UPDATE: 2:24p - I can confirm, what most everyone expected, the offer to Marlow, Okla. specialist Jace Gilbert is as a preferred walk-on. But he is a good one that the Sooners will do well to add.
UPDATE: 1:30p - I can now say that without a doubt that Oklahoma will be not involved with McClellan going forward. I don't have any indication of anything wrong, or amiss, just that the Sooners aren't heading in that direction.
I'll have some more on this post-NSD but nothing is happening here...again.
UPDATE: 12:49p - OK, kind of quick hitter notes here, but let's get rolling.
First off I'm told that Chris McClellan is expected to sign tomorrow though no one, at least around Owasso, seems overly confident in what the choice will be between Oklahoma and Florida.
Speaking to sources around Florida I get the feeling that they expect him to end up in Gainesville and that is my gut on the situation as well.
To be clear, I don't know anything at this point in the day but my read is that it is Florida.
**The next bit of news for the Sooners that is bigger than some will realize is Arlington (Texas) Bowie five-star guard offer Devon Campbell.
I've spoken to a few sources who almost instantly thought that this was a big win for Oklahoma.
The sub-story that can now kind of be put out there (think of it as pre post-NSD thread teaser), a BIG part of Oklahoma's issues in recruiting Campbell came from his former head coach, Danny DeArman, having some issues over how his son, Ty, was handled during his time in Norman.
And a big part of that issue, in fact the entirety of it is no longer in Norman and as such that hinderance no longer exists.
Giving Bill Bedenbaugh, Jeff Lebby, and Brent Venables, and co. a chance to get in and impress Campbell and perhaps something can happen.
Don't get me wrong, it's a hill to climb as most have had Campbell pegged to Austin for a long time, and that's probably right, but it's a win that buys the Sooners a bit of time.
***Finally for now I've now heard from another source that Georgia defensive backs coach Jahmile Addae could be the guy for the Sooners at cornerbacks coach.
"He's really an up and comer in the coaching world," one source said. "That would be a big-time hire."
But one conversation that I keep having is - 'why would he leave Georgia as secondary coach to be Oklahoma's cornerbacks coach'? Perhaps there's a co-defensive coordinator, assistant head coach, etc. type of title in the making?
And again, two names that we've also heard on the periphery are Steve Clinkscale from Michigan and Aaron Fletcher from Missouri who have both been mentioned before.
ORIGINAL: Alright guys, there has been some wild rumors going around but I'll do what I can to clear some of them up.
*After Oklahoma offered DeSean Brown, I, like many others, expected him to make a visit to Norman and perhaps the Sooners could make a move. In speaking to a few people that visit didn't happen and I don't expect - even if Brown runs things out until February - there to ever be any further relationship in recruiting.
After the offer was made Oklahoma continued to check around and speak to various sources and it sounds like they just didn't feel Brown was going to be a fit for their plans going forward. The like the tape but my impression is that they just don't see reason to continue forward and I just don't see the Sooners moving forward with Brown.
**I spoke at some length tonight with Nick Evers and while he's a humble kid that I think you ail will really like I think what you'll like best - at this moment - was his response to how quickly he had to go from being the hunted to being the hunter.
"I think it was about 30 seconds after I committed I had to flip from recruit to recruiter," Evers said.
***A guy that he didn't speak to, at least in person, this weekend but one that he could be sharing a backfield with is Las Vegas (Nev.) Desert Pines Rivals250 running back Jovantae Barnes. And luckily for you all what I'm hearing right now on Barnes seems very positive.
I've spoken to some USC sources who maintain that the Trojans were given no indication of what Barnes was up to but it's worth noting that Lincoln Riley is well aware of why the Sooners have had quiet confidence on the big-time back for quite some time. The tricky part has been trying to parse out if that confidence comes from what was the story for the past few months or if the situation has been reaffirmed over the past few weeks.
Regardless there's no question that Demarco Murray is his closest relationship in recruiting but the quiet win that several have mentioned? "He really likes Jeff Lebby as well, there's some bond there and he likes the offense the Sooners will be running."
There is still some reason for doubt but Oklahoma feels like the undoubted leader at the moment and I'm feeling good about my forecast from long ago.
UPDATE: 1:30p - I can now say that without a doubt that Oklahoma will be not involved with McClellan going forward. I don't have any indication of anything wrong, or amiss, just that the Sooners aren't heading in that direction.
I'll have some more on this post-NSD but nothing is happening here...again.
UPDATE: 12:49p - OK, kind of quick hitter notes here, but let's get rolling.
First off I'm told that Chris McClellan is expected to sign tomorrow though no one, at least around Owasso, seems overly confident in what the choice will be between Oklahoma and Florida.
Speaking to sources around Florida I get the feeling that they expect him to end up in Gainesville and that is my gut on the situation as well.
To be clear, I don't know anything at this point in the day but my read is that it is Florida.
**The next bit of news for the Sooners that is bigger than some will realize is Arlington (Texas) Bowie five-star guard offer Devon Campbell.
I've spoken to a few sources who almost instantly thought that this was a big win for Oklahoma.
The sub-story that can now kind of be put out there (think of it as pre post-NSD thread teaser), a BIG part of Oklahoma's issues in recruiting Campbell came from his former head coach, Danny DeArman, having some issues over how his son, Ty, was handled during his time in Norman.
And a big part of that issue, in fact the entirety of it is no longer in Norman and as such that hinderance no longer exists.
Giving Bill Bedenbaugh, Jeff Lebby, and Brent Venables, and co. a chance to get in and impress Campbell and perhaps something can happen.
Don't get me wrong, it's a hill to climb as most have had Campbell pegged to Austin for a long time, and that's probably right, but it's a win that buys the Sooners a bit of time.
***Finally for now I've now heard from another source that Georgia defensive backs coach Jahmile Addae could be the guy for the Sooners at cornerbacks coach.
"He's really an up and comer in the coaching world," one source said. "That would be a big-time hire."
But one conversation that I keep having is - 'why would he leave Georgia as secondary coach to be Oklahoma's cornerbacks coach'? Perhaps there's a co-defensive coordinator, assistant head coach, etc. type of title in the making?
And again, two names that we've also heard on the periphery are Steve Clinkscale from Michigan and Aaron Fletcher from Missouri who have both been mentioned before.
ORIGINAL: Alright guys, there has been some wild rumors going around but I'll do what I can to clear some of them up.
*After Oklahoma offered DeSean Brown, I, like many others, expected him to make a visit to Norman and perhaps the Sooners could make a move. In speaking to a few people that visit didn't happen and I don't expect - even if Brown runs things out until February - there to ever be any further relationship in recruiting.
After the offer was made Oklahoma continued to check around and speak to various sources and it sounds like they just didn't feel Brown was going to be a fit for their plans going forward. The like the tape but my impression is that they just don't see reason to continue forward and I just don't see the Sooners moving forward with Brown.
**I spoke at some length tonight with Nick Evers and while he's a humble kid that I think you ail will really like I think what you'll like best - at this moment - was his response to how quickly he had to go from being the hunted to being the hunter.
"I think it was about 30 seconds after I committed I had to flip from recruit to recruiter," Evers said.
***A guy that he didn't speak to, at least in person, this weekend but one that he could be sharing a backfield with is Las Vegas (Nev.) Desert Pines Rivals250 running back Jovantae Barnes. And luckily for you all what I'm hearing right now on Barnes seems very positive.
I've spoken to some USC sources who maintain that the Trojans were given no indication of what Barnes was up to but it's worth noting that Lincoln Riley is well aware of why the Sooners have had quiet confidence on the big-time back for quite some time. The tricky part has been trying to parse out if that confidence comes from what was the story for the past few months or if the situation has been reaffirmed over the past few weeks.
Regardless there's no question that Demarco Murray is his closest relationship in recruiting but the quiet win that several have mentioned? "He really likes Jeff Lebby as well, there's some bond there and he likes the offense the Sooners will be running."
There is still some reason for doubt but Oklahoma feels like the undoubted leader at the moment and I'm feeling good about my forecast from long ago.
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