Thoughts on the Joe Mixon Committment (Updated Sunday|12:40 am)
Posted on: January 4, 2014
Image from Bay Area News Group (Photographer: Doug Duran)
A lot of teams won bowl games but the team that made the biggest splash with a victory in the bowl game was Oklahoma. A lot of other schools received more commitments at the Army All-American game, but the school that made the biggest splash with its lone commitment today was Oklahoma.
Joe is a very talented athlete. I do not believe that Joe Mixon or anyone else will make or break our program. But the fact is Oklahoma landing on the front page of Rivals.com or any other popular website is good for our program so long as our program ultimately remains committed to being a hard-nosed, bring your lunch pale, blue collar type program. Some of you may have noticed I am always very sensitive about our program losing team chemistry or having locker room issues or lacking toughness, etc. I am that way because I know a lot of players and I know that off the field locker room issues bleed onto the field.
What made this years teams special wasn’t just talent or athleticism…it was coachability, attitude and toughness. In fact one of the things Steven Parker’s father told me was that Steven felt the Oklahoma locker room chemistry was incredible.
Joe has loved Oklahoma for a long time and he has loved Adrian Peterson for a long time but what people forget is AD isn’t just the most athletic player…he is the hardest working player as well. When Oklahoma football is at it’s best, it is a reflection of the people of our state – tough, resilient, and united. Tough enough to overcome. Resilient enough to outlast. And united enough to say “there is only one Oklahoma” and mean it.
I welcome Joe Mixon and I’m glad he chose to be part of our program. But I also congratulate Joe Mixon for being given the honor to wear the Crimson and Cream.
UPDATE: Per a readers request I asked my buddy that knows Mixon what kind of kid he is and he said “he’s a hard worker for sure”. I asked him if he’s the kind of kid that would be a good locker room guy and he said yes. Also, Steven Parker’s father and I were chatting yesterday and he told me that Steven likes Joe. Lastly, had a coach from SEC territory that also played college ball down there hit me up after the Army All-American game and said “dang that Mixon kid can play! Congrats on getting him.” And you should know that SEC football folks don’t care much for California talent in general. So it was high praise coming from this coach.
56 Comments
Well said, K!
Thanks MD! start calling you doc 😉
Wow ! could not agree more – It is an elusive formula… adding quality players that are willing to do the work, be solid student athletes/good citizens – and that recognize, as you said K – the privilege they have to wear that uniform. Here’s to Joe and the rest of the current and future class of 2014 – Represent like a champion !
Super K
Very well stated my Friend.
Thanks bro.
Hell Yes. Boomer!
Very we’ll said… What recruits are visiting on the 17th…
Super K; As always, thank you for a great write-up. And thanx for keeping me updated all day long. That last few days have been great to us Sooners.
You got it! and I agree!
You speak for me brother! I am sick and tired of the divas coming in here wanting to be fed with a silver spoon. I just hope this kid buys into the tradition that IS OKLAHOMA. No one is bigger than the program! Championships are won by teammates that play as a team.
Indeed. Oklahoma’s leaders this year – guys like Aaron Colvin, Charles Tapper, etc.
I’d have to add Clay to that list.
Super K, will we have any RBs that will JRs or SRs? I don’t count Rip since he is a fullback/TE and doesn’t carry the ball, although he may get a few touches here and there next season. Hopefully Mixon’s commitment will entice a few stud OLs to want to come here and block for him down the road. Curtis and Sims, you reading?
Was actually wanting to ask this exact question on the previous thread. People forget what made AD AD was his work ethic. Have you guys heard from the people around Mixon what his work ethic is like?
I haven’t but just looking at his build for a HS kid I’ve got to assume he’s a hard worker.
Agree. The fact that he makes it look easy is indicative of hard work. He has gone to a bunch of camps which tells me that he is not afraid of the challenge. His route running alone is incredible and will kill people with his deceptive speed.
If you get a chance, watch the American Fam video of him and his dad talking about his ethic. Some good insight there. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r48vCwGykRk
from the looks of it, his father is in good enough shape to put on the pads himself.
Haha, I thought the same
A&M beat Bama last year, and that (along with Manziel) has catapulted their profile big time. OU winning the Sugar Bowl is looking like it’ll be the same, except we have a great defense coming back. I can’t wait to see who we end up signing, but I hope we only bring guys in who have that mentality you wrote about here. High character, team-first guys who want to work hard as a team, not “a bunch of individuals.”
Really looking forward to next season now more than ever. BOOMER SOONER
Couldn’t have put them words any better K. There’s only 1
This post is awesome!! Love the last line!
Well said brother. I haven’t been more excited about what is to come ever in my memory. With guys like Tap, Striker, Geneo and Trevor, the locker room will be tighter than ever. Those three I mentioned first will kick anyone’s butt who doesn’t fall in line with Trevor, and don’t think for a minute that Striker doesn’t smell blood in the water. He won’t allow anyone not to fall in line. Stoops has got to be grinning from ear to ear, because of strong upperclassmen leadership and all of the young talent that’s coming in. I’m so excited about being a sooner fan.
I think Curtis Bolton is gonna be a star under Mike Stoops, and a huge part of our defense for the next few years.
Totally has that Dog in em too just like Striker. Kid’s a BEAST.
Lot’s of the kids have that dog in them right now. As you and I have talked about, I love this class and have before Mixon. Now it seems like we are going to finish the way FSU usually does. We will probably sign at least two or more kids going forward who will play a lot next year. JY, heard that Pruitt still may be on the table and I have been told that Frison is LOVING what’s going on in Norman. Also common sense tells you that McNeil is a FA and we’ve been in on him for a long time AND we are the hot team right now. We also have our biggest need at his position. Mixon is working hard on anyone who will listen and with his magnetic personality, kids are listening. This verbal could end up being the most important in this class because of what he may be able to do for us and not JUST because he’s a sick talent. JMHO….JY will be very excited if we get Frison, McNeil and Pruitt, lol. Can you put in order who you’d want?
For me:
Frison
Pruitt
McNeil
Pruitt
Tristan Hill
Frison
McNeil
Pruitt ain’t happenin’ unfortunately. Says no more visits, solid to Arky. Sims, Sims, and more Sims along with Frison and McNeil…still a ship left go with Hill.
Interesting lists here. I forgot about Hill. What are the chances here?
Yeah Pruitt’s teammate told us that he was solid to Arky and was recruiting for them. Course that was before Oklahoma won the Sugar Bowl so who knows now. Gonna check back in with his teammate when they get back to school.
I sure hope that OU can hold a scholly for Hill, he looks like he could be a beast of a player under Bedenbaugh.
Bolton is an animal….Mont and Kish are going to make him a pass rushing nightmare like Striker. Gonna be a blast to watch.
Yup, the future is bright and I’ve certainly never been so excited about it! Our defense is going to be nasty, and Trevor along with the Mixon commit, man our offense might not be so bad, either!
good stuff
Hopefully the players that want to come to Oklahoma are the ones that don’t want to be told their the best, but told how to be the best. We all want to feel good about ourselves, but there is no feeling good about failure. Whereas, working hard with your teammates towards a common goal and realizing that goal is a lesson in success that they can take with them the rest of their lives. Hard work is it’s own reward.
When you play for championships in most cases there will be two teams on the field that deserve to win. They are both well coached, have tons of talent, and have put in the time to be a champion, but there can be only a single victor. You have got to know that you have done everything you can to help your team win, whether you are the starting quarterback or third string offensive guard. You need to prepare like you are playing and you need to push the guys ahead of you to keep you on the bench. You need to be there celebrate your teammates success, as well pick them up when they fail.
Nothing exemplifies this more than Blake Bell and Trevor Knight. If Blake had never made it onto the field he would have left Norman a cult hero. Some couldn’t understand how he wasn’t the defacto starter coming into this season until they realized we wanted to go with the Nevada offense and we started to hear the stories of Knight’s scout team heroics. I am sure Bell wasn’t happy about the change of offense or being passed over. After all, He was the Belldozer! He beat the aggies. Throughout the season one of them would stumble and the other would step in and take the reigns. Both staked their claim on the job, but neither seemed to shut the door.
Going into the Sugar Bowl Blake Bell had to know he was on the bench. How hard could that have been? He was now the Bellthrowser. He beat the aggies! Again! But who was always one of the first guys greeting Knight coming off of the field? Blake Bell. Who did Trevor Knight go out of his way to give it up to after the game when everyone was anointing him the conquering champion? All of his quarterback group, several times. They push each other and root for each other. All three of them took the rock when it was their turn.
No one knows what is going to happen from one season to the next. Keep your nose clean. Add value to yourself. Add value to the team. When those things happen at Oklahoma championships usually follow.
I noted the very same thing during the Sugar Bowl – Bell was one of the FIRST to congratulate Trevor when he came off the field. That, my friends, has a WORLD of impact on a team and a locker room. I was glad to hear both the words and the tone of what Coach Stoops said about Blake when asked about his future with the team. In essence, he said that they want to do what ever it takes to make it work for him to stay if that’s his choice – and they hope it is.
Maybe I’m reading too much into the article. But are perhaps worried, that Joe might be upset the chemistry in the locker room?
Just curious, not suggesting anything.
Oh no I didn’t mean to suggest that. I don’t know Joe at all. Sorry for the confusion.
Can’t wait for these kids and the coaches to give Mr. Strong his first of many losses in the RRS!
Wait. I thought we were supposed to have multiple flashy uniforms to get the kids interested in our program?
Lol
What are the odds of flipping Cannon from Baylor? I saw Mixon tweet out about him tonight.
What are the odd of Cannon flipping from Baylor to OU after spending time with Mixon?
Don’t know but we mentioned in the Army All-American bowl game post yesterday because it just seems like OUs momentum might at least make Cannon say “hmmm”
Winning matters. When asked about the influence the Sugar Bowl had on his decision, Mixon said, “It meant a lot. It did. Once they won the Alabama game, that shut the deal”. Hopefully that signature win brings in more elite talent.
In regards to the update Super K, I hope the SEC continues to not care much for Cali kids because OU will just keep picking them up. Cali guys were making plays all over the field at the Sugar Bowl, especially on offense. Hopefully Jackson and Quick liked what they saw enough to pull the trigger and commit here pretty soon. Gotta think Jackons is a UCLA guy, but Mixon showed you can’t always tell. Thanks for the report.
Yeah I wonder about Adoree. Earlier this week the reports were that he had a top 3 and didn’t include us. But then he re-releases a top 6 which, if I recall, is the exact top 6 he released before. It’s almost like someone leaked his top 3 and he wanted to push the reset button. Or he changed his mind. Don’t know. His coach sings his praises though.
You guys are awesome, thank you! This could be a fun couple of weeks if Mixon, Dallis Todd and co. are able to sway some top talent our way. Mixon and Todd were already putting in work on twitter earlier.
Let’s not overboard with the hype machine. They’ll go into next year as a top ten team, but we’re going to still have a lot of young players. They aren’t going to play as well as they did in the Sugar Bowl every week. People are eating crow about Heupel right now, but they would have shredded him if we lost because he went pass over run. Montgomery and both Stoops would have been shredded if Bama kept destroying us with the run, which Bama should have done. We’re not going to win a NC next year, so we can’t go into suicide mode when we lose our first game. Two years from now a NC is a real possibility though.
I think coach heupel calls a good pass game but Trevor did a phenomenal job. Still doesn’t call the best run game but I expect coach bedenbaugh to implement more of what he wants next year. As far as us competing for a spot in playoffs I’m curious why you think we can’t next yr but can the year after? We only lost two games this yr and played most of the season with a ton of injuries and less than stellar qb play. Next year we will still have a lot of experience on the o line…2015 we lose both offensive tackles. Geneo and chuka will have their final seasons in 2014 and geneo seems to have really taken a big step. Tapper and Striker will be jrs. Also we get OSU, KSU, Baylor and Tennessee at home. I think OU has a chance to make a playoff run next yr but to be honest I said that before the Bama game so that shouldnt surprise.
Completely agree with you. Heupel called a great game but only if Trevor executes. Frankly I was shocked at the accuracy of his throws time and time again but he did it too many times for it to be a fluke. He threw 2 TD passes, one to each side of the endzone with a window about the size of a coffee can and he hit them both. He’s a RS freshman and we all got to see that “light” come on in his head. If Heupel can ever get through that “blend” learning curve of run/pass, be somewhere else because this offense will be a juggernaut.
I don’t see any reason why OU couldn’t make a run next year. Its all going in the right direction and the schedule sets up nicely brother.
I was in BCS think. A four man playoff is a legit target. We win the Big 12, we’ll go.
Stop being pessimists, maybe we can win both.
Good point. I am too much of sports pessimist. It comes from a lifetime of being a Bucs fan. It’s dynasty time! Boomer Sooner!
it’s all good bro. winning the BCS NC is tough. Coach Stoops has only won one. The playoff goal makes things feel more readily attainable.
Tweet from yesterday:
⚡PRIMETIME!!!⚡ @Joe_MainMixon @NatrellCurtis wassup bro pull that trigger big dawg! I did now its your turn!
Young Papi @NatrellCurtis @Joe_MainMixon bro I gotchu don’t worry got a special day planned
Look at Mixon DOIN’ WORK!
Have a couple quick questions if anyone wants to answer them for me, I would appreciate it. 1- how is Mixon’s football health? Has he been healthy throughout his career so far? any issues?
2- I tend to be a homer, so I was wondering if OU has any interest in trying to get Warren out of Lawton High, or is that a non-starter with the commitment from Mixon? I personally believe Warren would be a HUGE asset regardless. Thanks!