Why OK Preps Matter

Image of Alex Criddle via The Tulsa World

Every time it’s asked why OU may not consistently recruit as well as some other similar nationally prominent programs, inevitably at least one person always reminds everyone that Oklahoma’s in-state recruiting base isn’t as a rich as states like Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas, etc. For the most part OU recruits well, but it doesn’t always feel “easy” like it may for some others. And while I don’t personally believe the perceived lack of in-state talent is the sole culprit for any recruiting struggles OU might have, I do recognize that it plays a role.

If Texas, LSU, Florida, USC, Ohio State and others were forced to only recruit their home states, they could — assuming the evaluation, development and coaching were good — probably still manage to put together a darn good starting lineup. And while that may not be the case for OU, is it possible the Sooners aren’t getting enough out of their own state?

You don’t need to spend much time here or on other online OU gathering spots to know there are many an OU fan who feel the Sooners can, at times, have a tendency to overlook in-state talent. One of the common complaints is that OU will sometimes leave the state to find a kid that is similar to someone already in-state. But that’s not really what I want to focus on with this post.

What I want to talk about is why you, as an OU (or OSU, or Tulsa) fan, should be excited when an OK Preps player receives an FBS offer (high or mid-major) besides, of course, the joy many feel when a young person achieves something so noteworthy. I’m going to include western Arkansas in this discussion due to its proximity and because I feel it is an area OU could (and should) recruit that has gone largely untouched by high major recruiters, OU included.

A couple years ago the Sooners fought off a number of top programs to win the commitment of Steven Parker. The former Jenks standout is an Oklahoma kid, and I want to use him as an example of what the state of Oklahoma can potentially produce if talent is properly cultivated.

Parker is a fine athlete. He has great length and size coupled with good speed. But the reason Parker is the player he is at safety has a lot to do with the support and development he received from his family growing up. Skill development was a big part of Parker’s life coming up. You can see the same kind of thing in someone like 2017 LB Levi Draper, who is similar to Parker in that both are long, athletic kids. But what separates Draper, who (as many of you know) has already received a number of FBS offers, from a number of other OK Preps prospects is the skill development and training he has received growing up as well the efforts put forth by people around him to ensure that his talent doesn’t go unnoticed.

The closer you look, the more you find excellent athletes in this area. Athletes with good size for their respective positions, but maybe the development or the ‘marketing’ in the state just isn’t what it is in some of the bigger states. Let’s look around the region at some prospects to illustrate the point I’m trying to make.

Ask any secondary coach and they’ll tell you they like at least three primary things in a cornerback: speed, length & ball skills. Each coach will of course have their own preference in terms of how they prioritize those particular assets, but almost universally those three aspects of a kid’s game will be priorities coaches look for in a corner.

Six-foot corners who have the speed to run with elite receivers are pretty rare. In relatively close proximity there are potentially three of those type of cornerbacks I’m describing: Kyle Mayberry (Tulsa), Kiondre Thomas (Ft. Smith) and AJ Parker (Bartlesville).

Mayberry may not be as tall as Parker or Thomas, but he isn’t short by any stretch measuring in at a SPARQ verified 5’11″ flat-footed. Mayberry went out to California for one of the regional Opening events and ran the fastest SPARQ verified 40 time at the event (4.5 laser). A kid from Oklahoma, went to the big bad state of California, and proved to be at least one of the fastest guys in attendance on that day.

Thomas measured in at 6’0″ flat-footed and ran a 4.46 SPARQ verified laser! Meanwhile, Parker is a guy who appears to have pretty good speed on film and having seen him live, we can tell you he also has good height (6’0″), length and twitch.

And yet not one of these three kids has a single offer from a Power Five conference school. The reasons for that — skill development, film, etc. — may vary for each respective kid. But these are the type of players who if they lived say somewhere like Miami, they would likely have received more specialized training which is simply more prevalent in the areas we’ve talked about above than it is in the state of Oklahoma. They likely would have played with and against elite 7-on-7 teams, which helps lead to more exposure with both coaches and recruiting services. They would probably have college coaches from all over coming to their high schools. In short they’d be an environment that fosters their development and promotion.

Take a look at a kid like Jace Webb, the 2016 OK Preps offensive lineman we told you about earlier this week He’s a giant human being with an explosive first step off the line; a type of explosiveness that may rival many of the best and most coveted OL in the country. But there simply aren’t a lot of scouts going through Hollis, Oklahoma. As you’d imagine, there also aren’t a lot of private skill development clinics in Hollis either. Additionally, Jace plays in a power I scheme so an evaluator from the Pac 12 or some other far away conference would likely want to see him in person to determine whether he has the requisite feet and athleticism. But in the end he’ll say, “can I really justify going to a state we don’t recruit to see one kid who might be great? And even if I love him and offer him, is there any chance he leaves the area once all the regional schools decide to offer?” It no longer becomes a question of talent. It becomes a question of recruiting efficiency. And it’s understandable.

Tyler Brown is another similar example. This is a kid who, had it not been for his coach’s relentless efforts to get Brown’s name out there, would have gone largely unnoticed. And now you see Brown picking up two Power Five offers just this week from TCU and Arizona State, respectively.

Then you look at a kid like Alex Criddle (Tulsa, OK), who is a monster of a human being at 6’3″ 310 lbs. He is that rare “drive you back” 2-gap war daddy. Put on Criddle’s film and you’ll see a young man with quickness, power, good pad level & a desire and ability to absolute destroy the person in front of him. He benches over 400 lbs, plays some DL, OL, and even TE for his team. You know what else? Criddle is a great kid, he is already NCAA qualified!

I’ve mentioned Markell Utsey (Little Rock) and Nick McCann (Texarkana) on TFB in the past. These are two defensive tackle prospects in Arkansas that are more physically gifted than any number of the more highly recruited defensive lineman in some the bigger markets. McCann is beginning to gain some attention now that more and more coaches are going to Texarkana to see Lagaryonn Carson out of Libery Eylau. In fact, McCann picked up an offer from Kansas, Texas Tech & Texas State just this past week. But a kid like Utsey, a 6’4 290 lb DT that plays flat backed, fires out low, uses his hands, has good quickness off the ball & great closing speed (and sporting a 3.2 GPA, by the way) but has to receive a single FBS offer. In fact to date very few schools have even stopped by Parkview to see him.

This is something you’ve heard us mention here before, but the sentiment from many out-of-state coaches is “well if there was a kid worth a darn in a place like Oklahoma or Arkansas, then the in-state schools would have found them.”

But let’s examine that sentiment a little closer.

I can’t tell you how many defensive tackles the University of Arkansas is taking this year, but in general most schools will not take more than three in a given year regardless. And right now, Arkansas has in-state DT, Austin Capps, committed as well as Rummel’s Briston Guidry. The Arkansas staff is also holding a spot for another in-state DT prospect, McTelvin Agim.

Do they like Markell Utsey? I believe so. They’ve visited him multiple times. Do they like Nick McCann? I believe so. They’ve also visited him multiple times. But for whatever reason Arkansas determined their board priorities and Capps, Guidry and Agim ended up higher. Are they right? WHO KNOWS?! This is football. It’s not a race where 1st place and 2nd place are clear cut. There is a lot of differing opinions, subjectivity, scheme fit, preference, bias, etc. within this sport. Even if Arkansas’ staff is correct in their board, that doesn’t mean that McCann or Utsey or Criddle or others can’t play for someone. Trust me Iowa State, West Virginia and any number of other FBS programs can’t look around their state and find the kinda prospects we have down here.

So much of recruiting is about perception, especially that which exists early on. When Oklahoma/Arkansas kids get FBS offers, it heightens the perception of the talent in this area. It attracts more recruiting, media attention and, most importantly, coaches to the region. It also attracts more private skill development. For example, Clay Mack and the Quick Twitch clinics are now operating in Oklahoma. And a kid like AJ Parker can now attend every week, getting a kind of skill development he would have likely never received otherwise. Whether AJ or any other regional kids can play at Oklahoma is a matter of opinion and the only one that matters is the coaches. But AJ and others receiving specialized instruction and attention certainly helps.

If you’re a player from a school in Dallas, Houston, Miami, etc. many of the top programs are likely to come to you. That’s why, often, when you hear about that diamond in the rough it comes from Canada (Neville Gallimore) or Teton Saltes (New Mexico). It doesn’t mean people in big cities don’t also get overlooked, many do, but the exposure and perception of talent in the major cities is just overall much better. Even if a particular player in that location isn’t as good as a “smaller market” player.

Naturally doing what we do here at TFB, we get excited when we see the small state kids get FBS offers. They are going to have an opportunity to demonstrate the talent in this area on a big stage. They raise the football brand identity of the region. I’m sure many of you folks, who are originally from this area, love that as well. But what it also does is create a better developed foundation for talent in the state. The athletes are there but when there is competition, proper skill development, media coverage and, perhaps most importantly, a belief within the local talent that FBS level football is a real possibility, it creates a better local talent pool.

I once asked a Power Five conference player, who came from a lesser recruited area, what inspired him to work towards a D-I offer. He said, “I saw a local kid get an offer and I felt like I was a good athlete like him…it made me think if he could do it then maybe I could do it.” That same player was actually a track star, who may have chosen to go the track route had it not been for this belief that was inspired by seeing it done in another. This player ended up earning more than 15 FBS offers.

Do you how many athletes there are at schools like Tulsa Edison, Star Spencer, John Marshall, Southmoore, Booker T Washington, North Side (Fort Smith), Parkview (Little Rock), or countless other high schools in this part of the country? A lot.

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State need this. They need a better developed pool of local/regional talent from which to draw. But they also need a heightened (or perhaps I should say “more accurate”) view of local talent. Why? It’s really simple.

The way recruiting works isn’t just about finding talent. For a position coach, it’s also about job security. No one gets fired for signing a “4-star” kid from Texas that doesn’t end up being as good as folks thought. In fact, you get fired for not getting those kids. But if you’re the lone coach standing on the table for the small town kid who doesn’t have an offer…and he doesn’t pan out…you might be coaching high school ball in that same small town the next year.

What’s more is these days coaches and programs also have to at least be cognizant of fan perception. Take somebody like 2016 Sooners commit, Jon Michael Terry. This is a kid I’ve been told the OU staff really likes. Duh, right? I mean otherwise why offer and/or accept his commitment. And what’s not to like? Long – check. Kid can run – check.

But did his commitment make a splash with the fans? Certainly not as big as it would have had Terry been a kid from Dallas, that had every school coming through, had built an impressive offer list with a ton of publicity and then committed to Oklahoma. That splash would have been ‘fat kid cannonball in the pool’ level and the fans would have sung the praises of the coaches.

This post was a lot longer than I anticipated so I’ll kindly end it here. But for those of you who made it to the end, I’ll end by saying that the next time you see regional kids getting offers, whether it’s Ohio State or Ohio, that’s just another step towards the Oklahoma area developing a better and more fertile recruiting base.

 

78 Comments

  • ouwooferman says:

    put your hand on the computer screen and say AMEN

    Good post, but next time, please serve snacks and a drink too. JHF

  • SamSooner says:

    K, great write up. You can’t buy this anywhere.

    I can appreciate the OU coaching staff trying to get in on other kids from around the nation, creating national recognition for the OU brand. However, and as for Oklahoma kids, I would like for them to commit to having a third of their commitments be kids from Oklahoma.

    Even if the development isn’t there at the HS level, take a chance. Whitfield comes to mind. We almost lost Dahu.

    Are the coaches not willing to take that chance? It’d cut down on attrition by a third, if they did. Where would an Oklahoma kid go if they’re already home?

    • Super K says:

      I’m not so much arguing that OU needs to offer more kids. I’m really just noting that I feel strongly that OU fans should love seeing these OK Preps garner attention/offers wherever they may come from because it’s only going to strengthen the in-state talent pool and perception moving forward. That will help the in-state schools.

      • SamSooner says:

        I see your point. I’m a numbers guy: I am not convinced that someone can’t find enough talent in the whole State of Oklahoma not to be offering some of these kids.

  • Sooner Ray says:

    Very good piece, and nothing but the truth.

  • SamSooner says:

    Alex Criddle is a pocket pusher and the competition isn’t so small. Now this is a guy who should have an OU offer. If he wins his battles 80% of the time, you can’t run his way.

  • SamSooner says:

    OU was chasing Deondre Clark like he was the savior at DE. How many more kids the coaching staff overlook that year? Where are they K? Can you tell us how they’re doing?

    • Super K says:

      Every athlete in Tulsa knows Brailford was the dude that year. Kid is a freak and everyone at OSU now knows that he’s likely going to be a draft pick. Obviously he hasn’t proven it on the field but people behind the scenes at OSU think he’s a freak and that’s amongst other freaks like Trey Carter and Jarrell Owens. That year OU just made a mistake in their eval of Jordan Brailford. Nothing wrong with that though…it happens…but they definitely evaluated him.

      • SamSooner says:

        Thanks, K. A hungry man wants to eat. These kids are hungry and they will eat plenty people’s lunch. They want the chance to prove themselves and is there a better place than your State school?

        I just hate to see the coaches not offer some of these kids.

        • SoonerSouthoftheRed says:

          I think as an Oklahoma high school player, if I was passed over and ended up playing in a game against OU, I would try my best to rub their nose in not recruiting me & overlooking someone from the home state. The Lockett family alone has pretty much kept that going for the past several years.

      • Paul Warfield says:

        Jordan Brailford is a good example…but you are wrong to say that it was OK to make that evaluation mistake. Six foot three two hundred and twenty five pound kids who can run like him don’t grow on trees….in any state. Unlike Clark who did not fit Oklahoma’s odd front scheme Brailford did as an outside linebacker, and in what Striker’s role is.

        When the margin of error is smaller as it is with less in-state talent you simply can’t afford to have such massive screwups.

        The bigger issue to me isn’t just development, because that starts somewhere OU and OSU have little impact on. The real issue is the lack to attention paid to in-state kids from 9th grade on. There shouldn’t be a kid entering the 11th grade in the state of Oklahoma that is talented enough to play Division 1 football that OU hasn’t seen in person multiple times and had in their camps twice.

        If the OU coaches and program would take a page from Mack Brown’s book and work with the Oklahoma high school coaches more they would work more with the OU coaches to get them their kids.

        The entitlement within the OU program starts at the top and comes pouring down like Niagra Falls.

  • Mysterio1 says:

    Very nice! Oklahoma needs kids that can contribute, I don’t care where they come from, but being in your yard sure can help.

  • Kody K. says:

    Made me think of Davion Pierson who chose TCU over K-State–out of Millwood High School in Okcity. Now he’s tearing it up at TCU and really showed up in the OU game last year. I remember watching the game and thinking how did we let this kid out of Oklahoma. He was the number 1 rated DT in OU out of high school.

    • Super K says:

      Right but in terms of what I’m saying…think of it more in terms of what Davion could have been in HS as far as a more highly rated recruited had he been in a state where there is better talent development and attention. It worked out for him because he went to TCU, has had success and got to do it on a big stage because they moved into a big conference. But that isn’t the case for most.

    • lefty67 says:

      We haven’t pulled anyone from Millwood in a LONG time. The last one I can think of who did much of anything at OU was Joey Mickey back in 1989. I don’t know if they’ve got some poison pill there or what, but it sure seems like they’ve had a “send them anywhere but OU” mantra for quite a while now.

  • Soonerfandave84 says:

    “Oklahoma and Oklahoma State need this. They need a better developed pool of local/regional talent from which to draw. But they also need a heightened (or perhaps I should say “more accurate”) view of local talent. Why? It’s really simple.”

    I read this and thought immediately if there were more teams in 6A that could win vs Jenks and Union they wouldnt have won 100 straight state titles

  • kokevo says:

    I love going back and seeing what local kids did that weren’t highly recruited dillion at Memphis the linebacker at mizz Arkansas best receiver all the lockets the list goes on and on………….

  • McKinzie says:

    I could not agree more, K. I live in Rogers/Bentonville, Ark. Our area is growing so rapidly. Just passed the 500,000 population mark for the Metro Statistical Area. Springdale and Fayetteville are just to the south.

    There are six 7A schools (soon to be 7) in the area. Bentonville has played regional teams the last few years and held their own fairly well (maybe except for last year but they won the state title). Also a 5A and one 6A.

    Then you have a ton of 4A and 3A schools scattered all over. Many that get the “leftovers” from the bigger schools but the quality of football in NWA is getting better each year. The power of Arkansas HS football used to rest in the central/south part of the state. In the bigger conferences/districts that power has shifted more to the NW part of the state. Think FS Southside, Northside, and the schools I just mentioned. The smaller school power still tends to rest in the southern part of the state (closer to Louisiana) but the gap has narrowed significantly.

    I’ve always wondered why OU doesn’t come to NWA/River Valley more. The mindset used to be that all the kids here grow up Razorback fans and with the small number of D1 caliber athletes in the state if the Hogs offered, game over. That’s not the case anymore. I can drive you through my 250 home subdivision and show you a dozen fans of schools OTHER than Arkansas on my street alone. It’s time for OU to recognize the “local” talent.

    As a kid who grew up in Northwest Arkansas and endured tons of crap for being a diehard OU fan, I appreciate this article a lot.

    • Super K says:

      People also forget, as I mentioned, even if you can’t beat out the in-state school for the player you both want, doesn’t mean there aren’t other players in the state that you can get cause only you want. I know sometimes a big school may think…”why would I take a lesser player? If they don’t want that kid, why should we?” But that’s not a great way of doing evaluation and finding the right kids for your program. Alton Robinson may be the best pass rusher in the state of Texas. Neither OU or Texas have offered. Alabama has been diligently evaluating him for a while now and just offered him last night. The point isn’t to say that now OU and Texas should. The point is to say that OU and Texas not offering Alton didn’t deter coach Saban. He likes him. He wants him. Nothing else matters.

    • Soonerfandave84 says:

      Greenwood would be a nice stop too or have they tailed off in the last couple years?

      • McKinzie says:

        They moved up to 6A this past season but they still are a great program. Same coach. Same machine. Honestly, Greenwood has been a program that has just made it with the right amount of grit and blue collar work ethic. Haven’t really had a ton of upper D1 talent. Tyler Wilson at UofA an exception.

        • McKinzie says:

          And by “not a ton” I mean virtually none.

          • Soonerfandave84 says:

            Used to live in Ft. Smith, Greenwood would beat FS Southside or at least give em hell and 2 classifications under them(at the time)

          • McKinzie says:

            If I had to list the 3 best football jobs in Arkansas, regardless of division/conference:

            Greenwood
            Bentonville (for another year then they split)
            Fayetteville

          • Soonerfandave84 says:

            Bentonville has the former Southside coach right?

          • McKinzie says:

            Barry Lunney, yes. But he is “retiring” this year. New head coach is the DC Jody Grant.

          • Anne T. Social says:

            And OK border schools Roland, Spiro, Vian… OU should have tried harder for Cantrell and Whitfield. look up Eastern Ok talent

          • Anne T. Social says:

            Yessir, just found and love this site…die hard OU and I don’t need any Johnnies Char broiled burgers! LOVE TFB

    • Jed says:

      Great comment! I travel that area for business and come across a LOT of OU supporters. And the OKC metro (and I include Norman in that) is a nice change of pace for those kids who want something different but not half a continent away from home.

      • McKinzie says:

        Just to give you an idea on my street:
        House of OSU fans
        Kansas State fan
        Tennessee fan
        Kansas fan
        Nebraska fan
        2 separate house of Alabama fans (both husbands are alum)
        OU alumna and her husband across the street
        Then there is my house:
        OU fan (graduated from Northeastern State)
        My wife: Arkansas alumna and a big Hogs fan

        I’m talkin’ a span of 1/4 mile.

        • Jed says:

          And, in your local bar, you can stride, manfully, to the rail and in a decisive voice call out to the Publican, “Texas Sucks, please!” and an icy one will be slapped down in front of you.
          The one sure way to unite all those listed fan bases…

  • John Garner says:

    Great read! I love Oklahoma kids. I keep reminding people that Oklahoma kids have won the majority of national individual awards since Bob stepped on campus. What is disappointing to me is that if other schools can see D-1 skills and talent in a Oklahoma kid like Draper, why not OU?

  • McKinzie says:

    Another thing about Arkansas talent: In the southern part of the state the last few years Ole Miss has sauntered in and signed a few highly recruited guys. Think towns like Nashville, Warren, Ashdown, Camden, El Dorado, Prescott…if you’re familiar with the area. Also, Tennessee swooped in and got a talented group of kids from the same HS (Warren) about 10 years ago. It’s not unheard of to beat out Arkansas for in-state talent.

    • SoonerGoneEast says:

      That’s a fact, Arkie can be recruited against in-state. I’ve made that argument on this site before. You are also spot on about loyalties to the Hawgs, it’s not there like everyone assumes. All over LR, southern AR and the Delta, you’re almost as likely to see the kids wearing a shirt from an out of state school as the Razorbacks. Maybe it’s the lack of history, but there’s not as much Arkansas enthusiasm from the younger generation as there is from the older generations.

  • Cush Creekmont says:

    Very nice article. Cultivating the Oklahoma HS coaches should be a top priority. If OU is so keen on coast-to-coast recruiting, the extra time spent flying all over will reduce the recruiters’ time for evaluating nearby kids. HS coaches that believes they’ll get a fair hearing from OU could be scouting resource multipliers.

  • SamuraiKrft says:

    Surprised a school like Iowa State is not recruiting these players in OK & Ark. The coaches there wouldn’t take heat for recruiting guys like this at a place like that.

    • Super K says:

      They’re starting to. I believe they had two commits from Oklahoma this past class.

  • Soonerfandave84 says:

    thinking of OK preps kids that were Sooners…one of my favs Brandon Daniels, imagine if he was 3 years younger and played for Bob all 4 years instead of wasting away under John Blake.

    • SoonerGoneEast says:

      Ada put out some talent back in the day, but it’s a different program now. They’ve not only come to accept mediocrity, they’ve embraced it.

  • rphokc says:

    curious about the criddle pic above…….does he have a skin discoloration condition……..looks like a chain link fence pattern on his head, left side

    • roygbell says:

      You ever heard of a shadow?

      My guess is the kid is standing next to a chain link fence an you are seeing the shadow of the fence. If you look at his jersey you can see the same shadow.

      • rphokc says:

        lighting and angles don’t make sense to me, but I just noticed that it says image of him, not photo…..

        • ToatsMcGoats says:

          Looks like there may have been some sort of lighting to the left of him.

    • CS says:

      haha! You are kidding right?

    • Sooner Ray says:

      Looks like sunlight and shadows from objects to his left to me.

  • Boom says:

    Great read. I’m in Houston and kids from 8 years old and up are being trained. I don’t mean being babysat, I mean year round trained for different sports. Footwork and different drills all the time. There are skill set trainers for kids. I’m not talking about a daddy who is showing them how to hold or catch a ball. I’m talking about D1 QB’s or WR’s who did or didn’t make it in the pros who now have individual sessions and training schools. It’s not a burn out situation because almost all of these kids love the training. They compete against each other and there are a lot in a city of 8+ million.
    I feel this is what K is talking about because these kids have the opportunity and exposure. I expect two of the boys on my sons 6th grade 7 on 7 team will make it to D1. Both dads played in D1 and each of them are 6’5. The 6th graders I’m referring to are both 5’9 140 and can flat out run. After we played, there were some trainers who watch and said they would help them for nothing just to get them in their program.
    A lot of these trainers are affiliated with HS’s & D1 schools in the area. The kids get exposure through them. Funnels are created and doors open for camps.
    Great article and I pull for these kids to reach their dreams and for some, to create a new life for themselves.

    • Super K says:

      Great post Boom. You captured a lot of what I’m saying perfectly.

      • Boom says:

        I wish someone with some deep pockets would open some training centers in Oklahoma with credible young trainers. Trainers who learned under the Clay Mack’s of the world. Not just in OKC/Tulsa areas but in some rural regions across the state. Not all kids can afford this service but if it’s done right as a non profit, it would work. It would greatly enhance the sports landscape of Oklahoma/Kansas/Ark./N. Tx kids. This would be something that would create maximum exposure to these kids of all sports.

  • Will Narramore says:

    How many in state 2016 kids has OU offered and how many more do y’all see realistically getting offers?

  • connie usa says:

    SK; This was a FANTASTIC READ. I seriously hated to see it end.
    Thanks for the great work!!!

  • Sooner born, Sooner bred says:

    What a great read, and even greater information K. Sounds like we need more Clay Mack, Quick Twitch clinics operating in Oklahoma. I’m constantly trying to spread the word about TFB because this site is the best….bar none. Boomer!

  • Sooner Ray says:

    I’ve seen we offered 2017 all purpose back J.K. Dobbins out of La Grange Texas. I like him just for the ZZ Top reference. 🙂

  • Ed Cotter says:

    Wow, SK, awesome read. Thanks for posting. There are great players everywhere, schools just need to get a chance to see or hear about them……TFB does that…..and more. Kudos!!

  • L'Carpetron Dookmarriot says:

    Looong, but good. Here’s a rambling post.

    Many have been upset with OU’s lack of recruiting talent or missing talent like Cobbs, Oku, and Doctor.

    I’m a part-time LSU fan. My LSU fans rail against the same thing. Their perspective is different. I’m nah gonna compare OK talent vs LA talent. The idea is a matter of perspective.

    In terms of speed, length, and ball skills, please define those. Straight line speed? Eh, yes, but Tyson Gay can run fast in a straight line… Agility, ability to turn hips and keep one’s speed. Yeah.

    Also, an anecdotal story that a current member of the OU team and my LSU friend corroborated. During a practice, someone from the defense “tackled” Zach Mettenberger a little too hard. Zach stood up for himself and, essentially, started a fight. The coaches let it go. Someone was bloodied, not Zach. Maybe this kind of thing happens at OU, maybe it doesn’t.

    /ramble

  • SECsooner says:

    Excellent article K. I really wish the OU coaches would sign at least 10 Oklahoma kids a year. Also, I’ve said for years that Arkansas’ talent is underrated. I’d really rather see us get a few Oklahoma and Arkansas kids (even Kansas) over some of these 7th/8th choice kids from Texas. The top Texas kids are good but once you get past their elite guys, the rest are no better than anyone else’s. Why do you think some of the top Texas teams won’t dare go over into Louisiana and play those teams?

  • hOUligan says:

    Great read, K. It is so true. Having the natural ability is a big part of it but w/o the proper coaching or training…and in small schools you don’t get the same level or competition to make you better. Case in point…friend was a Junior National Champion jc wrestler. Recently moved to a small town with NO wrestling history and avg at best coaching. He takes over and in 2 years he instills the competitiveness and skill to make these small town kids MT state individual champions and an injury away from the state wrestling title. That’s the beauty of wrestling…you get to compete against the best no matter. Great points, esp the taking a chance on relative unknowns with limited schollies and the pressure from the school as well as the fan base. This is part of what sets this site apart. Well done, Sir!!! Well done.

  • akbuc says:

    This article struck a nerve with me. I feel the same way about kids up here in AK. There are athletes up here. Outside of HI we have the highest percentage of Polynesians in the country. There are a lot of big, strong kids in the north side of Anchorage. They really don’t get the elite coaching, competition, and exposure that they would in big football states though. So, unless they go the JUCO route (which most of the time isn’t on scholarship) there aren’t a lot of options for them. It’s frustrating for all the same reasons listed in the article. It would be awesome to see an Alaskan kid in an OU jersey some day. I can dream.

    • Super K says:

      If you come across some Alaskan kids that you feel have next level size/athleticism, send their film to us and we’ll review it and if we agree and are able we’ll at least begin to talk about them in hopes that someone may notice them. Email address is [email protected]

      • akbuc says:

        That’s awesome. I’ll keep my eyes open. Just at my school alone we’ve had two NFL players (one is still a backup DB for the NYG I think) and a OL for USC come through in the last 10 years. They all went JUCO first though.

    • SavageSoonerEsq says:

      I agree with what you said. I live in SE OK and have seen some amazing athletes come through this area. There are some kids on the basketball team around here that have the kind of speed, speed and leaping abilities that could likely make them DI prospects (especially in football). There was a kid in the adjoining county who was the state powerlifting champion. He could lift a house and with his size and explosion I doubt anyone could’ve moved him off either the OL or the DL (he was an excellent football player). However, he didn’t get recruited that heavily and ended up getting into a lot of trouble. I am always pumped to see any young person from OK get attention and move on to better possibilities.

  • madbrad says:

    Tldr

  • WilliamJack says:

    What a great write up! Thanks! High character and desire from local kids who have the talent should give them a leg up IMHO. Bleed Crimson and Cream types=BOOM!

  • Dwebb_96 says:

    For those of us who are fans of the game, love our great state, but don’t have the time, knowledge or the contacts to gather this kind of information, this is the reason why I come here first thing in the morning. Thanks to K and everyone else at TFB’s!!

  • Glocal Sooner says:

    Great write up Super K. It’s easy to have the attitude of “I don’t care where they come from, as long as we get them”, but signing local kids that have grown up loving the Sooners and seeing them succeed on the field and off is rewarding as a fan. I remember the “old days” (Stoops early years) when we were consistently pulling in unknown players who turned out to be studs. That was a result of coaches doing their homework on recruits. I feel like now we have settled for following everyone else across the country bowing at the feet of the medias top ranked recruits. I would much rather sign less known local kids with the skills but need some coaching who can be stars.
    I agree that the state could use more developmental programs for the players and getting players recruited by power conference schools certainly brings us closer that direction. I think we all like to cheer for the small town kid to get a chance and see him excel.
    Had some time so I thought I would throw out some names from the Stoops era who are local kids who did well:
    Jammal Brown (OL) Lawton
    Corey Callens (DL) Tulsa
    Rocky Calums (LB) Tulsa
    Dan Cody (DL) Ada
    Kory Klein (DL) Tulsa
    Teddy Lehman (LB) Fort Gibson
    Seth Littrell (RB) Muskogee
    Antonio Perkins (DB) Lawton
    Trent Smith (TE) Clinton
    JT Thatcher (DB) Norman
    Jason White (QB) Tuttle
    Curtis Lofton (LB) Kingfisher
    Sam Bradford (QB) OKC
    Dominique Franks (DB) Tulsa
    Jermaine Gresham (TE) Ardmore
    Mossis Madu (RB) Norman
    Gerald McCoy (DL) OKC
    Ryan Broyles (WR) Norman
    Stacy McGee (DL) Muskogee
    Tress Way (K) Tulsa
    Gabe Ikard (OL) OKC
    Ronnell Lewis (DL) Dewar
    Aaron Colvin (DB) Owasso
    Bronson Irwin (OL) Mustang
    Sterling Shepard (WR) OKC
    There are tons more who contributed but most of this list played in the NFL at some point. Of course we’re all hoping Shep does too!