Open Post | Wednesday, Mar. 23rd (UPDATE 5:33 pm)

Image of Trey Sermon via ajc.com

Joel Honigford: If you read Tuesday’s Open Post, you already know Oklahoma hosted 2017 OT Joel Honigford (Sugarcreek, OH). TFB had a chance to catch up with Honigford last night following the visit, and it sounds like the Sooners firmly inserted themselves in the race for his commitment.

Honigford has already visited some other schools closer to his home like Ohio State, West Virginia, Penn State and others, but described the OU visit as “one of the best.” He added, “you could tell everyone cared about what they’re doing. They’re devoted. They seem sincere and not just telling me what I want to hear. You don’t always sense that everywhere you go.”

Honigford said he had a chance to watch practice, speak to professors, and tour the facilities. The latter of which and the upgrades/improvements being done definitely made an impression, something we continue to hear from a number of recruits.

In terms of a commitment timeline, Honigford said that he’d still like to see some additional schools before making a decision. To that point, the plan is to visit Auburn this coming weekend. While Honigford holds a number of offers, he is still waiting on an offer from his in-state school, Ohio State. The Buckeyes are telling him they’d like to see him in camp this summer.

Honigford said that after the visit to Norman, the Sooners are “definitely going to be in it.” And it seems the biggest threat to Oklahoma at this point is likely to be Ohio State, should they choose to offer. For now, I get the sense Bill Bedenbaugh and OU have made a huge impression on both Honigford and his mother, who accompanied him on the trip. – (Super K)

Trey Sermon: The state of Georgia has a reputation for putting out top-flight athletes, and 2017 Marietta (GA) running back Trey Sermon certainly fits that mold. With offers from OU, Alabama, Oregon, Auburn and many others, it’s no stretch to say his services are in high demand.

I spoke with Sermon and his coach, Antwan Toomer, the other day, both of whom had nothing but great things to say about OU running backs coach Jay Boulware. In fact, Sermon said about Boulware, “he is one of my favorites. We talk a lot and have a pretty good relationship.” Toomer added, “Coach Boulware is freaking awesome. So down to earth.”

That relationship, with both Sermon and his coach, is what has put OU in position to make a move for Sermon, who has set up a visit to Norman on April 2nd. And getting that visit is no small accomplishment considering most of Sermon’s other planned visits consist mainly of schools in SEC country. Sermon said that along with OU, he plans on visiting Alabama, Tennessee, and possibly Oregon.

You can also bet that when Sermon gets to Norman, Justin Broiles and Levi Draper will be there to show him around. Both have been recruiting Sermon via social media for some time and plan on continuing to try and persuade him to become another member of the #SoonerSquad17.

Sermon’s recruitment is just another prime example of what a class that is tight knit can do for your program. Atmosphere, relationships, and cohesiveness is everything in recruiting. And it seems from the OU staff, down to the commits, the Sooners really have that going for them right now. – (Brandon)

Joshua Moore: The 2018 Yoakum (TX) wide receiver has long loved what Oklahoma does on offense. And yesterday Moore got to see it in person for the first time, as he and his brother, Jordan, who is being recruited as an athlete by OU, were in attendance for a Sooners practice.

Moore stated that he talks with inside wide receivers coach Cale Gundy regularly and although an offer wasn’t made on this visit, the staff specified to Moore they will be down soon to watch him practice. At which point an offer will then likely be made, according to Moore.

As far as the visit, Moore said “the atmosphere was crazy. I love the way they throw the ball around and let the wide receivers get loose. Fits my skill-set perfectly.”

Moore has already started to pick up offers and with his length/athleticism, he fits the mold of what OU is looking for in their outside receivers. If an offer is made it would seem somewhat likely OU jumps up near the top for Moore. – (Brandon)

Spring Practice Notes: Oklahoma was back in the groove yesterday with their first practice since returning from spring break. As such, we have a few team/practices notes we’d like to pass on.

* Was told that the highlight of the day was Jarvis Baxter going up for a ball and taking a shot while still in the air, but managing to hang on to the ball…with one hand. Evidently after the catch, he stood up and shook the defensive back’s hand. Swag, was how one source described it.

We’re told Baxter has really taken a step forward in his game and according to one source, “he doesn’t drop anything.”

* Neville Gallimore is back practicing after being a little bit dinged up before the break. Nothing earth-shattering right now, one source said “he’s just getting acclimated again.”

* Was told Ogbonnia ‘Obo’ Okoronkwo continues to run with the first team at that ‘Jack’ LB spot and has apparently been doing well, specifically ‘more assignment sound’ as one person put it. We all know what ‘Obo’ brings to the table as an athlete but leverage, alignment, positioning, etc. are the areas he needed to work on and apparently the reps have served him well.

* Behind ‘Obo’ is redshirt freshman Ricky Deberry, who we’re told is also progressing. “More comfortable and more vocal. He’s just more confident in general.” 3rd team Jack LB right now is walk-on, Dalton Rodriguez.

* According to one source, the Sooners are primarily running a nickel package as their base, so ‘Obo’ and DeBerry aren’t really on the field together much, if at all. As expected, Will Johnson remains the starter at the Nickel/SAM. Interestingly though, behind him at the moment is true freshman Chanse Sylvie.

Sylvie enrolled in January and is obviously still learning but as of right now, at the Nickel/SAM position he’s apparently rotating ahead of senior Hatari Byrd. But I’m told the two have been working together with Byrd helping Sylvie in terms of alignment and coverage calls. Always great to hear about that kind of teamwork.

* Continue to hear that Kahlil Haughton is the top safety of the underclassmen. Haughton is a second team safety right now, but also first team dime back when the Sooners go to that DB heavy package.

* Also been told that Will Sunderland is continuing to make strides. “He is reading things better. Still learning, but he’s progressing. He’s in better position and not getting caught in no-man’s-land.” Sunderland is running with the second team, alongside Haughton, at safety.

– UPDATE (2:58 pm): In a bit of a surprise, 2017 DE & OU offer Trevor Kent has committed to Northwestern. As we mentioned in Monday’s OP, Kent was expected to be in Norman this coming weekend for an unofficial visit. His commitment tweet below seems to imply that will no longer happen, but we are working to confirm whether or not that is actually the case.

UPDATE (3:30 pm): 2017 DE and Sooner target Trevor Kent tells me that he will no longer visit Norman this weekend and as of right now there seem to be no plans to reschedule a visit.

– UPDATE (5:33 pm):

287 Comments

  • Boo says:

    First

  • Matt says:

    good stuff. I would love to hear how Tay Evans and Bolton are looking on the inside and how the D-line is looking.

  • j l says:

    Love to keep hearing positive news, this class is really looking good. Glad to hear the upgrades are making a positive impact even though they arent finished.

  • Tony B says:

    Who is running with the first team at CB position opposite Thomas?

  • Shelby is a Patriot says:

    Good to hear about Baxter.

  • Sooner Ray says:

    Awesome news once again, love the practice notes.

  • SoonerFan92 says:

    Hello all. New to the posting side of TFB, but have been coming to this site for a little over a year now. my first question is who would be the starting LB opposite of Obo/Deberry?

    • Tipman says:

      I was just about to ask this. Does this mean we are moving to a 3-3-5 or 4-2-5 base?

      • SoonerFan92 says:

        Was hoping that Deberry was going to be opposite of Obo. Maybe Kelly or M. Jackson will come in and compete for it?

        • Mark_in_VA says:

          That seems like a real possibility.

        • Super Keith says:

          I’d be surprised if DeBerry doesn’t work opposite of Obo. I also doubt Kelly with be redshirted, so he should see some time in there too. The question is whether or not Jackson gets the redshirt. The kid is special, and like Kelly I’m not sure you want him sitting on the bench for a year.

      • Tipman says:

        I’ll answer my own question. The jack is basically the same as the stand-up OLD / DE, so he’s considered a LB and Lineman. The other 3 lineman are Walker, Romar and Ward. The other 2 LBs are Tay and Jordan Evan. The 5 DBs are Will Johnson, Jordan and Ahmad Thomas, PJ and Parker. How’d I do?

        • wolfbuilder says:

          Look at it this way, just cause u stand up doesn’t mean ur a lb or db, if u play on the line and ur on the end man on the line u r a dend not lb

        • D Hunter Sanchez says:

          Who says PJ has beaten out the little man at corner?

      • Bob Edwards says:

        I think what Mike is trying to run is a 3-3-4 + 1. The +1 is either a NB, a LB, or a DE depending on who we are playing and who are best personnel are.

        Often the +1 will be a ‘hybrid’ guy either a LB/NB or a LB/DE. Historically, the Stoops brothers have liked to include a hybrid guy because it allows them to change alignment without having to change personnel. That can be very useful against no huddle teams.

      • hemisooner says:

        I just want an aggressive defense. Don’t care if it’s a 4-3, 4-2-5, 3-4, 3-3-5, or even 1-0-10. As long as the D creates some turnovers and havoc and not sit back and read and react. I’m good.

      • wolfbuilder says:

        3-3-5 and 4-2-5 are nickel packages

        A base package is a 7 man front like the base of a 3-3-5 is a 3-4 and a 4-3 is a base package for 4-2-5.

        Just cause u ran a nickel or even a dime package a lot more doesn’t mEan it the base package

        • ND52 says:

          If you consistently play teams that utilize 3 or more WRs on the majority of their snaps, e.g. the Big XII, then how can you say that your base package is a traditional 7-man front?

          • wolfbuilder says:

            It doesn’t matter if u never run it a 7 man front is a base D.

            A 5 db set is and will always be a nickel because that 5th db is called a nickel back just like a 6 db set is a dime cause that 6th db in is call a dime back

          • ND52 says:

            @wolfbuilder:disqus If you never run your base defense then how can you call it your “base defense”?

            That makes no sense whatsoever.

          • wolfbuilder says:

            Wow some people will never understand, a 7 front will always be called a base D cause that that’s where the formation comes from, a 5th db will always be called a nickel that’s y it’s called a nickel set, doesnt matter it u run it 100% of the time, the package is named after that 5th db

        • ND52 says:

          If you consistently play teams that utilize 3 or more WRs on the majority of their snaps, e.g. the Big XII, then how can you say that your base package is a traditional 7-man front?

    • OUWade says:

      I’m guessing that the other OLB spot (Bond’s old position) is similar enough to the “Striker” position I assume Obo/DeBerry are playing, that when we need to take the nickel off the field, we would then just slide DeBerry over there. But I don’t know.

      • Super Keith says:

        I’m almost positive that’s how it’s going to play out. Obo on one end, DeBerry on the other. Sounds like (from the practice comments) that we’ll see a lot of the 3 LB set. So, I guess that would put J. Evans, T. Evans (who I’m assuming will get the other inside spot) and either Obo or Deberry. When we go to a 3-4, then either Obo or DeBerry will come back on the field.

    • Jordan Esco says:

      welcome!

      • SoonerFan92 says:

        Thank you for the response. This site helps feed my addiction as a huge Sooner football nut!

    • BleedCrimson says:

      Welcome aboard 92

    • Lane Gilstrap says:

      Things could change quite a bit with the two highly recruited stud linebackers in Caleb Kelly and Mark Jackson.

  • rphokc says:

    re boulware…….don’t recall hearing much feedback either way about him with rb recruiting so this is good to read……

    “I spoke with Sermon and his coach, Antwan Toomer, the other day, both of whom had nothing but great things to say about OU running backs coach Jay Boulware. In fact, Sermon said about Boulware, “he is one of my favorites. We talk a lot and have a pretty good relationship.” Toomer added, “Coach Boulware is freaking awesome. So down to earth.”

    • Tex'ish says:

      Agreed – seems like been hearing concerns regarding Boulware’s recruiting / coaching. Good to hear positive traction being made in recruiting…

      • rphokc says:

        yeah, remains to be seen for gundy at rec’s, but he was money at rb…..not sure about that switch

        • SoonerOracle737 says:

          It would be very difficult to surpass Gundy as RB recruiter. Just sayin’… 🙂

  • Soonerfandave84 says:

    Football! Yay football!

    • ouwooferman says:

      ….

      • Soonerfandave84 says:

        Hey Woofer. Thinking about football makes me happy

        • ouwooferman says:

          jhf. Spring break was only tolerable with the Basketball team playing on. Hope all is well.

          • Soonerfandave84 says:

            Aye it is, how bout you?

            The hoops team needs to get the first half vs VCU on the court at all times with the second half Buddy Hield

          • ouwooferman says:

            Good times right now (except about to hit the all magical 57 in about a week). Keep telling the wife, stop with the birthday and lets just celebrate another trip around the sun.

          • Soonerfandave84 says:

            Yep that’s a good idea, and congrats

  • Josh says:

    Obo will be ok if he can remember this one thing… its called OUTSIDE linebacker for a reason!!!

    • Bob Edwards says:

      Not much use if he can only play LB indoors. It’s not like we have a lot of indoor stadiums.

    • Tony B says:

      I wonder if we see Obo start the first game or two with a play here or there from DeBerry or one of the two Freshman, then once conference play starts we start one of the other three and Obo assumes the back up roll? I’m sure with his experience he is the leader at the moment but talent wise I’d think the other 3 would have the upper hand.

      • Josh says:

        if he can’t figure out how to keep his eyes on the mesh and keep outside leverage he wont be out there for long. he caused more than an expletive or two to be yelled at my tv last year lol. I do think they have upgraded the lb talent as a whole, just gotta get the pups ready.

      • Fear The Magic says:

        I expect to see Mark Jackson in there sooner rather than later. I dont think that he redshirts.

  • Will Narramore says:

    so starting D in this years base package is as of now most likely:
    DE: Walker
    DT: Romar
    DE: Dimon
    LB: Obo(or DeBerry)
    LB: Tay Evans
    LB: Jordan Evans
    NB: Will Johnson
    CB: Dakota Austin(Or Mbanasor)
    CB: Jordan Thomas
    FS: Steven Parker
    SS: Ahmad Thomas

    • Josh says:

      Salty!

    • Fear The Magic says:

      To get to where we really want to be we will need either Gallimore, Overton or Lampkin and preferably more than one to surpass Romar and Dimon. If we’re going to beat the Alabamas and even the Clemsons we’ll need domination on the DL.

    • KJ1123 says:

      Austin Roberts will be a starter as well.

      • hemisooner says:

        Tapper’s old spot, right.

        • KJ1123 says:

          Opposite side, over the right side of the line. I forget who was there primarily last year.

          • Matt says:

            I believe that was Dimon’s spot last year with Walker rotating in behind him.

          • KJ1123 says:

            Sounds right…memory is going lol

          • Will Narramore says:

            So left to right on the DL will go Roberts, Romar, Walker as the starters? I like that

          • KJ1123 says:

            That’s what they’ve shown so far in the spring. Fall is obviously a different story. Some of the young guys could make a serious push. I wish it was fall already.

          • MoJoOkie says:

            Keep wishing and eventually it will come true.

          • Matt says:

            dang KJ…that’s our best DLineman you’re forgetting about there! Is Roberts having a good spring? I was hoping one of the redshirt freshman would be able to step in.

          • KJ1123 says:

            I think he looks pretty good physically. He needs to develop more moves in my opinion. He’s one that would be fairly straight forward to scout.

  • Jake says:

    Just another example of why I like this 2017 recruiting class so much- Great mentalities.

    https://twitter.com/tae751/status/712499040420663296

    https://twitter.com/JustinbroilesJ/status/712499865360596993

    • Isabel.Thompson88 says:

      Aria . I can see what your saying… Johnny `s blurb is something… last week I bought a great GMC after making $6816 this past month and-over, ten grand last month . without a question it is the coolest job I‘ve ever done . I began this five months/ago and pretty much straight away made minimum $76, per-hour . over here,……….….http//EmployeeAppreciationDay.org/GetPaid/98$hourly

      :☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯:⚫:☯

  • Wolfdog says:

    Totally off topic, but does anyone have updated pictures of the stadium renovation?

  • ouwooferman says:

    for those that have always pondered the best way to pronounce Oklahoma….

  • metzker says:

    78TH wooohoooooooo!

  • Matt says:

    Are they considering moving Jordan Thomas to the left corner position? It seems like with his size and physicality he would fit better there even though he’s already great on the right side.

    • Jordan Esco says:

      I believe K told me they did flip him to Sanchez’s old position/side of the field, yes. Though feel free to check w/ him (K) to confirm.

      • Matt says:

        nice! Sanchez did okay there in run support last year but a better run support player there could make a difference in the defense. Although, now that I think about it, J. Thomas didn’t do great either when he had to be the edge player… :/

  • ElDusto99 says:

    Have not been on here much since NSD. Has there ever been an update on Youngquist?

  • Brien Brown says:

    Good day fellow TFB friends and family hope all are having a well day and hope all is good where ever you may be!

    • Slim Sooner says:

      Hey, Brien. Here in western OK it is 3:30 and texsa sucks from the south and blows from the west with gusts up to around 60mph.

      • Brien Brown says:

        Well in the Tulsa area it’s warm and breezy but a beautiful day although I am in office now and all. But Texas does still suck!

        • Slim Sooner says:

          Always. The old rocking chair on my back porch is going to town all on its own like its possessed with the ghost of Katie Elder.

  • Jordan Esco says:

    update added

  • Sooner Ray says:

    Damn, Kent was one I really liked.

  • KJ1123 says:

    EasTex 3 months ago
    “If I didn’t have so much going on I would be on my way to the Malheur Wildlife Refuge in Oregon”
    So…ET moved to Oregon?

    • metzker says:

      And he is posting on a ducks board?

    • SamSooner says:

      Has anyone heard from him?

      • Slim Sooner says:

        He’s just disappeared. It’s concerning.

      • J J says:

        Idk, but we used to chat b4 elsewhere. He got tired of some negativity & left… We chatted regularly up to & traveling to FSU game. By end of season he’d moved on. Hopefully just something like that…

        • SamSooner says:

          JJ, thanks for the response. We have some loons who come in once in a while but for the most part, it’s mostly positive. It’s just strange to me. I just hope he’s okay.

          • J J says:

            Me too! Like I said, I know he’s just stopped posting for awhile b4. How are you?

          • SamSooner says:

            I’m very good. Great victory tonight. Three more. Hell, I’ll take two more and be happy with the chance to win the whole thing.

    • Jed says:

      I wonder if he collected any of the outstanding range rentals…and, if so, if he’s got my share for me, as well.
      I’d settle for a calf, heck, even a half would set me up nicely for the summer grilling season.

    • soonerbred4ever says:

      His last post was Jan.5. I’m sure someone with a lot more computer savvy might be able to track him down.

    • Clint Lenard says:

      I saw a dude named “EastTex” (plus some number) on rivals, same Wilkinson profile pic and all. This was a few months ago, after people had already started asking what happened to him.

    • Clint Lenard says:

      I saw a dude named “EastTex” (plus some number) on rivals, same Wilkinson profile pic and all. This was a few months ago, after people had already started asking what happened to him.

    • diablodejalisco says:

      maybe he is just dead now. everyone dies. he had a good run though.

  • Greenlantern Otis says:

    downdate added. NW wont even win the big 10 tho oh well still got time to flip him and whats #savagecats17 #getouttahere

  • CrimsonNative says:

    Looks like Keyshawn Johnson Jr. ended up picking Nebraska.

  • Jordan Esco says:

    update added

  • Stephen says:

    I thought everyone said Thibodaux was a hot shot recruiter?

    • Sooner Ray says:

      He shouldn’t be judged until this time next year, at least that’s how I will do it.

      • metzker says:

        Ok,so its Kishs fault?

      • Stephen says:

        I’m just giving a little bit back to everyone who said I was absolutely wrong for having my doubts. It does however look bad he didn’t put us in a better position for a recruit in his former backyard.

        • SoonerfanTU says:

          He’s been on the job for how long? Geez. You aren’t “giving it back”, you are jumping the gun. Big difference.

          • Stephen says:

            Jumping the gun? Wouldn’t that be what everyone did when they said Thibodaux was a great hire even though he didn’t have the resumé to necessarily back it up?

            So it’s ok to sunshine pump without any proof but it’s not ok to give a little criticism. Thanks for the update.

        • DCinAZ says:

          Earnest Brown, DE target out of TX, also committed to Northwestern yesterday. Clearly, these two are smart kids who care deeply about the education they’ll receive and not just football.

          • Stephen says:

            Thank you for putting in a logical reasoning behind this instead of disagreeing without a point. Here’s an upvote.

          • DCinAZ says:

            No worries. I wouldn’t consider either of these two a mark against Coach T’s recruiting, IMO. I’d say these are two examples of super smart kids (hence their offers from NW) making decisions a super smart kid would make.

          • Stephen says:

            I’m eager to see who his new offers are going to be.

    • Tipman says:

      We lost him to Northwestern – he has different priorities. JEEZ

    • DCinAZ says:

      OU can’t compete with “world class academics”, and Northwestern is certainly that. I’m not going to cry over a 3* recruit being smart and choosing an academic powerhouse like Northwestern over OU to secure his future in the event his athletic career never takes off in college. That’s what I’d do if I were in his shoes. I would’ve gone to either Northwestern, Penn State, or Vandy.

  • HardTarget says:

    I think Trevor is a great kid and a good talent but he is not on the same level as the rest of the kids apart of #SoonerSquad17. Maybe that was the issue, these boys have been pushing hard for recruits and maybe Trevor wasn’t getting the attention that Rambo, Browning (the one I want), Okudah, and Sermon are.

    • Tony B says:

      I wonder how much academics came into play with his decision. It sounds like it had a part in it at the least. I’m not saying OU is a subpar academic university by any means but Northwestern is well known for theirs. Also if that is the case they may have a better school for the major he is going into. Just a thought but again these are 17-18 year old kids so who knows what is going on in their heads. Good luck to the young man and next man up for the #SoonerSquad17.

      • Sooner Ray says:

        Safe to say it played a big part.

        • Tony B says:

          If that’s the case I’m sorry to see him go but glad he is looking out for life after football. Also Thibs can do very little to argue the academic prowess Northwestern has over the Sooners, unfortunately.

          • gtq says:

            One might also remember a couple of years ago that Jordan Thomas was a firm commit to Northwestern until just before signing date. So it may not be over. I love Northwestern the university, matter of fact, my daughter played softball there. But, they have NO crowd support for football. It is a small school with very little football history. Most home games against Big 10 opponents end up being more like a road game for NU.

          • Tony B says:

            So basically the KU of the Big 10? LOL

          • HardTarget says:

            Just being real though, this class right now is number 2 in the nation. A kid that cares more about academics than football would never seriously compete for playing time over some of these other kids we have coming in, especially if we close as strong as we’ve opened this class.

          • paganpink says:

            Unless he was especially talented. They do help with flexibility on assignments and testing dates, tutors to make sure you are current with what was covered in class, etc. OU has a large number of academic All Americans because the University treats it as importantly as they do the football part of their lives.

        • Tony B says:

          If that’s the case I’m sorry to see him go but glad he is looking out for life after football. Also Thibs can do very little to argue the academic prowess Northwestern has over the Sooners, unfortunately.

      • soonersd says:

        I thought the same when reading his commitment. Mentioned academics before athletics a couple times. Can’t fault a kid for that… best of luck to him.

      • soonersd says:

        I thought the same when reading his commitment. Mentioned academics before athletics a couple times. Can’t fault a kid for that… best of luck to him.

  • metzker says:

    Yall have a good day———-

  • metzker says:

    Yall have a good day———-

  • Tinycop says:

    Ok, did anyone else notice the monster hit along the sideline by one of Sermon’s team mates?

    If not go back and see. First angle at about 3:15 mark. Second angle at about 3:35 mark.

    After watching that hit, I had to go through the concussion protocol.

  • Tipman says:

    Did anyone point out that Tery Sermon is Heisman’ing a longhorn in that pic? Sorry if I’m late the the party.

  • Tipman says:

    Did anyone point out that Tery Sermon is Heisman’ing a longhorn in that pic? Sorry if I’m late the the party.

  • Jordan Esco says:

    update added

  • LandThieve3 says:

    Northwe$tern

  • Daryl says:

    This is hilarious and I pray it is in every locker all spring and summer.

    https://twitter.com/FanSidedBig12/status/712773587791249409

  • Chris White says:

    Another day of selling the Brand!
    https://twitter.com/eddie_rado/status/712708328023961601

  • Jdizzle says:

    A kid committing to Northwestern doesn’t bother me, since it shows he has other things planned for his future than just football. Them, Duke, and Stanford are excusable schools.

    • Zack says:

      I would steer my son towards those 3 over OU.

      • connie usa says:

        Well, if your son was an elite FB player, then OU is the far better choice. It’s not like OU is some crappy academic college, where everyone who graduates is void of job offers.

        • Jdizzle says:

          But composted to those 3, it doesn’t compete. Not 1 bit.

          • Dick Bump says:

            Based on what?

          • Recondo says:

            In terms of academic reputation and average career earnings Jdizzle is correct. My son plays football and has D1 aspirations. My wife is an OU alum and I was at OU before the Army took me abroad and I finished elsewhere. All that being said, he knows if it comes down to a D1 state school or a Stanford or even an Ivy I have veto power over his choice.

          • Dick Bump says:

            Average career earnings is probably the best argument, if the quality of life are similar. Academic reputation, to a great extent, is a matter of perspective and is rarely based on much more than hearsay. I guess my main point was that the quality of education and desireability of a degree from OU shouldn’t be understated.

          • Recondo says:

            When comparing the schools in this discussion the academic reputation of all schools mentioned far outweigh any state school by a wide margin regardless of who you ask or what rating source you cite. OU has a good regional reputation and solid industry reputations in areas such as Native American law but Stanford, Northwestern, Duke, etc have far-reaching global cache.

          • Dick Bump says:

            Cache be damned! I’m Sooner born and Sooner bred! …I haven’t been in the head hunter business, so I can’t speak to who gets hired first. I do know a degree from OU is worth having, opens a lot of doors, and is widely recognized. At the end of the day, they’re all just a foot in the door. What you do going forward is what really matters.

          • blaster1371 says:

            You are correct. My Dad graduated at the top of his class from OU school of business and was the first to get a 100% on the state CPA exam. Worked in the oil industry for 10 years then got offered, of all jobs, CFO for a family winery conglomeration in the CA Central Valley. I’ve been on interview panels where we had candidates from “prestigious” schools who wanted us to believe their 2.5 GPA from USC or Berkley should impress us. We hired a kid out of Stanford to teach economics….. His knowledge is no better than anyone else on our staff many of whom went to UCs or Cal State schools.

          • blaster1371 says:

            $$ are relevant to location of residence. You earn 300k a year in the San Francisco Bay Area and you will never own a house. I graduated from Fresno State with a bachelor’s and masters degree and I make double and nearly triple what teachers do in Texas and Ok and the graduates from those states’s schools with comparable jobs.

          • Recondo says:

            Absolutely correct. A huge reason I decided not to attend law school. I didn’t want to work in the markets that pay what everybody thinks lawyers make. That being said, if an employer has two equally qualified candidates but one has a piece of paper from Stanford and the other has a piece of paper from a state school we all know who has the advantage.

          • blaster1371 says:

            I get your point, but I have not seen two candidates who are equal to the point of there needing to be a tie breaker. Don’t get me wrong, if Stanford had asked me to get my grad degree in US history from them and I could have afforded it I would have. Not sure it would have changed my employment opportunities.

          • blaster1371 says:

            How so?

        • Zack says:

          I probably won’t want my son to play football. There’s sports that have better longevity and on the surface the athletes do not face the same type of health risks.
          To your point if he was an elite football player, and if he wanted to live in Oklahoma the rest of his life then yes OU would be a wise choice. If he wants to play football and earn a degree that is top notch nationwide in the eyes of many, then those other 3 would be a better choice.

          • Dick Bump says:

            All of the universities have similar curriculae and books, if not the same. The primary differences, IMO, is in the quality of the instruction and the makeup of the class. If you’re in a class with a bunch of brainiacs you’re going to have to work harder to make a decent grade. I haven’t been everywhere, but in my experience a degree from OU is widely recognized and is considered top-notch by many. Ultimately, it’s whether your experience and degree help you do what you want to do in life. OU has had a number of very successful alumni, especially in the oil industry…well maybe not as successful in the last six months or so.

          • Zack says:

            Those are good points. I didn’t say OU doesn’t have anything to offer but from my life experiences, a degree means a lot. OU doesn’t have the academic prestige of those schools though but I do like that boren is determined to make the academics a bigger deal which is one reason why I would like to see OU end up in the big 10.

          • j l says:

            A friend of mine from high school graduated from OU law school. He has an easier time getting a job than his brother, who graduated from harvard law.

            Sometimes the more prestigious degree dosent help as much as you would think.

          • blaster1371 says:

            The Oklahoma school of business smokes anything at Duke and Northwestern. Northwestern is mainly a research science school. Outside of the Midwest Northwestern has zero traction. Stanford and Duke are solid, Duke more so for its graduate programs than its under grad.

            No one gets hired because they went to xyz school but what they did while there.

          • jimintexas says:

            I think you will find Northwestern has a good broadcasting school. Not top 3, but maybe top 10. If you are a good D1 player, but reality is you will probably not go to the next level, get the best degree you can.

          • MJ says:

            Not true. Google throws away lots of applications from schools they don’t think are as top notch academically such as Stanford and the Ivy League.
            If you have a business degree from say Texas and the same guy is coming in from Stanford, they don’t look at the Texas employee’s app a second time. This is what I know at Google, I would think others are like that as well. Not everybody but a degree from a top tier school helps.

          • paganpink says:

            If ANY employer looks only at the college that an applicant went to they are in trouble. I can assure you that if you’re worth your salt as an HR person the interview tells you far more about the person then the fact that they went to a particular school. And it has nothing to do with silly questions designed to put you on the spot. Putting someone at ease results in far more insights. Are they one of these grads who are 22 and has never had a job, never mowed a yard, never earned a penny on their own? What success have they had at any endeavor other then schoolwork? And volunteering for the homeless shelter shows nothing- maybe not even concern for the homeless- since guidance counselors suggest you do it because it looks good on a resume! Figuring out whether they are the sort of person you want in your corporation is what is essential and their choice of colleges is only a small part of that.

          • SoonerNutt says:

            Google is a Tech company. Stanford and MIT are obvious choices there. The prior post was talking about business school. OU’s compares favorably with just about anybody else’s in that department.
            Back to the original point though, if you want to play high-level football and get a quality education, OU is a great choice. If football is your #2, and you have an opportunity to go somewhere that is better for your chosen field of study, that is different.
            Most football players aren’t going into the programs that make a Stanford or Northwestern degree mean something though. If you go to Stanford and get a sports sciences degree, It’s not going to be any more valuable than the same at OU.

          • brainpimp says:

            Then google is stupid.

          • blaster1371 says:

            Isn’t Google HQ in CA? The decision to not look beyond the Stanford-grad applicant could be an indication of regional bias/familiarity. To say they look at the applicant’s school and toss it because the line is filled in with a state school and keep it because it says Stanford is rather bizarre. An applicant with a 4.0 from Fresno State (school of business) would indicate a more knowledgeable applicant than one from Stanford with a 2.5.

          • blaster1371 says:

            I would bet a fair number of OU grads don’t work in Oklahoma.

          • rphokc says:

            age?…….professional tennis

          • Sooner Ray says:

            Professional bull riding is the way to go. Helmets and protective vests are the norm now, what could go wrong?

          • rphokc says:

            I’ve wondered about those guys (do they still do bucking horses, also) that do this for yrs and how the back vertebrae/discs hold up

          • Sooner Ray says:

            Yes there are still bucking horses. Most if not all bucking stock competitors have joint and bone problems at a young age.

          • brainpimp says:

            Why are you here?

      • Dick Bump says:

        I’m curious, are you an OU alum?

    • Shelby is a Patriot says:

      It really depends on your Major, in my opinion.

  • Dick Bump says:

    Good luck to Trevor Kent, if that is what he wants. A college education from the University of Oklahoma is not exactly chopped liver. I guess it depends on your major and your aspirations.

  • Dick Bump says:

    I’m curious are you an OU alum?

  • LandThieve3 says:

    Punt or kickoff returner?

    • Sooner Ray says:

      That picture appears to be a punt return in my opinion.

      • Bob Edwards says:

        Nah, if it was a punt return he would be waving his hand above his head to signal for a fair catch.

        • Sooner Ray says:

          Lol. Correct sir but I was trying to be optimistic and hoping for a new game plan.

        • BleedCrimson says:

          Made me laugh. But I am in line with SR, hope we have a different game plan, and put the return back into punt return.

  • DCinAZ says:

    Levi Draper ‏@Ldraper_10 13m13 minutes ago

    You don’t have to tell someone every time you grind, work in silence and your success will talk

    Get a load of the big brain on Levi. WOOOOOOOAH!!!

  • blaster1371 says:

    As I drove back from LA today and my wife and daughter caught some zzzzzs. I got to thinking about this 2017 class. You know what the upside is of these commits recruiting each other that I have not heard mentioned yet? It creates a level of accountability. To decommit, which is possible, would be more difficult because it would let other commits down and just make that person look like a fraud. Anytime you can create a tribal mentality you have an environment that fosters loyalty and expectations.

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