Open Post|Tuesday Jan. 28th (Updated 7:06 pm)
Posted on: January 28, 2014
– Deondre Clark did indeed make it to the Bedlam game last night. Sounds like some of the fans got to him a little bit. Don’t know what exactly that was about though it sounded like some Sooner fans were taunting his brother.
– In Oklahoma HS related news Mustang OT, Tristan Hill, committed to Georgia Southern last night.
– I know Oklahoma is no longer recruiting Jonathan Thomas but he and I stay in touch and we actually spoke over the weekend. Georgia did end up coming by for a second visit and it sounds like they are very interested. The main hold up right now is checking his chances on eligibility. Interestingly Miami has also jumped into the mix and actually seems high enough on Thomas that they are interested in perhaps placing him. He has been accepting into a prep school in Georgia so it conceivable that even if he doesn’t qualify by this summer he might available next spring. I personally root for the kid because he’s not only a great athlete but he’s a kindhearted kid.
– Courtney Garnett picked up a Notre Dame offer last night. They obviously heard that Garnett is now academically qualified.
– Also, I mentioned PJ Mbanasor yesterday after he committed to TCU. I talked to PJ last night and Baylor came and visited yesterday and coach Bobby Jack Wright called coach Killian at Hendrickson yesterday and it sounds like OU is going to be visiting him soon. Coach Killian has the Hendrickson players film on private but we got permission to upload his jr. film for those who might want to see it. I can’t stress enough just how big he is. I’ve seen him in person and it really shocked me. It’s rare to see CBs that claim to be 6’2 and actually are:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPkcaBU-Ojo
– UPDATE (7:34 am): Forgot to mention that Ty Barrett recommitted to TCU.
– UPDATE (7:48 am): Also, Bobby Henry out of Southmoore will be in Norman for Jr. day this weekend. I’m glad to see OU is recruiting him. He doesn’t necessarily make a ton of plays right now but you can see the athleticism and the frame.
– UPDATE (9:53 am): Still a little ways out but STUD LB, Malik Jefferson will be in Norman for OU’s March jr. day.
– UPDATE (1:55 pm): OU 2014 o-line commit, Jonathan Alvarez
Coach Bedenbaugh dropped by school today. Always great to talk to him. Got the in-home visit later tonight. Boomer.
— Jonathan Alvarez (@Jonny_No_Bravo) January 28, 2014
– UPDATE (3:00 pm): One of OU’s primary remaining 2014 targets, DT Courtney Garnett, tweets he’ll visit Notre Dame this weekend.
https://twitter.com/ONLYFORAKING/status/428269352970756096
– UPDATE (7:06 pm): Many reports that 2015 LB Justin Hilliard will be in Norman this weekend.
75 Comments
I don’t think Clark is committing to OU. Looks like he is looking for any excuse to eliminate us from contention. In every arena in the nation fans get on opposing players, what the crowd said to his brother was mild by most standards. If that really bothered him that much probably best he commits where his team won’t have to ever play the ags. Seems like a lot of manufactured drama to me.
Yep, sounds like he got mad about the generic “left, right, left, right, sit down” chant, after his brother fouled out. Are you kidding me?
Agree that it appears he really wants to go to LSU. Fine. Go.
I liked the chant “just like football” the best. That was pretty funny.
I was partial to the “little brother” chant.
He has to get that tough skin. If he does stick to his LSU commitment those SEC venues will be brutal on him.
Yeah I’m not sure he quite understands what an LSU fan base is like if it turns hostile.
What? LSU fans are super nice and respectful to all other players! lol..
It’s clear that he expected his brother to be treated in a way that was simply unreasonable, given the situation. I wish OSU would have played at LSU in BBall sometime in the next week so he could see the reality of our two fan-bases. Maybe then he’d know what BULL really is.
I also just want to again thank everyone who took part in last night’s b-ball game thread!
Great thread, great OU win. off the wall question. I’ve been an OU fan since going to the OU/Nebraska ’71 game. I have never really followed recruiting till this year. Does OU (or all colleges) usually have 6 or 7 recruits keeping them on a tight rope till NSD? My wife says I would be a terrible coach, no patience!!!
I remember the “old days” when OU had to recruit by triage. Young players used to grow up dreaming of wearing the Crimson and Cream and were volunteering. Lots of players that were not offered schollys at OU would walk on rather than go to a 2nd tier team.
There is always a handful that keep a tight lip til signing day either because they don’t want to make the wrong decision or they want to create drama.
My feeling is that the question of hanging out until signing day for a few may be our coaches encouraging them a little. Adds suspense and if they commit on signing day it is a great way to wrap up the recruiting. I think in some cases they have already committed to the coaches and are just sitting on the commitment to add some juice to signing day (with the coaches blessing).
I had no choice Jordan. Couldn’t get a word in edgewise at the other place….Too crowded!
LOL
Is it true Clark was at the OU game last night sporting LSU gear? If true, I’d rather he go ahead and go there. That was pretty weak knowing he’s being so heavily recruited by OU. If the game was in Stillwater and he dressed like that, it’s one thing, but to wear that crap on the OU campus is cause for dismissal.
I too would like to know if this is true?
I have no clue…anyone know?
If it is then its ok. We dont need someone who doesnt want to be a part of OU. Its like trying to fit a square into a circle, it will never happen.
Saw on another site that this is not true FWIW
He wasn’t wearing LSU gear and I can tell you, just the fact that he is associating with OU fans is a good thing. He grew up here and is an OU fan, he knows what to expect. He was mad because students were waiving Bob Marley signs at his brother and then when people say you shouldn’t be mad when they do that to your family just upset him that much more. Give him a break geez. He’s 18 watching his big brother take jabs every night, may be a good sign that he’s protective.
I do understand how hurtful that could be. Family is family.
However, if it is a principle thing, maybe he should ask every opposing SEC fanbase what they think of the LSU fans. He doesn’t have to identify himself. Just go onto a few message boards and ask for stories. I know that there are enough stories from the 2003 Sugar Bowl alone to fill this blog.
If I was him I would be more upset about how quiet the crowd was down the stretch. They tried a couple of times to gets fired up, but it’s definitely not like the old days. That arena should have been rocking with the Sooners dominating their higher ranked bedlam rivals. They used to measure the loudness during these games.
Glad to hear he wasn’t wearing the LSU gear. I had read that on another site, and thought that to be a bit disrespectful if true.
I also understand his concern for his brother with the game last night, but the fans don’t care……nor should they. It’s Bedlam. They shouldn’t have to walk on egg shells for a player just because we’re recruiting his brother.
If anything, I think Deondre should be just a little bit embarrassed this morning. There’s an article on NewsOK specifically about how he was disappointed in how Sooner fans treated his brother. That’s pretty sad.
I wonder if he’s ever seen the LSU fan base in action.
My only point is that adults should really step back and chill out with the judgment and criticism of an 18 year old kid. They’re going to say things, feel things, think things and in our era we can act on those feelings/thoughts immediately by posting them but can be judged all the same. I don’t think he should be embarrassed about standing up for his brother, that’s his role in his family. He isn’t saying he isn’t going to OU, he was expecting something to be done to his brother but to be fair we shouldn’t judge him because he reacted in a way that we don’t agree with?.
1- There are other “insider” reporters that have said that Deondre WAS wearing the LSU gear. Which makes him guilty of poor taste at the very least IMO.
2 – Time to stop making excuses for these “17 or 18 year old kids”. That’s half the problem, adults telling them it’s OK to act like a kid, when in fact they know they really aren’t anymore. They are young men, about to represent themselves, their family, and the University they choose. Time to grow up, and throw the age excuse out the window.
From his tweets last night, I really felt like he is just looking for every reason to not go to OU. I didn’t even know why he tweeted that either. So if he truly doesn’t want to go to OU, I’d almost rather he didn’t. Just my opinion, but I want kids playing at OU that really want to be there. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to have this guy on the team – but only if his heart’s in the right place. If he’s trying to get out of state he should just go on and watch us win some championships. Cause he sure ain’t winning them at LSU.
You all, Deondre is just defending his brother. You would too. I hope the whole thing hasn’t soured him on OU. Hopefully he knows Sooner fans are about their school.
What he needs to remember that his brother was an OsU basketball player last night, not Stevie. The “SIT DOWN” is pretty tame compared to having food thrown by the fans, or cheerleaders attempting to trip the players.
Don’t forget the ice balls and the bottles…
I’m sure it isn’t even as complex as all that to him. He cares about his bro not the OU OSU rivalry…..yet.
You’ll notice Dominique Alexander has a pic of him and his bro after the Tulsa game. Family first. I don’t blame him.
He should understand that it isn’t personal. I would love to see OSU play LSU in basketball. I’m pretty sure he would hear much worse things than “Sit Down”
I think this whole thing is ridiculous and some foolish Sooner fans are the ones taking it too personally. He said the calls against his BROTHER were BS. Who here wouldn’t defend their family? I’m loyal to my family before any school. I can’t believe fans are acting so incredulous. They acted like he was attacking their school when he was defending his family. Don’t get it twisted.
OU didn’t make those bad calls (they weren’t bad). The refs did. So why ask if that is what SoonerNation is all about?
Hey Deondre, what SoonerNation is all about is producing winning teams that kick the snot out of osu.
What did he need defending from? A couple of relatively innocent chants? Please. That is harmless, and a complete overreaction to think Stevie needed protecting.
If Stevie was staying out of trouble, then the OU fans would have picked on another player. He’s paying the price for his discretions.
If you can’t understand it, then I can’t explain it. If someone is taunting your family in any way and you’re cool with it, that’s you.
I get what you are saying, but taunting at a basketball game is MUCH different than taunting in school, or on the playground. I feel like you aren’t differentiating between the two. One is good natured, and is used to get an edge in a game an to have fun. The other is simply mean spirited bullying. I doubt Stevie was upset/hurt one little bit at the OU crowd.
LSU has the same fans they would do the same thing if not worse so if he thinks oklahomas fans are soooo bad that he can’t stand It he needs to go to LSU but if there were Ou fans ranting him on his page then that was a stupid decision but I don’t even know how much we should be reading into this.
LSU’s fans are worse.
MUCH worse.
I’d also be upset if I was in an arena at the school I’m seriously considering attending, and hundreds of people were taunting my brother and waving a Bob Marley sign at him. It doesn’t matter if LSU fans are brutal or that he needs to “get used to more taunting” by future fans; it’s his brother and they’re close. I’d feel the exact same way.
And to top it off, OU fans are saying he shouldn’t be upset because it’s a rivalry game? He’s upset because it was directed personally at his brother, it’s not like he doesn’t know that rival fans antagonize the other team and their players. He’s played sports his whole life, he’s not naive. All these grown men bashing him on Twitter is sad. I mean, he’s only17 year old trying to make the most important decision of his life so far.
Sounds like if he comes to OU, it’s only because his mother wants him to. OU will be ok with or without him, but last night may have left a bad taste in his mouth. Hope I’m wrong.
Puh-lease. It’s not they were making fun of a birth defect, a sick relative, or his mother. They were giving his brother crap b/c he’s been busted TWICE for pot. That is harmless taunting, and nothing that needs his brother’s protection.
Exactly SoonerfanTU. It wasn’t like our fans were blasting him with turkey legs.
It’s harmless taunting to all of us, but for him that’s his brother. Of course the taunting could have been worse, but if brothers are close they stick up for each other. I’ve certainly messed up before and my brother stuck up for me, even though I was an idiot. Close families do that.
I’m just trying to see it from his viewpoint. I think it was just a spur of the moment reaction and won’t bother him as much over the next couple of weeks.
That’s just it, I can’t see it from his point. That is why I think he really wants to go to LSU, and this, the overreaction, is simply a way to justify that.
If my brother played college bball, and had slipped and fallen on the ice the week before a big game and landed in a giant pile of cow dung, I wouldn’t feel the need to baby him through the razzing he’d take after that. It’s expected. And OU won’t be the only school to do it to Stevie either. He’ll catch that for the rest of the season.
You’re right, Stevie will hear it from other schools. But since Dre is being recruited by OU that doesn’t sit well with him. And when other schools chant at Stevie, Dre probably won’t like that either because it’s still people taunting his brother.
And you’re also right about him really wanting to go to LSU. If OU is his consolation prize because he wants to appease his mother, then he should go to elsewhere. Hope he’s not using this drama as an excuse to go to LSU.
My brother got sent up for hot checks….people make fun of him ALL THE TIME. You know what? He deserves it. He was the moron that decided to push it to the point to where he went to jail. He made his bed. I’m not gettin all boo hooey on anyone because I know my brother is an idiot. If he can dish it…
Don’t know your or your brother at all, hope he’s leading a different life now. I’m also not trying to be “all boo hooey” on Clark’s brother or in general. Just saying brothers who are close stick up for each other and that’s what Clark was doing, and I can’t blame him for that. My brother has always stuck up for me when I’ve been a colossal idiot, and that meant a lot to me. That’s all I’m saying.
He fouled out… Why would your brother be upset about a backup PG fouing out in less than 20 mins of play… Come on… he’s just jerking OU’s chain…
That’s what I’m saying. I can understand if it’s something that his brother couldn’t help, but his brother made a mistake with weed not once, but twice (apparently). If it were my brother, I’d expect it, and I’m sure my brother would as well. Deandre getting “all boo hooey” on OU fans because they picked on a teammate on a rival team is just ridiculous.
Dre should’ve known that the chants could happen during Bedlam and shouldn’t have caused all that drama, but I still can’t judge him for being loyal to his brother (no matter if he got caught with weed twice). I agree that the whole family from here on should know Stevie will be heckled. I can’t remember ever seeing a recruit cause this much drama
Exactly. I didn’t mind the “Good game bro”, but I feel like he expected the fans to be nice to his brother just because of who Dre Clark is and our football team’s interest in him.
Dre better realize that at OU, You aren’t sh%t as an individual. This is a team and the fans of this team only support our own. If he thinks he’s going to be pampered here, he would be better off staying at home with his mom. This isn’t HS, gotta suck it up and be a man and that means growing some thick skin and representing the team of the colors you wear.
I see where you’re coming from, but I’ve seen too many brother’s play against each other and handle themselves enough to know when one is being a little too sensitive.
Although the crowd wasn’t nearly as big, the same (or very similar) chants were going on in the Tulsa/OU game, and I never saw either Woodard brother get upset. Don’t remember Blake Bell ever being upset over chants against KU.
I’m not going to knock Dre, but I will say it’s a little immature to go into a situation like that and expect anything less.
Dre probably was too sensitive and it got blown out of proportion. I forgot about Woodard’s brother and Bell and their situation, definitely a contrast to how Dre handled it. I really value loyalty with my brother just to give some context on where I was coming from. Should be interesting to see where he commits…doubt it’s OU.
If Dre is basing his decision off of what happened at the game – it’s for all the wrong reasons and I wish him well.
Clark isnt bigger than OU. If he gets his feelings hurt because OU fans dont like osu… then OU doesnt need him. Stop kissing his a$$, he wont survive with his current demeanor.
I am willing to bet that most people at that game had no idea he was there, or who Dre even is. It’s not like most people keep up these things. Some of us (fans who follow recruiting) are acting like they were doing some injustice to OU football recruiting and that they are traitors.
He apparently did not like it much tweeted:
“That’s some BULL..Is this what SoonerNation is All About??? Good Game Bro!!!!”
And to answer his question, YES IT IS!!! During Bedlam you think the opposing players will not get razzed?
I know he is a kid, but c’mon.. man up a little bit, as far as I am concerned go to LSU at this point….
I hope this class doesn’t fall apart at the last minute. Garnett sure is taking his time, and visiting some good schools. Clark doesn’t look AS likely to flip at this point. Parker is still a scary situation, though I probably feel best about him. Paul taking visits. No real idea on Quick.
I need a drink. 🙂
This is the game, my friend.
I know. Things just felt so different a week or so ago. Hopefully we’ll get everybody the staff wants.
Yeah, recruiting can be a bit of a roller coaster. It all works out one way or another, but I definitely understand where you’re coming from.
I don’t know why you’re worried about the class falling apart when we have yet to lose a single player. I don’t fault anyone for taking trips to other colleges when they get the chance. Partying at frat houses and sleeping with sorority sisters as a highschool kid is pretty cool. Even if we didn’t get another player, the class we have now is something to be pretty excited about.
Run down to McNellie’s and start a tab!
Well, Clark is gonna love LSU fans! 😉
State of the Union Thread??? (just kidding)
Don’t you lay that evil on us Leroy!!!
Adoree Jackson eliminates OU. Should not come as a shock to anyone who has been paying attention.
Like we ever had a chance….HAhA.
Also this NewsOK article seems to suggest Clark’s announcement might not come until after NSD. http://newsok.com/ou-football-douglass-defensive-end-deondre-clark-is-ou-bound-if-mom-gets-her-way/article/3927857
I think the youth is kicking that kids ass. He thinks he knows what he wants and his mom knows what she wants and their math isn’t balancing so the kid is in a state of confusion. I say let it ride and we’ll take what we get.
I’d think OU would still leave a spot for him, right?
I would certainly think so, but if the coaches were to get the impression it wasn’t going to happen I suppose they could go after someone late. But if that were to happen, my best guess is they’d just save the ‘ship for 2015.
Off topic, but has anyone from OU talked to or shown interest in Kai Callins? I don’t know much about him but some people seem pretty high on him but he never got a big offer. Is he any good or have you guys ever covered him?