UPDATE FROM CAREY: 10:04 a.m.
Just got off the phone with someone who is familiar with the defensive hiring process.
The Sooners have one more hire to make. I'm told that will be either Torrian Gray or Roy Manning to be the defensive backs coach along with Grinch.
Manning doesn't have that deep of a background, but with Grinch being known as a secondary coach, he can help overcome any shortcomings there.
Obviously Torrian Gray is the homerun hire from a coaching standpoint. And I have to think the Sooners are just waiting on his answer before they know where they are going.
With the hiring of Odom the Sooners have just one spot to fill. That means Ruffin is back as a position coach. What that position will be exactly? I couldn't tell you. But Odom coached outside linebackers at Missouri.
But according to source I spoke with this morning, just expect one more hire to be made between Gray/Manning.
ORIGINAL POST:
OK guys, all sorts of stuff to go over, again.
First off, I'm hearing that Oklahoma's decision at defensive back may be made. It sounds as though whoever is hired in that role will be strictly as a cornerbacks coach. There is no, apparent, thought of Grinch coaching anything other than safeties - his area of expertise. And to my knowledge only two guys have been even loosely connected to the job.
The two names I've heard are former Redskins defensive backs coach Torrian Gray and current Virginia Tech defensive backs coach Brian Mitchell.
Now I've heard NOTHING concrete on who that offer will be but just connecting the dots it's hard not to think on Mitchell.
First, the reason I'd eliminate Gray is he is a guy who has a lot of NFL experience, ran his own secondary there, etc. and has excelled at the college level - some great names in his past during his time at Virginia Tech.
Is he going to take on a job as just a college corners coach, even if it is at a place like Oklahoma? I don't think so.
With Mitchell, he is a current corners coach, he worked with Ruffin McNeill and Lincoln Riley at East Carolina and Texas Tech.
He just seems to be a guy that adds up but I'll repeat I do not know 'who' as much as I'm confident that it seems things are nearing an ending.
*Meanwhile at linebacker, I continue to hear Brian Odom's name floated about with some still feeling as though he is the odds on favorite to fill the role.
There are still some hurdles to climb and perhaps we'll cover some of them when the time comes but for now we'll just say there is work to do but I'd still place a bet that Odom and Oklahoma is a likely scenario.
*I spoke a bit with Marcus Hicks about his in-home visit with Alex Grinch and Calvin Thibodeaux and though there wasn't a lot of new ground covered as far as information goes I think it's pretty clear Hicks is excited about his future in Norman.
"The visit went great, he is a great guy," Hicks said. "The main thing I wanted to talk about was the scheme and we had already talked about that prior to today so I just took the time to get to know him while he was here."
But...about that scheme?
*He said it would be the defensive line blowing through gaps and getting in the backfield. As opposed to how it used to be when they would take on blocks," he recalled.
*Finally, a name I'd keep an eye on this week? Denton (Texas) Ryan 2021 pass rusher Ja'Tavion Sanders. He is a guy I saw this season and talked to you all about him as a potential superstar. I'd guess Oklahoma will get a look at him in the next week and I'd be willing to bet once they see him, they offer.
Just got off the phone with someone who is familiar with the defensive hiring process.
The Sooners have one more hire to make. I'm told that will be either Torrian Gray or Roy Manning to be the defensive backs coach along with Grinch.
Manning doesn't have that deep of a background, but with Grinch being known as a secondary coach, he can help overcome any shortcomings there.
Obviously Torrian Gray is the homerun hire from a coaching standpoint. And I have to think the Sooners are just waiting on his answer before they know where they are going.
With the hiring of Odom the Sooners have just one spot to fill. That means Ruffin is back as a position coach. What that position will be exactly? I couldn't tell you. But Odom coached outside linebackers at Missouri.
But according to source I spoke with this morning, just expect one more hire to be made between Gray/Manning.
ORIGINAL POST:
OK guys, all sorts of stuff to go over, again.
First off, I'm hearing that Oklahoma's decision at defensive back may be made. It sounds as though whoever is hired in that role will be strictly as a cornerbacks coach. There is no, apparent, thought of Grinch coaching anything other than safeties - his area of expertise. And to my knowledge only two guys have been even loosely connected to the job.
The two names I've heard are former Redskins defensive backs coach Torrian Gray and current Virginia Tech defensive backs coach Brian Mitchell.
Now I've heard NOTHING concrete on who that offer will be but just connecting the dots it's hard not to think on Mitchell.
First, the reason I'd eliminate Gray is he is a guy who has a lot of NFL experience, ran his own secondary there, etc. and has excelled at the college level - some great names in his past during his time at Virginia Tech.
Is he going to take on a job as just a college corners coach, even if it is at a place like Oklahoma? I don't think so.
With Mitchell, he is a current corners coach, he worked with Ruffin McNeill and Lincoln Riley at East Carolina and Texas Tech.
He just seems to be a guy that adds up but I'll repeat I do not know 'who' as much as I'm confident that it seems things are nearing an ending.
*Meanwhile at linebacker, I continue to hear Brian Odom's name floated about with some still feeling as though he is the odds on favorite to fill the role.
There are still some hurdles to climb and perhaps we'll cover some of them when the time comes but for now we'll just say there is work to do but I'd still place a bet that Odom and Oklahoma is a likely scenario.
*I spoke a bit with Marcus Hicks about his in-home visit with Alex Grinch and Calvin Thibodeaux and though there wasn't a lot of new ground covered as far as information goes I think it's pretty clear Hicks is excited about his future in Norman.
"The visit went great, he is a great guy," Hicks said. "The main thing I wanted to talk about was the scheme and we had already talked about that prior to today so I just took the time to get to know him while he was here."
But...about that scheme?
*He said it would be the defensive line blowing through gaps and getting in the backfield. As opposed to how it used to be when they would take on blocks," he recalled.
*Finally, a name I'd keep an eye on this week? Denton (Texas) Ryan 2021 pass rusher Ja'Tavion Sanders. He is a guy I saw this season and talked to you all about him as a potential superstar. I'd guess Oklahoma will get a look at him in the next week and I'd be willing to bet once they see him, they offer.
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