Recruiting: Bryant a Sooner
By Jake Trotter
Four-star junior-college linebacker J.R. Bryant committed to Oklahoma moments ago.
Bryant will have a chance to start right away with the departure of starters Lewis Baker and Curtis Lofton.
Bryant makes 20 verbal commitments for a Sooner class that keeps getting better as signing day nears.
Links: Julio Jones hubbub, recruiting tidbits
* There was quite a kerfluffle about blue chip Julio Jones’ visit to Florida. He’s at OU this weekend. Here’s a take from his home state of Alabama.
* Bob Stoops has some face time at Butte Junior College.,
* More on Jermie Calhoun, OU’s big RB pick up.
* OU wrestler Josh Weitzel is fired up.
* Wichita star Bryce Brown speaks.
Recruiting: More on the Julio Jones saga
By Jake Trotter
The Julio Jones sweepstakes keeps getting more and more intense. The Gainesville Sun first reported today that Julio Jones had been recruiting for OU on his Florida visit and got sent home early for it.
The Sun, however, printed this retraction later this afternoon….
http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20080124/NEWS/945006662/1016
Recruiting: 3 ‘Bama blue chippers to come to Norman
By Jake Trotter
NORMAN — Sooner fans might want to steer clear of Alabama for a while.
Three of the nation’s top football recruits, all from Alabama are scheduled to visit Norman this weekend, according to SoonerScoop.com.
That includes five-star receiver Julio Jones (Foley, Ala.), five-star athlete Burton Scott (Prichard, Ala.) and four-star defensive back Robert Lester (Foley, Ala.), the latter two having already verbally committed to the Crimson Tide.
Jones is considered to be the top wide receiver prospect in the country.
Scott, the No. 28-ranked player in the nation according to Rivals.com, could play either slot receiver or cornerback in college.
Lester, high school teammates with Jones, will probably play safety.
OU already has the No. 7-ranked recruiting class in the nation according to Rivals after nabbing three top-100 payers in the last three weeks.
Overall, the Sooners have commitments from seven top-100 recruits.
Wednesday’s links: Recruiting buzz and props for Griffin
Good afternoon. Here are some OU-related links to chew on. (Just hit the new Chipotle in Edmond. Good stuff.) - Mike Koehler
* A look around the Big 12 recruiting buzz.
* The Sporting News looks at how Taylor Griffin is rescuing the Sooners.
* Another award for Adrian Peterson.
* Blogger looks ahead to the 2008 Sooner season.
* Five-star defensive end for 2009 likes OU.
* Texas Tech women talk Paris twins.
* How about ranking the Top 200 NFL prospects?
Recruiting: Gooden to Mizzou
Safety Zaviar Gooden, of Pflugerville, Texas, has commited to Missouri. Gooden was considering the Sooners as well as Oklahoma State, but decided to be a Tiger after his visit to Columbia.
Also, OU’s other safety target, Victor Johnson of Waco, apparently has commited to OSU.
– By Jake Trotter
Men’s basketball: Willie Warren… he’s good
I was in Crowley, Texas, Tuesday night to watch Oklahoma signee Willie Warren and his North Crowley Panthers — who, by the way, are 26-1 and ranked second in 5A — and I got to see something I haven’t seen in two years covering OU.
A 100-point game.
I don’t mean that as a knock against OU’s inability to score 100 in a game, but as a compliment to North Crowley’s talent and their ability to put up 100 points in a 32-minute game. Impressive.
Warren scored 30 with ease and NC routed Fort Worth Paschal 108-70.
For those unfamiliar with Warren, I’ll be writing about him for Thursday’s paper. But here’s the basic info: Willie is a 6-foot-3 combo guard with a strong body and great quickness. He’s rated by most recruiting services as one of the top 25 players in the country. HoopScoopOnline ranks him No. 6 among high school seniors (not including prep school guys).
Warren didn’t play much point guard in Tuesday’s win, but he hit five 3-pointers and got into the lane effectively off the dribble.
And he would’ve had the play of the night had his teammate been able to finish off Warren’s assist midway through the fourth quarter.
Warren was leading a 3-on-3 fast break. He was going slightly to his left as he crossed the 3-point line at the top of the key when he threw a left-handed (he’s a righty) bounce pass between his legs — in traffic — to his teammate who was cutting toward the basket.
The pass hit him at the chest in stride and he went up for a layup — which was blocked.
Still, it was an impressive showing and he’s an interesting kid. Look for more in Thursday’s paper.
– Scott Wright
Recruiting: 5-star to visit?
According to SoonerScoop.com, five-star slot receiver Burton Scott, who is committed to Alabama, apparently wants to visit Norman this weekend with buddy Julio Jones.
But do the Sooners want him? Scott reportedly hasn’t heard from the OU coaches yet. One reason is that Scott could spend the whole visit to Norman trying to convince Jones to commit to Alabama, too.
OU will need to confirm that Scott is truly interested in being a Sooner and that his intenions are honest.
– Jake Trotter
Links: Recruiting tidbits, AD and more mock drafts
Good Tuesday morning everybody. Here’s some rockin’ links, including a slew of mock NFL drafts.
* Sooners still chasing a Texas Tech-committed lineman.
* Assorted recruiting notes from SoonerScoop. Julio Jones in this weekend.
* Really interesting look at how recruiting class rankings compare to team rankings. Good work, Sunday morning QB.
* Great video and blog from the Houston Chron talking to Jim Brown and Adrian Peterson.
* First, Rivals checks in with its mock draft which has Reggie Smith going at No. 10?!?
* How about Malcolm Kelly in the first round to the Eagles?
* Buffalo Bills fans debate Limas Sweed vs. Malcolm Kelly.
* Quick quiz: How many Sooners in this year’s Super Bowl? Answer here.
* Another draft has Reggie going to the Texans.
Recruiting: OU’s latest targets
By Blake Jackson
The silver lining in Oklahoma losing juniors Malcolm Kelly, Curtis Lofton and Reggie Smith to the NFL Draft is that OU coaching staff now has three extra scholarships to offer this recruiting season.
With 19 verbal commitments already in the bank and Signing Day less than three weeks away, here’s a quick glance at the Sooners’ top remaining targets:
Julio Jones, WR, 6-4, 215, Foley, Ala.
Jones is an unmatched physical specimen, the nation’s No. 1 wideout and No. 4 player overall according to Rivals.com. Commitments from Jameel Owens and Josh Jarboe have eased Kelly’s loss. A commitment from Jones would help make folks forget the lanky kid from Longview.
Jones will be on an official visit in Norman this weekend. He has one other trip — Feb. 1 to Texas Tech — before Signing Day.
J.R. Bryant, LB, 6-3, 230, Garden City, Kan.
Oklahoma holds just two commitments at linebacker, one of its thinnest positions heading into next season. Adding Bryant — a junior college transfer — would allow the Sooners to plug-and-play a college-ready body alongside Ryan Reynolds.
At this point, Bryant favors OU. But he’s received increased recruiting pressure down the stretch from Oklahoma State and Texas Tech.
Victor Johnson, DB, 6-0, 170, Waco, Texas
Of Oklahoma’s three official visitors this past weekend, only Johnson opted to delay his commitment. The four-star defensive back has narrowed his list from eight down to OU and OSU.
Fans could be looking at a Signing Day decision from one of the top defensive players remaining on the board.
Lamar Harris, ATH, 6-2, 180, Gilmer, Texas
Harris has been committed to Texas A&M since March. Until December, he’d been at odds with his teammate and best friend Justin Johnson — a 2008 Sooner commit.
But Dennis Franchione’s ouster and Mike Sherman’s hiring has shaken the four-star athlete’s status. Now, Oklahoma is making its move. Harris will be in Norman on an official visit this weekend.
D’Anton Lynn, S, 6-1, 180, Celina, Texas
According to a report on SoonerScoop.com, Bob Stoops and Bobby Jack Wright visited Lynn at his house in Celina last week, signaling the Sooners’ reemergence in the race for this three-star prospect.
Lynn — a Penn State commit since November — said his outlook on Oklahoma improved when Reggie Smith declared for the NFL Draft. The late courtship could mean a shift from Nittany Lion blue to Sooner crimson come Feb. 6.
Zaviar Gooden, S, 6-2, 195, Pflugerville, Texas
Oklahoma hasn’t yet offered Gooden a scholarship. It has offered him an official visit to Norman this weekend.
Gooden just returned from a visit to Missouri and, according to Rivals.com, the Tigers are leading the pack to land him. But an offer from OU this week could make things interesting.
Freddie Smooth, OT, 6-5, 300, Baton Rouge, La.
Phil Loadholt and Duke Robinson surprised some folks when they elected to return to Oklahoma for their senior seasons rather than enter the NFL Draft. That gives the Sooners one more year of an experienced front before it’s time to reload.
Smooth doesn’t come with the fanfare of a Ben Habern or Stephen Good, but his size has drawn Oklahoma into a tight race with Auburn for Smooth’s services.
