The Football Brainiacs

Image via OU Football Facebook

– Team Note | Secondary: In yesterday’s Open Post we mainly addressed the linebackers and wide receivers, but there have been a few questions about how/who the secondary was rotating thus far. We mentioned the other day Zack Sanchez has been dealing with some back pain, so Stanvon Taylor was taking reps with the 1’s (I’m not sure what Sanchez’s current status is, but we’ll check on it). To no one’s surprise I’m sure, Jordan Thomas was taking the starting reps on the other side. Behind Taylor and Thomas are newcomer Will Johnson and junior Dakota Austin.

On the back end, I’m told Hatari Byrd is working exclusively at the free safety position. With Steven Parker at the nickel, and Ahmad Thomas at strong safety. When there are only four defensive backs on the field in the base defense, Parker moves to strong safety (similar to what OU did with Quentin Hayes last year). In addition to corner on the outside, Will Johnson is also taking reps at nickel behind Parker. – (Super K)

– Dede Westbrook: This has obviously been out there from a number of people, Stoops predominantly among them, but we continue to hear rave reviews regarding the former JUCO wideout. Have been told he and Sterling Shepard (shocking, I know) are just giving OU defenders absolute fits in practice. Apparently Westbrook is extremely quick in and out of his cuts. – (Super K)

– Team Note | New Coaches, New Year, New Attitude: I got some interesting notes this morning about the overall attitude of the coaches and players I found to be positive and rather interesting. I know many of you are filled with a healthy dose of skepticism, which I understand, but I personally love to hear stuff like the following:

* I don’t want to name the name but apparently there was a player who has been a starter for a while, and is certainly expected to be one next year, that wasn’t giving the kind of effort the coaches expect. It seems he felt entitled to the starting job. My source even went so far as to tell me under the staff last year, the starting spot may have indeed been the player’s regardless of their effort. But apparently during the first week of spring ball the coaches told him they would literally put him on scout team if he didn’t pick it up. Apparently the coaches made the threat with enough seriousness the player took it to heart, and I’m told that he is now “working his a** off.”

* I was also told the team leadership is on a different level, and there has been a concerted effort by the coaches to identify potential leaders and emphasize their roles within the team. In fact, I was told the team leaders have been taking their responsibilities so seriously that many times when a player is slacking off, it’s not a coach that reprimands the player but instead it’s one of their fellow teammates.

* Related to the two notes above, I’ve also been told the new coaches have no favorites and there is a real sense that anyone can earn a spot. Which, to me, is absolutely critical and was always something you’d hear emphasized about somebody like Pete Carrol’s USC teams for example. Week-to-week, players were given the sense they had to continually earn their positions. Competition is a good thing. – (Super K)

– Dallis Todd: We mentioned yesterday that Todd has been rotating with the first team offense, and we got word he apparently had an amazing catch during Wednesday’s practice. Todd is starting to really stretch the field as he gets more and more comfortable in the new offense. His combination of speed and length is starting to translate into production on the practice field. – (Super K)

– Trevor Knight & Baker Mayfield: We continue to be told Knight is looking better and better in practice. But what I find to be much more interesting is the fact we’ve been told with each practice, the OU coaches have been loosening the reigns a bit and letting Knight use his feet and athleticism more and more.

However, we’re still hearing Mayfield appears overall to be the most comfortable quarterback in Riley’s system, due in large part of course to his familiarity with and previous experience in it. – (Super K)

– Samaje Perine & Joe Mixon: Got an awesome note from a source yesterday about both Perine and Mixon. Was told there are times when the OU coaches have both lined up in the backfield at the same time! Probably shouldn’t come as a surprise necessarily, but the thought of those two freaks on the field at the same time with all the versatility, size, power, elusiveness, etc. they bring…scary, scary, scary.

The more you really look at the potential threats that could emerge with this offense, the more it makes me think if Riley really is the offensive genius it would seem he is OU’s offense could be something special. – (Super K)

– Casey Thompson:  Last year Southmoore QB Casey Thompson, younger brother of former Sooner Kendal Thompson, came onto the seen as a standout freshman QB. So much so that he led a freshman and sophomore dominated Southmoore squad to a bid in the 6A playoffs. They lost to eventual champ Jenks, but the state was officially put on notice.

Thompson played the last several games with an ankle injury that eventually required surgery. But he’s finally getting back and will be ready for the start Southmoore’s spring practice. The interesting thing about Thompson is, as a 2018 kid, he’s already garnering attention from some of the top programs in the country. Florida State, Kansas State, TCU and Oklahoma are just some of the schools that have started to show interest in the young and talented QB prospect. As a matter of fact, Thompson says he is “very close” with OU’s head man, Bob Stoops.

Thompson has plans to attend an OU practice and the Red/White game and told me he he can’t wait to meet OU’s new offensive coordinator, Lincoln Riley. Thompson says, “he (Riley) seems like a good QB coach. That’s why I want to meet him and the new staff members.”  Thompson will have a busy summer with plans to attend camps at OU, FSU, & TCU for now. And he was also invited to one of the Elite 11 camps. An impressive feat for a kid that doesn’t graduate unit 2018. – (Brandon)

* On a related note I just wanted to mention how loaded Southmoore is with talent right now. They have Thompson and stud offensive lineman Brey Walker in the 2018 class. Both will be recruited by just about everyone in the country. In the 2017 class they have ATH Gervarrius Owens and defensive back Quindon Lewis. Owens is coming on, and Lewis is a long defensive back who is already getting looks from major D-I schools, including Florida State. In the 2016 class Southmoore also has an excellent defensive line prospect in Noah Jones, who is a long, athletic kid and recently picked up an offer from Kansas State. Jones is also hearing from a number of other schools, including Oregon. – (Brandon)

– UPDATE (Sun., 4:43 pm): A source has informed me that Jordan Smallwood has torn his ACL. The injury appears to have happened this past week. – (Super K)