One of the more interesting side effects of the coaching transition for the Oklahoma Sooners in December was all of the new names that jumped on OU’s radar. With a new coaching staff on the defensive side of the ball and a new offensive coordinator, names that we hadn’t heard OU linked to for some time or at all were in the mix to get scholarship offers from the Sooners.
Freshman quarterback Nick Evers was one of those players. He was experiencing his own coaching transition as the Florida Gators moved on from Dan Mullen. This opened the door for him to consider other opportunities and reconnect with coaches from his recruitment period. And Sooners’ new offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby jumped at the chance to reengage the four-star player from Flower Mound, Texas.
Speaking to the media on national signing day, Lebby shared how he’d felt about Evers from his time at Ole Miss. Lebby said, “I offered him, he was just kind of getting going from a recruitment standpoint, and I want to say we were maybe five or six at the last place when I offered him. And so, had been very, very high on Nick for a long time.”
After getting to Norman, Lebby made Evers his No. 1 priority, saying, “Immediately make the phone call. That’s actually my first stop on the road Wednesday. I get here. Do compliance paperwork, HR paperwork. I get in the car, and I drive straight to Flower Mound. Sat in the house with them that evening. They came up on an official, and we were able to get it done.”
It was a quick process. Evers decommitted from the Florida Gators on Dec. 7. On Dec. 8, he received an offer from Oklahoma. On Dec. 10, Evers and his family were in Norman for an official visit. On Dec. 13, Evers committed to the University of Oklahoma, signing his national letter of intent during the early signing period on Dec. 15. Eight days after decommitting from the Florida Gators, Nick Evers was a Sooner,
It was trust that Evers and his family were placing in Lebby. But Lebby’s pursuit wasn’t simply because of the Sooners’ potential quarterback transition that hadn’t played out yet. Lebby’s a believer in Nick Evers. “Man, this guy’s going to be a special player,” Lebby said. “He’s got a special skill set. He’s really good between the ears, and he cares. He’s passionate about being a good football player. He’s passionate about being a good person. He’s about the right things, so excited as heck about having the opportunity to coach him and walk with him as he gets to go where he’s going to go.”
When Evers committed to the Oklahoma Sooners, Caleb Williams was still the starter as the team prepared for the bowl game. Less than a month later, Williams entered the transfer portal. Hours after that, Dillon Gabriel entered the picture with a commitment to the Sooners, and just last week, Williams transferred to USC.
Evers never blinked, telling Chris Hummer of 247Sports, “You know, it’s a crazy thought actually. I have nothing wrong with being thrown into the fire early. I’m going to work my butt off every single day. To get the opportunity to be able to see the field soon is a blessing. I just need to get ready for it.”
Though he will not be the starter in 2022, it’s clear the Sooners have grand plans for the Flower Mound, Texas, native. Evers has a great mentality and perhaps even bigger heart, putting his name, image and likeness opportunities to work with the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
Brent Venables, Jeff Lebby and the coaching staff were not thwarted by all of the changes to the 2022 recruiting class or by the transfer portal because of the coaching change. They hit the ground running and did fantastic work turning the Sooners’ 2022 class into a top-eight group through national signing day. The Sooners’ pursuit and signing of talented quarterback Evers is evidence of their efforts.
But the pursuit and the signing are just the beginning. Evers is on campus as an early enrollee, getting a head start on his playing career for the Oklahoma Sooners. Though there will likely be a competition for the No. 2 quarterback spot behind Dillon Gabriel, Evers clearly has Lebby impressed.
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