Weekend Open Post | July 11th – 13th
Posted on: July 11, 2025
These Deals Aren’t Likely to Work Next Year
– Super K – Posted on: July 7, 2025
I wanted to remind you of something Charlie reported over two months ago.
Back in early May, Charlie noted the following regarding the eye popping numbers we had heard 2026 5-star OT, Felix Ojo was being offered by Texas Tech (Original Post)…
While the Sooners have been targeting ’26 offensive tackle Felix Ojo (Mansfield Texas – Lake Ridge) for the better part of the last year, sources tell us that the highly coveted OT has been offered an eye-popping NIL deal recently.
Sounds like Texas Tech has set the bar in the pursuit of Ojo, with the largest NIL package we have heard of (well into seven figures) when it comes to high school offensive linemen.
Fast forward a couple of months, and Ojo has indeed committed to Texas Tech.
According ot Matt Zenitz, the three year deal offers him an average of $775,000 per year “with the verbal understanding that Tech renegotiate up to $5 million if things shift back to a Wild West setup.”
This is why the NCAA had to act.
And in my estimation, we will not return to that Wild West situation where an oil tycoon can offer multi millions for a single year transfer (which was beginning to happen).
I think the revenue sharing pot will continue to grow across the board, but that impacts everyone. So ultimately, we are getting back to a place where, as Nagy said, it’s going to be about finding value (we can get into that more in another post).
Even the deal above for Ojo, guaranteeing about 800K for three years for a player who has yet to see the field, is a risk. That’s a decent chunk of your revenue sharing budget, which will now be the primary budget.
This is going to become an even more strategic game than ever.
In the pre-NIL era, a school like Alabama or Georgia could stock the shelves with 5-star. So, if they missed on guys, it didn’t matter. They can’t do that anymore.
But you also can’t just throw money around.
Again, you really have to be good at evals, fit, etc.
I think this will be a far more entertaining and interesting era of CFB.
As for Tech, at nearly 800K per year guaranteed, we’ll see if that bet pays off. If Ojo turns into a guy worth over a million or more, but is locked into this contract, then it’s a potential win for tech. But if he ends up not as advertised, that’s a chunk out of your revenue sharing budget that stays on the books for three years.
The AD Position | Starting With the Obvious
– Charlie S – Posted on: July 7, 2025
With the news out that Sooners athletic director Joe Castiglione plans on retiring during the school year, it is time to start charting the path the Sooners will take in regard to making the next hire for the position.
My first question is: What does the position actually look like? As you know, I have held the belief that the AD position is rapidly becoming antiquated in regard to the way football programs are having to operate in today’s arena. I do not necessarily believe the football program will always fall under the AD’s umbrella, but for the sake of this initial discussion, lets say OU will be hiring an AD to oversee all sports, including football. I am not saying that will be the case at the end of the day, but that is the structure we will work under until it changes.
So one of the options is to hire former OU assistant AD Zac Selmon, who was brought up in the administration at OU under Joe Castiglione. Selmon took the AD job at Mississippi State in 2023, and he still has a lot of friends and fans in Norman. Bringing in Selmon would be pretty seamless, as he is familiar with the strengths and weaknesses at the University of Oklahoma, and he has a ton of connections to the program.
Another option would be to bring in a candidate with no prior affiliation with the university. New blood, if you will. OU could certainly put together an impressive list of candidates, do a thorough search, and choose from a lot of great options.
There are pros and cons to each of the scenarios that will be in play and the current state of the OU football program won’t be lost on the President and the Regents, who will be tasked with making the decision.
With this news coming out today, I hit up James, who is on vacation, and the first name that he thought of, as many in the community did, was Zac Selmon. Is it something that is going to be that simple, or will OU do their due diligence and be open to different candidates in the hopes of finding the best fit for the university in a very volatile time in college athletics?
We will see!
You’re The General Manager | Spend Your NIL Wisely
– Charlie S – Posted on: July 8, 2025
Your turn to play GM. You have Jim Nagy’s job, and you control the NIL purse strings.
Spell out the word CHAMPIONS by choosing among some of the greatest players in Sooner history, along with some of the current players.
The catch is, you have a limited budget.
Create your preferred squad by spending no more than $270.
Spell out CHAMPIONS in your reply, one line at a time, and add the player and $ after the letter.
Remember, you cannot go over your budget!
C – QB: Baker Mayfield ($50) – Kyler Murray ($40) – Dillon Gabriel ($20) – John Mateer ($10)
H – RB: Adrian Peterson ($50) – Joe Mixon ($40) – Samaje Perine ($20) – Jadyn Ott ($10)
A – WR: CeeDee Lamb ($50) – Ryan Broyles ($40) – Marvin Mims ($20) – Deion Burks ($10)
M – TE: Keith Jackson ($50) – Mark Andrews ($40) – Bauer Sharpe ($20) – Jaren Kanak ($10)
P – OL: Trent Williams ($50) – Creed Humphrey ($40) – Anton Harrison ($20) – Jacob Sexton ($10)
I – DL: Tommie Harris ($50) – Gerald McCoy ($40) – Perrion Winfrey ($20) – Jayden Jacksson ($10)
O – LB: Brian Bosworth ($50) – Kenneth Murray ($40) – Danny Stutsman ($20) – Kip Lewis ($10)
N – S: Roy Williams ($50) – Rickey Dixon ($40) – Steven Parker ($20) – Peyton Bowen ($10)
S – CB: Derrick Strait ($50) – Andre Woolfolk ($40) – DJ Graham ($20) – Gentry Williams ($10)
The BV Difference | Sourced
– Super K – Posted on: July 9, 2025
Here is a quick but interesting note I want to pass along. I was recently chatting with James and we were talking about BV officially taking the reins at DC and what difference that might make.
We all know BV is a top notch DC. And, I suppose a lot of folks know that in his first stint at OU his creativity was appreciated.
But James mentioned that a particular source he spoke with said that despite BV having now been in the coaching world for a long time, the biggest surprise for said source is how BV continues to push boundaries and find ways to be innovative and creative on the defensive side of the ball.
Apparently, the source even noted that sometimes folks around BV will shake their heads thinking, this ain’t going to work! And, guess what? It does!
Anyhow, I thought it was pretty neat that despite BV being in the game so long and having so many tools he can rely on, he still seems to be young at heart, trying to find new and creative ways to get an edge.
Sourced Team Notes | July 9th
– Charlie S – Posted on: July 9, 2025
Some sourced team notes to spice up your Wednesday as we start to point the needle toward the weekend…
***Safety Omarion Robinson is a name that has been continually mentioned, since essentially the time he arrived on campus. That noise continues to buzz, and he is having a very impressive summer session, according to sources. I think you can expect to see Robinson skip the red shirt as he likely will figure prominently in the special-teams game at the very least.
***Taylor Wein, again, not a new name from the offseason, but certainly one that continues to be on the tips of many folks tongues as you can hardly have a conversation without sources bringing him up Wein is a guy who source says had come into his own and he is continuing to make a case to have a prominent role on the EDGE this season.
***Courtland Guillory is continuing to impress in both the weight room as well as on the 7v7 scene. Guillory had an impressive spring, and he continues to build on that as he pushes to earn a spot in the rotation at corner.
***Speaking of corner, I know there have been some rumors about Eli Bowen potentially being a concern with respect to his injury that he suffered in the spring. Source tells us that while Eli is not running full speed at this time, they have no real concerns and expect him to be ready to be a full go within fall camp and the season. Again, much like they did with Gentry and Dolby, just handling these guys with some extra care.
***Michael Fasusi and Ryan Fodje continue to earn praise with source saying they haven’t seen those types of athlete come through the OL room straight out of high school very often. Source once again pointed to the mentality of both the freshmen OL and their work ethic. Source also noted their ability to pick up high-level details quickly.
***Sounds like WR Jer’Michael Carter is finding his way and making some gains in regard to building some chemistry with John Mateer. Source says Carter and Mateer have hooked up multiple times of late in 7v7.
***Was told Deion Burks and Isaiah Sategna continue to do their thing and they look ‘game ready’. Source said that when the two of them are on the field at the same time, they become very difficult to defend and account for.
***Source said the running back room is just ‘moving different’ this spring. Sounds like the addition of Ott has provided the room with some of that juice that has been missing in terms of confidence and swag (for lack of a better word). Source noted that ‘They all look really fluid’ and are playing with a lot of energy.
Will have some notes on the trenches down the line.
Sourced | How Other Teams are Affording so Much
– Super K – Posted on: July 10, 2025
As you know, we just recently saw Felix Ojo commit to Texas Tech. With the new rules in place and teams now under the revenue sharing regime, programs have to consider the price tag. There is, effectively, a cap now.
So, when Tech decides to pay nearly a million dollars per year to a player who has yet to prove himself on the field, that’s a sizable chunk of their revenue sharing.
And from that revenue sharing, they have to pay Felix and other players they make promises to, as well as their current group of players…or do they?
I found out why the Sooners seem to be looking so hard for “value” whereas some of the other teams in the area seem to be spending with quite a bit more reckless abandon.
Spoke with a source who told me that in anticipation of the new revenue sharing regime we are under, some teams actually paid off their current rosters’ NIL contracts…for the next two years!
In other words, whatever they were going to owe their current crop of players for next year and the year after, they don’t anymore, as they went ahead and paid those out.
That clears them up to promise much bigger future offers. So, where OU has to consider how much of next year’s revenue sharing budget they will pay to someone on the current roster and whoever they sign in this class, some teams will only have to concern themselves with the latter.
That’s quite an advantage.
Now, mind you, this will only be an advantage for the next two years, but it’s certainly noteworthy and explains part of the reason Nagy is working so obsessively to win the value game.
This was quite a revelation to me. I was perplexed at contracts like that of Ojo’s (and others) just because it seemed too risky to promise that share of future revenue to an unproven commodity.
But this certainly explains it. It made total sense, but I was surprised.
Obviously, there are very few teams that were able to do something like this. But, unfortunately a lot of those teams (and I don’t know all of them) are probably ones OU competes with in recruiting.
Fast Five | John Mateer and What He’s Bringing to the Table
– Charlie S – Posted on: July 10, 2025
I plan on doing several ‘Fast Five’ type breakdowns over the coming weeks which will touch on some positives I see ahead of the 2025 season!
We will start with John Mateer!
1. Proven Performance
Mateer had an outstanding 2024 season at Washington State, throwing for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns while adding 826 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground. That’s a total of 44 touchdowns, which led the country, and showcases his ability to impact games through the air and on the run. With a 64.6% completion rate and efficient play, Mateer has already proven he can deliver big numbers and consistently make plays when it counts.
2. Dual-Threat Capabilities
What sets Mateer apart from most QBs is his versatility. He’s not just a pocket passer, he’s also a legitimate running threat who forced 55 missed tackles and went for two 100-yard rushing games in 2024. This dual-threat capability should add an explosive element to Oklahoma’s offense, keeping defenses on their toes and opening up opportunities for creative playcalling. From what I have seen, he has more moves than Jalen Hurts, kind of more along the lines of a poor mans Kyler (not the insane speed Kyler had, but plenty fast and twitchy).
3. Familiarity with the Offensive System
Mateer brings a built-in advantage to Norman…he’s reuniting with offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and assistant QB coach John Kuceyeski, both of whom he worked for two years at Washington State. This continuity means Mateer already knows the playbook and has hit the ground running without going through the steep learning curve many new quarterbacks face. Arbuckle has also praised Mateer’s football IQ, highlighting his ability to anticipate plays and make smart decisions, which are key traits for success in a complex college offense.
4. Leadership and Team Chemistry
From the moment he arrived at Oklahoma, Mateer has shown leadership that resonates with his teammates. He’s been quick to build relationships, earning their trust to the point where they push him to the front of the line during workouts. His confidence and presence have been described as commanding and engaging, making him a natural fit to lead the Sooners’ offense.
5. Turning Around the Offense
Oklahoma’s offense struggled in 2024, ranking outside the top 100 in total yards per game. Mateer’s arrival, paired with Arbuckle’s system, offers hope for a turnaround. His dynamic skill set and take over of the locker room as a leader has even drawn comparisons to Baker Mayfield, which only fuels the excitement about what he could achieve in Norman.
It Won’t Come Easy
While the hype may be justified, there are challenges ahead. The SEC brings a higher level of competition, with tougher defenses than Mateer faced in his previous conference. His success will also depend on support from his teammates and coaching staff, especially given Oklahoma’s tough 2025 schedule. Still, these hurdles don’t overshadow his potential, they just add some context to his upcoming 2025 season.
Why the Buzz Makes Sense
OU fans should be thrilled about John Mateer because he brings a proven track record, a versatile skill set, system familiarity, strong leadership, and the ability to perform under pressure. He’s a quarterback with the tools to revitalize the Sooners’ offense and make a mark in the SEC. With his talent and drive, Mateer could be the spark Oklahoma needs to return its offense to the upper echelon of college football.
