Open Post | Weekend, June 2nd – 4th
Posted on: June 2, 2023
Bennett Warren | Update | Ducks Down Sooners up
– Super K – Posted on: May 25, 2023
Earlier this spring, I was out at Fort Bend Christian Academy to see Sooners 4-star 2024 OL target, Bennett Warren.
At the time, two of the schools that seemed to be standing out were Oklahoma and Oregon. Bennett still had some unofficial visits he wanted to take, as well.
Earlier this week, Bennett tweeted out that he would no longer be taking an official visit to Oregon.
I spoke with a source close to Bennett about why that was the case and where things stand now. Here is what I was told…
***First, it does appear that Bennett himself made the decision to drop Oregon. This wasn’t a case of Oregon moving on. Rather, it seems Bennett felt Oregon just wasn’t the right fit.
***Bennett’s high school coach is a former NFL offensive lineman and I get the sense that he and the folks around Bennett have impressed upon Bennett how important development is in choosing a school. Bennett’s aspiration, like a lot of kids, is to get drafted.
***If you talk to Bennett, he is very aware of the players that OU has sent to the draft. He rattled their names off the top of his head.
***To me, that’s going to be the key in this recruitment – drive home that Bill Bedenbaugh can develop and as the source said…
***It’s not just that Bedenbaugh develops, he likes and develops guys who are built like Bennett Warren – nearly 6’8 330 lbs (Orlando Brown body type).
***Sooners will get an official this summer. Source said, he will also take an official visit to Michigan and Texas A&M. Those appear to be the stiffest competition at the moment. Bennett may also add an official to Florida and Tennessee, to close out the summer but OU, Michigan and TAMU are the only ones currently scheduled.
***Also, the plan, as of now, is for a July commitment. It’s not necessarily a slam dunk but if the Sooners can really drive home the development side of this, I think this recruitment has more Summer of George vibes and less Cruel Summer vibes. But we will know more after the OVs.
***One last thing I will add, the Sooners do have a little help in this one. Bennett has a family friend who is tied into the football world who very much seems to be pushing the Sooners and the development narrative to Bennett and Bennett’s family. Based on what Bennett told me, it sounds like said family friend is very high on Bill Bedenbaugh’s ability to develop.
Joseph Jonah-Ajonye | Sooners Feeling Some Heat
– Super K – Posted on: May 25, 2023
Earlier this week, I spoke at length with Sooners 4-star DL target, Joseph Jonah-Ajonye (Conroe, TX).
I plan on getting into more detail on where things are with Joseph at a later time.
For now, I wanted to give you all a heads-up that while the Sooners were, at one point, sitting alone at the top of Joseph’s list, that seems to have changed.
Joseph’s profile continues to grow. A lot of people believe he is definitively the best DL in the state of Texas and that has led the likes of Georgia and Alabama to begin pushing for Ajonye.
He recently took a trip to Georgia and I spoke with him about that visit and where things are generally with his recruitment.
The Sooners have real competition from Georgia – very real. Can it be overcome? It can and I may get into that later.
He plans on taking his officials this summer which will include OU, Georgia and others, and is set to make a decision in August.
I would no longer call Oklahoma the clear leader in this one. I believe it’s a two team race for now.
Wyatt Gilmore | Top Five and Trending
– Super K – Posted on: May 30, 2023
This past weekend, Sooners 2024 DE target, Wyatt Gilmore (Rogers, MN) dropped his top five which included: OU, Oregon, Minnesota, Kansas State and Miami.
Some of the names on the list surprised us. I’d venture to say that the pre-“NIL” list would have looked more like: OU, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska/Iowa, Kansas State.
Having said that, the two teams that have consistently come up in my conversations with sources regarding Wyatt’s recruitment have been Oklahoma and Minnesota.
As we previously noted, Wyatt tells us that will take his officials in June and announce a decision in July. Obviously, the Sooners will be hosting him on an official visit.
I’m not ready to pick a single team but I do believe this one is generally trending in favor of OU and Minnesota. I think those are the two teams to beat in this one.
Five Star Terry Bussey Visit and Update
– Super K – Posted on: May 30, 2023
This past weekend, 2024 5-star ATH, Terry Bussey (Timpson, TX) announced that he is set to take an official visit to OU, this summer.
Bussey released a top ten earlier in the month which included: Auburn, Texas, Florida, TCU, Oregon, OU, TAMU, Nebraska, Tennessee, Alabama and LSU.
However, based on what I’m told the real top five is: OU, Bama, Texas, TAMU and LSU. If there were six, source tells me it would be Tennessee which is currently “on the bubble for him.”
Most schools are looking at Bussey as a DB including Texas, TAMU, LSU and Tennessee. However, the Sooners (and Bama) like him at the slot.
Unless someone is able to really pull ahead, I don’t think recruitment will be over anytime soon. My understanding is that Bussey plans to take a number of officials during the summer but will hold his LSU OV for the season (unofficial there in the summer) which makes me think he’s going to take this decision into the season.
I do think OU is a real player in this one, I’m just not yet sure how real and I don’t think we will know until after this visit.
In terms of what position Bussey prefers, I’m told he doesn’t really have a preference – just wants to get on the field early. I think there is a better case in general for getting on the field early as a slot WR than as a DB.
That’s what we’ve got right now. This is one to watch. Bussey is a game changing athlete that the Sooners could absolutely use on the offensive side of the ball.
TFB Randoms | Samaj Jones & Back to Normal
– Charlie S – Posted on: May 31, 2023
Just wanted to start off the day with a couple quick random notes…
***First, let’s start with ’24 QB Samaj Jones out of Philadelphia. Jones had been very quiet over the past few weeks in regard to where things are at in his recruitment. Early on in his recruitment, we broke the Story about Jones visiting OU back in March and he was very open and eager to talk about all things OU. We then broke the story that Samaj told us that he would be taking an official visit following his unofficial. Once Michael Hawkins committed, he was still responsive and confirmed he still planned on officially visiting.
However, as I noted above, he had gone relatively quiet over the last month or so. I mentioned I would update you all if there was any change to his plans and I can now confirm after touching base with Samaj, that there are no changes to his plans and he still plans on being in Norman for the ChanpUBBQ.
***The second random note I wanted to point out is…remember when we told you that the Xadavien Sims recruitment was not a big dramatic scene for Oklahoma and there were no real bridges burnt in regard to kids/trainers/OU?
Just wanted to give you all some tangible evidence and sourced information that indicate things are back to normal and there are no hard feelings between OU and C4 or the kids that go through there. Yesterday OU offered ’25 DB Colin Peacock who is not a kid who works at C4 any longer. but he is a kid that sources tell us that Sean Cooper of C4 assists his family in the recruiting process. So despite the narrative that some people tried to insist was real…as we mentioned throughout, this wasn’t a very dramatic recruitment and OU was provided with the information we had so they were not shocked or surprised or misled.
Tennessee Transfer DL Visiting
– Super K – Posted on: May 31, 2023
Yesterday, Georgie Stoia of On3 reported that Tennessee grad transfer DL, Da’Jon Terry is visiting Oklahoma.
A few comments on this…
***When Terry initially entered the portal, I got the sense from folks in the Tennessee area that Terry was transferring to be closer to his mother. She was/is ailing.
***Tennessee was hoping to retain Terry. It sounds like was set to play a significant role this season. I’m told they are going to continue to try to pull him out of the portal.
***Person I spoke to said that based on Terry’s progression, they do think he would be a difference-maker in the Big 12. Source said, “He is a really good sized kid. I think OU with Venables would be the best fit for him. He would demand double teams in the Big 12.”
***The original thinking here was that Terry was going to be headed back to Mississippi (Ole Miss or Miss State) as that is where he is originally from. But this visit to Oklahoma changes that thinking and I get the sense that Tennessee is going to push harder to retain Terry now knowing that he isn’t necessarily dead set on returning to his home state.
***One thing to keep in mind, Terry has a long standing relationship with Emmett Jones. Terry started his career at Kansas when Jones was there and then transferred to Tennessee.
***I did ask an OU source this morning on how things are going and didn’t get much comment back. I am hoping to hear something from the Tennessee side of things later today. So, I don’t even think firmly sourced on how this thing is going to play out but…
***I will say that I imagine Venables and the Sooners are extremely motivated to land this young man. He is a big athletic body with snaps in the SEC. So he immediately not only improves the depth of OU’s DL room, but he also improves the quality and upside.
***If I had to guess, OU is going to make Terry an offer he nigh can’t refuse. I have told you all this before, Brent and this staff know they need to win this year. I know most are in the camp that Brent’s third year is guaranteed, I am not in that camp. Moreover, based on what I’ve heard this staff believes they need to win immediately, as well. So, again, I think whatever OU has in their arsenal, they’re going to deploy to get Terry.
***That doesn’t necessarily mean it will work but my best guess is they are highly motivated to an extent they probably haven’t been for many, if any other recruits. And that isn’t because Terry is a first-round DL. I think it’s because the combination of their need to win right away, their desire for depth at that position, their desire for an overall top-end improvement and how close we are to the season, is highly motivating.
Update | Running Back Recruiting
– Charlie S – Posted on: May 31, 2023
The Sooners are set to host multiple running backs on official visits here in June.
OU is scheduled to have Caden Durham (Duncanville, TX), Taylor Tatum (Longview, TX), and Xavier Robinson (Oklahoma City, OK) on campus for the ChampUBBQ on June 16th.
DeMarco Murray and crew would be more than happy to close on that bunch and they are clearly the focus for the Sooners this cycle.
However, each of the players above are guys that the Sooners will have to overcome some obstacles. In Durham’s case, as we have reported, LSU is currently sitting there as OU’s main competition. With Tatum, USC and Michigan will try their best to sway him. In regard to Robinson, Notre Dame, and Iowa State are making this more interesting than anyone thought it would be, but I still like the Sooners here in the end.
With that in mind, OU has not stopped pursuing other backs. Tovani Mizell (Fort Lauderdale, FL) tells me he remains in constant contact with OU and while he has no date set yet for an official visit, both sides are working towards locking one in for a date to be determined.
A source tells me that Jeremy Payne (Missouri City, TX) is still being recruited by the Sooners and a summer OV is not out of the question, but again, there is not a clear date.
Stacy Gage (Fort Lauderdale, FL) is not a name I have really heard much about of late, we will continue to check on that one and Nate Frazier (Santa Ana, CA) is a guy who continues to mention that he is interested in visiting OU, but so far, there is not a visit on the schedule for him.
Bottom line, it seems pretty clear that OU is content to see where things stand with Durham, Tatum, and Robinson before they start pushing elsewhere. Mizell is a guy that would have already committed to the Sooners if they were pushing there, in my opinion.
Prospects Names to Know | ’23 JUCO OL and ’24 EDGE
– Charlie S – Posted on: June 1, 2023
This week we came across a couple of names to know for you all…
***Sources indicate that the Sooners are kicking the tires on ’23 JUCO OL Issiah Walker (6’4 309) from Butler, Community College.
Walker is a guy who signed with Purdue in February but has been released from his letter of intent and is open to finding a new home. He is originally from Miami, FL and was a kid that was recruited by some heavyweights out of high school including Miami, Florida and Florida State but had to take the JUCO route.
He is seeking to join a program this summer. We will keep an eye on how this progresses.
***’24 EDGE CJ Jackson is another guy to keep an eye on. Jackson (6’3.5 225) out of Tucker, Georgia, picked up an OU offer back in March and he is heading to Norman for an unofficial visit this weekend.
Jackson has really been blowing up on the recruiting trail and he included OU in his Top 10 yesterday. His top 10 list includes OU, Bama, Clemson, South Carolina, Georgia Tech, Texas A&M, Auburn, Georgia and Colorado. It’s impressive that OU is getting an unofficial from a kid with all those options at this point in the cycle.
