Open Post | Weekend, May 9th – 11th
Posted on: May 9, 2014
Image of Tim Settle via Yahoo Sports
– First, I wanted to address Tim Settle’s Top 15 schools (in order) he put out yesterday. As most of you now know, he had Oklahoma listed dead last on the list behind schools like Oklahoma State, UCLA, Texas, WVU, and others. Settle had recently informed the Oklahoma staff that he would be taking an official visit for the OU vs. Tennessee game along with star LB Ricky Deberry. I checked with Settle and it sounds like he will no longer be taking the official visit.
I have no proof of this at the moment, but in my opinion something happened between the time of Settle’s previous visit(s) and now that bumped OU all the way down his list. I’m of the opinion that Settle putting the Sooners at the bottom of his list was meant to slight Oklahoma. But that is PURELY my speculation and not based on anything he has told me. I had a brief exchange with Settle and a lengthy conversation with someone close to him, and the impression I got after the trip was that Oklahoma was probably sitting somewhere around No. 4 or 5.
While Settle was in Oklahoma, he actually visited Norman twice. And, again, he told the OU staff that he’d take an official visit. I just have a hard time believing he could have disliked the visit so much that he couldn’t find a single school in his “Top 15″ that didn’t warrant a spot lower than OU, despite making a return trip to Norman and expressing earnest interest in making a third trip for an official visit.
– I talked to OG Henry Mitchell and coach Bobby Jack Wright stopped by to visit him this past Tuesday. He said Wright pulled him out of class, but didn’t watch Mitchell practice. To me that might be an indication that an offer could come soon, but they just wanted to get a look at his size and make sure he’s as big as listed. We’ll have to wait and see if a return trip happens.
– Coach Kish stopped by Memphis this past week to visit stud LB Joshua McMillon. Oklahoma has extended an offer.
– Coach Kish also recently stopped by Plant HS in Tampa and visited a talented and incredibly underrated CB named Derrick Baity. Baity hasn’t yet received an Oklahoma offer and to be honest it’s a head scratcher to me. He is absolute no-brainer. He’s over 6’2” and flips his hips faster than any corner you’ll see on film at that height. I asked a friend of mine who is also a former Big 12 DB, coaches down in Tampa, and is very familiar with all the talent in the area. He said Baity is the second best CB in Tampa behind only Ray-Ray McCloud. As all of you know, I’m high on the talent of Mbanasor and Lane; Baity is on their level.
45 Comments
Thanks for the update the settle news is disappointing but at this point not surprising. I’m having a hard time understanding why OU is off to such a slow start recruiting. As far as the class of corners it seems like a really good class and it looks like we may have to turn someone away but with no commitments it’s hard to expect 3 or 4 elite corners to end up choosing OU.
“the settle news is disappointing…” <—– It's unsettling? hi-o!
Can you expand more on what OU might have done to warrant this “slight”? Seems very strange.
It’s all just my own speculation. I just find it hard to believe that a person would intentionally visit a school twice…tell them he is going to take an official…and suddenly not be able to find one school out of those 15 that he didn’t feel OU was mores desirable than. It’s just conjecture but I think he put OU dead last because something happened between then and now that rubbed him the wrong way and putting OU dead last was his way of saying it…well that, and deciding not to take the visit (at least for now). But again…just speculation on my part.
I wonder if it came from outside the program, like negative recruiting from another school?
I wonder what he will think of Oklahoma after the OU vs Tennessee game 🙂
He will probably come away saying Tennessee is a place i might be able to break into the starting line up. At Oklahoma looks like he will have to work his tail off just to make it in the 3rd or 4th spot. Oklahoma cleaned house a couple years ago from the celebrity players. I hope it stays that way
Good point but at some point all the “good” players are going to think they’re celebrities. Which could make it easier to find good character high work ethic guys.
I read a NFL coaches quote a while back that said. If a college player is problem at the college level. The only difference is the NFL coach is left to deal with a Rich problem. not exact words , but it was something along those lines
A buddy of mine said the other day that what Tennessee is doing this year reminds him of what Ole Miss did a couple years ago. Just like Ole Miss, I can’t see them sustaining this for multiple years.
I’m getting ready to do a writeup on Henry Mitchell as well.
Stay tuned…
Honest question here, not meant to stir anything up, but someones got to ask it. Are we getting bumped down on settle and gibson because they figured out we dont use bagmen? Im sorry, but theres no way hugh freeze and butch jones are such smooth talkers, that they can get loads of 5 stars interested in them, without any good results on the football field in a long time. Even the SEC hype machine isnt that strong.
An honest question that I have pondered, as well.
Seriously, Tennessee?
I guess none of our hosts want to touch that question with a 10 foot pole, lol! I dont blame them, its a pretty slippery slope.
Sorry just now getting around to this. Gibson, McKenzie, Settle, etc. are not guys that have their hands out so even Tennessee had boosters that were looking to pay…they aren’t on the take.
Youre cool man, i know you guys are crazy busy between real life and the site.
Thats not good news then, if we are falling that far back and its not money related.
Forget him…if you are right Super K, based on your speculation, I want Settle to go somewhere else. “If” that is what he did as a means to slight OU, that is a classless and immature act. I want someone who wants to play for the Sooners and can act relatively close to their age.
I just find this whole situation very UnSettling ( sorry )
that’s almost ban worthy 😉
I’d plead my case except for the fact that I agree with you lol
LAWL
………on a hopeful note, the #1 rated ’15 pk, seibert, is at ou this weekend and they have a good shot………..re settle, fwiw, on oui hale has similar suspicions about his actions and says that settle called the ou coaches and told them to discount the list ranking……..so, who knows, sounds like he’s all over the place and has a problem being upfront while playing the recruiting game
At this point I would be happy to see a commit even if it’s a PK.
This sort of stuff doesn’t help OU’s recruiting………
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/recruiting/football/story/_/id/10893199/sec-feels-home-texas
I think that’s the biggest part of the problem. It seems we got run out of Texas by all the SEC teams and all the Texas players are flocking to the SEC and away from the Big XII.
Just like we had a lot riding on the sugar bowl to finish the 14 class, the up coming season will have a big impact on the 15 class for some of the signing day guys..to kids nowadays tradition doesn’t count as much as immediate success…although history has shown us to be pretty dang successful under Stoops, winning the b12 alone is not the same as hoisting the crystal ball…bring it home Stoops bros
What is going on with our coaching g staff and recruiting? We have lost 2 big time recruits and now the settle situation. Surely all this happening in past couple of months. Is there a common school thread between these guys? Then you add the Marrs issue too. Why would a guy in his spot leave? He had every opportunity to play this year and to start next year and senior year. It just seems like something is up between players and our coaches.
Marrs prob left because he was either asked or he could see he wouldn’t see the field..remember we knew someone had to go to get us to the limit…looks like Marrs was the guy….maybe not but highly likely
Does anyone know why Tennessee is so attractive to recruits? I don’t see how a program of that level can compete against the Bama’s, the Texas’ s and Oklahoma’s of the world. I like our coaches but seriously only 2 recruits and being ranked in the mid-30’s in recruiting is embarrassing.
Very organized recruiting strategy, good tradition, surrounding by fertile recruiting territory, hard worker staff, smart working staff (they build relationships with the right people – something OU doesn’t do enough of), great facilities, one of the most rabid fan bases in the country, and early playing time.
“…..relationships with the right people……” I would assume you’re talking about hs coaches…………care to elaborate…….thxs
I can only speak for OK HS coaches. OU’s relationship with in state HS coaches had deteriorated. It has gotten better.
Thank for elaborating! I, like most of us, probably aren’t too familiar with the program. How do their facilities rank compared to OU’s?
Proof that the illusion and wishful thinking of winning, without any actual tradition of winning, can be very attractive.
Name the talented players who have gone to Tenn. recently that haven’t won anything.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the time to wait for you stop naming players.
Good points K. Also the SEC. Kids want to play in the SEC. Look at the draft. Loaded with SEC players.
Any kid putting out a list to 15 is just looking for attention anyway. Typically the type of player Stoops tries to avoid. He has the appearance of a diva, and diva’s don’t look good in Crimson and Cream. Probably better off at Tennessee. This way he can be guaranteed a starting spot, guaranteed to be coddled, guaranteed multiple 6-6 seasons.
totally agree. everyone seemed to get it when suspensions, disciplinary problems, and locker room issues caused serious problems and housecleaning was required. Now, when there is some pause and caution with one of these “i’m putting out a list tomorrow” guys, everyone worries that we’re losing out on top talent.
It’s one thing to consciously make the decision to attempt to deal with likely issues because you are getting a kid who is going to single handedly turn the program around (see M. Dupree as a possible example), it’s another to just leap on the band wagon with anyone whom the recruiting ranking services have blessed with many stars.
As just a casual observer, it seems to me like the coaches are doing a great job of handling all this. Bringing in guys with talent and character. But, of course, we’ll have to see how the season turns out.
Agree 100% Super K. Something happened between OU and Settle, and I do believe he wanted to send a message by having OU last. However, I also think that can be a positive. Why would he even include OU if he still didn’t have some interest.
I hope this isn’t about (for lack of a better term) getting his azz kissed. OU doesn’t do that, nor do they make promises about starting as a freshman. He’s probably getting a lot of that from other schools, and he may be the kind of recruit that thrives on it.
I don’t know any of this for a fact, just my observation.
It looks like OU has their kicker for the next 4 years. Being reported Austin Seibert #1 kicker for 2015 has committed to OU. Him and Wesley Horky 2014 long snapper commit should put us in good position for a while. I think Boulware was responsible for both of them.
If nothing else, looks like we’re setting the bar for offering special teams players. Hope it pays off big in the long run.
So, I know that Montgomery is a hard worker. He’s probably the best dline coach, or at least one of the best in the country, and he is supposed to be one of the top recruiters in the country as well. Every player he recruits says that they “love that guy”….so what gives?
I’m wondering the same thing. Maybe if OU had a swag copter or years of 6-6 or 7-5 then maybe he would land these kids.
I guess you can’t have it all…
Any chance we start recruiting Matt Farniok? He already has a bunch of offers for a soon to be JR.
With Tolbert to Baylor and Lane to Oklahoma State it may be time for Oklahoma to very seriously get involved with Baity.