Manukainiu (6-foot-6, 256 pounds) is OU’s 14th commitment for the class of 2012 and the sixth from Texas. He’s also the second defensive end to pledge to the Sooners, joining Baltimore City College High’s Charles Tepper.

Manukainiu chose the Sooners over Baylor. He also had offers from Arkansas, Miami and Nebraska, among others.

Sooners freshman offensive lineman Nila Kasitati is also a Euless Trinity product. The Sooners are also recruiting linebacker Brian Nance from the school. Nance is likely to take an official visit to Norman later this season.

Here’s Manukainiu’s junior highlights:

“Any suggestion whatsoever that out conference is being predatory, that’s just wrong,” Scott said, according to The Associated Press. “We have not had expansion as an initiative, as an agenda for us at all. So to the extent, if there were any conversations going on, you can be sure they’re not the ones we initiated.”

OU president David Boren said Friday that the Sooners weren’t going to be a “wallflower” when it comes to conference realignment.

Scott would not comment on any specific schools that have reached out to the conference.

At the OSU game tonight, Cowboys booster Boone Pickens addressed the conference situation: OSU booster Boone Pickens: We’re looking for another team or we’re moving west

-Ryan Aber

Stills was arrested for DUI in January and indicated on Twitter earlier this week that he would miss the game.

The sophomore started all 14 games as a freshman last year, catching 61 passes for 786 yards and five TDs.

Linebacker Tony Jefferson, who was arrested for interference with an arrest at the time of Stills’ arrest, is on the field participating in pregame drills.

-Ryan Aber

OU commit Ty Darlington, a center from Apopka, Fla., was named the top player on the latest update of the Orlando Sentinel’s Central Florida Super 60 list:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/recruiting/os-recruiting-ty-darlington-top-prospect-2012-0814,0,4940284.story

Darlington, who committed to the Sooners in June, isn’t only a standout on the field but in the classroom as well.

The last time he got a B in a class was in elementary school and he’s got a chance to be the valedictorian of his class.

His dad, Rick, is his high school coach and his mom, Shelly, was an OU cheerleader in the 1980s.

With Ben Habern entering his junior season at center, having started 24 games there over the last two years, Darlington figures to have another year to develop after arriving in Norman.

]]> http://blog.newsok.com/ou/2010/08/11/video-freshman-tony-jefferson-talks-about-his-experience-at-ou/feed/ 0 http://blog.newsok.com/ou/2010/02/05/former-sooner-raiding-oklahoma/ http://blog.newsok.com/ou/2010/02/05/former-sooner-raiding-oklahoma/#comments Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:35:34 +0000 Jake Trotter http://blog.newsok.com/ou/?p=2359 Defensive tackle Calvin Barnett, a player Rivals.com tabbed as the best in Oklahoma, spurned Oklahoma State on signing day for Arkansas.

His recruiter? Former Oklahoma quarterback Garrick McGee, now the offensive coordinator for the Razorbacks under Bobby Petrino. McGee, a graduate of high school football powerhouse Booker T. Washington in Tulsa, helped the Hogs grab give of the top 35 recruits in Oklahoma. The five were as many as Arkansas signed from in-state.

From the Arkansas News:
“One of the things when I first got the job that was important to me was to try to get Garrick down here,” Petrino said Wednesday. “He can walk in there and basically knows just about everybody in the city of Tulsa and that certainly helps.”

McGee also corralled former OU commit Jarrett Lake, a linebacker from Jenks in Tulsa. If his comments on Wednesday are any indication, his impact in the Sooner State could only widen.

“I’m going to try to branch out this year and get into Oklahoma City,” McGee said. “Get on the other side of the state and get us some kids from that side of the state.”

The first 4,000 fans will receive a Blake Griffin poster, and the first 2,000 fans will receive a scratch card. Of the 2,000, 100 will feature Griffin’s logo and give the recipient access to a private, postgame meet-and-greet with Griffin.

Each fan at the meet-and-greet will receive an autograph, a photo, and a Blake Griffin hat. Here’s a video of Griffin talking about designing his new hat.

At halftime, Griffin will be presented with the NCAA Sportsmanship Award and serve as honorary shot coach for a fan who will attempt a half-court shot for $10,000.

Griffin won every major national player of the year award as a sophomore in 2008-09, averaging 22.7 points and 14.4 rebounds, which led the nation. He was selected No. 1 overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in June’s NBA Draft.

Griffin played during the preseason, but has missed all of this season with a knee injury.

Oklahoma has yet to announce the dates of its 2010 non-conference schedule, but it will also host Air Force and Utah State. The Sooners lone road game before conference play will be a trip to Cincinnati to face the Bearcats.

Here’s how the conference schedule looks for 2010:
Oct. 2 – Texas (Dallas)
Oct. 9 – OFF
Oct. 16 – Iowa State
Oct. 23 – at Missouri
Oct. 30 – Colorado
Nov. 6 – at Texas A&M
Nov. 13 – Texas Tech
Nov. 20- at Baylor
Nov. 26 or 27 – at OSU