, neither one of those guys makes a lot of sense to me at this point and it feels more like OU is doing due diligence, particularly in regard to Johnson, in case one of their scholarship backs does decide to jump in the portal at some point here.
As for Presley, I could absolutely see him fitting in well in Norman, but it wouldn’t necessarily be as a dedicated running back in my opinion as he would be a weapon that Lebby could deploy in multiple ways. Kid is fast and twitchy and could be a mismatch nightmare for defenses.
I will continue to check with both Johnson and Presley and folks around the program to see if things progress.
CJ Blocker | ’23 DB | Update | Updated: 6:43 pm
– Charlie S – Posted on: December 8, 2022
Chatted with Sooners recent ’23 DB offer briefly and wanted to follow up on K’s post from earlier today. Link Here
I asked him about a potential visit to Norman and he said ‘I’m still debating it, I may though.” He added “My schedule is full (with visits) but I may take one out or change one”.
I would lean towards him making it to Norman in some capacity or another prior to signing day.
Updated: 6:43 pm
Super K was also in touch with CJ following my update and CJ let him know if the visit does happen, it would likely be next weekend, the weekend prior to signing day.
Official Visit List | December 9th – 11th
– Charlie S – Posted on: December 9, 2022
The Sooners are hosting a nice group of commits and recruits this weekend for official visits.
Oklahoma is expecting to officially host the following players over the next few days:
***Daeh McCullough – ’23 Defensive Back – Cincinnati Commit
***Dasan McCullough – Indiana EDGE Transfer
***Josh Bates – ’23 Offensive Center – OU Commit
***Eric McCarty – ’23 Athlete – OU Commit
***Kendel Dolby – ’23 JUCO DB – OU Commit
***Heath Ozaeta – ’23 Offensive Line – OU Commit
***Jasiah Wagoner – ’23 Defensive Back – OU Commit
***Taylor Wein – ’23 EDGE – OU Commit
I do expect there to be some additional names, not sure if they will be official or unofficial visitors and once we can confirm or release those names, we will.
