Weekend Open Post | February 21st – 23rd
Posted on: February 21, 2025
Follow Up | Injury Note
– Charlie S – Posted on: February 17, 2025
Just wanted to drop a quick note that follows up on a recurring question from the community in regard to Sooners defensive back Kendel Dolby.
We have been asked multiple times about Dolbys status for the spring and how he is coming along from his lower leg injury which he suffered early in the season.
First, sources tell us that Dolby is coming along very well in his rehab and he is on, or ahead of schedule.
More importantly for the community to know, source tells us that in regard to when he may be back in action, it is simply a ‘get him to Saturday’ train of thought and they will take things very cautiously in regard to spring, summer, and even fall camp.
So, in short, the goal is to have Dolby ready to go for the season so do not be alarmed if you do not hear a lot about him in the offseason. The expectation is that he will be good to go.
The Transformation is Complete
– Super K – Posted on: February 18, 2025
When Brent arrived in Norman, it felt like he was more Dabo than Bob Stoops.
Dabo won a couple of championships but Clemson is a unique place and what works there doesn’t necessarily work in other places.
So far Dabo’s tree doesn’t look so hot…
Chad Morris fired in year two at Arkansas with a horrible record there.
Jeff Scott fired in year three at USF with a horrible record.
And Tony Elliott isn’t looking so hot right now (11-23 at UVA).
But this year the journey to the Bob Stoops side is complete…
***SOUL mission has been put on the back burner.
***He’s hired Bob’s old DC as his DC – himself.
***He’s gone away from the Baylor system and fully adopted the Air Raid. Got his own LR or Mike Leach or at least it appears that way.
***Spent a huge chunk on the QB position – Bob always knew the value of that position and it’s the lack of development at that position that ultimately cost Heupel his job.
***And just to make sure no one could question what’s going on inside the building, they added Kevin Wilson to the band.
I don’t know if it’s going to work. Sometimes things work because they are what was needed in a particular context or time. And sometimes things can be exactly the same and would work but they need some small nigh imperceptible difference.
So, let me be clear, I don’t know if this is going to work but you have to give BV credit for trying. He has shed his Dabo skin and gone full Bob Stoops, it seems.
Big Board | Cornerbacks | 2026
– Charlie S – Posted on: February 18, 2025
Continuing to roll out the class of ’26 Big Boards.
We will now turn our attention to the ’26 Cornerback Board.
You can find the previous Big Boards by clicking the links below:
The Sooners have extended around 20 offers at this point on the Cornerback Board in the ’26 class.
Cornerback (19)
Ryan Gilbert – North Forney (Forney, TX) – 5’10 170
Evenson Malaska – Bethany (Bethany, OK) – 5’10 175
Jermaine Bishop – Willis (Willis, TX) – 5’11 155
Khary Adams – Loyola Blakefield (Towson, MD) – 6’2 175
Davon Benjamin – Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, CA) – 6’0 170
RJ Sermons – Rancho Cucamonga (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) – 6’0 185
Jorden Edmonds – Sprayberry (Marietta, GA) – 6’2.5 175
Justice Fitzpatrick – St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, FL) – 6’0.5 185
Dorian Barney – Carrollton (Carrollton, GA) – 6’1 175
Zech Fort – IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL) – 5’10 190
J’Zavien Currence – South Pointe (Rock Hill, SC) – 6’3 205
Caden Harris – Haywood (Brownsville, TN) – 6’0 160
Jordan Thomas – Bergen Catholic (Oradell, NJ) – 6’1 185
Jontavius Wyman – Jonesboro (Jonesboro, GA) – 5’11 170
Derrick Johnson II – Murrieta Valley (Murrieta, CA) – 6’2 170
Isaiah Williams – Fort Bend Marshall (Missouri City, TX) – 6’0 190
Ksani Jiles – IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL) – 5’11 175
CJ Lavender – Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) – 5’10 165
Donovan Webb – Panther Creek (Frisco, TX) – 6’0 175
Commits at this time: 0
Number of commits OU is looking to take out of high school: 2
Over the last three years, Jay Valai has undeniably raised the bar in regard to the level of athletes in the OU cornerback room compared to the prior regime. The Sooners continue to bring in guys who are plus athletes with speed, size and length. Yet it was one of the least physically imposing athletes who stepped up last year and made his presence felt in Eli Bowen. Bowen was a freshman all-American when all was said and done and he was OU’s most consistent and reliable corner at the end of the season.
While the athlete pool is improved in Norman, the results on the field have not quite been up to par in respect to where they need to be. The reasons for that could be due to a myriad of issues from injury to development and other things in between.
Whatever has been plaguing the corner room needs to be cured and cured quickly. Valai has the personnel to put out a really solid rotation, particularly if Gentry Williams is able to contribute this season.
At this point OU is expecting to run guys like Williams, Bowens, Jacobe Johnson, Devon Jordan, and Jeremiah Newcombe out there and there is a distinct possibility that Kendel Dolby could slide over from Cheetah and be a featured CB.
Also, I would expect OU to look at the spring transfer portal for the potential addition of another corner.
Valai and company also brought in Courtland Guillory and Trystan Haynes at corner who could figure prominently into the rotation when all is said and done. As I said, the pieces are there, just have to get the production now. Maliek Hawkins is also listed as a corner, but I expect him to redshirt and I would not be surprised to eventually see him slide over to the safety room.
In regard to the 2026 class, on paper, nobody, aside from Kendel Dolby is scheduled to exhaust their eligibility following the season for OU which means the room has potential to be quite crowded. Naturally, there could be some additional attrition but right now, we are working under the impression that OU is looking for two corners in this class. Of course that could change and the Sooners could be in the market for three corners before all is said and done, but right now, two is the number we are led to believe to be targeted.
Right now, former Texas A&M commit Ryan Gilbert is a guy that OU is feeling pretty good about. Gilbert visited Norman for the early junior day and shortly after that, he decommitted from Aggie. He has already locked in his official to OU for the Big June 20th weekend, and at this time, OU appears to be headed to a battle with SMU for his services. All things being equal, I like OU’s chances here, but there is still a ways to go before I would trend this one heavily in OU’s direction.
After Gilbert, there really isn’t a guy that OU appears to have locked in on and they have a lot of different options. You look at a guy like Evenson Malaska as a potential in-state commit, but at this time, it is not clear how aggressive OU is being in regard to locking him up.
I expect this board to clear up a bit in regard to OU getting more specific and zeroing in on their priorities in the coming weeks. This will definitely be a fluid board as I believe OU will be extending additional offers/moving some guys who have been offered around a bit in respect to their priority level.
The Michigan Game Will Set the Tone
– Charlie S – Posted on: February 19, 2025
OU welcomes Michigan to Norman on September 6th, 2025, in a game that will have a very large audience both in person and on the networks.
The Sooners will have played one game, but the Michigan contest will be the first real test for team 131.
Every time I look at OU’s schedule, I keep coming back to the importance of that scheduled game and the impact it will have on the Sooners program, Team 131, and Brent Venables’ tenure as the head coach in Norman.
There are four potential outcomes for the game. Lets take a look at each of those scenarios.
***A close win for OU would swing some of the moderately negative perceptions to the positive or neutral side of the equation. A close win would likely have more impact on the national scene as opposed to the Sooners own fan base. Most of the fan base would still be cautiously optimistic about the season ahead.
***A decisive win would fire up the OU hype train both nationally and locally and have the Sooners fired up about the prospect of Auburn coming to town two weeks later. Auburn would immediately become a massive event for recruiting, fans, and national TV shows. The ‘Fire Brent’ bandwagon would have much more legroom on it for those who steadfastly remained on board.
***A close loss would throw some additional dirt on the Sooner brand and it would likely foster a large dose of ‘Oh no, here we go again” for the Sooner fan base. It would also make the Auburn game an absolute must-win. Nationally, a close loss probably wouldn’t be a death blow, depending on how it went down, but it would certainly afford some to take their digs at OU while knowing they will be rewarded with massive engagement. The fire Brent bandwagon would be picking up some additional passengers.
***A decisive loss would be devastating perception-wise for recruiting, fans, and the national media. On the surface, a loss to Michigan is not a fatal blow for the season goals as OU has a schedule with enough marquee games to make up for a loss in September to Michigan, but if there is a blowout on Owen Field, you would lose the fan base and the national media would be ready to throw all the dirt on the casket. It would likely take wins against Auburn and Texas for many in the fan base to get off the ‘Fire Brent’ bandwagon for the time being. However, a blowout loss at home in week two would set Norman ablaze for the most part, and ‘Head Coaching Hotboards” would be all the rage.
The narrative of the story about OU Football, for the first half of the season at the very least, will be set at the conclusion of that game. The results could also turn out to be very consequential to the Brent Venables era at OU because the last thing that OU needs to happen would be a decisive loss in that game.
The Latest | QB Bowe Bentley
– Charlie S – Posted on: February 20, 2025
The Sooners pursuit of QB Bowe Bentley has shown no signs of slowing down.
We can tell you that staff members at other programs have OU out front right now and they believe Bentley ends up in the Sooners class.
Sooners OC Ben Arbuckle continues to push for Bowe and as we reported previously, Bentley’s recent visit to Norman checked off all the boxes for him and his family and we expect multiple return visits, including an OV.
Meanwhile, current OU QB commit Jaden O’Neal is planning on heading east from California and playing his senior season at Mustang, Oklahoma.
Sources tell us O’Neal does not have family or any connection to the state of Oklahoma and the reasoning for the planned move to the state is to be closer to Norman and the football program.
Sources we spoke with recently indicate it’s not certain how O’Neal would truly feel about taking another QB in the class and it may cause problems as I noted HERE.
“I also truly believe that could change at any time and a switch could flip and OU could find themselves with 2 QBs in the class…however long that would last would be the question as Jaden O’Neal would surely take some time to re-evaluate his recruitment.”
It is our belief that the likelihood is that OU would not be able to hold onto both O’Neal and Bentley.
Again, as I stated previously, in any other cycle at any other time, I would already have a trending post in for Bentley to OU. If I were forced to write a trending post today, I would have it at 51.85 to OU for Bentley and that would be with an arrow pointing up.
Sourced Recruiting Notes | Warren, Presley, and Ford
– Charlie S – Posted on: February 20, 2025
A trio of quick recruiting notes for you this fine Thursday morning…
***Spoke to a source in Texas about wide receiver Jayden Warren (Iowa Colony – Rosharon, TX) and was told the Sooners are in a good spot for the 6’2 185 pound pass catcher. Source noted that Warren is a guy who has made a nice connection with Emmett Jones and they expect him to make it to Norman multiple times this spring as well as taking his OV to OU. The Sooners will get his last summer official after he visits Arizona, Houtson, and SMU and maybe one other trip.
*** I spoke to a source about in-state safety Braeden Presley out of Bixby, Oklahoma. Many of you know the build-up story here, as Braeden is the younger brother of Brennan and Braylin Presley, both of whom committed to Oklahoma State out of high school. The source noted that OU has not just opened the door for Presley, but it feels like they are the in-state school of choice right now for Braeden and the family. Thats quite a change compared to the previous Presley boys as OU never really seemed to be able to crack the orange code around the family. Expect Presley to be on campus multiple times this spring along with a potential OV.
***Lastly, I spoke to another source in Texas about Duncanville EDGE KJ Ford. The source said, “He loves Chavis and the Sooners, but he is a Duncanville kid. You know he is gonna take his visits.” So while OU has made a good impression, I would be very cautious about buying into any hype around him and OU right now as there is a long way to go in that recruitment.
