“Pursue Greatness” | OU Facilities Upgrade (Recruit Quotes Added 9:13 pm)
Posted on: June 25, 2014
Image via http://gfoms.com/
Sorry we’re so late with this. Esco is usually all over this stuff for us but he’s on vacation. His last text to me was “I’m actually chilling in the back of a limo right now…” 🙂
I’ve been out of the loop most of the day but hopped on to Soonersports.com and saw this video that most of y’all have probably seen by now:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGR72NqlCOU&list=UU-CQSza3tFofjQJpKoJuvOA
Don’t know how much commentary is required and to be honest most of y’all have probably been following this more closely than myself. But it is awesome and not surprising to see the tremendous commitment that OU admin, president, etc. have towards our sports programs. As Oklahoma fans we are used to being the “gold standard” and this is one more step in the right direction. But in a way this isn’t just a step forward for Oklahoma. It is a step back into the golden age of OU football.
For other schools their cosmetic enhancements define their program as they seek heights they’ve never reached. The beauty of being an OU fan is that these enhancements only advance the substance of what we know to be the OU football tradition…a tradition of winning at the highest level.
For a full review of the conceptual master plan please check out: http://gfoms.com/
UPDATE (9:13 pm): Starting to get some feedback from recruits on what they think of the video showing the coming facility upgrades. We’ll post more as we get them. Here is what we’ve got:
PJ Mbanasor (OU CB commit) – “It’s beautiful man, it’s crazy what’s in store. Thing can only continue to go up from here!”
John Humphrey (OU WR target) – “Wow! Just Amazing!” Then asked if that would have an effect on his desire to play at OU and he said, “Excuse me but, Hell yeah!”
Tyrell Jacobs (OU DE target) – “It’s cold! The atmosphere and stadium is magnificent. Looks like a great place to be on Saturdays!”
Kahlil Haughton (OU Safety target) – “Wow! I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like to play in that stadium! The facility designs look sick too!”
Anthony Wheeler (OU LB target) – “I think it was an awesome video! With a great team comes a greater stadium.”
Cody Ford (OU OT target) – “It’s gonna be such a special and unique place to play!”
Andre James (OU OT target) – “That’s amazing! I would love to play in a stadium like that!”
88 Comments
Hearing Castiglione talk…he just gets it.
Man I read that last paragraph and wanted to go find a helmet and pads! You got me all fired up and it is still a bit over 60 days till football!
He’s always been that way, which is why I think we’ve done so well as a program. He’s been on top of facilities since day one. The first phase of stadium upgrades, then Headington, now this. If he is at OU another decade, who knows what’ll be next?!
So it sounds as if Esco is helping foot the bill for these upgrades seeing as how he rides in limos now.
haha!
So Jordan is calling his Prius a limo now?
Jordon deserves his vacation whether it is in a Prius or a REAL LIMO! Boy been doing work for us OU Fans!
LOL
Hey Super K when i press the link to see the added recruit comments it takes me to the past update & i can’t see the added comments.
Starting to get some quotes from recruits about the facilities upgrades
You know what to do with them……just lay them out here. 🙂
Wariboko comments?
He did tweet about it and he was actually pretty excited about it….SYKE.
I see what you did there!
Humphrey sounds excited not sure this pushes anyone over the edge to commit “right away”. I do think it will impact some decisions for recruits now that the plan has been accepted and they know what to expect. I’m sure everywhere they go the coaches tell them “oh yeah we’re going to upgrade this or that” but man it looks badass.
I think Humphrey is going to commit to OU. I think it’s just a matter of when.
Yeah exactly and I think a few of these others that were quoted will like the ford kid and haughton. The thing is I think these kids still want to take officials I can’t blame them but stoops wants them to know where they want to be before they commit.
Zack I really hope we get Haughton. He and Galimore are my dream gets for this class. Everyone knows what a freak Galimore is but Haughton is the best safety prospect in Texas, extremely underrated.
I think gallimore is going to be tough it’s going to depend on how bad he wants to get out of colder weather I think. Ohio state is much closer to his home but maybe he will like our weather. Haughton I think is a matter of time before he chooses ou. I think tech is touting him as being a tech lean but the kid has tweeted how much he doesn’t like Waco and while Waco does suck Lubbock isn’t much better. But if Sunderland commits to ou before haughton decides then maybe he goes elsewhere.
What’s funny is I was thinking the same thing about Haughton. I like Sunderland but think if he commits before Hahlil, he may go elsewhere. Galimore is going to hard to sway this far south and as much attention as he is starting to get from all the schools I think it will come down to OU and the Buckeyes.
I would rather take both tell Johnson to go elsewhere and then take mckinley. Not gonna happen most likely.
I am already wishing it were done. I want it finished tomorrow.
no doubt!
Wonder if the new stadium will have less effects on the kicking game. Gets windy in there in the current stadium.
Was thinking the exact same thing
The Stadium plans look amazing. Hopefully closing up the endzone will help with the accoustics as well.
I’m no expert, but it just looks like it will trap the crowd noise in. I am REALLY excited about the first big game after everything is complete. It would be awesome if they brought in equipment to measure the noise, and put it on the screens.
Coach Owen is surely smiling.
He created something magical and wonderful 91 years ago.
Benny and Bud are probably glowing with pride right now.
So many magnificent people have been involved with OU traditions I’m sure they are all pleased, those who have gone on and those still with us.
I hope that the playing surface continues to be called Owen Field. I would be very disappointed if they changed it. So would my soon-to-be born son Owen.
Don’t think that will ever change, but if it does let me know what time to show up with my pitchfork, torch and rope.
I’m really liking these tweets by recruits. Can only get better from here. It’s one thing to tell them, it’s another to actually show it to them.
Like they said a 5-star place to eat and sleep with privacy(Headington Hall). A soon to be world class facility for student athletes to play on Saturdays,train, lift weights,etc while receiving an excellent education. But for me ( being born in the 40’s) those 43 extra bathrooms are a god-send. lol! This stadium is going to be so loud.
Maybe all the bathrooms are to prepare for beer sales some day.
Now we’re talking some serious business. I bet they never heard of “happy hour”.
Here’s what I really appreciate about Boren. When he took over at OU, he proved a university could both pursue academic excellence, while embracing OU’s tradition, and what frankly put OU on the map. He’s never wavered on continuing to improve OU’s academic reputation, along with ensuring OU fans can remain proud and excited about their football team. And I have to say, I’ve been damn proud about OU’s entire athletic program…..I’m giving Pete Hughes a rookie year mulligan……
Bringing in Castiglione and Stoops is like a hat trick. We can gripe about Stoops, but we currently have 3 very good men doing a lot of good for the university in many ways.
I hope all three of them decide to stick around for a while longer.
I think that he understands, probably better than most, that athletics and academics can act synergistically to improve the overall standing of the university. The addition of the “Oxford-style” colleges is going to be very cool as well.
Absolutely. In fact, what’s so cool about OU’s resurgence to the top of college football is they had to borrow money from the state’s general fund in the 90s. Now, not only has that been paid back, but a lot of dollars generated by the booming program has gone to help with academics.
The OU Athletic Department is one of the few programs in the country that is entirely self-sustaining.
I remember it being mentioned this past season that our President, AG and HC have set an NCAA record for serving together the longest.
Wow! I knew they had been together for a long time, but I wasn’t sure they held the record!
Coach Stoops talked about it on one of his Sunday night shows last season which are carried on FSSW. He was quite proud of the accomplishment, as he should be.
Well, money in college sports is crazy, but Stoops has definitely shown he deserves to be among the top of the pay scale. I mean, if Arkansa is going to pay Pig Man nearly 5 mil per year for having not won anything of significance, then by all means, Bob has earned his payday.
His tenure at OU has to be getting pretty high in terms of active coaches at one school, too.
If you want to know when OU is going to be in a good financial position, follow the price of oil. When it’s up so are the donations. Part of living in a state that makes a good living on the crude. And Stoops has stayed much longer than most coaches make it now days. We are very fortunate.
Yep, glad to see the Sooner State profiting from what it’s known for. Was sad in the mid 80s when the price of domestic oil freaking tanked and really hurt Oklahoma’s economy.
@disqus_skHAxryk0q:disqus
But filling up the gas tank at 70 cents per gallon? Very nice.
That, I cannot argue with. I had a ’77 Camero I could put 10 bucks in, and it would last me 2 weeks of driving back and forth to high school. 68 cents per gallon was rather nice for a broke kid in high school.
Okay, now I’m sounding old….And don’t none of you call me gramps! 🙂
@disqus_skHAxryk0q:disqus
I remember downtown being almost completely deserted on the weekends. Like tumbleweed blowing through the streets, deathly quiet deserted. Few people lived downtown and even fewer wanted to move there.
I remember the unofficial state motto being, “last one out, turn off the lights”. It wasn’t if you were gonna leave after college it was where to.
I remeber when—other than country music stars—–no big time performers ever came through OKC. Wanted to see a group like Aerosmith? Dallas or Kansas City were your closest options.
A professional sports team—–in OKC???? You really need to lay off the dope brother! Lol!
It is pretty amazing to see OKC and how it’s transformed. I remember the Myriad Gardens in 1980 was supposed to attract business and conventions, but it never seemed to materialize. It wasn’t until I graduated from OU in the early 90s, did all the money start pouring into downtown and giving both in and out of state residents a nice place to visit and hang out.
At first I wondered if it was something I said, or if Oklahoma was just happy to get rid of my ass……..Either way, I’m happy for the city and the state.
That’s funny Bill Jackson, I was raised in OKC, and moved after I finished school (also the early 90s). While OKC was a nice place to grow up, it was a small city. It seemed like after I moved, the place took off. When I go back, I’m always amazed at how much it’s grown into a real city (complete with pro basketball).
Small markets usually prove to be continuous money makers for professional franchises. Green Bay and Nashville (where I currently live) comes to mind. Large cities always have much going on, and it can be boom or bust. Smaller markets develop loyal followings, and they’ll put the mail man credo to shame when it comes to showing up to support their team.
Never had a losing season as a HC, 10.7 wins per season, only team and coach to play in every BCS game and the MNC game/s…and on and on.
If his pay is based on performance, then they are getting him at a bargain, but he is more than that and one of the things he talks about with much pride is how his players do academically. He had the Academic All-American of the Year in Ikard last year and 19 of his players were Academic Big XII.
He is centered, he is grounded and he is the kind of man you want leading and training young men. He is the only coach I have ever seen tell the world on national TV that he loves his team and was impressed with his saying that.
Well said. I can kind of see the opposite trend happening with our friends to the north, who wear ugly uniforms and their male cheerleaders try and trip OU players.
That same male cheerleader had earlier spit at Saunders in the end zone after he ran the punt back for a TD. Classy.
As for OSU, I don’t know what to think about those folks…and I seldom do.
ha ha ha…Yeah, me neither. Cool breeze better be happy his spit missed Saunders and his foot missed Striker.
Of the little I’ve read about them, though, their program doesn’t seem to be shining in most prominent light. Hurts me deeply……../s
I know a lady here in Dallas, she and her husband both went to OSU. She quietly let me know she always liked OU football and also that she went to school with Gumby. She said she was shocked when he got the job, she didn’t think he was very bright.
I’m actually surprised he’s won like he has. I know T-Boone’s donations have greatly helped, but looking at him does remind me of Barney on the Simpsons……..burp……
He’s not.
Not to mention their abysmal academics which are now costing their team dearly in crucial practice time, and the ongoing lack of character from what seems like so very many of their players. They are becoming the Miami U.of the plains, while their coach does the silly dances that so many other coaches from losing programs in the Big 12 spend a lot of time working on for Youtube! Coach your teams and develop your young athletes into good scholars as well as good people, and nothing else matters- because THAT will build your very future as a team better then any group of short timer athletic thugs and illiterates ever will. OSU is trying to take too many shortcuts to success to ever build a great legacy, in my opinion. So there! Plus one of their kids keyed my new Ford Lightning pickup outside a baseball game that they lost to OU a few years back, so they have even more punks then are on their athletic fields LOL!!
Heh. Short version; I am not a real big fan of OSU, their coaches, players, or student body, or even 21 times married Boone Pickens!
Their fans are the worst. Bitter beer faced and very jealous. Hate it for ’em.
I agree. That’s what impresses me about Stoops. He’s diligent about evaluating the character just as much as the athletic ability of a prospect. Of course, some jokers are going to slip through the cracks, but he’s shown he won’t put up with it, and will nip it, even if it temporarily sets his team back in terms of depth.
I think in Gundy’s situation, you again are correct. OSU’s just so happy to have talent wanting to play, they’ll sign up anyone. And, in addition to their grade woes, we’re starting to see key players getting into trouble, quite often. Basketball is no exception, either. It’s almost like they made a deal with the Devil to pull themselves out of the trash heap of college football, and ‘ole Luce is sending his goons out to collect.
I won’t be surprised if the same thing starts happening at Texas A&M, where cracks and trouble will start happening at their happy new palace in the SEC.
Someone keyed your new truck?! Yeah, screw them!
Never underestimate the benefit of administrative stability to the long-term health of a program.
That is absolutely not said enough! Thanks for pointing out OU has been a cohesive team of coach, coordinator and President that are the best in the country. That is HUGE to our team in ways big and small.
Stoops definitely would not still be at the university if Boren and Castiglione had departed.
What did Leon Sandcastle say?
JY, you heard anything from Chett Munden lately?
He said the upgrades are going to “prime time!”
Lol!
Cody Ford (OU OT target) – “It’s gonna be such a special and unique place to play!”
This sounds promising…
The Big XII is going to have some of the nicest, most recently updated stadiums in college football in a couple of years. That can’t hurt the perception of the conference with potential recruits.
“We will never apologize at OU for pursueing Championships!…” WOW that Castiglione is a BAAADDDDDD MAN! I’m pumped!
You’re fired up today.
This one’s for you…Hell’s Coming.
Oh hell Tex, don’t get Doobie all up in a frenzy right before bedtime. 🙂
Henh…just trying to help him get it out of his system so he can sleep.
I AIN”T SLEPT IN 6 DAYS AND I JUST NOW CALMED DOWN ENOUGH TO TYPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alrighty, then.
Whoa, looks beautiful, as always.
Can’t wait, that press box was hideous in 1995. It’s ugly as sin inside…. The last few times I have been in the east side, thank goodness. It’s much better….
“I’m actually chilling in the back of a limo right now…”
How very Deondre Clark of him. 😉
Lmao^^^
Also, I think we can go ahead and mark Humphrey down as an OU commit.
Kahlil’s comments make it seem like it’s just a matter of time before he commits…
There’s really not much you can say except…WOW!
Wow! Just wow……Something like this just has to have an effect on recruiting. Hard to see how it couldn’t.
Erm……..anybody send this to DeBerry? I’m just sayin……
Absolutely Beautiful. Damn near brought tears to my eyes…