Open Post | Wednesday, June 11th
Posted on: June 11, 2014
Image of Ricky DeBerry via elevenwarriors.com
Sorry guys, getting a late start this morning. Had a lot of work to do yesterday.
– For those of you who missed it yesterday, star 2015 LB Ricky DeBerry (Richmond, VA) tweeted out the following:
Got to get my mom to Oklahoma!! #BoomerSooner
— Franchize (@Thefranchize__) June 10, 2014
I (Super K) have to admit, I didn’t realize Oklahoma was still in the running for him. So I called DeBerry’s father, and I can now tell you that OU is very much a player in this. First of all, Ricky’s father confirmed that his son will be at the OU/Tennessee game for an official visit. I believe that has been out there for a while, so I’m simply including as to those plans not having changed. Assuming nothing changes between now and then, that would mark his second visit to Norman, as evidenced in the picture above he’s already visited previously on an unofficial with his father. And I also confirmed that both Ricky’s dad and mom will come on the official visit with him in September.
I can also tell you there are multiple coaches involved in DeBerry’s recruitment. As a matter of fact, it sounds like Coach Montgomery had a long talk with DeBerry just this week. Bob Stoops has also been communicating with DeBerry and the family. Apparently, Ricky’s father and mother were on the phone with HC Stoops recently. And, of course, Coach Kish has been in regular communication with Ricky as well. Those are the only three OU coaches Ricky’s father and I spoke about, but there might still be more. Bottom line is the OU coaches are definitely making DeBerry a priority.
Ricky’s father grew up watching Oklahoma and, in fact, one of the highlights of his trip when they came on an unofficial was meeting Charles Thompson. He and their family definitely have a great sense of respect for the special tradition at OU. I also thought it was interesting that apparently Ricky and his father loved the new dorms. In fact, Ricky’s father said the dorms had a particularly great impact on them because he liked the fact that each player has their own room and bathroom. DeBerry is a very good student and his mother and father like the fact that he’ll have the privacy to be able to study, sleep, etc. without distractions when need be.
One of the things I thought was most interesting about my conversation with DeBerry’s father was something I think OU is going to see happen more and more. Which is that DeBerry wants to play “Eric Striker’s position.” What Striker does as a pass rusher is something a lot of people are taking note of, and it’s gotten to the point where I don’t hear people use the word “Jack backer” or “Jack LB” nearly as often. Instead, I hear “Eric Striker’s position” which may one day turn into “Striker LB” 🙂
It’s clear that DeBerry loves the scheme and the style of defense Oklahoma plays, namely a more “attacking style.”
Distance obviously doesn’t favor OU, but that isn’t stopping the coaches from working hard to make sure DeBerry (and his family) know he is wanted in Norman. And that he’d have an excellent opportunity to be successful at OU, both on and off the field.
– Also, wanted to note that a reader recently commented on a rumor out there that Neville Gallimore was done and will be committing to some school soon. I checked with Neville’s coach on that and he said the rumor is false.
– I’ll have more notes later but just wanted to get this up for now since I got a late start…
78 Comments
Thanks K! Glad to hear that about DeBerry 🙂 Gotta feel that OU will push to be in it til the end! That may also explain some of our hesitancy on the LB front…Wheeler is close, DeBerry is saying good things, and Townsend has OU in his top group…
Thanks Brian! I gotta be honest I didn’t expect us to be such a serious contender for DeBerry. I know there was some early interest but I thought it had waned.
Was I dreaming or was their a story about DeBerry and Tim Settle?
There was something with those two at some point, but I can’t remember it exactly either. All I can say, if it was about a “package deal” I’d just forget that part. That stuff just doesn’t happen often enough to even talk about.
They had said they’d both be in Norman for the Tenn. game
I thought our coaches moved on from settle but I’ve also heard settle and deberry are a pair that they will end up at the same school. But settle to me has been wishy washy and I don’t like that but if he chills out and picks a school and sticks with it then I might like what he can do.
Well DeBerry and Settle are good friends and it was assumed they might play together so when Settle put Oklahoma at the bottom of his list, I assumed it also meant we were out of it for DeBerry…which doesnt seem to be the case.
Thanks for the update. Btw y’all are never late with the amount of details you guys provide it’s always on time. One question I was going to post in the daily news before I saw this was that SS out a tease out on haughton. I just wanted to see if you guys have spoke with him or those close to him since his visit to the camp this last weekend.
I spoke to him right before and after he left Oklahoma. The visit was really good but he and Ben Hicks are planning on taking a trip to Arkansas so I’ll talk to him and see how that goes.
Super K, question. Whitfield didnt get an OU offer?
What other LB’s do we have a realistic shot at?
Of guys we’ve offered? Or guys we are recruiting but haven’t necessarily offered yet?
K, we still after Takkarist McKinley? If so, OLB, Striker Backer, or DE. I like the rangy backers like Takkarist, Louis Brown, Dorance Armstrong, & Whitfield. Then you have DeBerry, Peat, Wheeler, Griffin (FL) & Wallace. Curious, of all of these guys which ones do we have the best shot and at what positions.
Offered
Striker LB position. Haha I like it, I say we adopt that name, these HS recruits like cool names.
I think that could actually be huge. It can only be good for recruiting if the position’s name originated from your University. Helps that “Striker LB” is the perfect name too.Let’s hope it catches on!
“Striker LB” you heard it here first, folks!
First the Roy Back, now the Striker Backer.
What good LB wouldn’t want to come to OU to play the striker, hell that’s better than a bedazzled uni.
Screw kids who are more interested in uniform combos than the name on the front if it
As always, appreciate the frequent and thorough updates.
I sure like the sound of a Wheeler/DeBerry combo in a couple years!
Ditto EasTex comment. Always appreciate the open post and anything else you guys put out. I like the change from “Jack” LB to “Striker”. Jack hardly inspires, whereas Striker does. Thanks again!! .
OU in the running and getting a 2nd look is good news. Anything can happen but wpuld feel better if his twitter page had some OU rings instead of rows of ‘Bama rings. Need to get Wheeler committed along with Peat and Wallace.
That would be a loaded linebacker crew but who would play mlb or just have 3 guys who can play all positions?
Wheeler is listed as a MLB with DeBerry and the above all OLB. Hilliard also remains an option at MLB, although more longshot, but he already made an unofficial so maybe.
I’ve pretty much ruled Hilliard out in my mind I would be more than happy to be wrong but I can’t see him not going to tosu. All the others I thought we listed as olb or de on 247? Maybe you go somewhere more reliable. Either way I’m sure mike is wanting them to recruit olb more and just move a bulkier one to the inside. I know he wants this to be a fast defense.
….we didn’t make the cut for hilliard he posted a while back
Gotta recruit the mommas, there was a pretty good coach at OU who lived by that theory.
Yeah. He was alright
God Bless Mrs. Selmon!!!
Patience is a virtue. So they say. Ou has got to be #2 now for Gibson unless tosu is moving up also.
Speaking of Gibson, after hearing about some QB commits to some of the schools on his list I checked the rivals site to look at the pro and dp QBs to see where they have committed, fully expecting to see his name on the dp list. It wasn’t there, so I plugged his name into their data base and he is listed as an ATH. Maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised by that, but I was. Could it be that schools like Tenn or Florida are actually recruiting him as an ATH?
If Tennessee is I don’t think it’s to his knowledge. I don’t remember where Florida was on his list but I think they were outside top 7? If so they may be recruiting him as an athlete and saying we will see what happens. But I think it’s for sure he’s wanting to play qb. But with these teams taking qbs I like our odds to possibly land him before an official visit.
I think he is a fantastic athlete and based on his lengthy visit with Coach Heupel a serious minded young man. Just feeling a little anxious about how we don’t seem to be on any other QBs radar and how much development he will need.
I’m not too concerned about being in on other qbs right now. This year could be the qb who either never plays or becomes the eventual starter (for 2 years) when knight leaves. I’m more concerned about 2016 getting a good qb because I think that really will be the next starter.
Whether it is Gibson or not, any QB we take in 2015 will be shirted, unless they blow the doors off the QBs currently on roster and probably the same thing for any QB taken in 2016. Lots of young, talented signal callers currently on campus.
A 2016 QB would definitely have the better situation; redshirt a year and then compete.
That’s my thinking also which is why I think we can be patient with Gibson and 2015. There’s no guarantee the starting job is open again next spring a lot can happen. But I’m betting on knight and I don’t think a big year from him puts him on the nfl radar as far as 1st or 2nd round. I think he needs 2 big years and for JFF to produce that will be his biggest comparison.
Tennessee picked up a 2-star QB. Doubt that matters to Gibson.
They already have a 4* dual threat qb committed though.
I must have missed that. Is he listed as a QB or ATH?
I see Jennings is the QB, but listed as an Athlete. My bad.
You’re good man. I think ou is in a good spot with Gibson I think it’s going to depend on if Tennessee and auburn hang on to their current qb commitments. I think lsu should have fallen quite a bit. The only one right now outside auburn or Tennessee would be ohio state IMO those 3 can offer him things ou may not be able to match as far as what may be most important to him.
You’d think he’d avoid Auburn after saying he wants to be a better passing QB, or whatever it was he said along those lines. TFB had a good write up about that, as well.
You would think the Buckeyes would be ruled out for the same reason.
I agree with both of you but they do have systems that have worked in college. Malhzan almost won with Marshall as his qb that is pretty impressive.
In terms of Gibson’s stated desire to develop into a top rated QB, Malzahn’s system won’t do that and Myers didn’t develop Tebow. In both instances they created an offense suited to the natural abilities of the QBs, which means Gibson would be a run first QB and not a skilled passing QB.
Of course, Gibson doesn’t consult with any of us on this matter. I would hope he would look at what Marshall and Miller are asked to do and what their skill levels are as Seniors.
Completely agree about miller and Marshall doubt they end up looked polished by any means.
Yup, and while what both QBs and their schools have accomplished are great, he’s better off at a School who believes in pass first QBs (like heupel) while still allowing them to use their athleticism to extend or make big plays. Especially if he wants to play on Sunday, which I imagine he does.
If a coach has a system that wins games and the players in that system know what is expected they will never hear a criticism from me.
Going back to a post on Gibson here months ago I understood his goal to be developing into a complete QB. All he needs to do is look at results, but I also understand when a player likes a school and the way it feels.
No doubt, not criticizing him for considering Auburn or tOSU; like I said they’ve done great with their system and the QBs that run them.
Just to add to the DeBerry story, I have a good friend that lives in Richmond, and last summer he happened to run into DeBerry at a mall. He had no idea who Ricky was, but he (Ricky) was wearing an OU hat, so my buddy stopped to talk to him. He asked if he was a Sooner fan (pointing to his hat), and DeBerry said “yes sir!”. My buddy found out his name and looked him up the same night. He didn’t recruit the kid (or even mention him playing for OU), he just said “Boomer Sooner”. Now, having followed recruiting for years, I was excited to hear that last summer…and things just seem to be moving in the right direction.
Great story.
Ricky DeBerry just SOUNDS like an Oklahoma LB doesn’t it?
The fact that the DeBerry’s are showing some genuine interest in OU is good news. Now let’s get him in for his official when we put the smack down on Tennessee, and close the deal. I wonder how many recruits we will see that weekend?
I think we will see a lot probably the most we will see. I would bet Mckenzie will be there even if he commits to Tennessee which I expect he will choose Tennessee
I agree and I expect the house will be a’rockin’.
Depending on how the season is going the Baylor game will probably be the second highest recruit attendance.
That or osu. If tech was a home game that may be the biggest one.
I doubt anyone will really know what the Vols have(especially the Vols) when they come to Owen Field. Their first two games are against Utah St and Arkie St at home, then a week off.
As young as they are they could be too hyped up. I don’t do score predictions, but I do predict a serious OU beat down on these visitors.
I agree. Looks great for official visits in 2014. Tennessee at home, KSU at home, Baylor at home, Bedlam at home, home team for Red River Shootout-I know. Hard to figure what game OU will have the most official visitors.
Excellent news! And yes, renaming the position “Striker backer” would be pretty awesome.
Are we home this year in the Red River Shootout? Of the top of my head I can remember, and are there any recruits that you envision the OU/TX game having an effect on?
Yessir, we are home this year.
Thanks for the reminder, that has always been a huge official visit game.
And a huge unofficial for so many recruits in the area
I really hope several tejas hopefuls are at that game and witness an a$$ beating.
No doubt it’s always great to lay down a serial a$$ whoppin on em… It’s better when there’s high profile recruits watching. And watching the mass tex-Odus of their douchebag fans
I always have a special package of bevo thawed for the grill that day, it always tastes better for some reason watching the backside of burnt orange walking away.
Washing away their tears with some shiner bock is my post game ritual….
mass tex-Odus!! I love it. I may have to put that one on a T-shirt!
Your welcome…. Put it with a picture of a half empty Cotton Bowl
exactly!
I’ll never forget that AD was the wHorns guest for the 2003 curb stompin’.
Still enjoy pulling that video up from time to time.
Bestest curb stomping ever. Friggin hilarious! And just what we need this year!
MAKE IT STOP!
Lol! Classic!
LSU got a QB commit from Justin McMillan out of Cedar Hill yesterday, I believe that makes us the last school on Gibson’s list without a QB commit..
I’m still not confident enough to say he will end up at ou but as of right now I give it a 30% chance. If nothing changes as far as decommits from those schools by say October then I think it would be close to 75%.
Distance is nothing…non factor….they were literally blown away by 3 things
Switzer center/tradition
Staff…I’m hearing OU can sell water to a fish…and its legit conversation that parents want to hear
The Hall…first class accommodation’s
This young man and family are all about education
Great parents Great kid Great fit