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From Texas

@Bryan Clinton and I answer a few questions as we wrap up spring football coverage:

Christen Miller is entering the portal. I know everyone wants D. Williams but if this guy does hit the portal, he needs to move to the top of the list as it pertains to priorities at DT. He is a sophomore with playing experience that comes from a program that knows what it takes be successful.

BD or PT are we really expecting KA'MORI MOORE to stay committed. Seeing that Mozee is committed to Oregon is it a matter of time before KM is gone? Is there even a relationship with LSN and the elder Mozee or does the OU staff feel used? By that I mean in the sense the I feel like all the stuff Mozee did with OU was to get his players exposure. When does OU consider that bridge burn down? It better be, we can't trust a thing that guy says because ACTIONS ALWAYS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS!

Who’s the better DB & why?

Sooners' CB Jasiah Wagoner will enter the transfer portal... this is a true casualty of incredibly competitive depth in the secondary for Oklahoma, and Wagoner will be a steal for a DB-needy program.

My wife and I are coming to town for the Houston game. We would like to do some country line dancing. We are from California and are looking forward to going to some real country dancing. Any suggestions? TIA

GET HIM ON THE ROSTER NOW

Who is up watching the playoff game tonight?

Thunder up by 13 at the half

I tried to watch the game last night and it doesn’t show to be on demand anymore. Checked again this morning and it’s still not there. Anyone know why they removed it? It was there at 6:30 yesterday, but it’s no longer available.

Pretty cool deal. See his relationship with Coach Bates and how technical Stone is about everything. You also get to see why everyone gravitates to him. Always has great energy and a smile on his face.

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FUTURE QB

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Well…

"I think the next two weeks are really gonna tell us a big story.”

Early Butkus Candidate

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Apparently ATM Center Bryce Foster is no longer on their roster. Anyone have the background? And he can also play Guard.

https://aggieswire.usatoday.com/202...orian-hinton-texas-aggies-football-mike-elko/

UPDATE:

Now that Williams is officially in the portal, I can tell you that he is expected to be in Norman this weekend for a visit.

Obviously, that bodes super well for the Sooners as he was a name that has been linked to the portal, with rumors of wanting to be in Norman, for some time.

We are working on more info, but wanted that note up as soon as Williams hit the portal officially.

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TCU DT Damonic Williams isn’t in the portal ‘yet,’ but sources I speak with say OU is waiting for his arrival into the portal and the expectation is that contact will be made.

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From there, we will wait and see but the longstanding rumors of Williams’ interest in the Sooners dates back to the winter transfer portal window.

We will update as we get more, but news should start to flow once Williams is officially in the portal.

As always, stay tuned.

Any interest on OUs side here?

So... I'm playing catch-up here, as I've been knee-deep in writing a feature story for most of the day, but I'm told OU is in good shape here. Obviously, our recruiting director Adam Gorney just reported that Lole will be in Norman this weekend. Working to get additional details as to whether OU would still take Lole if they get Philip Blidi, but obviously LSU is heavy in the mix for Blidi as well.

Lole is 6-foot-3, 310 pounds and coming off a season in which he posted 19 tackles (5 for loss), 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a pair of pass breakups. In addition to Lole and Blidi, also visiting OU this weekend is former SMU center Branson Hickman, who could be a valuable pickup given the Sooners' current lack of depth at Hickman's position.

Brent and staff have done a great job with the limited talent they had . Only 1 player projected in the first round ( Guyton) and one player in the 3rd or 4th rounds . For comparison texas has 6 projected in the first 2 rounds alone . Heck ,Kansas and WV have more players projected in the top 100 picks than OU .
Am sure next year OU will have plenty more in the next draft .
Go Sooners

Update 7:25 PM

*** Not the news you want to hear, but OU has Damonic Williams on campus Friday afternoon to Sunday around 4 PM, but at the end of the day, the transfer target left without committing.

They did tell OU on Saturday night the visits were taking place no matter what, but in the NIL era there was hope OU could completely shut that down with a huge NIL package that dwarfed what we had heard from other programs.

Unfortunately, that didn’t work and Williams and his people have gone silent on me today (at least at time of update), but I’m told momma and Williams himself absolutely loved Oklahoma.

What stinks — and at the same time is very telling, in my opinion — is that the schools he’s visiting have changed a few times. Now, I’m hearing TX, Oregon and A&M as the places he will visit. I will work to reconfirm that, but multiple sources said that to me tonight already.

Edit (8:01 PM): Williams called me and we spoke. I’m at the Thunder game with family, but OU set the bar. Their plan was to visit teams no matter what and go through the process, so as much as this doesn’t look bad, it’s not completely over. Just makes it much more of a bear to win, obviously.

The teams he will visit are now TX, Missouri, Oregon and LSU. He did not say A&M. Just want to make that clear. Said he had “3 or 4” visits left. We will see how far into the process he makes it, but said a week after visits are finished (in next two weeks total) a decision will be made.

I’ll have quotes later. (End Edit: 8:01).

Obviously that doesn’t sound too good, but if OU is still willing to be in the ballpark, or exceed others, when it finally does become decision time for Williams, who knows how this turns out? Just not something I hold my breath with at this point.

On a good note, I do think OU is going to be tough to beat with DT transfer Jermayne Lole. So going 2 for 3 this weekend is a win, but at the same time it’s tough to hear you didn’t close on the biggest name of them all.

Lastly, what I can say with confidence on Williams is that OU is not short-changing on the NIL front. They put out a very, very substantial NIL package that was more than generous, per multiple sources. However, in our first report we said sources around him made a point to state that he didn’t go through the process much out of HS and that was big for him to do so this time around. Seems they are holding true on that.

More on this as I get it. What I have heard so far. Stay tuned.



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*** Start with the big one in Damonic Williams. As of this second, he is still in Norman and going over things with the staff at the Switzer Center. I’m told they went out this morning for breakfast with the staff and have watched film.

The final pitches (that includes NIL pitches and working to get Williams in the fold) will be made before he leaves and one can expect a decision on whether or not he will take the visit to Texas at that time (it may happen, but no final decision has been made just yet). We will update you, though, IF the visit to Texas is to take place. Obviously, if it does things will get much harder on the Williams’ front.

As a source said today, Williams is a special talent and one that I’ve been told “OU will try and out NIL everyone else for him. Some positions and players are worth going all-in with it and Williams is one of those.”

Everyone has their price, but will OU be able to close this one down and not let him leave Norman without signing? That’s what we are watching closely. Very closely.

I will talk with Williams’ people sometime today and work on notes so stay tuned (no promise on update time with wife and I anniversary today).

*** Really like where things stand with SMU transfer center Branson Hickman. This one is all but trending toward the Sooners, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see some good news pop in the next 24-48 hrs if things keep moving the way they have.

*** Lastly, Louisville transfer DT Jermayne Lole has “loved every minute of his time,” per a source. So much like Hickman, this feels like it’s OU’s to lose and one would surmise a decision is forthcoming.

Now, if something was to change on the Lole or Hickman fronts, we will assuredly update you all as expediently as possible. That said, I’m not hearing much that makes me think that will be the case, but stay tuned on OUinsider just in case.

All in all, great weekend for OU. Just have to close the deal with Damonic Williams and it becomes a weekend to remember.

Honestly not even mad if we offered him 7 figures. That’s plenty of money for a kid of his talent. That’s a dumb overpay to pay much more than that i think. Dude wasn’t going to take us to a national championship. I like this team a lot this year

*** Parker and I have been talking with people regarding Williams for the last 24 hours. One thing we have both come to understand is that "money and NIL won't be the issue" in how OU is dealing with Williams. Multiple sources said that the Sooners "aren't going to lose out on Williams because of NIL."

I don't think you can take literal, but the sources we talked with are saying that OU -- much like with five-star OL Michael Fasusi or post player Brandon Garrison -- won't be short on what they offer in NIL, and to be honest, it will be "very substantial."

Now, that doesn't mean that OU will have the highest bid. There are rumors of some crazy numbers being offered to transfers this spring. But again, OU will make a very, very, very good offer to Williams.

So first and foremost we wanted to get that out of the way for those thinking NIL would be an issue here and OU won't play ball. A better analogy would be thinking of the David Stone recruitment.

*** Secondly, there is some strong confidence in the Sooners' chances here. Again, not saying that OU is the only school that he will visit, with Williams potentially visiting Texas, Oregon and Colorado this week. But what sources told me (that are directly involved on the Williams' side of things), this decision will come down to (obviously) NIL and who can best develop Williams into the best NFL prospect.

A source last night, that is in Williams' camp, told me, "OU was the first team that came to mind because of Todd Bates and the fact people around Williams know offensive coordinator Seth Littrell so well," the source said. "We want to see the defenses, how he will be used and developed on and off the field." The NIL portion always seem to go without saying regarding transfer targets.

*** Third, Williams will be in Norman on Friday and won't leave until Sunday, according to a source on Williams' side. That multiple day visit is different than what others will get, I am told. IF the visit to Texas takes place, it will be on Tuesday. IF the Oregon visit takes place, it will be on "Wednesday or Thursday." And Colorado didn't have a day set up yet, per the source LAST NIGHT. I am still checking on that for sure, but I think a lot things will depend on how the visit in Norman goes this weekend.

*** Regardless of how things go, the source also told me that a decision will be made soon, adding, "Damonic [Williams] didn't get to have a huge recruitment out of high school, so he may want to go through the process," the source said. "But no matter what it will be quick. We want this over and done within a week or so."

*** All in all, fans should feel good about the Sooners' chances, but also have some levity in how they look at it. We all know NIL changes how things go. Someone could come in and offer an insane number and make it very difficult to turn away. And normally, I would say that is a deal-breaker with OU. I just don't think that is here for a number of reasons. One being with a source on OU side of things saying, "If you get Williams, that opens up so much for everyone on the defense. Especially when you add him to what (OU) already has at DT. That type of guy isn't in the portal often."

*** Lastly, as I typed this, you all probably saw that transfer DL Phillip Blidi just announced that he isn't visiting OU anymore. That in itself should also make the Sooners Nation feel good, if you're reading between the lines. Still, OU has to close the deal, but as things stand right now, we like OU's chances and will update you all as the visit moves along -- whether good or bad news.

So far, it's trending really well for OU with the former freshman All-American and All-Big 12 DT... Stay tuned.


Side Note: I still think OU wants to take two DT if they can. Right now, if the Sooners can hit 2/2 and add Jermayne Lole and Williams, you just made the Sooners' DL go from good to dang near great. When is the last time you can say that? And even if you go 1/2, you have made the DL much better, so this weekend is a win-win as long you get one.

But you want both -- obviously.