And we're off.
(Golding the savior of OU's defense?)
1. Good as Gold-ing
Oh boy, how to describe Sunday? Hectic? Crazy? And a little bit embarrassing as OU fans are craving any sort of confirmation that Alabama co-defensive coordinator Pete Golding will leave Tuscaloosa to come to Norman and be the defensive coordinator.
Again, reiterate what typed Sunday, don't have any confirmation but hearing a lot of chatter from people who run in different circles regarding Golding and the job.
Golding was making $200,000 at UTSA last year. He's making $650,000 at Bama this season. What do you think, maybe $1.1, $1.2 million would do the trick?
Truly thought this would be a January hire, but sounds like Lincoln Riley and OU have their guy. Just can't see a scenario where this isn't locked down by mid-December heading into the early signing period (Dec. 19-21).
Embarrassing. Yes, embarrassing when some fans try to jump to conclusions and put stuff out into the air as fact.
This... this is not fact.
This... this is not fact.
This... this is fact. Here are actually Golding's latest follows.
If you look on mobile, Twitter groups things into the guys you both follow or similar things of that nature. If you look on a laptop, you actually see who the latest follows really are. That was just a bad hour or two of people coming off really, I don't know the term, but not a good look.
Think we're starting to get into a spot where people realize they might not be able to follow people anymore because social media is such a tell as to what's what nowadays. People are looking for that unlike say back in 2014 or 2015.
Yes, Golding is following a bunch of OU commits. Coaches do that. They don't just hit unfollow when a recruit goes to a different school. After they're signed, watch the unfollows happen for kids not in their program. Heck, I do it all the time, too, the great signing day purge. Leon O'Neal felt good last year.
***
2. Golding timeline?
OK, if we're all in agreement that Pete Golding is the guy for OU's defensive coordinator spot, how would this possibly go down?
Alabama is undefeated and has the Iron Bowl this week and the SEC championship game vs. Georgia the following week. When would Nick Saban say, OK, go ahead and leave for Norman? After regular season? After college football playoff?
There's still a (longshot) chance that No. 1 Alabama could play No. 4 OU in the college football playoff. Ohio State beats Michigan, Bama runs the table, OU beats WVU and Texas, so I don't think you can make any sort of announcement until you know Tide-Sooners off the table.
Would it be a deal where Golding coaches Bama during the day and recruits for OU at night? You know the Sooners want their DC in before early signing period because all the holes left for #NewWave19 are defensively. They need to show they have an identity moving forward and a plan to make it go down.
With OU's aggressive pursuit, do think this might be a done deal in next 7-10 days. But when it would be announced? That's another story.
***
3. Will Riley's transparent approach work?
Ever since the Cleveland Browns rumor, Riley has been adamant in being transparent with recruits about everything that is going on. He has said honesty is indeed the best policy when addressing the kids and their families.
He's doing that with the NFL rumblings... is he doing the same with defensive recruiting? What is his message for non-committed kids?
Like, I get committed kids are sticking with the program. They've developed bonds with coaches and fellow commits and gotten to know Norman. But why would Jeremiah Criddell (for example) look at OU when all you see is this defensive carnage and chaos?
Gonna ask Riley at the press conference. It won't be phrased like that, but I'll see if he gives just a bit of insight into what the last 6-8 weeks have been like.
You have to have to a lot of trust and faith in a situation like this. Riley feels like a guy who could sell it and get it going, but will recruits and their families buy it?
OU needs helps at all three lines of defensive. The line, the backers and the secondary. There are guys out there who can make that imprint. What is is going to be OU's/Riley's strategy now officially one month away from early signing period?
Any official visits from this point on will feature ZERO commits. All 18 have been to Norman officially. Not saying that's good or bad, just saying rare that has ever been the case. No commits for banquet weekend. See if it all pans out and if OU can entice kids despite not having any commits to put on their recruiting hat as well.
But geez, no matter, this is not a good look for the defense:
(Golding the savior of OU's defense?)
1. Good as Gold-ing
Oh boy, how to describe Sunday? Hectic? Crazy? And a little bit embarrassing as OU fans are craving any sort of confirmation that Alabama co-defensive coordinator Pete Golding will leave Tuscaloosa to come to Norman and be the defensive coordinator.
Again, reiterate what typed Sunday, don't have any confirmation but hearing a lot of chatter from people who run in different circles regarding Golding and the job.
Golding was making $200,000 at UTSA last year. He's making $650,000 at Bama this season. What do you think, maybe $1.1, $1.2 million would do the trick?
Truly thought this would be a January hire, but sounds like Lincoln Riley and OU have their guy. Just can't see a scenario where this isn't locked down by mid-December heading into the early signing period (Dec. 19-21).
Embarrassing. Yes, embarrassing when some fans try to jump to conclusions and put stuff out into the air as fact.
This... this is not fact.
This... this is not fact.
This... this is fact. Here are actually Golding's latest follows.
If you look on mobile, Twitter groups things into the guys you both follow or similar things of that nature. If you look on a laptop, you actually see who the latest follows really are. That was just a bad hour or two of people coming off really, I don't know the term, but not a good look.
Think we're starting to get into a spot where people realize they might not be able to follow people anymore because social media is such a tell as to what's what nowadays. People are looking for that unlike say back in 2014 or 2015.
Yes, Golding is following a bunch of OU commits. Coaches do that. They don't just hit unfollow when a recruit goes to a different school. After they're signed, watch the unfollows happen for kids not in their program. Heck, I do it all the time, too, the great signing day purge. Leon O'Neal felt good last year.
***
2. Golding timeline?
OK, if we're all in agreement that Pete Golding is the guy for OU's defensive coordinator spot, how would this possibly go down?
Alabama is undefeated and has the Iron Bowl this week and the SEC championship game vs. Georgia the following week. When would Nick Saban say, OK, go ahead and leave for Norman? After regular season? After college football playoff?
There's still a (longshot) chance that No. 1 Alabama could play No. 4 OU in the college football playoff. Ohio State beats Michigan, Bama runs the table, OU beats WVU and Texas, so I don't think you can make any sort of announcement until you know Tide-Sooners off the table.
Would it be a deal where Golding coaches Bama during the day and recruits for OU at night? You know the Sooners want their DC in before early signing period because all the holes left for #NewWave19 are defensively. They need to show they have an identity moving forward and a plan to make it go down.
With OU's aggressive pursuit, do think this might be a done deal in next 7-10 days. But when it would be announced? That's another story.
***
3. Will Riley's transparent approach work?
Ever since the Cleveland Browns rumor, Riley has been adamant in being transparent with recruits about everything that is going on. He has said honesty is indeed the best policy when addressing the kids and their families.
He's doing that with the NFL rumblings... is he doing the same with defensive recruiting? What is his message for non-committed kids?
Like, I get committed kids are sticking with the program. They've developed bonds with coaches and fellow commits and gotten to know Norman. But why would Jeremiah Criddell (for example) look at OU when all you see is this defensive carnage and chaos?
Gonna ask Riley at the press conference. It won't be phrased like that, but I'll see if he gives just a bit of insight into what the last 6-8 weeks have been like.
You have to have to a lot of trust and faith in a situation like this. Riley feels like a guy who could sell it and get it going, but will recruits and their families buy it?
OU needs helps at all three lines of defensive. The line, the backers and the secondary. There are guys out there who can make that imprint. What is is going to be OU's/Riley's strategy now officially one month away from early signing period?
Any official visits from this point on will feature ZERO commits. All 18 have been to Norman officially. Not saying that's good or bad, just saying rare that has ever been the case. No commits for banquet weekend. See if it all pans out and if OU can entice kids despite not having any commits to put on their recruiting hat as well.
But geez, no matter, this is not a good look for the defense:
