Open Post | Weekend, February 25th – 27th
Posted on: February 25, 2022
Working List | March 5th Visitors
– Charlie S – Posted on: February 24, 2022
The Sooners will be hosting a couple of big visit weekends in March, the first being March 5th (the Second being March 26th).
Below, we have a working list of visitors we have confirmed for the March 5th weekend.
There will be additions to the list as there are a bunch of names who we are still waiting on confirmation from before throwing their names out there as ‘possible’.
Thee will also be a bunch of ’24 and ’25 kids and we will bring you some of those names closer to the weekend, but for the most part, we will be focusing on the 2023 class:
Again…the list will expand, so if you don’t see someone on there at this point, they likely just have not confirmed with us that they will be in town.
Obviously, we will update the list when appropriate!
Reminder…all of these visits are ‘unofficial’ which means the recruits and their families are footing the bill to get to Norman. Pretty impressive.
*OL Josh Bates – Commit
*WR Ashton Cozart – Commit
*QB Jackson Arnold – Commit – *Probable
*ATH Eric McCarty – Commit
*RB Richard Young – Lehigh Acres, FL
*RB Dylan Edwards – Derby, KS
*OL Cayden Green – Lees Summit, MO
*DL Kayden McDonald – Suwanee, GA
*DB Micah Tease – Tulsa, OK
*DB Moussa Kane – Blairstown, NJ
*DB Jayden Bonsu – Hillside, NJ
*S Tyre Young – Pittsburgh, PA
*LB S’Maje Burrell – Fort Worth, TX
*ATH Anthony White – Abernathy, TX
*DT Edric Hill – Kansas City, MO – Added 2/24 – 2:27 pm
*EDGE Adepoju Adebawore -Kansas City, MO – *LIKELY – Added 2/24 – 2:27 pm
Sourced | Team Notes
– Super K – Posted on: February 21, 2022
***The freshman standing out the most in terms of pure athleticism and work ethic? I’m told that is most definitely freshman linebacker Jaren Kanak. “He’s different from everybody else.”
***Source said that it’s really too early to tell too much until the players get on the field. But, a name I’ve heard that is turning heads is Billy Bowman. Was told that if all goes well in the spring, you can fully expect to see a lot of Bowman.
***Generally, I’m told the staff is very pleased with the overall buy-in of all the players. This period is about building the culture and it sounds like the players are completely bought in at the moment to what the new S&C staff is selling. They’re also reacting really well to the coaches in the two or three coaching sessions they’ve had.
***Was also told that the sense from the staff after observing the players is that there are a lot more athletes on this team than most may think. Was basically told that the fans might be surprised by some new names that could emerge. Getting those early Stoops era vibes.
***Lastly, I asked a second source about Dillon Gabriel’s arm. Second source said the same thing the first source said. It seems to be the consensus that Gabriel has an arm comparable to that of Spencer and Caleb. Sense is that there won’t be any drop-off in the “can sling it” category.
TFB Talking Point | Scheme Changes and Whatnot
– Charlie S – Posted on: February 21, 2022
As everyone knows, the Sooners will be implementing new schemes on both sides of the ball in the ’22 season.
When one talks about the prospects for OU for the upcoming season, that has to be taken into account more than the personnel on hand, in my opinion.
In the comment section of the previous thread, I wrote:
‘I will be here all offseason to point out that adapting to changing schemes on both sides of the ball is a larger hurdle than personnel comings and goings.
I’m here for you. I will keep you grounded.
It is my duty.’
That was in response to those in the community who are of the ‘wait and see’ mindset as opposed to getting on the proverbial ‘hype train’ once again this year.
I completely get where those thoughts come from, kind of the “We won’t get fooled again’ segment of the community.
Now, while I wrote those words a bit tongue in cheek, I do believe there needs to be some caution about the level of execution, particularly early in the season, on both sides of the ball.
I wanted to provide a little deeper commentary in regards to which scheme change I feel will be a smoother transition and why I believe that.
I fully believe the offensive transition to Jeff Lebby’s scheme will be smoother (easier for the players to pick up and execute) than the defensive transition for a number of reasons.
The biggest reason I feel that way?
Dillon Gabriel.
Jeff Lebby’s offense and Lincoln Riley’s offense are like distant cousins in their simplest form. The idea for both of the coaches is to get their playmakers in space and create numbers advantages or player mismatches.
Lebby goes about it with wide spreads in large part while Riley would scheme the hell out of the routes and protection.
The biggest challenge for the offensive holdovers in Norman will be language and reps. A route is a route, a blocking assignment is a blocking assignment, and a read is a read (by QB or RB or WR/TE). They are basically doing the same thing in different clothes.
Dillon Gabriel is the guy who needs to know more than the rest of the skill position guys. And he does. He knows the offense since it’s inception at UCF. He is familiar with the calls, the routes, the options, the tempo…he knows what he is doing in this offense. He will be a tremendous asset in getting the rest of the offense on the same page.
I really have few ‘worries’ about the offense. Yes, there will be mistakes and missed assignments and such…that happens even in familiar offenses. But with the spring and summer to implement Lebby’s scheme, I believe OU will be scoring ‘from far’ and ‘in bunches’.
The run game and offensive line are really big beneficiaries with Lebby’s scheme and the wide receivers have a chance to put up some stupid numbers if things click.
As for the defense…I know you hate the word…but if Venables is anything, he is multiple.
When your defense is multiple, you need to have players with intimate knowledge of not only the playbook but also of how things play out on the field (live reps and experience). It is one thing to study film and know your assignments in practicality…it is another to execute at a high level.
Add in the fact that I expect there to be multiple position changes, which will not only be done in the spring, but up and through fall camp, the defense will be further behind the learning curve than the offense, again, in my opinion.
You’re also going with a pretty green defensive line. At Clemson, Venables was able to dial up pressure by only bringing 4 (sometimes 3) guys because of the players he had on the front end. While OU has some guys in Redmond, Johnson, and Laulu who have performed well under different coaches, getting them, along with young guys like Downs, Grimes and Coe (along with others) to perform at a high level will be paramount.
Yes, there will be blitzing and yes the backers will need to be assignment sound (learning all new assignments) and the secondary will have to learn how to cover someone (Manning and Grinch being gone is a plus)…but they will have to do all that while learning a new scheme.
It’s a tall order. I do not expect them to be terrible, I am not saying that by any means. I am saying there will be an adjustment period because there simply is not enough opportunity for the defense to get comfortable and confident without experiencing a bunch of live reps. There just are not enough opportunities to get those live reps through 15 spring practices and 20 or so fall camp practices.
I like both schemes a lot.
It will take a lot of work from both the players and the staff and everyone else involved (from chef to Schmidty) to have a solid grasp of the new schemes.
I think the offense has an easier path to adjustment because they have Dillon Gabriel.
CHO23N | Defensive Tackle Big Board
– Charlie S – Posted on: February 22, 2022
Continuing to drop the Big Boards for the 2023 class.
Let’s take a look at the Defensive Tackle targets.
***2023 Defensive Tackle Targets***
Jason Moore – DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, MD0 – 6-5 260 – Offered: 7/25/21
Will Norman -IMG (Bradenton, FL) – 6-5 290 – Offered: 4/7/21
John Walker – Osceola (Kissimmee, FL) – 6-4 300 – Offered: 4/7/21
Kayden McDonald – Suwanee, GA – 6-4 320 – Offered: 1/16/22
Markis Deal – Garland, TX – 6-6 290 – Naaman Forest (Garland, TX) – Offered: 6/5/21
A’mauri Washington – Chandler (Chandler, AZ) – 6-5 295 – Offered: 1/27/22
Joel Starlings – Benedictine (Richmond, VA) – 6-4 310 – Offered: 2/7/22
Xzavier McLeod – Camden (Camden, SC) – 6’4 315 – Offered: 1/27/22
Defensive Tackle Bottom Line:
First, let me state that the offers listed above are simply the guys who hold offers who are clearly ‘Defensive Tackles’ off the rip for the Sooners.
There are other targets who are listed as SDE or WDE who will undoubtedly be targeted for the interior like Victor Burley (6’4 275 out of Warner Roberts, GA) or even a guy like Peter Woods (6’2 265 out of Alabaster, AL) just to name a couple.
Now, the Sooners are scheduled to get a visit from Kayden McDonald in March, we are checking to confirm if that visit will take place but he does have an existing relationship with Venables and Bates so that would make sense.
I would pay more attention to the guys who were recently offered than the guys at the very top of the list as Moore, Norman and Walker all held offers before the new staff got here and it is not clear where things stand between them and OU at this point, but we will continue to check around there.
Markis Deal is a guy that is listed as both an offensive line offer and a defensive line offer. I can tell you that OU is recruiting him as an offensive lineman and according to our sources, he prefers to play defense. So not sure if that one will ever pick up. For what it’s worth, Darius and I were speaking about him last night and Darius believes his brighter future would be on the offensive side of the ball, so in his opinion, OU got the eval right, but you can’t always convince the kid of that being the case.
I would expect OU to be in consideration for visits from Washington, Starlings, and McCleod in the spring.
I am working under the assumption that the Sooners would like to take 2 high school tackles.
Visit Notes | McDonald and Young
– Charlie S – Posted on: February 22, 2022
***As I mentioned in the defensive tackle Big Board post, Kayden McDonald (6’4 320) out of Suwanee, GA, was scheduled to be visiting in early March.
I have touched base with Kayden and I can confirm he will be making the trip to Norman for the March 5th junior day.
McDonald is a good looking interior defensive lineman who is coveted by programs around the country and it should not be lost on you that this is quite a significant shift in recruiting for OU as he is making it to Norman on his own dime even before spring ball starts.
***Then you have 2023 running back Richard Young (5’11 200) out of Lehigh Acres, FL who is considered by many to be the top high school running back in the country.
As I mentioned previously, we had heard the rumblings that he was planning on getting to Norman in March.
Young had been rumored to have been visiting Norman on multiple occasions over the course of the past year only to see those plans never fully come together.
A few minutes ago, he tweeted out that he would in fact be making the trip.
Again, an elite recruit making the trip to Norman on his own dime is a big deal, particularly in this case as it is an offensive recruit following the change at offensive coordinator (and head coach).
Notre Dame Commit Peyton Bowen Recaps Recent OU Visit
– CJ Vogel – Posted on: February 23, 2022
I stopped by Denton Guyer last week to check in on several top targets in the state, as well as Oklahoma QB commit Jackson Arnold.
While I was unable to catch up with Arnold due to inclement weather cancelling his baseball practice before I arrived, I was able to talk with current Notre Dame commit Peyton Bowen, who had recently visited Oklahoma not too long ago.
“I talked with Coach Venables three or four times,” Bowen said. “I got to talk with Coach Hall and Coach Valai as well. They text me constantly, like ‘What do we need to do to get you here?’ It is much love, I appreciate all of that from them.”
With Bowen being teammates with Arnold as I previously mentioned, Oklahoma will be a school that will linger around in this recruitment until the very end.
Luckily for OU, the relationships with Coach Brandon Hall and Jay Valai are standing out for Bowen as well. Bowen said they talk often and is looking forward to growing that relationship as his recruitment continues.
“He is a real cool dude, but he’s the homie,” Bowen said about Coach Hall. “As for Coach Valai, coming from Bama and having that experience in big time games, it means a lot. Having Venables as the head coach who was a DC at Clemson, I know they have a great defensive mind in the back end.”
While the visit went well, Bowen reiterated that he is firm to his verbal pledge to the Irish for the time being.
“I am pretty locked in,” Bowen said about his commitment to Notre Dame. “There is nothing right now that will sway me to flip. That’s unless something magical comes along. That’s that for right now.”
Bowen did mention taking visits to make sure he is seeing all of his options. Among potential visits, he listed Alabama, Ohio State and Oregon as schools he was hoping to check out in the spring window. “At the end of the day, I am just a kid and I have to make grown up decisions and want to make sure I get it right.”
One of the biggest selling points Notre Dame was able to get across to Bowen was the performance of Kyle Hamilton this past year and the life after football aspect which has become a staple in Notre Dame recruiting.
For now, I don’t see any type of immediate move in this recruitment, but the Sooners have a lot of chips in their pocket to continue to chip away with in this recruitment. Bowen will certainly be a name to follow this cycle.
CHO23N | Defensive Line Big Board
– Charlie S – Posted on: February 24, 2022
Continuing to drop the Big Boards for the 2023 class.
Let’s take a look at the Defensive Tackle targets.
***2023 Defensive Line Big Board***
David Hicks Jr. – Allen (Allen, TX) – 6’4 255 – Offered: 1/18/21
Jayden Wayne – Lincoln (Tacoma, WA) – 6’1 245 – Offered: 7/6/21
Kelby Collins – Gardendale (Gardendale, AL) – 6’5 258 – Offered: 1/14/22
Peter Woods – Thompson (Alabaster, AL) – 6’2 263 – Offered: 5/21/20
Victor Burley – Warner Robins (Warner Robins, GA) – 6’4 275 – Offered: 1/3/22
Jordan Renaud – Tyler Legacy (Tyler, TX) – 6’4 240 – Offered: 2/18/21
Avion Carter – Tascosa (Amarillo, TX) – 6’6 250 – Offered: 2/19/21
Hunter Osborne – Hewitt-Trussville (Trussville, AL) – 6’4 255 – Offered: 9/7/21
Rueben Bain – Miami Central (Miami, FL) – 6’3 250 – Offered: 12/18/21
Derrick LeBlanc – Osceola (Kissimmee, FL) – 6’5 240 – Offered: 2/18/22
Dashawn Womack – St Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD) – 6’4 220 – Offered: 11/5/21
Kaleb James – Mansfield (Mansfield, TX) – 6’4 245 – – Offered: 6/22/21 – Committed to Arkansas
Keon Keeley – Berkeley Prep (Tampa FL) – 6’6 230 – Offered: 12/8/21 – Committed to Notre Dame
Chandavian Bradley – Platte County (Platte City, MO) – 6’6 210 – Offered: 3/25/21
Keldric Faulk – Highland Home (Highland Home, AL) – 6’5 255 – Offered: 1/10/22
Desmond Umeozulu – Charles Herbert Flowers (Springdale, MD) – 6’6 230 – Offered: 12/30/21
Enow Etta – Covenant Christian Academy (Colleyville, TX) – 6’5 220 – Offered: 1/28/22
Colton Vasek – Westlake (Austin TX) – 6’6 230 – Offered: 1/20/22
Mason Robinson – McDonogh School (Owings Mills, MD) – 6’3 217 – Offered: 11/5/21
Adepoju Adebawore – North Kansas City (Kansas City, MO) – 6’4 210 – Offered: 2/11/22
Nyckoles Harbor – Archbishop Carroll (Washington, DC) – 6’5 225 – Offered: 6/3/21
Bai Jobe – Community Christian School (Norman, OK) – 6’4 215 – Offered: 12/30/21
Defensive Line Bottom Line:
Off the rip, you know the Sooners are making a big push for David Hicks and Derrick LeBlanc on this list. Both of those guys would be able to play roles similar to Isaiah Thomas by the time they left Norman should they choose to go to OU. They would be able to play inside and outside but initially, they would likely be ends.
Those are the type of guys you need if you are going to emulate how Clemson built their front. Highend talent that doesn’t have to come off the field in certain situations and they have the ability to be 3 down linemen.
I would look at Victor Burley and Peter Woods in that same vein, so it’s kind of difficult to ‘slot’ some of these guys on any specific ‘Big Board’.
As far as where things stand, I still would not say OU has the outright ‘lead’ for any on this list, with LeBlanc likely being the biggest ‘OU lean’ of the bunch.
The good news? Many of them will be making their way to Norman for what could be multiple trips. Most of them will come up on their own dime initially and then you hope to secure an official.
Again, go through the list and focus on the more recent offers in most cases, but obviously, there are some exceptions to the rule (like Hicks, Osborne, Renaud) who the new Sooners staff is working on.
A few of the early offers had relationships built with the prior staff, and by prior staff, I largely mean Jamar Cain (see Harbor and Bradley) and while OU is still pursuing them to some degree, those recruitments are likely closer to square one in regard to OU than at the same level they were when Cain was working them.
After LeBlanc and Hicks, we are still working on getting a clearer picture of the hierarchy of the priorities, however, guys like Burley, Adebawore (who may be heading to Norman in March, just working to confirm) Robinson and Etta look like they are heavily in focus for the Sooner staff.
I expect there to be a few more offers thrown out there in this bunch and I would think OU would like to take at least 3 off this list this cycle and perhaps even up to 4 depending on fit.
Quick Hitter | Visitor Note – Edric Hill
– Charlie S – Posted on: February 24, 2022
As I mentioned in the Defensive Line Big Board post this morning, Adepoju Adebawore out of North Kansas City (Kansas City, MO) is scheduled to visit Norman on March 5th but we were still working to confirm that.
Well, it turns out that Super K confirmed that his teammate, Edric Hill (6’3 271) will be making the trip down to Norman for the visit…which bodes well for Adebawore making the trip as well.
Hill does not currently hold an OU offer, but after watching his film, I don’t see how he gets out of Norman without picking one up.
Kid looks super long and is a true interior player coming out of high school. He holds close to two dozen offers from the likes of Alabama, USC, Oregon, Tennessee and most recently, LSU.
I will add Hill to the visit list and will put Adebawore as ‘likely’.
