Jr Day in Review & Note on Scott Pagano

Yesterday Oklahoma held it's second Junior Day for this cycle and it seemingly went swimmingly.

'18 Offers Extended

DT Jordan Kelly, DE/OLB Iziah Fikikitonga, and CB Starrland Baldwin . I had slotted Kelly and Fikikitonga into my class projection but not Baldwin. Baldwin is a kid with just explosive speed, he's a take at CB and at worst his film shows that he'd be more than capable at feeling an ATH role as a WR/KR.

Building Relationships

Oklahoma uses these events to get prospects and their families in an environment that is friendly, and open for communication. Oklahoma puts out the glitzy trophies and championship rings, coaches sit down and give individual attention. It's really about trying to connect and get a feel for each other because for some this will be the last in person contact until fall. A few others will be able to camp at OU this summer obviously, but got to start these relationships off right

'18 Boom Watch?

If one of the recent offers going to pop, I'm assuming it would be Baldwin or Fikikitonga. I expect Kelly to visit Texas, then take a few days after that.

'19? You kidding me '19

I'm iffy on even getting into this but yes Oklahoma secured two highly ranked '19 WRs this weekend in Theo Wease and Arjei Henderson both are elite players. Feb '19 is a long way off, it's best to think of these two as VIP club members, they're in the club but will club hop (visit other schools) a ton over the next 24 months.


Big Scott Pagano
The public list is trimmed and Oklahoma is a finalist among seven schools. I asked around and  the following is from someone in the know:

"He wants playing time  our depth chart looks good to kid like that. The four-man front is huge here."


 I'll keep nosing around and see if I can get a visit date locked down.

 My added commentary to this: Doesn't hurt OU at all that Oklahoma is the only one on the list with championship goals. Could be huge, but I still think OU will trail an Oregon or Cal but I'd love to be wrong.


Edit: 2/21  There's a report Pagano has scheduled his visit for March 31.  I have no reason to doubt that, but as of this edit I haven't heard that myself. I have however been given the impression Sooners are much bigger players in this thing, than I previously thought..

Feb Recruiting Update '18 ST2k18 - Defense Projection

Yesterday I made my first offensive class projection  so today here comes the defense. My same caveats apply, consider this all in good fun and if you want inside notes you have great options out there. As I said yesterday: Consider this more like a layman recruitniks wishlist

Red = Committed/ Blue =Offered, Projected Verbal  (...) = Other schools in running

DT Calvin Avery (Nebraska) Bobby Brown (A&M) Jordan Kelly (TCU,OSU)
DE Ron Tatum (Alabama,Texas), Miles Emery (Louisville) Jalen Redman (Arkansas),
OLB  Iziah Fikikitonga (TCU)
ILB   Alston Orgi (A&M) DaShaun White (Baylor,Texas,Houston)
CB Jordon Austin  Vernone McKinley (A&M,Alabama, Tech,)
S Josh Proctor (Oklahoma State, Goergia,Arkansas), Cam Jones (UCLA)

Ath/Specialists/MISC: 1-2 TBD


My projected class size for '18 was an ambitious 22-24. i've posted previously on how recruiting classes dwindles, i'm fairly comfortable in this prediction accounting for typical attrition.

Lineman By The Ton:  You typically recruit your juniors, but Oklahoma has switched to incorporating the four man front for one and the fact is as I noted above: attrition will occur. We need to go extremely defensive front heavy this cycle. I feel the staff may even be more likely to allocate scholarships from another position to Juco prospects there as well potentially.  Our scholarship distribution is a mess

Linebacker: We're going to take at least two inside linebackers. Orgi is the primary target, White is likely to get exposure late. Expect more names to emerge. OLB - We may take one, we may take none, I plugged Fikiktonga there because he is a tweener who is currently a DE.

MISC: 1-2 spots to be allocated based on need or held for elite players. I could see an additional outright DE like Miles Emery, (Kansas State,Kansas) for example.

This wishlist and my offensive wishlist will put Oklahoma in the 22-24 range, which I think is likely. As I said yesterday, I will do several of these over the offseason: Don't take this as gospel. Always tip your waitress

Feb Recruiting Update '18 ST2k18 - Offense Projection

I projected class need  and now I'll move forward with some sure to be wrong predictions for the offensive class

just go ahead and accept that

Oklahoma will sign a strong offensive class,but the bulk of the impressive athletes will come from the trenches.. My prediction for the rest of the class will be relatively "weak:" relative to the OL class and  when compared to the skill position talent SoonerSquad17. That's to be expected. 

Now before we get started: Don't take this as gospel: Subscribe to your recruiting site of choice and listen to those guys, or save your sanity and check back in late January 2018

This is just a recruitnik projections based on today .unless i say otherwise in a particular instance (aka "according to sources). Think of it as a rolling projection I'll do periodically in the offseason.

Red = Committed/ Blue =Offered, Projected Verbal  (...) = Other schools in running

QB- Cam Rising

RB- TJ Pledger -( Nebraska & USC) & Mychale Salahuddin - (Penn State Maryland, UVA)

Flexback/TE -  TBD

OT - Brey Walker   Anthony Mckinney (Iowa State) 

IOL- Curtis Dunlap (Florida/Miami)

WR -    Sean Shaw Jr (Kansas, Kansas State SMU) Drake Stoops (Iowa State, SMU)

Notes:

I believe OU ends up with another interior OL type. Bedenbaugh likes tweener type OT/OG (see OU offer Will Lawrence in Tennessee as an example)

Flexback/FB/TE It's quite possible Oklahoma doesn't take a Flexback this season for one but I think simply having offers out to some that fit the mold means one will make themselves known at some point this cycle  

The WR spot is iffy to me, at the time of this writing neither Shaw Jr or Stoops have offers, but are the type of recruits who'll end up at OU this cycle in my opinion. I also think C.J. Moore will be an instate WR to watch as we get into this summer and fall. If we do land an out of state WR I would think it would just be one between Eagle, Bush and Wells. but I just don't expect it after last years haul

Tomorrow: Defensive Projection and a look ahead to Jr Day

Well that wasn't fun tbh

Well that happened, it's not fun to lose an athlete that caliber but as i've written before is the nature of college football recruiting. The class will move forward to national signing day and will in all likelihood still finish with a consensus Top 10 class. 

You can't be mad about playes flipping, you just can't. Oklahoma is still trying to flip others as I type this out over my coffee (Sorry to ruin the illusion,this is all pre-wrote I can't just pump out this high quality content in minutes) 

It does seem unwise to choose Ed Ogeron and his career 22 wins as a headcoach over Bob Stoops but  at the end of the day you got to let the kid live. Phillips is a special talent and should do big things. Don't be an ass to him on social media either, if you want to yell at somebody go look at @dog_rates for like three minutes and I promise you it won't matter

Oklahoma is still taking in an elite class for the first time in years and ELEVEN of them are already on campus and will go through spring ball. I get tired of the sky is falling routine when a situation arises like this because it seem we forget/write off/discount the hay that is already in the barn.Draper,Gumbs,Murray are also blue chip prospects at linebacker. Phillips, as good as he isn't going to be the difference in Oklahoma winning a national title or not.  I'm not ignoring that top ranked classes are important, but I am saying people losing their minds over one kid isn't the best use of ones time.

The main problem with being Recruitniks is some take this too personally believing any flip is an affront on your Alma-Mater or your fandom, folks got to get out of that mindset. The healthiest way to follow  recruiting is #1 Don't or #2 View it as Stocks. You don't take stock loses personally, you know the market ebbs and flows, You're aware of the risk. 

Six days till National Signing Day.

Replacing Perine and Mixon

Rodney Anderson RS Soph

6'1 205

four* recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout

Injured previous two seasons 

Also offered by Texas A&M

Abdul Adams: Sophomore

5'10 205

four* recruit by Scout and Rivals and a three* recruit by ESPN and 247Sports

Also Offered by Alabama, Michigan

Played in 7 games in 2016 in mop up duty ran for 283 yards

Marcelias Sutton: Juco Jr

5'9 198

3* recruit by all services

Also Offered by NC State

Honarable Mention Juco All American

Kennedy Brooks: Freshman

6'0 197

4* All Services

Also Offered by Arkansas, Michigan, Texas A&M

Career: 885 carries, 7,658 yards and 96 touchdowns.

Numerous HS Awards etc,

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/dfwvarsity/prep-football/article122412444.html#storylink=cpy

Trey Sermon: Freshman

6'0 200

4* All Services

Also Offered by: Arkansa, Georgia, Auburn, Alabama

The departure of Perine and Mixon was expected by most and Oklahoma did a great job recruiting options to fill that void.  Simply understand that this will be running back by committee next year until a few people separate themselves from the pack

Sugar Bowl Reaction & Final 2016 thoughts

I let the post win the euphoria pass and  watched the game again to see how I felt about the game. 

My concern going into the game was physical  line play and the seemingly constant missed tackles from the defense would allow for Auburn to control the game. I don't think you'll find many Oklahoma fans who weren't concerned about that, and after Auburn's opening drive many had a "Here we go again" vibe. Rewatching the first drive, Oklahoma was just as physical as Auburn from the outset but was misaligned. Physicality on defense wasn't a problem, and after the initial opening drive the defense played outstanding. 

Offensively for the Sooners it took the bulk of the first quarter for Oklahoma to adjust to the defensive line speed of Auburn but they settled in and by the end of the middle of the second quarter my confidence had soared

Lincoln called a fantastic game, Auburn keyed so heavily on Westbrook and his motion that Lincoln was able to set up the tone for the second half of the game. Baker Mayfield and his ability to move sound and evade tackles is almost unfair and directly lead to the first score. Joe Mixon was the best athlete on the field and Perine straight up bodied SEC linebackers in pass protection.

This game was over after the first set of scripted plays Aubun ran was over. Sean White, left the game with a broken forearm but his skill set wasn't going to keep Auburn in this game either. Give a ton of credit to Mike Stoops, Tim Kish, Thibs etc they had the defensive front seven ready to ride. The defensive secondary knew they weren't going to be tested very much but did perform adequately when it was attempted. 

There really isn't much else to say at this point.  Auburn's offense was hapless, and it's defense was worn out by misdirection.  It was a good win for Oklahoma and helps cement momentum for this recruiting class and likely helps the ball rolling for the 2018 recruiting  crop. Winning Sugar Bowls is never a bad thing, 

Scattered Thoughts

Caleb Kelly introduced himself to the world on the big stage,

 Jordan Evans probably engineered the best 2nd half of season turn around ever

 Perine breaks the career rushing record and  stiff armed a kid into the underworld while doing so

Andrews being healthy was a major key in this game, 

Mead will be a NFL WR if he has 10 games like this one next year

Commentators should commentate on the game.

The OL/DL do not get enough love on social media for their performance. 

Final 2016 Thoughts

11-2 with ten straight wins is nice

Going undefeated in conference play should be talked about more as being a big deal

Big 12 salvaged its rep in Bowl season, thanks to our orange half brother and Bill Snyder

Lincoln Riley is that good

Mike Stoops lives and thrives on our hate

Samaje was too humble for his own good.