Open Post | Tuesday, Jun. 16th (UPDATE 12:23 pm)
Posted on: June 16, 2015
Image via The Tulsa World
Levi Draper: Brandon typically covers Levi and most of the Oklahoma high school recruits, thus he knows the Drapers quite well. So I’ve spoken with him, Levi & Levi’s father in order to answer some questions folks may have about Levi’s recruitment. I’ll offer up questions we’ve been asked, or those I have seen asked, and give responses based on the information I have gathered.
Why didn’t Levi attend the OU camp?
Levi was being more heavily recruited by KU than OU this past spring and had made a prior commitment to stop by the KU camp (not to work out, just to meet with the coaches). It just so happened to coincide with the OU camp. Levi’s father insisted that his son honor his prior commitment to KU. He did so and received an offer from the KU staff at said camp.
Additionally, Levi had attended the OU camp the previous year. I was told by the Drapers that there was no communication with the OU coaches after last year’s camp. They also attended the OSU camp last year, after which the OSU staff told Levi he was a player that would receive an offer after his sophomore season. He has since received that offer.
Is Alabama’s offer committable?
A few weeks back Levi’s father spoke with Alabama defensive coordinator, Kirby Smart. I am told coach Smart said to the Drapers they (the Bama staff) felt their son may be the best linebacker in the 2017 class. They asked the Drapers to come by for a workout during one of their camp periods. They recently visited and worked out for both Smart and Nick Saban. After which, Alabama rolled out the red carpet and extended an offer. We have checked with our sources at Alabama and, yes, the offer is absolutely committable.
Has OU recruited Levi?
Levi visited OU twice this past spring (for a practice and the spring game). Mike Stoops also visited Collinsville this past spring. Levi said, “Coach (Mike) Stoops told me he will definitely be watching me this fall.”
What is Levi looking for in a program?
According to Levi’s father they are simply interested in finding a program that is a good fit. Mr. Draper said, “When you’re giving your son to someone, you want to feel comfortable they will take care of him. My son isn’t into the recruiting. He’s been working to be a football player since he was six. He just keeps his head down and works. And we are thankful that people have begun to see that. He was gifted with certain physical attributes, but he’s worked to make the most of those gifts.”
Final Notes
I had a chance to see Draper work out at the Michigan camp last week and was really impressed with him, both as an athlete and a person. I wrote a few notes about his size and athletic ability last week. In talking with him after the camp, he made a great impression on me. I felt he was well spoken, thoughtful & respectful.
In a search for reasons why OU hasn’t offered, a number of things have been suggested about Levi that are just completely untrue. The reality is that OU is simply still evaluating Levi. It is their prerogative to do that at their own pace. It’s not some conspiracy on either side. OU is doing their evaluation and as Mike Stoops told the family, they’ll continue to evaluate Draper in the fall. This is simply a young person going through the recruiting process, who has been fortunate enough to catch the eye of a number of programs, including OU.
If there are any specific questions that some of you may have, please ask them in the comments section below and I’ll do my best to address them. – (Super K)
– UPDATE (12:23 pm):
Oklahoma quarterback Justice Hansen is expected to transfer to Butler Community College
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) June 16, 2015
235 Comments
is tim kish a complete idiot??
Constructive criticism is fine but let’s not have the name calling. Please edit the comment. Thanks Jeffrey!
i didnt call anyone names. I just asked a question.
Just do what you’re told, douchebag. See, I can do it too
I think what you meant to say was…
Just do what you’re told, are you a complete douchebag??
That’s better. Thank you
ESPN has Levi listed with an OU offer on his profile page. 247 seems conflicted, showing on it’s timeline that OU offered, but yet on his list of schools it doesn’t have a check mark under offer like Alabama does. What’s the skinny. Has OU actually offered? Thanks.
No offer from OU at this time
Thanks Brandon.
Mike is still evaluating, while FSU and Bama can clearly see that he’s an outstanding player. Hmmm…maybe Mike sucks at evaluating talent.
Has OU never offered a player weeks or months before a program like Bama or FSU offered that same player? I’m sure it’s happened.
Levi to Satin mark it down!
Nights in White Satin?
Hello.
Somebody give Jethro an eraser.
I’m just going to throw this out there because there may be a couple on here who get the reference… I think you mean “Shai’tan.”
Is that like Shinto?
Nah, it’s a character in an epic book series I’ve read. And, despite a huge following, I’m still sometimes surprised how often I run across others who have read it and where I find them.
I tell you what….I really hope he ends up at OU. Oklahoma LB’s have done really well at OU under Stoops. Rocky Calmus (Jenks), Teddy Lehman (Fort Gibson) and Curtis Lofton (Kingfisher)
Austin Box! I know his story is eventually tragic, but that can’t take away that he was doing well at OU as a LB from Oklahoma. I loved watching him play as much as I did Lehman or Lofton. Calmus is on a different level, imo.
Man, this whole thing is killing me. Not only as a Sooner alum, but also as a Collinsville Cardinal football alum. C’mon guys. We need to lock down the borders. Regardless if he’s still being evaluated, we need to ensure that all Oklahoma high school prospects are a priority.
Well get after it! You sound like you have an in.
I’ve watched Levi play several games and I’m always reminded of Rocky Calmus….someone remembers how that guy worked out for us right?
I totally get where the OU coaches want to make their own evaluation on Levi but one has to consider the fact that schools like Bama and FSU dont give out offers without very high confidence that the recruit is “Bama or FSU good”. The coaches at those schools have at least as good if not better history of evaluating kids as OU coaches do. Obviously Brent Venables considers him worthy of an offer and you would think that Bob Stoops & co would certainly trust his opinion.
The point being is that here we have whats turning out to be a bonifide quality player and hes in our very back yard to boot. Slowplaying recruits have come back to haunt OU time and time again. IMO I think its time to speed up the offer and not wait for the fall or we could easily lose a gem here.
“When you’re giving your son to someone, you want to feel comfortable they will take care of him.” — Let’s see, who fits that criteria best: BS, Sabin, Fischer? Seems OU should be in a good place once they finish “evaluating.”
I am thinking that Alabama, Clemson, etc jumped at the chance to offer just because they know that they don’t have the luxury of him stopping by anytime and waiting would almost surely eliminate them. I don’t think this has anything to do with OU slow playing, just those other school getting in an early offer.
Thank being said, I hope they offer soon and don’t miss out on an in-state talent like Draper.
Super K, since you are open to questions, did you ask or get the sense that they are going to be patient/ are still excited for an OU offer to come in the future?
As far a timeline, they didn’t say but they don’t strike me at all as the type that would drag it out. They seem like the type that are genuinely just trying to find the right fit. And yeah, they seemed to still be very interested in an OU offer. I do think that really have enjoyed their other visits as well. I specifically recall Mr. Draper mentioning he really had a great time talking to coach Smart, coach Spencer (OSU) and coach Patterson at TCU.
It sounds like you’re saying you don’t see Draper waiting until NSD to commit somewhere. Is that correct?
Yeah, I can’t for certain but I got the impression they’ll probably do it much sooner than that. Just the impression I got. Feels like a post spring type guy since they can afford to see the schools well before that. A lot of kids wait because they can’t afford to visit the schools till their senior season. They don’t have that problem.
Gotcha. Thanks!
Whining about the Draper thing does not get us anywhere. Not happy about it, but I’m not torn up either. In the end, I hope we build a pretty good case to keep him here. Thanks for outlining that info crisply K
Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain – and most fools do.
Benjamin Franklin
I like to complain and do nothing to make things better.
Kurt Cobain
haha I’m getting nick names for my nick name! I like it 😉
I’m too lazy to write it out. ‘Murica
I think it’s still early for Draper. I’m not a fan of early offers, I wouldn’t give out an offer just because another school did. I mean schools are offering 8th graders for crying out loud. I do think it’s important to keep in constant contact with a kid though, that’s more important than an early offer in my opinion.
I think generally that’s true. With certain kids though, they have physically developed to the point that it’s a surer bet (nothing certain). At 6’2-6’3 220 lbs and still plenty of room to add weight I think Levi is very much in the category of elite kids like Baron Browning out of Texas who received an OU offer, never camped at OU and didn’t even play his jr. season.
Definitely, Draper looks the part and will definitely get the nod (if he hasn’t already unofficially) by the OU staff. I just hope that the staff is building the relationship that needs to be in place as well. Only thing that concerns me about your conversation is that it sounds like Drapers family is big on keeping commitments. Which obviously won’t bode well for OU if Draper decides that he wants to give an early verbal.
I hope I’m wrong and it’s still early but in general if I were a kid I wouldn’t and shouldn’t wait for an offer that may or may not ever come
Presumably, however, it’s doubtful that he commits for almost another year. So I imagine there is still time to make up ground if both sides are agreeable to it,
Wow, only 20 months till signing day! Can’t believe OU waited till the last second to offer!
Lol!
Funny but you might be missing a very important point here. While OU bides its time to make the offer, some of these other schools are building up meaningful relationships that might in the end be impossible to overcome.
But who is to say that the OU coaches aren’t doing the same to say that we aren’t building a relationship by not offering is ridiculous, for all any of us know maybe the Drapers prefer the building a relationship rather than just throwing an offer out there. I’ll say it again if Draper wants to be a Sooner he will be if not he won’t be simple as that. We shouldn’t put so much in stock into one kid that’s still a SO about to be a Junior, too early to say he is a can’t miss. Let OU do it’s thing and evaluate cause I know OU fans they love this kid now but, if we sign him or he goes somewhere else and don’t live up to the hype people will be like why did we recruit this kid or sure glad OU slow played him. Such a double edge sword with most OU fans.
or not.
…
https://youtu.be/wDO5ea8MwgY
Well, that sums it up perfectly. In which case, OU should not offer.
I hope you jest in your last sentence.
Twenty months is a long time for folks to be wringing their hands.
It is a long time but in the world of recruiting, it isn’t for certain ones. My concern is the lack of a relationship between the Drapers and OU staff.
Are you certain there isn’t one? Doesn’t seem that way to me.
Again, it’s not the offer, it’s the relationship.
And again, are you certain there isn’t one?
From what I’m reading from K, there is one but it doesn’t seem to be a warm as the others. If it were, I’m sure the Drapers would let K know.
He’s camped at OU, visited, they have visited his home and his coach.
It may sound formulaic, but that certainly seems like they have done much in the past year to let him know they have an interest.
They haven’t made the ultimate commitment to him nor has he made the ultimate commitment to anyone else.
I grow tired of talking about this one young man. I hope OU offers and expect they will, but now I hope they do it today just to shut down this thread fodder.
I hope they haven’t visited his home… having not entered his senior year, that would be a violation. A major impermissible contact.
Aaah!
I should rephrase that as having “talked” with him and his parents.
I figured that’s what you meant, but wanted to clarify in case you knew of a visit I hadn’t heard of.
No and thank you.
I’m with ya on the hang up on one player. I’m said my thoughts, on to 2016 players. Also, looking forward to hearing about summer workouts & the OL. Can’t wait till Coach Benenboom gets his hands on those guys.
These will be the first OL men that he has had from the start of their careers at OU. Based on the results he has gotten from the previous two seasons I am encouraged that OL U is in good hands.
Im sure at this point there is at the very least a superficial relationship between Levi and our coaches but to ME at least, nothing say “I want you on our team” as much as an offer does.
Obviously some schools already want him on their team.
To use an analogy, when I test to see if my spaghetti is done I stretch it and don’t throw it at a wall.
When the moment is right it will be served.
To be honest I feel kind of like a dumbass here. I didnt realize that Levi is only going to be a jr. I thought this was his sr year coming up.
That being the case, Im ok waiting ( just not too long ) to extend an offer.
Aside from that Im making a mental note never to eat spaghetti at your house.
LOL!
You would love my sketti, I take one strand out of the boiling water and stretch it to see if it’s al dente. If it breaks too soon without stretching it isn’t ready.
It seems you aren’t the only one that has had the impression he is a soon to be Senior. I remember back a while ago when he was first introduced here I made a mental note of 2017 so naturally I assumed everyone else did, too.
I am having a little fun with the situation. I should have included an “LOL.”
I seem to remember about 12 months ago, on this site, some people were crying for the coaches to do a better job of evaluating recruits and that we’d offered too early.
Just look what has happened with OU’s first commitment for 2016, Mr. All-In Delance.
‘Cruitin’ is a strange and wonderful activity.
It sure is.
Hilarious
Thanks for the info K. This pretty much confirms what I heard the Collinsville coach say during a radio interview, that when Mike sat down with Levi and the coach, that Mike told them both that he really liked what he saw in Levi and that they would come up in the fall for a game or two and further evaluate. Also, he said that they wanted to see more JR game film on him. Hopefully this due diligence is not costing them a chance at Levi. Time will tell.
That sounds very accurate. And you are most welcome my man!
K, This is really an amazing write up. Just the concept of you guy’s going out there and interviewing potential Sooners is way cool, Let alone your your connections. Thanks so much for doing this. You all never cease to amaze me.
Thank you! Really Brandon is the one that helped me connect with Levi and his father so much thanks to him.
His Dad is teaching him to honor commitments. Sounds like good parenting is involved here, that coincides with how Bob runs his program, if the offer happens I like the Sooners chances.
oh and thanks K, keep up the good work
thanks!
Thanks Super K.
It seems there isn’t any urgency on the Draper’s part to make a commitment any time soon.
If the Draper’s can wait to decide, so can OU.
I don’t think we should offer because Alabama did. I mean, that’s the Notre Dame mystique, correct? Maybe, just maybe, Draper fits what Bama, Clemson and FSU wants to do defensively. Those teams don’t face the offensive schemes OU does each week.
If that’s the case, you have to like that Mike wants to make sure that Draper is a good fit for what he wants to do defensively.
That’s my thought…’does he fit the B12-2′ where he would be in coverage much more than not whereas in the sec and somewhat the acc, it’s more ‘run fits’. If Levi doesn’t ‘fit’ then it’s a waste of a scholarship for OU, Levi’s talent is wasted, he gets frustrated, transfers…not a good situation for anyone. ‘Further eval’ to me says the staff is not convinced Levi is a great fit for the OU defense currently. For me, if Patterson/TCU were all over Levi, that would be more telling.
Those are very good points, especially about wasting the kids talent.
Agreed 100%.
Given that we implement a new defense every season, I don’t think Mike has any idea what a good fit will be from one season to the next.
I don’t remember seeing one play in his highlight film where he was dropped back into coverage. This very well may be the concern.
Toasts, my man. What’s up?
You are right. He has dropped int coverage. He blows up the line of scrimmage and he is violent tackler but cover skills are needed in the Big XII. I’m not saying he doesn’t have it but you might be correct.
Sorry, bud…had too.
http://nunzioweb.com/images/toast.jpg
To quote Groo the Wanderer: “Did I err?” I jacked that up but I’m glad I got that out of the way. Toats, I’m sorry.
*chuckle*
Had to do it, just funnin’.
Just creepin’ the site. Keeping it real in N.E. Ok! How’s things your way?
It’s all good.
The way this has gone down, if OU offers, it better be like the 4th of July. It’s not that we haven’t offered that bothers me, it’s the lack of a serious relationship between multiple OU coaches that bothers me. Building a relationship in your backyard shouldn’t be that hard to do.
For all of you guys who are turned off by this lack of relationship should remember that OU is all over an Oklahoma kid who just finished his 9th grade year. Yes, he’s a stud but so is Draper IMO.
Apparently Neville = Manchild
https://38.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m19fzhpFs81rq4no1o1_250.gif
Apparently KJ = Has Sources.
Lol, seriously. You bring some good info to the comments section.
Do you tweet anything concerning OU Football?
Haha no, just read twitter like most.
I hear ya. Well, keep up the scouring lol.
Great write up, Super K (with a nod to Brandon for some of the legwork).
I would be very interested to hear Ryan Broyles thoughts on this… not necessarily his thoughts directly on Draper since he probably hasn’t paid attention to OU’s recruitment of 2017 kid (though if he has any he’s willing to share, I’d love to hear those, too). But, given that Ryan went through a similar recruiting scenario and was reportedly very torn between OU and OSU at the time, I’d love to hear his thoughts as a longtime Sooner fan and instate prospect who, by reports I read, seriously considered the OSU offer.
I would assume that had OU offered sooner, he would never have seriously considered OSU but since we left the door open, we actually faced the possibility of having to play against him rather than getting to count on him. Any chance you guys could get his thoughts, memories and reaction to his recruitment, as well as, the general situation as it relates to Draper?
Yes, Inquiring minds want to know!!
Just going put this out there, someone said Stoops undervalues Oklahoma kids at last count and this includes Hansen leaving OU had 24 Oklahoma kids on the Roster, and have 4 more on the way well if Wood shows up and stays, and all 4 kids this year, Sunderland, Overton, and Green as well as Wood could all see some playing time this year, or help in the next few years for sure. This includes Oklahoma kids that are playing now, Dom Alexander, Jordan Evans, Shepard, Ross, and Parker. Kids that could Ward, Smallwood, Mead, Meier, and Taylor to name a few. So I don’t think Stoops is undervaluing Oklahoma at all.
Agree. Not sure its relevant, but the major award winners during Stoop’s time on the job have been Oklahoma kids. So he knows there’s talent here.
I agree with your assessment as far as Oklahoma kids being the major award winners and great thing about that also is a kid like Braford was only a 3 star recruit and look what he became. So when people get upset that we offer a kid like Terry and that OLineman that are only 3 star players could very well be studs. One reason I don’t care about star ratings they can be way off. Example picked up a preseason magazine can’t remember which one and they did like the top 40 players of like the 2010 class whenever Tony Jefferson was a Freshman and the bust in that class was crazy just in the top 40.
I know what you mean about preseason rankings or projections. For them its all about selling mags or newspapers. I trust our coaches (except for brother Mike) in their evaluation of talent and how it will fit into our system.
It’s still a long way off to ’17, ‘bama notwithstanding. I like what Stoops said in August of ’99 when Al Eschbach was going ballistic about what a disaster recruiting was at OU: “There are a lot of good athletes out there.” Ask Snyder.
update added
Isn’t that where the recent OL commit is from?
Yup
Nice, TY sir
no prob
Smart move.
Play a year, then transfer where he wants
I agree it certainly could prove to be.
WOW…that is really interesting, I wonder why Community College rather than another D-1 program?
He will get greater exposure.
I’m assuming he believes he can then play next year, continue to develop, then transfer back to D-I w/ a school looking for a guy to start immediately.
you think he did this after checking the landscape and running into depth chart problems at other places?
Maybe. But IMO I think the driving factor was to play now w/ the theory being that’s his best chance to develop & set himself up for a D-I QB1 spot in 2016.
C’mon Jordan, it was a trade to get the OT. They just had to delay it for a little while.
If he transfers to D-I, he’s automatically sitting out another year. He obviously feels it’s better for him to play this next season in live action as opposed to being limited to practice reps only for another season. It’s game action vs. just learning a new system for a year.
And since he has already red shirted he will lose the year anyway. So he might as well play.
ah, thxs…….forgot about the sit out problem
Good move. Playing at a JC is better than sitting out 2015 at a D1 program.
Saw this on Twitter. That’s kinda cool….Mesquite puts out some great athletes. Helps having an in.
https://twitter.com/ksetler/status/609029907969003520
Booooo! Skeeters SUCK! Go Stallions!
North Mesquite – Class of ’90.
(played my soph year with the ‘Secretary of Defense’ Joe Bowden)
I find the last line very interesting and insightful.
I guess I’m not too concerned about the lack of offer at this point because rarely do elite OK kids go without an OU offer… Just seems weird that so many early offers are handed out to seemingly less talented players.
I don’t think Kish has any say in all this. Don’t blame this on him. Mike covers that area and okay so the offers. Do you really think Kish does anything without getting Mike’s approval?
God, I hope so. I don’t trust Mike’s eye for talent in DBs and sure as heck don’t in LBs as well.
I have three good sources (me, myself, and I) that say that Levi is a silent commit to OU.
Please carry on with your day.
This appears to be very credible information. I too will think he is a silent commit
Dean Blevins has now reported there’s a 68.83% chance Draper will announce a commitment to OU within 19 months based on his sources (LCD)
And a 58% that he won’t.
So, it’s basically one of Dean’s 60:60 things?
He’s alive Frank, though he’s on life support. Doctors say he’s got a 50/50 chance at living, though there’s only a 10% chance of that. – Capt. Ed Hocken, Police Squad.
Actually he is a double secret commit, let’s just hope he doesn’t end up on double secret probation.
Toga party anyone?
Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son
Got a link?
/trust but verify
givemeyourcreditcardnumberforOUinformation.com
dont click on this link…I made it up
Fraud spammer! 🙂
Fun at work!
Wait for a guy to go to the men’s room. Run to his computer and type http://www.hotasiangirls.com into his browser. Annnnnnnd ‘enter’.
Not that he’ll navigate there, but the stuff that will be sent to him? Priceless.
This is the Internet we have no need of facts.
My sources confirm.
Your sources are the best I’ve ever seen, better than tfb by far. Keep up the good work!
I like the way your sources think.
im a little behind the times. Whats the deal with dalton, and Lampkin? anybody have any answers? Also i really hope OU doesn’t miss out on this kid Draper. him and Saltes would be epic.
Story about Lampkin that came out today from orangebloods…..
https://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1775324
Thanks for posting.
I’m curious how UT can deny his release if, by NCAA rules, the NLI is voided? And, yes, thanx for posting. Not sure how much credence I can give to a story by Orangebloods but it is the most recent and, hopefully, the most accurate.
If he doesn’t qualify they don’t have a choice, but he will have to wait until the semester starts to go somewhere else since that is when they would say yes or no for certain on whether he is admitted. They could release him now and let him go ahead and find a place if they want to grant his release.
Frankly, if I were them I would insisted he stick to his commitment and attempt to become eligible. It is not obvious at this point that he cannot become eligible, though it may be hard.
Good point Bob about “sticking”. He is after all their only DT in this class. I’d like him in Norman, but only if it is where he wants to be.
I have mixed feelings about him. If the only reason he is leaving is because he can’t make the grade in Spanish, then that is fine. However, if he using this as an excuse to get out of a commitment, I am not sure I am interested. Not a good character move. However, I will trust the coaches who know him better to make that decision.
Please remember that the UT line coach promised Lampkin that he was staying and then left immediately after signing day. Lampkin was not happy about this. So, in a way, I don’t blame him for not wanting to go to texass. Monty did not know that he was getting an offer from GB before signing day, so there is a difference.
Frankly, I’m happy Strong and Haley are forcing him to try…and that he apparently is. If it all falls apart and he can’t be admitted, I think UT would be unable to block his transfer as his NLI would, legally, never have officially existed.
And the life lessons that he learns in having to play his hand out to the bitter end will be far more valuable than getting an easy release.
What you just said is exactly what I heard today from a reporter who is assigned to UT football. His LOI is binding up until the day that school starts. UT is pushing hard for Lampkin to get qualified. This reporter had his doubts about how hard Lampkin himself was trying to get qualified almost saying that he thought Lampkin wants out of his LOI and is using this as his out. UT is not going to give him a release and is even appealing to the NCAA to waive Lampkin’s foreign language requirement. If the NCAA does not grant an exemption and if Lampkin does not pass his requirement, then once the semester starts, his LOI would be void and he could go wherever, but an entire summer behind schedule.
That request to waive his foreign language requirement is risky business, especially if they denied other applicants/athletes admission based on not meeting the requirement. I smell a law suit.
That reporter thought that it was a long shot, at best.
Here’s the from the Cypress Creek Mirror that this orangebloods article referred to (they give TFB credit for breaking the story!):
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/cypresscreek/sports/football-cy-falls-lampkin-will-not-attend-texas/article_f92df81a-0719-11e5-bfee-fb3db376d402.html
So last weekend I was listening to the radio and a guy that works for rivals said he was at a camp in southern cal a few weeks ago and talked to caleb Kelly and says Michigan is in the lead now warren on 247 picked Michigan if this happens the boards will fall apart. As will I.
He tweeted this yesterday.. I’d say we have a pretty good “in”…
Check out @calebkkelly’s Tweet: https://twitter.com/calebkkelly/status/610693993236557824?s=09
Assuming they can find a way to keep Viney on staff. Still working to determine what the deal is w/ his GA status.
How much of a blow is it to OU’s chances if they can’t keep Viney?
I think there are so many creative titles that can be given now. I read somewhere that Alabama has 19 coaches, most holding fictitious titles.
I definitely don’t believe it would eliminate OU from consideration, but it certainly wouldn’t help things. (signed, Captain Obvious)
Great assessment Mr. Esco no matter how obvious it was lol!
I’m sure Stoops knows the value of keeping Viney.
I’m sure. But rules are rules and unless they can find a way to work around them or some other arrangement, you can only keep GAs on for so long.
What I meant to say is Stoops must have this worked out since he hired a QC person recently, knowing the value that Viney brings to the team.
I’d love to believe that is the case, but until we otherwise I’ll probably worry 🙂
Doesn’t OU currently have an open position on the staff? I could be wrong but thought that was mentioned a while back that they didn’t have a complete staff.
They just recently filled the only one I was aware of.
They just recently filled the only vacancy I was aware of.
If he was made some kind of defensive recruiting director could he have contact with the kids in a coach/player relationship or would that kind of title make it illegal in some way!?!?
When Mike is canned after this season, Cooks will be the new DC, which will open up a DB coaching spot for Viney.
Source: My own general awesomeness….
“general awesomeness”…………..that makes you a ………..GA!
So, rp, is that your weak attempt to sneak in an insult by inferring “gay”? Help me out. Because if it is you need to shut it down.
Graduate Assistant?
bingo
officer…..relax
Since you didn’t bother to set the record straight, I have my answer. You’re going to be one of those knuckleheads, I see.
You and I are done.
you have your answer?….you’ve got your board police, witch-hunt imagination. I’m not required to respond to your demands, but you might try reading links in a thread before you jump to conclusions…..or sit and stew which I let you do. We’re done?…….does that mean the proms off? Geez, we’re 2 posters on a blog……..carry on preacher
I think he was referring to GA as in Graduate Assistant…that’s how I took it, anyway.
Yessir! I’ll be replacing Viney!
yup, GA General Awesomeness……..it has a ring and I feel better about the secondary already……..carry on
Never seen a fan base go rabid over a kid who hasn’t even gotten to the eleventh grade yet. I hope he ends up with the good guys but I trust the coaches in wanting to be patient.
Offseason sucks
Yep. It’s like people kept in isolation experiencing pain at even the softest sounds.
This why it should be a matter of public health to institute, immediately, a second football season stretching from March to July.
Sometimes I stun myself with my own brilliance.
We can always discuss the Fulmer Cup Standings.
https://www.reddit.com/r/CFB/comments/2xknz9/the_2015_fulmer_cup_march_standings/
Hello, fellow redditor…
There aren’t enough OU people in /r/CFB.
Totally agree!
It’s bigger than that. I hear all the be patient, we are evaluating, he may not be the right fit talk and it just doesn’t make any sense. I for one am sick of the current state of the program. Are we doing something about it? Yes. Positive coaching moves, etc are encouraging. But here we sit celebrating 2, 3 star recruits. We don’t even sniff 5 star guys where we used to be littered all over the top of recruiting lists. Are stars everything, nope. But good luck to us if we expect to land Bradford type 3 star guys all day. When the staff that has won 3 of the last 6 NC says this guy “may be the best linebacker in the 2017 class” I gotta think he’s worth our time. I won’t ever claim to know even a small % of what our coaching staff knows, but bama ain’t no joke. Can’t argue their success and we have dropped from the team everyone wanted to be like to looking up to them as the gold standard.
How many people on here think Switzer wouldn’t walk in this kids house with a fur coat on and turn him into a Sooner? I highly doubt it wouldnt happen. Jimmy’s and Joe’s people.
I hate typing this cause I want to believe so badly that we are what we used to be and will be back on top soon, but crap like this just doesn’t make sense. Ok, so you don’t offer the kid. At least develop a firm relationship with him. From the sound of things we aren’t even going to that effort.
(Step off soapbox hoping I’m completely wrong)
Things just don’t seem that drastic to me I guess. Coach mike said he’s going to evaluate him this fall and then I’m sure the offer will happen. We’ve offered a linebacker that I personally think is better (I know the coaches at Bama disagree) in Ronald Hines III for 2017. OU is still OU in my eyes, man.
Hansen can’t get a FBS offer? Butler CC? Perhaps he isn’t the talent we thought he was.
If he goes to an FBS school he has to sit for a year. Why not play during that time and hone your skills?
Plus he can go to juco for 2 years and still have 2 years left to play. I bet he’s in a weird situation though where he may be on pace right now to graduate in 3 years so I don’t know if he can go juco for 2 years without messing up his pace.
Can’t he go for 1 and still have 3 to play?
Yes, & that would make him a commodity…
then actually 3 and 1/2 years. He can be somewhere in the spring of ’16 also, making it even better
In addition to what Bob is saying below, the fact that Butler CC is a hot bed for JC recruiting, he will gain national attention.
Off-topic question, what happened to the new uniform situation?
I really think that Draper is just below some other prospects on OU’s hit list. That’s not to say an offer won’t come, but I don’t think there’s more to it than evaluation and other potential targets. I think the reason we are scratching out heads on this one is because we don’t see many in-state kids at positions of need that are as highly rated as Draper. Hopefully, this plays out in OU’s favor, but I have no doubt that whatever happens with OU, Draper will have his opportunity to play D1 ball somewhere.
OU has offered 6 other linebackers for 2017. They are obviously undecided and wanted Levi to come to camp. Levi has been evaluated twice in Collingsville this spring by Mike. He went to camp at OU last year. . Since OU has offered others at his position it would be obvious to me that putting all my eggs in OU’s basket would be stupid. The kid’s recruiting has exploded and a huge advantage that OU quite possibly had has vanished. This is simple. Don’t make it complicated. OU has been cautious and luckily for Levi some other big big big schools aren’t.
The scary part is Mike Stoops will be the one handling his recruitment.
Luckily for levi? He’s just now a junior.
Can we plz stop with the Draper over reaction. The kid is a 2017 recruit. Bob Stoops is not stupid, he has 2 yrs to recruit Draper.
So plz enough about Draper, it’s getting quite annoying in all honesty
I agree.
I agree completely.
Yeah TFB, stop making open post topics about Draper and making these guys read them!
This thread was inspired by the incessant hand wringing about Draper on every thread in recent memory.
And you gentlemen expected it to stop with this thread? It’s a frustrated fan base, looking at a situation that may or may not be indicative of some of the issues in recent years. It’s the off season with not a lot going on. What else is everyone going to talk about? Please start another interesting subject line and we’ll all try to chime in.
Okay, how about the approximately 150 offers OU has out for the 2016 class?
Now, that is interesting.
Awesome, give me your top 5 wish list.
Ant-Man, Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, and the Wasp.
Now see, you are going to take us back to the main subject again.
Here, I’ll try in no particular order.
Boudreaux
Williams
Kelly
Kelly
Mayden
Good list.
I’ll try at this….(warning: this list is probably impossible and I KNOW THAT)
Tyrie Cleveland
Caleb Kelly
Parker Boudreaux
Dee Anderson
Dontavious Jackson
…Calvin Bundage/Brandon Jones because I feel strongly they deserve spot in my top spot but I can’t fit everyone into the finite amount of spots.
Tex, where u at?
Good list by the way. Jackson was my first guy off the bench.
Good choices all. I would have to include Tre Brown in any conversation.
Next to Boudreaux, Brown is my second must have.
Absolutely, but thought brown was 2017?
Yep, my bad.
Tre brown is a 2017 recruit. You may have known that. Just clarifying if you didn’t.
Thanks coach.
I should have known.
I’m honored you put me twice in your top 5 but I’m a solid commit to my wife.
Point taken. Time to chill and trust the coaches.
I heard Barry slept under his bed last night and hummed Boomer Sooner.
The reason that this is a big deal:
a.) What Brent Veneables apparently said to him
b.) Dwaine Thomas situation from last year.
c.) Tim Kish
d.) offseason
2017
I’m not arguing, just explaining some of the reasons this built up.
Well then…2015!
can you elaborate?
I think OU will eventually make an offer to Draper long after Draper has committed elsewhere –probably Alabama or FSU –and has built a solid relationship with that program… Draper will politely decline, OU fans across the nation will be ‘up in arms’ because he has spurned the home-state Sooners, and this subject will be cussed and discussed for weeks.. Draper will probably develop into the state’s best player for 2017 ( a legitimate 4* or 5* talent ) and OU will sign a couple of grade risks / lesser talents from outside the state ( think large metropolitan cities where OU is trying to make inroads ) to fill the talent void at LB ….
You said, “Draper will probably develop into the state’s best player for 2017 ( a legitimate 4* or 5* talent ) and OU will sign a couple of grade risks / lesser talents from outside the state ( think large metropolitan cities where OU is trying to make inroads)”
Do you realize you’ve managed to insult most of the athletes currently on the OU team? You are a loose cannon, a powder keg. I believe you must cause destruction everywhere you go.
Here goes: Kick Rocks!
yeh, right…….Collinsville produces a D-1 prospect once every how many years ? major, metro teams produce multiple prospects every year.. where would you consider the best place to spend your recruiting dollar and your time ??? thought so, the major metro teams around the country is where I would recruit, too…..just makes good sense to position your school to get access to the greatest number of possibilities…….
Did you read anything you said? Thought so; we probably shouldn’t read it either. By your own admission, you have to fish where the fishing is good. But you don’t have to call them “grade risks.”
You’re a risk to society but that just the way it is. I really worry about how you treat people who come in contact with you.
We need a big year out of our linebackers and great play. IMO, that is a big deal because it shows your program knows what they are doing in regards to development. I imagine you want you LB’s to be leading the team in tackles, opportunites to get sacks, and in position for potential interceptions. If I was checking out schools for that position, that’s what I would do, IMO…