Sooners announce full schedule
CAMPUS CORNER — As we suspected, the wait for the rest of OU’s 2012 football schedule was a short one.
No surprises, based on Tuesday’s information: At UTEP on Sept. 1 and hosting Florida A&M in the Sept. 8 home opener. Notre Dame was already set for Oct. 27.
“We have a philosophy of playing a challenging schedule on a yearly basis that puts our team in the best possible situation to make a run at a championship,” OU coach Bob Stoops said. “I know that Joe Castiglione puts our program’s best interests at the forefront when scheduling our opponents and it shows with the quality of teams on our schedule. We look forward to another challenging year and hope our fans reflect the excitement we have for this year’s schedule.”
Did UTEP and Florida A&M really merit that sort of statement? Or something more like “Joe did the best he could with a bad situation …”
Here’s the schedule, in full:
Sept. 1 — At UTEP
Sept. 8 — Florida A&M
Sept. 15 — BYE
Sept. 22 — Kansas State
Sept. 29 — BYE
Oct. 6 — at Texas Tech
Oct. 13 — Texas (Dallas)
Oct. 20 — Kansas
Oct. 27 — Notre Dame
Nov. 3 — at Iowa State
Nov. 10 — Baylor
Nov. 17 — at West Virginia
Nov. 24 — Oklahoma State
Dec. 1 — at TCU
That is one strange-looking schedules, with one legitimate game and two weeks off in September and then a terribly challenging three-game finish. I know fans are clamoring to have, say, the Kansas game moved up, to allow for some wiggle room in the latter weeks. As it is, OU would play nine games in nine weeks to finish the season.
= Trav
Rattlers of Florida A&M likely headed to Owen Field on Sept. 8
CAMPUS CORNER — Add this to your schedule intel from today: Florida A&M will likely fulfill the FCS role in the fall.
My friend Coley Harvey at the Orlando Sentinel saw something today indicating OU and FAMU will get together Sept. 8 at Owen Field. I see no reason at all to doubt it — especially considering I first heard the Rattlers as an option early this morning. (I inserted FAMU as a possibility in our web story when the Big 12 schedule was released.)
Let’s hope they bring the band. (Coley reminded me a hazing scandal currently has the band in timeout.)
The schedule is quickly coming together. I can’t imagine why OU would wait too, too long beyond today to release its three non-conference games, one of which we know for sure and two that seem all but officially set.
= Trav
Hearts on fire: Big 12 schedule released on V-Day
CAMPUS CORNER — West Virginia moved this morning to officially join the Big 12 for the 2012 season and then, boom, the Big 12 released its football schedule.
Here is what Oklahoma is looking at this fall:
Sept. 22 – Kansas State in Big 12 opener
Oct. 6 – at Texas Tech
Oct. 13 – Texas (in Dallas)
Oct. 20 – Kansas
Nov. 3 – at Iowa State
Nov. 10 – Baylor
Nov. 17 – at West Virginia
Nov. 24 – Oklahoma State
Dec. 1 – at TCU
What immediately struck me: That’s quite the finish, with at West Virginia, OSU and at TCU in consecutive weeks down the stretch. I was really under the impression that West Virginia would be the conference opener, in September. I gather that might have been something that changed in the final models. If I’m OU, I would have wanted to go to Morgantown in September rather than November. Never know what you’ll get there late in the year.
Where’s the break: There’s only one gap in the conference schedule, and it’s Oct. 27 – the date of the Notre Dame game. A lot of fans are already asking me if there’s any wiggle room in this, and I doubt it, considering the Big 12 really did not want to move games after the release of the schedule.
What’s next: OU says the non-conference part of the schedule will be released “at a later date,” but there is reason to believe this might not be too far behind. The Oct. 27 home game against Notre Dame is set. UTEP is the discussed Sept. 1 opener, and then an FCS school is expected to fill the other date, either Sept. 8 or 15. But having all of early September open does leave as many options as possible for Joe Castiglione and the school.
= Trav
Big 12 source: schedule “getting close” but not done
CAMPUS CORNER — Perhaps the idea of the Big 12 schedule coming out today was merely wishful thinking on the part of Texas Tech AD Kirby Hocutt.
Someone within the league told me this morning that officials are “getting close,” but they’re still not quite there. So maybe West Virginia’s legal matters with the Big East are not fully resolved — or at least as far along as Hocutt thinks they are. Can’t blame Hocutt for his optimism, but it sounds as if there’s a good chance the wait continues into next week.
Again, on OU’s front, the Sooners are essentially set on their pair of open non-conference dates — it’s just a matter of the Big 12 schedule coming out first, before those are truly finalized. And maybe there’s still wiggle room to keep OU-Texas on Oct. 6, but, at last check, it sounded as if it was going back a week to Oct. 13.
= Trav
Texas Tech AD: Expect Big 12 schedule on Friday
THE HI-NOTES
* Big 12 schedule coming Friday, Texas Tech’s Kirby Hocutt says
* Source: OU has its two vacant non-conference dates all but finalized
* Expectation is that OU-Texas will be Oct. 13, a week later than originally scheduled
CAMPUS CORNER — Texas Tech Kirby Hocutt was gathered in front of media types Thursday to talk about renovations to the school’s baseball stadium. The conversation inevitably turned toward football — and football scheduling.
Hocutt, sounding relieved, said to expect the Big 12 football schedule Friday. As in tomorrow. (At least we think he meant tomorrow. He just said Friday.)
Hocutt said changes were being adopted and discussed even as late as Wednesday night. But school officials, you can tell, have been getting closer and closer to releasing this. As we reported earlier in the week, interim league commish Chuck Neinas said TV execs received the tentative schedule last week, in time for the Feb. 1 deadline.
It could not be publicly released then because of West Virginia’s legal entanglements, but most parties felt as if the Mountaineers — at some cost — would be coming west in 2012. I’m not even sure if two schedules were actually developed. (That’ll be a good question, in hindsight.)
Sounds as if West Virginia has its issues with the Big East essentially settled. Remember that Feb. 9 — today — was the initial mediation date.
As far as OU is concerned, I’m told the pair of vacant non-conference opponents — Notre Dame has been set for years — are all but set. One is done, I’m told. The other’s finalization is dependent on the release of the Big 12 schedule. But they’re in place. I know, I know … you all want to know who the teams are — and where. Soon.
I can tell you it looks like the Red River game will be moved back a week, to Oct. 13. That’s still in the framework of the fair, but someone mentioned it’s Austin City Limits weekend in Austin, which I’m sure will disappoint some — mostly on the UT side of the rivalry.
We’ll be monitoring all of this tomorrow and in the next week, as it’s released.
= Trav
Report: Florida State contacts OU re: 2012 football game
CAMPUS CORNER — Just saw a report in the Orlando Sentinel from my buddy Coley Harvey that Florida State has reached out to, among other teams, Oklahoma to fill a void in its 2012 football schedule.
Wouldn’t that be interesting, a Stoops family homecoming? Get Ron Jr. and Youngstown State down here for some sort of jamboree, maybe?
Hypothetically, the teams would continue their home-and-home series with another round. OU clobbered the Seminoles here in 2010 and escaped with a 10-point victory in Tallahassee this past fall.
The Sooners want to build a formidable non-conference schedule, sure, but Notre Dame and Florida State? That might be a bit much, even if there would be plethora of Stoopses.
The Seminoles are suddenly in the market for a game because West Virginia dropped them earlier in the day Saturday. Let’s take that as an indication that the move to the Big 12 is likely, with the Mountaineers dumbing down their schedule since the conference season would be much more difficult than the Big East.
WVU’s move is what’s holding up the release of the Big 12 schedule. Some TV execs might have been given the tentative schedule, but no info will be divulged until the Mountaineers get things settled with the Big East.
Sept. 8 is the date FSU is eyeing, for what that’s worth. The only date OU has said it doesn’t want to touch is the Oct. 27 Notre Dame game.
Note, too, that the ‘Noles have spoken with Rutgers officials. That’s a school OU AD Joe Castiglione has spoken with, potentially for a neutral site game in the Meadowlands. If FSU snatches the Knights up first, I highly doubt they’d want to play both teams.
= Trav
Summing up Sooners’ signing day
CAMPUS CORNER — Much appreciation to Bob Stoops and his staff for having signing day virtually completed by noon local time.
I think they’re done, although some fans are already chattering that the Sooners have a chance with Davonte Neal. It would be a big surprise, at this point. I know Tim Kish has that connection with Neal, from Phoenix, but I would be surprised if he wound up somewhere other than Ohio State. Neal is expected to sign in the next couple of weeks. He’s working on his own timeline, which is fine. If it starts to heat up with him in February, we’ll let you know.
But let’s talk about who is here, so to speak.
The themes …
** JUCO
It’s what jumps out first, to me. I’ll find this out this afternoon, but this has to be a new record for junior college players in the Stoops era. Right? Maybe not. I know the Josh Heupel class leaned heavily on them, as well. But doesn’t that indicate where OU is right now? It needs immediate help, because of transfers and others who did not work out.
I remember Stoops telling us after the bowl game that OU rarely goes after junior college players, but it typically gets good ones when it does. Not sure all of these signees will be stars, but I’ll be two-thirds are. My guesses on top contributors … latter three over the former three. Look for good things from Will Latu, Courtney Gardner and Damien Williams. Not to say the other trio will not help, but the last three could make the bigger splash in 2012.
** National reach
I haven’t been here long, but this has to be the fewest Texas commitments/signees in a while. OU has a total of five from the Lone Star State, not counting the early enrollees (Trey Metoyer, Jordan Wade). That’s two offensive linemen, John Michael McGee and Kyle Marrs. Marrs’ fellow San Antonio native Trevor Knight is another. Cornerback signee Zack Sanchez, from Keller, is the another. Athlete Daniel Brooks, from Port Lavaca, is the other. There will be a tug of war over where Brooks will play. Corner would be the most likely place he’ll land; he could return, as well.
Here’s the state breakdown of this class, geographically: California (3), Florida (4), Kansas, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio (2), Nevada, Oklahoma (3), Pennsylvania, Texas (7).
What’s the tell ya? It’s an evolving approach at OU. Two more kids (originally) from San Diego, continuing that pipeline.
** Filling the needs
While the guys on ESPNU are talking ad nauseum about the SEC and Southern Cal and Notre Dame, Oklahoma very quietly got what it needed out of this class (though, I guess we’ll have to wait and see if that’s true, to some extent). I think the Sooners signed so many receivers and tight ends – and even a couple of running backs – that it figured all won’t pan out, but some really will in a big way. And, with the JUCO players, the wait might be shorter.
** Best on the board: WR Durron Neal. That’s why we wrote about him today. He seems to think he’s underrated; we don’t, and I know OU doesn’t. His impact could be somewhere between Kenny Stills and Kameel Jackson in their first years.
** Most underrated: CB Gary Simon. If everyone’s calling you underrated, are you really underrated? Still, Simon is a middle-level recruit, according to those scouting services, so we’ll deem him under the radar. Simon could develop into an all-conference kind of player, if things shake out right. Simon and Sanchez signing smoothed over the losses of De’Vante Harris and Kevin Peterson.
** Most surprising: Nothing’s really come out of left field, really. The Sooners got the players this week that they were after. They recognized a while back, I feel like, that players such as Dorial Green-Beckham, Nelson Agholor, Zach Banner weren’t coming, so they focused on guys who were seriously considering OU.
** Don’t forget about: Metoyer. He was highly regarded in the last class, and he won’t be talked about much today because of the receivers who signed. But he’s big (6-2, 198) and should make the biggest impact of any of the new receivers.
= Trav
Noon update: Sooners close class with JUCO RB Williams
CAMPUS CORNER — Oklahoma finished its 2012 recruiting class the way it started it, by signing a pair of junior college players.
The additions of receiver Courtney Gardner of Sierra College in California and running back Damien Williams of Arizona Western brought the Sooners’ total to 25 signees. Only Florida tight end Laith Harlow‘s is outstanding. Harlow is recovering from a back injury.
The athleticism of Gardner and Williams has been very highly regarded. Both have good size for their respective positions. Gardner is 6 foot 3 and 215 pounds. Williams is 6 foot 1 and 215 pounds.
The players become the fifth and sixth junior college players in the class. They join defensive back Kass Everett, tight end Brannon Green and defensive end Chaz Nelson, who all enrolled in January. This week, offensive lineman Will Latu committed, before Gardner and Williams’ decision.
ESPN reporter that Gardner, originally pledged to Arkansas, committed Tuesday night to the Sooners. Williams was choosing between OU, Texas Tech and Arizona State.
= Trav
10:30 a.m. update: Sooners snag WR Gardner
CAMPUS CORNER — There aren’t many big signing-day ceremonies for junior college transfers, but that did not reduce the impact this morning of Courtney Gardner‘s decision to join the Sooners.
The receiver from Sierra College in Rocklin, Calif., sent in his LOI to OU at 10:22 a.m. He had committed to Arkansas in December, but the Sooners felt more and more as if he was leaning their way. Turns out he was. It’s a good signing-day get for OU. Arkansas was already dealing with the top-ranked receiver, Dorial Green-Beckham, choosing Missouri over it.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Gardner joins a loaded WR class for OU. Seventeen letters are in today (not counting the players who enrolled in January), and four are from receivers. Derrick Woods, though, could wind up playing defense. Sterling Shepard and Durron Neal are the others. Neal’s letter was the first in this morning, at 7:01 a.m.
Twenty-three total letters are in, leaving only a couple out there – a couple of Florida prospects, TE Laith Harlow and LB Eric Striker. They’re thought to be firm commitments. The only other prospect that OU is really in the mix with is Arizona JUCO RB Damien Williams, who will choose between Texas Tech and the Sooners.
Curious to hear Bob Stoops later today about the JUCO aspect of this class. It’s rare OU would lean this heavily on that route, but it could turn out to be very productive in the near future, this year and next.
= Trav
From NT: Transferring OU TE speaks
Former OU tight end Austin Haywood
CAMPUS CORNER — Some good stuff in this story about Austin Haywood from the Norman Transcript.
Of particular interest to me, though you had to read a ways to find it, was Haywood accepting blame for how things turned out at OU.
“The main reason was I wasn’t doing what I was supposed to do,” Haywood said. “I just had a bad attitude about things. It was my fault it didn’t work out.”
It’s nice to hear young people – heck, anyone – taking responsibility. We reported that, as a final straw, Haywood got into a shouting match with his position coach, Bruce Kittle. He left the team, attempted to come back and then ultimately told us he was heading to Central Arkansas.
I thought the Central Arkansas coach’s comment about what happened at OU was interesting, also.
“It was addressed directly,” Clint Conque said. “We are all human. We all make mistakes. But we live in a society of second opportunities. But his situation at Oklahoma was addressed directly.”
Tight end already would have been a recruiting priority for the Sooners, who lost James Hanna and Trent Ratterree to graduation, but Haywood’s departure made it an even bigger need. Freshman Taylor McNamara, who was cleared Wednesday for enrollment, is expected to help, as is JUCO transfer Brannon Green. OU is still targeting other tight ends, both in the 2012 and 2013 classes.
= Trav
