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Let’s start with Landon Rink, who was in Aggieland the last two days and had a heck of a time — a good enough time, in fact, that his recruitment has now been shut down. He’ll commit on April 3 and I have entered a FutureCast in favor of Texas A&M. If it is any consolation, I will tell you all that Oklahoma was VERY aggressive with Rink on the NIL front. In fact, the Sooners were so aggressive that some might even have considered their NIL offer a bit too generous for a player of Rink’s caliber. Todd Bates wanted Rink badly, and that was reflected in the way he pursued the blue-chip DL. But the Aggies appear poised to close the deal here.

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With Rink effectively off the board, I would expect Oklahoma to turn up the heat on Floyd Boucard, who is already very high on the Sooners’ board as things stand. There is a belief in the Switzer Center that Boucard could shut things down on his June 14-16 official visit, but June is admittedly a long way off and the three-star Floridian has recently picked up a bevy of impressive offers. Even so, I would consider the Sooners to be the leader in that recruitment right now — and I also expect them to get a little more serious in the coming days with three-star California native Josiah Sharma, who quietly picked up an offer several weeks back. Sharma’s name is certainly one to file away. And OU remains in the catbird seat for four-star Jersey product Kole Briehler.

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Caught up with three-star OL Antoni Ogumoro last night. He will OV to Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kansas State and Missouri prior to his May 21 commitment. He hasn’t finalized a date with OU, but is actively in the process of doing so (i.e., that visit may be set as early as today). As of now, the Sooners are in the best spot, but if anybody spoils the party, I expect it to be the Vols. They have strong relationships with Ogumoro that are a bit more deeply rooted than the bonds between Ogumoro and Oklahoma. Even so, the Sooners’ overall program culture spoke volumes to Ogumoro and his family when they visited earlier this month. I like my FutureCast to Oklahoma for the moment.

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For those on the Dakotah Terrell hype train, you’ll be glad to know that the three-star TE from Pocola (Okla.) will be on campus later this week to watch practice. The Sooners will probably want to see him work out before they offer him, as there are some concerns in the building about the 6-foot-8 converted hooper’s frame. But if things continue to stagnate with Linkon Cure and Nate Roberts ends up picking Ohio State, the likelihood of Terrell picking up the offer certainly increases (with the obvious prerequisite that he passes the eye test in camp). I’ll reiterate, though: it’s not automatic that he’ll get an offer if the Sooners have to go further down the board at tight end, a la Witt Edwards. And another expected practice visitor for Oklahoma this week is four-star 2026 OL Grant Wise, a native of Florida. The Sooners will get the chance to make a strong early impression with him.

I’m guessing since he commits in a week it’s A$m?

Wrote a little about Sexton embracing a leadership role, Da'Jon Terry's return and Jacob Lacey staying involved with the program.

*** Spoke with people that know Indiana DT Phillip Bildi recently. They told me that Bildi and DT coach Todd Bates had spoken quite a bit and the two “hit it off.”

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Source told me, “He wants development. He is trying to get ready for the NFL and provide for his family. He knows Coach Bates gets guys drafted and has some of the best DL in the NFL already.”

*** Bildi and I have briefly exchanged texts and told OUinsider that he was “highly interested in OU and can’t wait to visit Norman.”

*** That visit will take place on April 19th. The same weekend as the Sooners’ spring game. So OU is swinging to land Bildi and he may not be the only DL Oklahoma goes after, or takes this spring.



*** For now, OU is the final OV for Bildi. His others are Zona and Washington in the two weekends prior to OU official.

After dropping back-to-back games versus the Mountaineers on Saturday, the No. 25 Sooners rebounded versus Oral Roberts on Tuesday night.

OU got started early and never looked back in this one. After allowing no runs in the first inning, the Sooners' bats started the game on fire. With RBIs coming from Anthony Mackenzie and Jackson Nicklaus in the bottom of the first, Oklahoma quickly found themselves up 3-0 after one.

Grant Stevens got the nod to start on the mound and the lefty made the most of it. After six innings pitched, Stevens racked up four strikeouts and impressively only gave up two hits. Reid Hensley took over and never looked back as he iced out the game allowing zero hits as well.

With a big seventh-inning by the OU offense, the game ended as a run-rule after an Easton Carmichael RBI pushed the lead to 10-0.

In this outing, the Sooners recorded an impressive 15 hits in only seven innings. Next up for the Sooners will be Lamar on Thursday night.

Again, this should reinforce the reality that things are headed in the right direction here.

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I’m glad she pitching for us! I’ve noticed more teams are hitting her hard? Is she hurt something changed any ideas?? Seems to be throwing less rose balls is she hurt?

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— Let’s start with Linkon Cure, whose recruitment has gotten a lot more complex as of late. I wouldn’t use the word “weird” just yet, but when I talked to Cure today, he was floating the possibility of visiting Stanford, which goes to show you that it’s not nearly as simple as it once seemed. A month ago, I would have told you (and I’m fairly sure I did) that it was K-State, then Oklahoma, then everybody else. I still believe that to be the case, as do sources from both the OU side and the Sunflower State side, but I’m a little thrown off by the fact that he’s mapping out a throng of visits to other schools. He’s locked in spring trips to Kansas, Oregon, Penn State and Kansas State. That Stanford trip is a possibility. And as for Oklahoma, he hasn’t finalized his next visit, but mentioned to me that it’s on his radar.

The word from the Switzer Center is that the Sooners are going to get Cure back to town at least two more times before he commits, and I can tell you all that Cure and his family have resolved to take a full slate of OV’s before a commitment. Do multiple OU visits actually occur before Cure’s decision? I can’t say. But again, I’ll reiterate that there are sources outside Norman that maintain Oklahoma is sitting No. 2 right now. I’ll obviously keep tabs on this one, but just be aware that this is poised to last longer than anyone initially anticipated. For my money, I think that bodes well for OU and everyone not named Kansas State. The longer this drags out, the more likely it is — in my estimation, at least — that Cure goes out of state, a la the Michael Boganowski recruitment.

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— Caught up with Nate Roberts and his folks today in Houston. I’ll say this much: my gut isn’t 100 percent accurate, but I’ve ignored it enough times (i.e., the Williams Nwaneri and Xadavien Sims fiascos) to know that it’s usually pointing me in the right direction. I’ve just got a positive gut feeling about Roberts. And for the moment, that’s about all there is to work with. Not much has changed, and not much will change, until his OV’s roll around. He’s done a zillion interviews this spring and is frankly tired of the media attention; in fact, he joked with me that “it’s all the same sh*t” with each interview he does. So while there’s nothing particularly novel to report on Roberts, keep in mind: 1) his family is very pro-OU and thrilled to have his older brother Jake in Norman, 2) distance was a contributing factor to his Notre Dame decommitment, and 3) he’ll be on campus a lot for the remainder of the calendar year. It's also a good sign that he's playing 7-on-7 ball with Sooner7. Saying no to Oklahoma is going to be hard to do. It won’t be impossible, but it’ll be hard to do. For the time being, I’m willing to stick with my prediction that Roberts and DaSaahn Brame are the two tight ends that wind up in OU’s class.

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— I know there are a few on this board that really like Demarius Robinson out of Edmond (Okla.) Santa Fe. But with the Sooners closing fast on a pledge from Tory Blaylock and Robinson beginning to pick up substantial Power 4 interest, I just don’t think there’s a fit for him in Norman as a PWO. In fact, I’ve fired in a FutureCast prediction for Arizona State, which has prioritized Robinson heavily and will host him twice in the month of April (with the latter trip being an official visit). He’s a very good player and will be a difference-maker at the collegiate level, but I also think it’s easy to look at OU’s backfield and conclude the Sooners are loaded enough to pass on him.

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— As for a PWO possibility that is on the table, Brandon has mentioned three-star Muskogee (Okla.) quarterback Jamarian Ficklin as someone to monitor. Ficklin is a kid that just continues to get better and better each time I see him; he’s got good zip and mobility with a Michael Penix-esque southpaw sling delivery. Expect him to camp in Norman this June, and he’s definitely a player that could wind up with an Andy Bass-esque opportunity at Oklahoma. In talking to Ficklin, I get the sense he’d strongly consider that type of opportunity. But he’s also being pursued heavily by UNLV, which has established strong inroads in the Sooner State under head coach Barry Odom. He’ll OV in Vegas this summer. Kansas State is another school that has ramped up contact with Ficklin lately, and they’ve been talking to him about an official visit as well. Even so, he’s worth tracking in the months ahead if you’re a Sooner fan and enjoy the possibility of OU landing another highly productive in-state talent... and without using a scholarship, at that.

Apologies for the late note. I didn't get home to start this note until well after 10:00 pm.

Coming into the spring, Oklahoma's most glaring questions are along the offensive line. Bill Bedenbaugh has talent and experience to work with, but almost all of it is new to OU. Today, we got a first look at the unit in person, and here are my initial thoughts.

Disclaimer: Bill Bedenbaugh did his best to keep his unit on the opposite side of the field, making it a little more difficult to see what was going on. Apparently, this is a classic BB tactic.

• There is a TON of rotation at this point, so take all of this with a grain of salt. However, there were some distinct groups during team run fits. (OL/TE/RB vs. DL/LB/S).
  • I saw these combinations on a few occasions:
    • LT - J. Sexton (76) / M. Tarquin (70)
    • LG - Heath Ozaeta (77) / D. Akinkunmi (75)
    • C - T. Everett (52) / J. Bates (64)
    • RG - F. Nwaiwu (54) / E. Brooks (56)
    • RT - J. Taylor (79) / S. Brown (58)
  • Is there any significance to the groups? Not really. Just heavy rotation and getting everyone a lot of work. If anything, I think it shows just how wide open the room is.
• There were two players that immediately stood out to me during individual work and 1-v-1's.
  • The first was Febechi Nwaiwu. The noise about him being the strongest player on the team was validated today when he stopped D. Terry in a bull rush after three steps. It was impressive, to say the least. Additionally, I was impressed with how well he moves at his size. Given his familiarity with what Seth Littrell wants to do with the offense, I do think Nwaiwu has a chance to be the best player in the OL group right away.
  • The second was Michael Tarquin. After some of the stuff he put on tape at USC, there was trepidation about Bedenbaugh pursuing him in the portal for a second straight year. However, I came away from today thinking that he could play a big role in this group. He looked comfortable out there and even seemed to have some good reps at left tackle.
• Logan Howland held up well in a 1-v-1 rep against Gracen Halton, which carries weight considering the noise that Halton's made this offseason.
  
  
• Heath Ozaeta also got a lot of work at guard today and played well during his time there.
  
  
• Spencer Brown looked good on the day at right tackle outside of one rep, which, if I recall correctly, he lost to Caiden Woullard.
  
  
• If I had to predict a starting five after what I saw today, it would be Sexton, Ozaeta, Everett, Nwaiwu, and Taylor (from left to right), with Tarquin coming in as a sixth-man (in the spirit of March Madness). That's bound to change on a daily basis, but on Tuesday, those were the best five guys that I saw.
  
  
• My biggest takeaway from today is that, while still a work in progress, I have my doubts that the offensive line is going to be a glaring issue for the Sooners in 2024. Sure, there are a ton of snaps to be replaced but I can see the makings of a good offensive line.

Edit: I had Ozaeta and Tarquin mixed up in my notes, but I have corrected them now!

Barnes looked more like his old self on Monday. After practice, he talked pretty candidly about his injury struggles last year.

Myself, @Bryan Clinton and @Brandon Drumm are on hand for the Sooners’ spring practice. The first 90 minutes will be open to the media.

Follow along here for our live updates and observations.

Also, make sure to head to the OU Insider YouTube channel at 7:30 p.m. as @Brody Lusk and I breakdown the practice and answer your questions on all things FB and hoops.

Here are a few VERY quick notes from the Sooners' open practice. We will have more from the practice later tonight, including interviews with players.

Due to the guys being tied up at media availabilities, we're having to push the stream back from tonight until Wednesday night. We'll see you all then!

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— At this point, Texas A&M and Florida State appear to be the primary contenders to Oklahoma in the race for Chase Loftin, the blue-chip tight end from the state of Nebraska. After watching Loftin, Nate Roberts and DaSaahn Brame this weekend, I’m even higher on Loftin than I was before. He moved just as fluidly, and perhaps even better, than both Roberts and Brame. The only knock is that he’s still a bit more slight than the other two, so he’ll have some more work to do as a blocker. In speaking to Loftin, he mentioned that he’d been dealing with a nagging ankle injury for some time, but was finally getting close to 100 percent. That was apparent in the way he played on Saturday, as he looked decidedly more explosive and quick than he had when I last saw him in early February. I’m a big believer in what he can be at the collegiate level.

Oklahoma’s taking it slow with him because of Roberts, Brame and Linkon Cure, but I don’t think anybody ought to be upset if Loftin is one of the two tight ends in OU’s class when all is said and done. He’s a stud. The time is soon coming for Joe Jon Finley to make some tough decisions as to how he plays his hand, because I don’t think there is any clarity on the immediate horizon with any of his three top targets. OV season will likely dictate the outcome of those recruitments. I almost wouldn’t hate it if the Sooners just decided to push hard for Loftin, get him on board and create some pressure on the other three guys to claim the remaining spot.

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— Caught up with Tory Blaylock yesterday in Houston and talked with him for quite some time, with no microphones or cameras. He wouldn’t acknowledge that he’s the “Yamaha” for DeMarco Murray, but I will say this and it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anybody: all the signs are there. Blaylock couldn’t even remember all the schools in his top six when we spoke. He’s only got one official visit set, and it’s for June 21-23; I’ll give you one guess as to which school is receiving that visit. He was overheard telling a couple of his peers, "OU the move." He spoke very highly of DeMarco Murray and told me he’s enthused about the possibility of playing for someone who had played the position at such a high level. A&M is out of the picture, and A&M is the one school that had OU sources somewhat concerned. There’s no reason at this point why Blaylock shouldn’t be a Sooner. I fully expect it, and it would be a shock if things turned sideways.

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— I’ll have a more in-depth piece with Landon Rink coming later in the week, once I have the chance to sit down and start really catching up on some of the interviews I have in the chute. But I’m comfortable asserting that this is primarily a two-team race between Texas A&M and Oklahoma. For months, I’ve been very candid about my skepticism that Rink would go anywhere but Texas in the end. After all, he’s a UT legacy. But Rink was quite transparent yesterday in acknowledging that the Longhorns have been halfhearted in their pursuit of him, and that he has no interest in a school that doesn’t show him love. Texas is out of the picture, and I have a hard time believing that will change given the things he said about the Longhorns (both on and off the record). I also spoke to a good source on the Texas side who told me it’s unlikely that Steve Sarkisian and his staff will circle back around; “just not their type” is how that source described Rink. I don’t think you can rule out Ohio State or Penn State given that they’ll receive official visits, but this is mostly an A&M/Oklahoma battle.

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— Andrew Marsh is a really good prospect. He’s dominant in every camp and 7-on-7 setting, without exception. He’s also a kid that is high on Oklahoma and has an official visit set for June 21. But make no mistake: this is a recruitment that’s going to become a bit of a headache for the typical fan, and it’s a recruitment in which money will play a role. Marsh is a kid who’s become very good at playing the proverbial game in the recruiting process, and the folks in his circle seem to share that proclivity. I have no idea where he ends up, and I’m not sure whether anyone could even peg a leader at this stage. He’ll talk up pretty much any school, he’ll rep pretty much any school and you can bet that he’ll take quite a few more visits before arriving at a decision. I’ll put it this way: Yes, there’s definitely a chance he winds up a Sooner. But there’s zero chance I would ever put him in a mock class, or drop a prediction with even a hint of conjecture or speculation. Mad props to Emmett Jones if he can somehow win that war in the long run.

An exclusive with the four-star QB and Elite11 finalist.

Am I alone in thinking this team has a glaring need at DT? Relying on two freshman, even if they are the best two in the country, is not getting it done in the SEC this year. If Dajon Terry goes down, we have a room full of underweight, not-so -highly recruited unproven guys, plus the freshman. I’ve heard nothing about any aggressive pursuit of a DT in the transfer portal window.. is this staff content with the room, or are they keeping the pursuit of a DT in the spring under wraps?

I thought I remembered him being on OU’s “hopeful” list. I just saw something saying he just committed to Bama. Can anyone confirm?

is sperry gonna participate in the elite 11 Austin camp today?

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Just spoke to the four-star linebacker. As I reported back in January, he had an Oklahoma official scheduled for June 21, but he had made those plans while Ted Roof was still the linebackers coach at Oklahoma. Because there has since been a turnover on staff, those plans are in limbo. It doesn't seem that Oklahoma has really been pressing quite as hard here since Roof left, which I take as a clear indication that Dawson Merritt and Kamar Archie are a higher priority for the Sooners at this time. Our John Garcia reported earlier today that four-star Floridian 'backer Ty Jackson has an April visit lined up, and I can confirm he is another guy who is high on the board for Oklahoma at LB.

Jones' recruitment is still wide open, and I would say his top three choices right now are Notre Dame, OU and Tennessee (in no particular order). Alabama is involved, although they haven't yet offered, and UCF is actually a strong consideration for an OV from Jones. His continued relationship with Roof is the driving force there. The inhibitor for Nebraska is, and will remain, their inability to get back to winning.

I'll check in with Jones again before the end of the month and keep y'all updated.

It's hardly news when Nate Roberts is on campus these days, given the fact that he's 20 minutes away and his brother is on the OU roster. But I would say it does qualify as news when this cat shows up.

We'll have another update on him this weekend.

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Just an interesting footnote: Watching the replay, and the Nick Anderson winning TD, I noticed the play before was the same and Nick was open alone in that corner and UT blew the coverage then also. Dillon ran it that time but we all know what happened the next play. That Gabriel/Nick play will remain legendary until the end of time!

Replay