Weekend Open Post | May 29th – 31st
Posted on: May 29, 2026
In Depth Look At The May 29th – 31st Official Visit Weekend
– Charlie S – Posted on: May 25, 2026
Oklahoma’s first big official visit weekend for the 2027 class on May 29-31 is loaded with priority targets, and the Sooners have a real chance to build momentum with several of them. Here’s more in depth take on where things stand with each visitor heading into the weekend.
The first six names I already noted last week on May 18th HERE.
I added a handful of additional visitors below.
Also, I have not included any of the current commits on this list, will updaate those later this week.
Safety Bode Sparrow
Sparrow feels like the most likely win for Oklahoma right now. The Sooners have done an outstanding job building relationships with the Utah standout, and multiple reports coming out of previous visits have indicated OU sits very high on his list. Brent Venables and the staff clearly see him as a centerpiece type of athlete who could play multiple roles in the secondary or offensively. Oklahoma has momentum here and the official visit could push the Sooners firmly into the driver’s seat. To be honest, I would kind of be surprised if he leaves uncommited.
RB Jakoby Dixon
Dixon may be the next most likely player in this group to eventually end up in Norman. Oklahoma’s offensive staff has prioritized him heavily since the recent offer and the Sooners have surged in this recruitment over the last few weeks. With Ben Arbuckle’s offense and the renewed emphasis on explosive playmakers, Dixon fits exactly what OU wants at running back moving forward. The visit will be important, but OU appears to have positioned itself extremely well early. Same with Sparrow…I could see this one ending on the visit.
CB Brandon Sherrard
Sherrard is one of the more intriguing new defensive back targets on the board and Lamar Morgan’s recruiting presence gives OU a legitimate shot. This recruitment still feels fairly open, though, and the Sooners likely need a standout official visit to separate themselves from the pack. Right now, OU appears firmly in contention but not necessarily leading.
CB Bryce Williams
The Sooners have quietly built some momentum with Williams thanks in large part to Morgan’s longstanding relationship with him. Oklahoma has been aggressive in this recruitment and has done a great job getting face time with the Florida defensive back. This feels like one where OU could be trending upward, and the official visit could potentially move the Sooners into a stronger position.
EDGE Myles Smith
Smith is a national-level EDGE target and Oklahoma made a major impression on him during previous trips to Norman. Miguel Chavis and Venables continue to sell defensive development extremely well, especially with the recent trajectory of OU’s defensive line. The Sooners are firmly in the mix, but this recruitment still feels like a national battle that could go deep into the cycle with programs like Ohio State and others involved. OU absolutely helped itself already, though.
OL Brian Swanson
Swanson is absolutely a take and a want for Bill Bedenbaugh and the Sooners, but this one still feels like an uphill battle. Oklahoma will get its chance to impress during the official visit, though the buzz around his recruitment continues to heavily favor Texas. Unless something dramatically shifts after the trip, the Longhorns still appear to be the team to beat, regardless of how well the visit goes for OU. I question if he even makes the visit to be honest.
***Additional Names Added***
OL Corey Laga
Laga is one of those offensive line prospects that Bill Bedenbaugh will continue to prioritize because of his developmental upside and physical tools. Oklahoma has positioned itself well enough to stay in the conversation, but this recruitment still feels pretty open nationally right now. The Sooners will need to continue stacking visits and building relationships over the next year to truly separate themselves. At the moment, OU appears firmly in the mix but not necessarily the clear favorite.
EDGE Uhila Wolfgramm
Wolfgramm is rapidly becoming one of the hottest EDGE prospects in the West and Oklahoma got involved at the right time. Miguel Chavis has done a strong job here, but this recruitment feels like a battle that could become extremely crowded nationally. BYU and Utah currently appear to have significant momentum due to proximity and long-standing relationships, though Oklahoma has absolutely given itself a real shot by getting in early with the offer and continued communication. The Sooners are a contender, but probably not the leader at this stage. This OV could go a long way to moving OU up the list.
DL Josh Christensen
Christensen is another defensive line target where Oklahoma’s recent defensive identity under Brent Venables works heavily in its favor. The Sooners are recruiting the trenches at an elite level in 2027 and Christensen fits the type of versatile, physical lineman the staff covets. This recruitment still appears to be developing, but Oklahoma has done enough early to place itself squarely in the conversation. The official visit will be important in determining whether OU can elevate itself into true frontrunner status.
DL Yahzeen Zion
Zion is one of the more intriguing defensive tackle prospects on the board because of his size and upside. Oklahoma’s defensive line recruiting momentum nationally gives the Sooners credibility with players like Zion, especially with David Stone, Jayden Jackson, and others helping establish a strong developmental pitch inside. This feels like a recruitment where OU is battling several heavy hitters nationally, but the Sooners have positioned themselves well enough to stay in the thick of it to this point and the hope is that OU can close things on the visit.
CB Gabriel Osborne
Osborne is a massive priority for Oklahoma, and the Sooners are being extremely intentional about keeping room available for him in the class. Being an in-state prospect from Mustang makes this one especially important for Lamar Morgan and the staff. The challenge is that Osborne’s recruitment has exploded nationally with schools like Ohio State, Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M all heavily involved. Still, OU has the advantage of proximity, familiarity, and long-term relationship building. Right now, the Sooners feel very much in contention, and they seemingly sit alone at the top, even if this recruitment likely goes deep into the cycle.
RB TJ Lewis
Lewis is a newer target for Oklahoma, but the Sooners clearly like his physical downhill running style. Deland McCullough has made him a priority as OU reshapes its 2027 running back board. Indiana currently appears to have the early edge, though Oklahoma has positioned itself well enough to stay firmly in the mix. Getting Lewis back to Norman for additional visits will be important moving forward. OU is being very deliberate here with the RBs as their lone current commit, Keldrid Ben, plans on taking a couple other OVs aside from his trip to OU.
Be Objective | SEC vs Everyone
– Super K – Posted on: May 26, 2026
Some of you may have seen the little dust up between Sark and the Tech crowd over some of Sark’s comments about the Big 12 level of competition.
I meant to come back to this topic on the SEC and whether, as many have championed, it is no longer the top conference.
I already noted in a recent post that the SEC NFL draft numbers still clearly tell a story of conference dominance.
But I wanted to give you all a chance to look at the head to head match ups and offer and objective take on the record the SEC would have vs others conferences.
We will look at one through twelve 2025 matchups…
SEC standings
Ole Miss, UGA, TAMU, Alabama, Texas, OU, Vandy, Missouri, Tennessee, LSU, Kentucky, Florida
Let’s match them up against the Big 12 and the Big 10 based on those 2025 standings.
Ole Miss vs. TTU
UGA vs. BYU
TAMU vs. Utah
Alabama vs. Houston
Texas vs. Arizona
OU vs. ASU
Vandy vs. Iowa State
Missouri vs. KSU
Tennessee vs. TCU
LSU vs. Cincinnati
Kentucky vs. Baylor
Florida vs. Kansas
I’ll be honest, I’m hard-pressed to find many wins for the Big 12 here. LSU, Florida and Kentucky muddled through with uncertain coaching situations.
I still make a case for this being a 12-0 SEC run. But if I were going to give the Big 12 some wins, it would be nearer the bottom.
I could at best give the Big 12 maybe 4 wins. Worst case for the Big 12 would be 12-0, best case I could give them 8-4.
What do you all have on this one?
On the SEC vs. the Big 10, I think this is where the SEC having some instability at major programs like LSU and Florida, hurts the SEC. And I don’t think that is going to last. I think that’s the source of a lot of the parity folks are seeing (not to discount the NIL/Revenue Sharing aspect).
Ole Miss vs. Indiana
Have to give this one to Indiana
UGA vs. Ohio State
I’m giving this one to UGA but could go either way
TAMU vs. Oregon
I’m giving this to TAMU just based on the transitive score property (Oregon gets blown out by Indiana in the playoff. Indiana barely beats Miami. Miami barely beats TAMU).
Alabama vs. USC
Giving this one to Alabama
Texas vs. Michigan
Texas gets this one
OU vs. Iowa
OU gets this one
Vandy vs. Washington
I give it to Vandy
Missouri vs. Illinois
I’ll give this one to Illinois. Missouri had too much instability at QB and their run game plays right into Illinois strength. But this game could go either way.
Tennessee vs. Minnesota
I’m giving it to Tennessee
LSU vs. Nebraska
I’d want to give it to Nebraska, but man, even with a stable coach, Nebraska just isn’t it right now. Their QB situation was even worse than LSU’s. I’d probably go LSU here.
Kentucky vs. Northwestern
Not sure so I’ll just give it to Northwestern
Florida vs. UCLA
Both teams were without their coach but Florida showed more upside. I’ll give it to Florida
That puts me at the SEC going something like 9-3 vs the Big 10 or if I stretch it 7-5 at worst. Hard for me to come up with a scenario where the Big 12 comes out on top.
Where are y’all on this one?
Again, I believe NIL/Revenue Sharing is absolutely bringing more parity. But I think once LSU and Florida are stabilized and OU continues to grow, you’ll see the SEC take poll position again.
Even the SEC doesn’t produce THE top ten every year, it’s still hard for me to see it not remaining THE top conference in terms of week-in and week-out play, for a long time.
Recruiting Quick Hitters Ahead of OV Weekend Number One
– Charlie S – Posted on: May 26, 2026
First…
Three rapid-fire notes…
***I think I have been quite clear that I expect RB Jakoby Dixon to be part of the class since the time he was offered. I’m led to believe it would be unlikely that he leaves campus this weekend without publicly committing.
***As you know, I have had Bode Sparrow as the next commit for a while now…I wrote his commit piece back on March 29th, and it is still in drafts.
***Lastly, one guy I have not talked about much is offensive lineman Corey Laga (6’5 250) out of Lemont, Illinois. Had a source bring him up as someone OU has made a tremendous amount of headway on in the past 20 days since his offer went out, and that source would not be surprised at all if he were to pull the trigger to OU and shut things down. We will see.
***On another note, RB TJ Lewis is not going to be in this weekend; he will be in for his OV mid-week next week (along with TE Ben Kolar). I know there is some buzz around him and OU, and while the Sooners have positioned themselves well, I am told OU is not looking to take 3 backs this cycle. If Dixon commits as expected, OU would still host Lewis, but as long as Keldrid Ben is in the class, I am not sure OU will push real hard there. It’s a sticky wicket situation for sure as OU has to recruit both Lewis and Ben still since Ben is indicating he will still visit a couple other schools.
Quick Sourced Injury Updates at WR
– Charlie S – Posted on: May 27, 2026
Spoke to a source today who told me that they expect that Trell Harris, Parker Livingstone and Elijah Thomas will all be ‘good to go’ once summer workouts begin.
Now…we know Brent talked about Stone, Jackson, Blaylock and Robinson being cleared for summer workouts, and while I appreciate that, source also maintains that OU will be cautious with three of the four (Stone is good to go).
As for the wide receivers, it is not real news about Livingstone and Harris, as we saw them return for the spring game, but it is welcome news that they have not had any additional setbacks.
The news on Trell Harris is good, and I asked if this meant he was ‘cleared-cleared’ to do things such as 7v7 and the source indicated that that was his understanding.
Weekend Visitor Notes | First OV Weekend
– Charlie S – Posted on: May 28, 2026
Couple notes to start your morning…
***EDGE Myles Smith was due in…he isn’t gonna make it because he is committing today (Indiana).
***With that in mind, expect OU to push very aggressively for EDGE Uhila Wolfgramm…he will be on campus with a couple other Utahians in OU Commit Krew Jones and OU priority target Bode Sparrow.
***OL Brian Swanson is still expected in…and it is still expected that he commits to Texas per every source I have and now, per James source in Norman. Sooners will likely be a negotiating tool for him when he commits to Texas.
***Some of the commits that will be in town are TE Seneca Driver, DT Elija Harmon, LB Taven Epps, and CB Mikyal Davis.
***Chances are that there will be a guy or two we have not mentioned, but will update when necessary.
Still Recruiting With Integrity | Sourced
– Super K – Posted on: May 28, 2026
Interesting note I came across speaking with an OU source, recently.
Player personnel has always been critical to a team’s success. And you’ll remember the days before revenue sharing, when teams were cut throat and if they didn’t like a player, they’d try to find a way to push them out.
For a long time it was frowned upon but within the past maybe decade or so it became less and less taboo. Side note – you’ll recall the Sooners got Orlando Brown when Tennessee pushed him out at the last minute.
But the revenue sharing world, this is a business and the business of evaluating and reevaluating players is continuous. A staff maybe less inclined to hold on to a player given the more professional/transactional nature of the current relationships.
I asked an OU source about this dynamic and why we don’t really see much “processing”, if any from the OU side. Surely, I thought, they did get their sophomore evaluations right every time.
Source said, the Sooners have a policy from the top to not push any kid out. The Sooners demand loyalty from their commits so they feel it only right and ultimately better business practice to reciprocate that loyalty. It sounds like it’s a moral/ethical issue – at least that was my read. But I also get the sense that the marginal game one might achieve by processing a kid here and there isn’t enough to overcome the benefits of your program’s word being iron clad.
Sooners Softball | 2026 Post-Mortem and How Does OU Right the Ship
– Charlie S – Posted on: May 28, 2026
For all the dominance that has defined Oklahoma softball over the last decade, this season’s ending in the Super Regional round felt jarring because it exposed issues that had quietly lingered beneath the surface all year.
When the moment got biggest, OU never really had its veteran core seize control of the situation.
That was perhaps the most surprising part of the collapse. Championship teams are usually stabilized by older players who settle the dugout, slow the game down, and refocus everyone when pressure starts mounting. Instead, Oklahoma often looked tight, rushed, and emotionally scattered. The Sooners had talented veterans, but very few consistently played with the calm, composed edge that championship softball demands in May.
Ironically, some of the youngest players on the roster looked the least intimidated.
Freshmen like Kendall Wells and Kai Minor competed with freedom. The stage didn’t seem too big for them. They played loose, aggressive, and confident while much of the roster around them appeared to press harder and harder as adversity mounted. That says a lot about their futures, but it also says a lot about where the leadership void existed on this team.
Offensively, OU lived by the long ball all season. The Sooners were explosive during the regular season because they constantly attacked pitches with a swing from the heels mentality. Against average pitching staffs, that approach overwhelmed teams. Mistakes disappeared over the fence.
But postseason softball is different.
Once Oklahoma got deeper into tournament play and started seeing elite pitching every inning, the offense never fully adjusted. The situational hitting disappeared. Too many at bats became home run hunts instead of disciplined postseason at bats designed to create pressure, move runners, and manufacture runs. Great postseason offenses usually shrink the game when pitching tightens up. OU kept trying to hit through it.
That lack of focus extended beyond the batter’s box.
For years, Oklahoma built its dynasty on elite defense and situational awareness as much as offensive firepower. This season, though, defensive lapses showed up in critical moments far too often. Routine plays became adventures. Communication broke down. Big innings snowballed because the Sooners simply were not sharp enough fundamentally in the biggest moments.
The same thing showed up on the bases. Mental mistakes, poor reads, aggressive decisions at the wrong times, all of it pointed back to a team that never consistently played clean, detail oriented softball once postseason pressure intensified.
And then there’s the pitching staff, which probably deserves more context than it will receive nationally.
The absence of pitching coach Jen Rocha during the first half of the season while dealing with health issues cannot be ignored when evaluating the development of this staff. Rocha has been one of the foundational pieces of Oklahoma’s dominance, particularly in developing pitchers mentally and strategically. Losing that daily continuity early in the year likely impacted the growth of the staff more than people outside the program realize.
At the same time, the narrative nationally that Oklahoma simply did not have good enough pitching feels overly simplistic. The Sooners went 20 and 4 in the SEC, the toughest conference in college softball, which proves the staff was at the very least effective enough to win at a championship level for most of the season. Was the pitching always dominant? No. But it was good enough to put Oklahoma in position to win consistently against elite competition.
Still, pitching development clearly needs to improve moving forward. And again, it’s fair to wonder how much of the staff’s ceiling was impacted by the disruption caused during the first half of the season. Oklahoma never quite looked like a staff that fully found its rhythm, roles, or identity after Rocha’s absence, and that may have been something the Sooners simply never fully recovered from by postseason play.
By the postseason, OU had arms capable of competing, but the staff never fully developed the dominant consistency that Oklahoma teams typically possess. Whether it was confidence, sequencing, development, or simply the inability to establish defined roles early enough, the pitching never quite reached the championship standard that became expected in Norman.
It’s also fair to wonder whether Patty Gasso herself was stretched thinner this season than she has been in the past.
Balancing Oklahoma while also spending time with USA Softball is an enormous responsibility for any coach, even one as accomplished as Gasso. Nobody is questioning her commitment to OU, but managing both roles may have contributed to some of the inconsistency seen throughout the season. The program simply never looked as sharp, focused, or buttoned up as vintage Oklahoma teams have historically looked.
Some of that uncertainty showed up in the way the roster was managed throughout the year.
At times, the coaching staff seemed hesitant to fully live with the growing pains that come with playing younger talent in major situations. Instead of consistently allowing freshmen like Allyssa Parker and Lexi McDaniel to learn through mistakes and settle into defined roles, Oklahoma often leaned toward safer veteran options such as Sydney Barker filling in at third base after Nelly McEnroe Marinas went down.
That approach is understandable in the short term, especially for a program chasing championships every season, but it also felt like it prevented some younger players from ever fully establishing rhythm and confidence.
Parker especially seemed to get lost in the shuffle. The need to consistently get her bat and athleticism onto the field never truly materialized because the staff was trying to develop her at so many different spots simultaneously, pitcher, infield, and as a hitter. Instead of allowing her to settle into one clear role and grow through it, she often felt caught between developmental paths. By the postseason, Oklahoma still never seemed fully sure how it wanted to maximize her skill set.
Championship teams usually enter the postseason knowing exactly who they are. This OU team often felt like it was still searching for that answer deep into May.
And honestly, from my own experience coaching high school baseball for many years, team mindset and leadership often matter just as much as raw talent advantages. Obviously, coaching high school baseball is nowhere near the same as coaching Division I softball at the highest level, but team dynamics absolutely carry over across sports and levels.
Some of the tightest teams I ever coached were not necessarily the least talented teams. They were the teams that lacked strong internal leadership. When nobody consistently held teammates accountable or stabilized the dugout emotionally, everyone tended to press harder when adversity showed up. Players tightened up. Mistakes snowballed. Confidence became fragile.
On the other hand, the best teams I coached usually had clear leaders who demanded focus and accountability from their peers without coaches constantly needing to step in. Those teams functioned with far more confidence, consistency, and composure when games got stressful.
That dynamic felt missing from this Oklahoma team at times.
That doesn’t mean the season was a failure. Most programs would celebrate the kind of year Oklahoma had.
But Oklahoma isn’t measured by most program standards anymore.
The Sooners built a dynasty because they combined talent with elite discipline, focus, poise, and situational execution. This team had plenty of talent. What it lacked at times was the mature steadiness that has defined the sport’s great champions.
The encouraging part for Patty Gasso is that the young core appears fearless. Players like Wells and Minor clearly look capable of becoming foundational pieces moving forward. Oklahoma will head into 2027 with more than enough talent to compete for another national championship. The roster will not be the issue.
But if the attention to detail and fundamentals that defined the dynasty years do not return, and if stronger team leadership does not emerge inside the clubhouse, the road back to Oklahoma City and another championship becomes far more difficult. Talent alone is no longer enough at the level OU expects to operate.
This postseason exit should serve as a reminder that Oklahoma softball’s standard was never built solely on hitting bombs. It was built on detail, toughness, composure, and execution under pressure.
This year, when the pressure peaked, those traits simply weren’t there consistently enough.
