I can confirm, via sources (and their Twitter) that OU has hired former Tennessee offensive analyst Jack Lowary and former Texas A&M QB graduate assistant Ty Hatcher to help in the QB room.

Lowary knows the Sooners’ offense with Tennessee running the same offense as OU under Josh Heupel. And Hatcher is a fast-rising, young coach that I’m told a lot of people are excited about his addition inside the Switzer Center.

Obviously, both will work under co-OC and QB coach Seth Littrell.

There is potentially one more analyst spot, but it will hinge on if Matt Wells takes a job as a position, coordinator or head coach this off-season.

After a slow start to the year, the Oklahoma running back room finished on a high note. However, the group wasn't without its disappointments. Let's take a look at Demarco Murray's group in our 2023 season review. https://oklahoma.rivals.com/news/ou-2023-season-review-running-backs

Good news

Next years team will be a remnant of this years team. The fact that so many kids left the program already is a reality check for the future of college football in Oklahoma. Loyalty is good up until the point a better offer comes along. The fan base needs to get used to the use the idea the dudes in Crimson and Cream are independent free agents/hired guns. The highest bidders wins the day in the new college football landscape. Enjoy the ride one year at a time because every year will bring new defections along with desperate attempts to fill the holes left behind.

The potential is off the charts based on what we saw in the bowl game. Once he gets his timing with his receivers down such that he can make anticipation throws throwing before the receiver makes his cut, he will be deadly. He can then get the ball out in under 3 seconds. Defensively we return 9 starters. Receiver room is stacked. Sawchuck is a difference maker. The O line has experienced replacements from the portal. The incoming class is superb! I am excited for this upcoming season.

As we'd reported a while back, the PWO opportunity at OU was always going to be hard for Malaska (a native of the OKC area) to turn down. He's now committed. Story here.

easy call for him on our stock up report as the practice week wraps up for UA All-America

Seems like OU could use a LT. LSU fans say that he is talented but think he is transferring because he couldn’t make the starting rotation. So not sure if he is a cultural fit and if OU is willing to pay to land him. I wonder if they will at least kick the tires here. Big position of need.

Worrisome how much he wanted to throw… looking like a true air raid guy.

I'm in Morman and wanted to see the new bar Brandon and Parker held recruiting show

CB Jocelyn Malaska from Utah. And…Woodi Washington stays put.

Party is over Shorthorns. Washington Michigan a better match up anyways.

Horns Down. 🤣

HAPPY NEW YEAR, INSIDERS!

*** As you all have seen, Baylor TE Jake Roberts has entered the transfer portal. This is something we hinted at on podcasts and lives saying OU likely wasn’t done at the position and that them looking to add another TE would come in the spring.

I said that because there had been buzz from some strong sources that Jake Roberts was looking to potentially enter the portal at some point. That time is obviously now, and with his relationship with former UNT head coach, and now Sooners OC, Seth Littrell, there is some strong indication that you all should, at the very least, expect OU to target Roberts.

I’ll go even further and say that as things stand today it would be surprising if OU wasn’t where the elder Roberts ended up. Obviously, there are zero guarantees here, but let’s just say there is reason to feel that way early on, according to sources.

*** That brings us to 2025 Washington (OK) four-star TE Nate Roberts. He is the brother of the aforementioned Jake Roberts, and there has been some around Columbus (OH) that feel the Buckeyes lead for the OKPreps four-star.

Now, we have never gone along with that line of thinking because of what you see in the above note with his brother, Jake. If the elder Roberts does head back home to the Norman area.

Yes, the Roberts have family in the Columbus (OH) area, and Nate Roberts is slated to visit the Buckeyes later this month, but I don’t expect a decision made anytime soon. As a matter of fact, I’m hearing exactly what our Parker Thune reported the other day, with Roberts looking to take visits through the spring before a decision is made.

As for the Sooners’ chances, I continue to really like where Joe Jon Finley and Seth Littrell stand at this moment. I also expect Roberts to visit for the Sooners JR Day the last weekend of this month ( will put date out when allowed). The JR Day is expected to be a big one with tons of big-time visitors in town in the 2025 and 2026 classes.

Ohio State is the big contender the Sooners have to hold off, but if his older brother does in fact transfer to OU, I think that moves OU in an even harder position for the Buckeyes to overcome when it comes to their chances with the four-star TE.

*** Quick note on transfer QB Casey Thompson. I’m told things continue to move in a way the Sooners like, but it’s a bit stalled with the holidays and the university not opening back up until January 2nd.

At that point, we should see things move a bit more quickly with Thompson and others so that’s something we will update you all on. Especially if things were to go side ways (something we don’t expect at this point).

That said, Thompson and OU continue to communicate and things are looking good for the two to merge in the near future.

More updates as we get them on all topics in the latest Drumm Beat.

Yeah... just in a mood... The whole NIL discussion and the impact it is having on college football made me start thinking about college endowments.

IF universities where allowed to use their endowments, the IVY league could rule college football. Before anyone has any logical response. Yeah... I know... Just venting into the ether

I'm the president of Harvard. I structure my NIL like this. I pay $1 million a year for each recruiting star. For example, you are a 3 star, you get $3m a year. A 5 start gets $5M a year. Let's take this bag drop to the extreme. If I average 4 stars across my roster... Okay, I'm out $340M a year.... but recruiting just got a lot easier

Future Top 5 Poll and their endowments:
1. Harvard $50.9B
2. Yale 41.4B
3 Stanford $36.3B <--- Heck, they already have a team, might get there quicker
4. Princeton $35.1B
5. MIT: $24.6B (personal note... still pissed at them for not accepting me... I think they are banned from my scheme)

BONUS: #7 in the endowments.... Texas A&M at $17.2B. But would still struggle to do better then 7-5

GO PILGRIMS!!!!!!!

In an interview on KREF with our very own Parker Thune, Malaska discussed his relationship with Jay Valai, his path to becoming a football player and why he's returned to his home state.

You are actual morons if you freak out about this game. Sorry that your personal lives suck, but this isn’t the same OU team that played a few weeks ago and it won’t be the same OU team that plays next season.

P.S. you aren’t quirky for hating on a team you’re a “fan” of. Do the grownups a favor and touch grass.

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Four-star OL signee Eugene Brooks has a case as the player of the week in the trenches, as he's been nothing short of dominant no matter who he's lined up against. He hasn't lost a 1v1 rep over the last two days, and he's gone up against some pretty impressive competition (including four-star Texas A&M signee Dealyn Evans). Brooks is one of the shorter offensive linemen at the event, as he's legitimately no taller than 6-foot-3. But he's virtually immovable once he anchors, and his sheer strength enables him to stop an opponent dead in his tracks. In speaking to a well-placed source on the Oklahoma side, I'm told the staff expects Brooks to contend for early playing time. And after his performance the last couple of days, I'm fully sold on the Las Vegas native cracking the two-deep in year one. If there's an offensive line signee that makes an impact from the jump, I think it's Brooks or Eddy Pierre-Louis.

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Not to be overshadowed by his future compatriot in crimson, Daniel Akinkunmi continued to impress on Day 2 of full-speed practice sessions. He hasn't won every rep thus far, but he's won the majority, and he hasn't been beaten badly when he has lost one. Several other very good linemen, such as four-star Texas Tech signee Ellis Davis and four-star Texas signee Daniel Cruz, have been repeatedly exposed by a strong crop of defensive ends and tackles. One might well have figured Akinkunmi would experience a few learning moments, but he's consistently proven that he's up to snuff against the nation's best

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There are only three five-star defensive linemen in Orlando for the week in Stone, Missouri signee Williams Nwaneri and South Carolina signee Dylan Stewart. The only one of the three who has truly and unambiguously lived up to the five-star billing is Stone, who's absolutely thrashed his man on numerous occasions in 1v1's. He's heavy-handed, quick and all-out nasty. Stewart has had his moments and Nwaneri is very evidently having a tough time adjusting to the level of competition so far, but Stone's two years at IMG seem to have prepared him well for the challenge of matching up with the country's best trench warriors. Oregon signee JacQawn McRoy won a rep against him, as did Clemson signee Elyjah Thurmon, but neither player successfully stood Stone up. They simply held off his pursuit long enough to fairly claim a victory. We have yet to see an offensive lineman keep Stone from driving his way into the backfield in 1v1's (he torched Cruz on multiple occasions and bull-rushed Thurmon halfway to Tampa on one rep), and he's been a menace in team sessions as well. It's not a novel observation, but this week's showing has driven the reality home: Stone is ready-made for the SEC and should have an instant impact next year. I don't think it's out of the question that he could push to start alongside Da'Jon Terry with an impressive fall camp.

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Hardy has had his ups and downs, as he picked off a pass in the team session on Sunday but lost several 1v1 coverage reps on Monday. All in all, it hasn't necessarily been a standout effort for the four-star safety, but he's also the type of player whom I would expect to shine more in the actual game than the practice sessions. It's tough for any defensive back to consistently win reps against the receivers when there's no clock on the quarterback, so Hardy wasn't any worse off today than his peers in that department. But I do get the sense his kamikaze nature will enable him to make a memorable play or two come the game on Thursday. He's highly instinctual, and that quality manifests most conspicuously in 11-on-11 action.

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It's been kind of a frustrating week to watch Mitchell, as he hasn't really been given consistent opportunities to shine as a pass-catcher. The majority of his reps in team sessions have come as a blocker, and he didn't get the chance to run 1v1's with the skill guys earlier today. Moreover, the quarterback group here in Orlando has collectively been mediocre, so even when Mitchell has run routes, he hasn't always been rewarded with on-target passes. This is an event that generally showcases receivers more so than running backs and tight ends, so I frankly wouldn't expect Mitchell to make any hot lists as one of the week's top performers. I don't imagine he'll get enough targets to justify that distinction. But for what it's worth, he did send Twitter into a tizzy yesterday when he rag-dolled Texas signee Jordon Johnson-Rubell before hauling in a long pass. So that's something. Mitchell has also thrown the horns down at pretty much every camera pointed his way this week, man of the people that he is.

Need to get in on this guy

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On ESPN is very entertaining. Do yourself a favor and watch it, especially if you watched the Boz play at OU and Seattle.

Would it be possible for us to get an early “primary” targets list by position some time soon for 2025? I know that BD created the

2025 Recruiting Thread: Post Offers, Tweets, Etc.​

thread, but nothing seems to really be popping off over in there. No rush obviously but just curious if this is a possibility? @Brandon Drumm @Parker Thune

Riley

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— A couple sources expressed some brief concern that Zion Ragins might re-open his recruitment after Jeff Lebby's departure, but I held off on saying anything in the moment, largely because Emmett Jones is Emmett Jones. And because Emmett Jones is Emmett Jones, I've been told that everything has been quickly stabilized with Ragins. A well-placed source on the recruitment told me that Oklahoma is "not worried at all. [The] relationship is solid." Jones made it an immediate priority to reach out to Ragins, and it sounds like his proactive approach has helped calm the waters entirely. When I asked Ragins if Lebby's departure had him feeling any different about OU, his response was, "No, sir. Not at all."

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— Want a fun little bombshell, albeit one that might add up to nothing in the end? I'm told Oklahoma has re-engaged with Brayden Platt, and that the four-star linebacker has been "very responsive." I'll hold out on touting the Sooners' chances at a flip unless they can get him back to campus, but it's an intriguing development. Oklahoma was the runner-up for his services, ultimately losing out to Oregon over the summer for the Yelm (Wash.) star.

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— Yes, Oklahoma will pursue Raleek Brown, who was committed to the Sooners for several months in 2021 before following Lincoln Riley to USC. Will the Sooners end up a major player for Brown? It's too early to say, and the former five-star is sure to have no shortage of options. But the familiarity with Oklahoma should at least give the Sooners a leg to stand on. He's dynamite with the ball in his hands.

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— I was a HUGE fan of Jocelyn Malaska as a high school prospect, and he's now entering the transfer portal after two years at Utah. He's the older brother of 2026 cornerback Evenson Malaska, who already holds an OU offer. I can say with a degree of authority that if OU decided to move here (and I'm not sure yet whether that will be the case), he would jump at the opportunity to be a Sooner. I know for a fact that Oklahoma will be in the market for a cornerback via the portal, and last night in the transfer thread, I posted an interesting nugget about a starting SEC corner that could be looking for a new home this offseason. If that particular player enters the portal, Oklahoma would be his preferred destination, and that's obviously all I can say for right now on the matter. Admittedly, Malaska has yet to play meaningful time at Utah, so it would be a bit of a flier (i.e. Tyler Guyton and Kani Walker in 2022) if the Sooners did decide to move on him. But that's definitely a name to file away.

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— Here's a bonus nugget. I expect the Sooners to look to the portal to fill Dozie Ezukanma's spot, but if they do decide to make a late run at a high school receiver, Josiah Martin is one to watch. He's visited OU on multiple occasions already, and is a former high school teammate of Jackson Arnold. The Sooners toyed with offering him this spring, but although Emmett Jones was sold on Martin, Jeff Lebby was not. Now that Lebby is obviously no longer in the picture, I can see a world in which OU circles back around here.

PT/BD - is Tony Grimes a portal target that they've made contact with?