ADVERTISEMENT

Recruiting is Snowballing...

The time is now. Saban and Alabama's historic run have to end soon enough and another big season in year 2 under Riley could go along way to establish Oklahoma, among a couple others as the programs of the very near future.

Though not without flaws, I believe Oklahoma is going to be heavy favorites to win the Big XII again, and a good bet to be in the playoffs in the upcoming season. The path will be easier this year IMO. But a playoff win would be the next step. Won't be easy, but I think we get more from the defense this year, and Lincoln keeps the train barrelling down the tracks offensively.
 
I do not believe OU's 2018 season will be easier without Mayfield, arguably OU's greatest quarterback....and the absence of LB Okowronkwo, its best defender.....even without Ohio State on the schedule.
Every game is winnable however, but historically, that has not prevented OU from losing a game or two.
And until defense is made a priority, national championships will be hard to achieve.
Overall, I like the direction Riley is going with this program....I will like it more if OU can play championship defense.
 
Last edited:
CTOkie .... i agree that the defense will be better this year (that's the only direction they could go.) But it will take several seasons to recruit and get them back up to where they should be.

I do believe that OU will will the Big 12 again this season.

ALSO .. I am not so certain that Murray will be the starter now. I think Kendal has done a good job. I am impressed.
 
CTOkie .... i agree that the defense will be better this year (that's the only direction they could go.) But it will take several seasons to recruit and get them back up to where they should be.

I do believe that OU will will the Big 12 again this season.

ALSO .. I am not so certain that Murray will be the starter now. I think Kendal has done a good job. I am impressed.
I did not say the defense will be better. I said, or implied, that it NEEDS to get better. In 2018, I don't see that happening.
Agree, Kendall looked very good and not playing a second sport is good for him.
 
I do not believe OU's 2018 season will be easier without Mayfield, arguably OU's greatest quarterback....and the absence of LB Okowronkwo, its best defender.....even without Ohio State on the schedule.
Every game is winnable however, but historically, that has not prevented OU from losing a game or two.
And until defense is made a priority, national championships will be hard to achieve.
Overall, I like the direction Riley is going with this program....I will like it more if OU can play championship defense.

Do you not think that he's making a priority of improving the defense?
 
2018 class included 14 on defense and 8 on offense, 3 of which were offensive linemen-4 if you count the tight end. Only 4 offensive skill positions. That looks like a priority on defense.
Time will tell.
Let's hope Mike has learned to coach them up. I'm waiting.
And we should know that the overall style of offense in the Big 12 makes it hard on defenses.....but scoring 48 points in a final four playoff game....and losing....is telling.
 
I'm just looking at the numbers. 2018 class is mostly defensive guys, and some highly ranked ones at that. 2019 is split down the middle right now, when you include the ND transfer.

This is a recruiting thread and what was was stated was; "until defense is made a priority....." Looks to me as if defense is being made a priority. I think Mike Stoops will look a lot smarter when he has better players on the roster; all coaches do, but that's a different thread.

There hasn't been this much energy around the program in years, and that is encouraging to me.
 
I'm just looking at the numbers. 2018 class is mostly defensive guys, and some highly ranked ones at that. 2019 is split down the middle right now, when you include the ND transfer.

This is a recruiting thread and what was was stated was; "until defense is made a priority....." Looks to me as if defense is being made a priority. I think Mike Stoops will look a lot smarter when he has better players on the roster; all coaches do, but that's a different thread.

There hasn't been this much energy around the program in years, and that is encouraging to me.
Agree. But I can't hang my hat on Mike Stoops right now. Clearly some good defensive talent is entering the program, but that's only half the battle.
 
Looking at Major Schools Recruiting 2/3-Star Players

Alabama 2-star recruit was offered by Clemson.
3-star recruit, Jerome Ford, was offered by Nebraska.

On the Oklahoma side:
TE Brayden Willis 3-star - None
LB Brian Asamoah 3-star - Notre Dame
DB Delarrin Turner-Yell 3-star - Nebraska
QB Tanner Mordecai 3-star - Georgia
DT Jordan Kelley 3-star - None
DB Patrick Fields 3-star - Notre Dame, Texas

Those are offer sheets more indicative of 3 and 2 star recruits IMO. None of them have 4 big-time schools offering them.
 
Evidently coaches have their own rating system, outside of what recruiting services have.

And that was really the point I was trying to make. I was really asking a rhetorical question. If Oklahoma, LSU, Alabama and Texas are all recruiting this guy, then he'll more likely end up a higher ranked recruit in the end. The recruiting services probably dropped the ball on this kid.
 
Agree. But I can't hang my hat on Mike Stoops right now. Clearly some good defensive talent is entering the program, but that's only half the battle.

Agreed. And energy was infused into the program w/ the hire of Riley as the OC. Recruiting changed overnight w/ his hiring. Stoops saw this. Knew this. And it's why Riley was tabbed as the new HC. Having said this, Mike Stoops' retention is clearly on Riley now. And as V has pointed out, the focus on recruiting Defensive players has been apparent. If the defense doesn't change and improve w/ these players, then Riley MUST relieve M.Stoops.
 
While checking the team recruiting rankings I see where Rivals has Nebraska with 4 commitments....a 2-star and three 3-stars....yet is ranked 36th.
How the mighty have fallen.

The funny thing is that the Nebraska fans up here in northeast Nebraska think their recruiting has gotten better with the hire of Scott Frost.
 
I will also say that if anybody can get Nebraska back to at least being respectable it will be Scott Frost. I've heard him speak at a coaches clinic when he was an assistant at Oregon. He has a lot of energy and he'll work hard. The question I have asked several Nebraska fans is if they'll be patient long enough for him to turn it around. Time will tell if the big donors will allow him 3-5 years to turn it around.
 
I told you Iowa was going to turn into the snow zone eventually. You are hogging all the snow. We have had a total of 5 inches and that may be exaggerating. Good recruiting classes. Hope we can develop the talent !!

QUOTE="iasooner1, post: 2168973, member: 1784"]How much snow you been getting in the last 3-4 weeks 43 ?
(we live in the land of the ice & snow where the midnight sun and the hot springs flow)
It's hard to get quality peeps to sign for most schools in the b1g[/QUOTE]
 
If Des Moines lay in the middle of Texas I would live in Des Moines. I've always liked the layout of Des Moines. The climate? No!

Iowa, Wyoming, Utah and Montana are the only states where I've ever found a liter of motor oil adorning a store shelf. My 12 year stint as a "professional tourist" from 1991 to 2003 was one heck of an education.
 
iasooner, no one pays me to travel anymore. I visit younger daughter in Fort Collins about 3 times per year and the Kiowa brothers on my way back through the Comancheria. I go to Calera a couple times a year and visit the Choctaw brothers all at my own expense. Heck, I don't even get up to Norman anymore for a game.

My company once paid me to walk the battle ground at the Little Big Horn, where the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho made their last stand. I kinda miss those days. I don't miss stuck in a snowstorm in Lincoln.
 
How much snow you been getting in the last 3-4 weeks 43 ?
(we live in the land of the ice & snow where the midnight sun and the hot springs flow)
It's hard to get quality peeps to sign for most schools in the b1g

We got 7 inches on Saturday and then another 4 inches on Wednesday morning. I lost count on the total amount of snow this winter, but it's been quite a bit. I'm also the high school golf coach at the school I teach at. We had our 8th practice of the season yesterday. Of course we practiced with snow on the ground. Been a long winter up here in northeast Nebraska.
 
If the D is not a top priority now it never will be, just start calling us Taco Tech North. Sorry but I have ZERO faith in MS, ZERO. Fool me once shame on you, Fool me twice shame on me. Or as Dubya put it, "Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice uh uh, never gonna fool me again"
Agree.
I am not sure that in the time Mike Stoops has been at OU, especially after Venables left, that OU's defensive talent was talent good enough to have had much better results than it did.
As I have said before, with the wide open offenses of the Big12 Conference, a shut-down defense can not be expected to exit, but one that can at least contain better than what we have seen at OU is.....especially in big games.
 
Agree.
I am not sure that in the time Mike Stoops has been at OU, especially after Venables left, that OU's defensive talent was talent good enough to have had much better results than it did.
As I have said before, with the wide open offenses of the Big12 Conference, a shut-down defense can not be expected to exit, but one that can at least contain better than what we have seen at OU is.....especially in big games.
True, CT, but where does the blame fall for the failure to Recruit TOP 'D' Talent? and why are we surprised in the poor showing in BIG games, when we often don't show up well for the Little ones?
 
We have had some injuries and legal issues with Defensive talent the last few years; DB especially.

I've said it before BV, has a front seven philosophy and both Bob and Mike are back seven guys. How often have we taken a chance on a "project" DB/Hybrid LB over a Dlineman?

The last 2 years, there's been a shift and this last recruiting cycle we went after defensive guys, hard.

2018
Dline, I expect a big improvement, with more to come in 2019.
LB, I expect and solid improvement
Outside of safety, I think DB's will play better. Safety is the biggest ?

Mann and Lott and showing big improvements.
Bledsoe, Famatua and Galimore are solid and Galimore might breakout. Then add Hayes and it could be our best Dline in the last 8 years.

Freshman, Perkins and Redmond have talent but no experience.

LB, I expect to see Draper and Bolton to make a lot of solid play. Murray, with another year under his belt and Kelley just making plays. Depth is my biggest concern. Gumbs, Jackson and Daley, should pick up some slack. Draper has that LB, mentality. I hope I'm right.
 
ADVERTISEMENT