Tag: All-Big 12

Jalon Moore’s evolution is pivotal to remainder of Sooners season

Jalon Moore has morphed into Oklahoma’s most important and consistent player.

Last year was a disaster of a season for No. 23 Oklahoma. They were abysmal, inconsistent, flawed, and simply not a good basketball team. Porter Moser knew things had to change, and in college basketball, for better or worse, your team can change entirely over months due to the NCAA transfer portal.

As players from last year’s team departed for professional opportunities, sought fresh starts elsewhere, or committed themselves to the Crimson and Cream, Oklahoma had holes to fill.

The most pressing needs were for athleticism, shooting, and playmaking. And so, Porter Moser and his staff attacked the portal with the desperation of a team down five points with under a minute left.

They pressed the portal hard and landed many players who filled their needs.

Javian McCollum came in with plenty of buzz as a sleeper NBA draft selection should he have a big year in Norman after transferring from Siena. He’s on his way to doing just that.

Le’Tre Darthard was a valuable member of a Utah Valley team that played postseason basketball last year. John Hugley IV transferred from Pittsburgh looking to reclaim the form that landed him on an All-ACC team.

Rivaldo Soares was looking for a more prominent role than he had at Oregon State. Jalon Moore started 15 games for Georgia Tech last year, where he averaged 7.6 points and 4.7 rebounds a game. He was a part of their rotation, but it always felt like he had more to give.

College basketball media even believed it. The pressure was off of him, too. In Norman, he’d get a fresh start, an expanded role, and thus the opportunity to flourish.

Moore has done just that, and Tuesday night’s performance against Kansas State culminated in a season’s worth of growth for Moore.

Against the Wildcats, Moore had a career-high 23 points on 8 of 11 shooting with nine rebounds. He was pivotal in the first half and equally impactful in the second, especially when Kansas State pushed to tighten things up.

He plays hard every game, even when he shoots poorly, and his motor doesn’t stop. His length allows him to guard positions 1-4 without real trouble. His performance earned him KenPom Game MVP, highlighting his efficiency and positive contributions to his team’s win.

Oklahoma is far from out of the woods, though. A massive road game against UCF is on tap for Saturday. The Knights have already knocked off Texas and Kansas at home. The Sooners need this game, and for them to win, they’ll need more of Moore.

Moore has been the constant, while Otega Oweh, Milos Uzan, and Javian McCollum have been inconsistent from game to game. The steady stream of high energy and winning plays Moore makes nightly could be the essential piece Oklahoma needs to weather the slide they’ve been in and elevate their play as we inch closer to March.

He won’t end up on any All-Big 12 teams because his numbers won’t reflect that, but there’s been no player more valuable to Oklahoma’s success this season than Jalon Moore.

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Know Your Foe: 5 Mountaineers to know for West Virginia at Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma will take on West Virginia Saturday. Here are five players you need to know.

Oklahoma is back home for the first time since their nailbiting win against UCF out of the bye week. The Sooners have yet to lose at home this season. So playing a game with the home crowd behind you could be just what the doctor ordered. Oklahoma is desperate for a win and still has a fighting spirit left to compete for the Big 12 Title. They’ll need some help, but if they don’t finish the regular season on a winning streak, it won’t matter.

Their opponent this week is Neal Brown’s [autotag]West Virginia Mountaineers[/autotag]. After being picked dead last in this year’s Big 12 preseason media poll, they are on a revenge tour. Neal Brown and his team took offense to that and are currently in pursuit of finishing the season in the top half of the Big 12. The Mountaineers are 6-3 (4-2 Big 12) and come in after beating Big 12 newcomers BYU by 30 last week.

West Virginia is a tough team that plays hard, and while they certainly aren’t among the league’s most talented teams, if Oklahoma doesn’t show up, they’ll be on upset alert.

As the Sooners prepare for their primetime contest, we’re highlighting five Mountaineers ahead of the matchup.

Oklahoma defensive end Ethan Downs off to a great start to the 2023 season

After a rocky 2022 season for everyone on defense for the Sooners, Ethan Downs is off to a strong 2023 season.

The Oklahoma Sooners’ defense is off to a great start to the 2023 season. One player who is quietly been strong early this year is defensive end [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag].

Downs was a preseason second-team [autotag]All-Big 12[/autotag] selection but wasn’t named as a starter before the season began. It was an up and down year for Downs and the Oklahoma Sooners defense. However, the Weatherford, Okla. native finished the 2022 regular season strong, recording two sacks and seven tackles for loss in the final four games. It looks as if he’s carried that over to 2023.

He’s looking leaner and faster, which is weird because he’s actually heavier this season than last.

But you can’t tell that when you watch him.

His numbers aren’t something that stands out, as he has five tackles and one sack. However, when you watch the game, he seems to be getting constant pressure, causing throw-a-ways or inaccurate passes. According to Pro Football Focus, Downs leads the Sooners in total pressures with seven.

It’s clear the work Downs and the Oklahoma Sooners have put in during the offseason is paying off.

“Just hard work, leadership, aggression, how we practice,” Downs shared with the media this week. “When we miss a tackle, we have to redo that play and make the tackle. Fit your gaps, play hard, being hard-nosed, we have great linebackers like Danny (Stutsman) and Jaren (Kanak) holding everybody accountable, holding themselves accountable. (Defensive line we’re grittier, we’re stronger, we’re finishing blocks, better on our feet with our tackles and all of that.”

That work has paid off so far, as the Sooners are missing far fewer tackles in 2023 than they did through two games last season. After two weeks last season, Oklahoma missed 33 tackles. This season, they’ve only missed 11.

If you’re looking for an area that reveals the drastic improvement of the Oklahoma Sooners defense, it’s missed tackles.

And Ethan Downs is one of a number of players that hasn’t missed a tackle in 2023. Here’s hoping the preseason All-Big 12 selection can continue his upward trajectory with Big 12 play right around the corner.

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Five Sooners named to College Sports Wire’s Preseason All-Big 12 teams

5 Oklahoma Sooners were included on College Sports Wire’s preseason All-Big 12 teams.

Fall camp has started for many programs across America. Oklahoma is in that mix, with the Sooners starting practice this week. It’s been a long time coming, but the light at the end of the tunnel is here, and football is close.

With camp underway, figuring out which players will be the cream of the crop is what’s on everyone’s mind. College Sports Wire’s Patrick Conn ranked the top 25 players in the Big 12 heading into 2023. Who are the players that have taken a step, and who will come out of nowhere to have breakout seasons?

College Sports Wire selected their preseason All-Big 12 teams. We take a look at the five Oklahoma Sooners that made the list.

Four Sooners in College Sports Wire’s preseason top 25 players in the Big 12

College Sports Wire included four Sooners in their preseason Top 25 list.

Oklahoma’s final season in the Big 12 is expected to be memorable as the Sooners look to leave on top ahead of the move to the SEC. Coming off of one of their worst season in 20 years, Oklahoma is looking to remind return to conference title contention.

To do that, The Sooners hope their returning players take another step in their development. They return five starters on offense and six on defense from a year ago.

A few of those starters are considered some of the best players in the conference. Patrick Conn of College Sports Wire believes they fit comfortably among the top 25 players the Big 12.

Ethan Downs named to Big-12 preseason all-conference team

In preparation for that, the Big 12 released its preseason all-conference team and like last year, only one Sooner made the list. This time it was defensive lineman Ethan Downs.

We are just a few days until Big 12 Media Days get underway in Arlington, Texas.

In preparation for that, the Big 12 released its preseason all-conference team and like last year, only one Sooner made the list. This time it was defensive lineman Ethan Downs.

Downs was named by the conference as a second-team all-Big 12 member last season and third team by Pro Football Focus.

He received a 78.2 grade by PFF ranking third at his position. But Downs like many of the Sooners had an up-and-down season. He seemed to really come along at the end of the year with seven of his 13.5 tackles for loss coming in three of his final four games.

He also had two of his team-leading 4.5 sacks in three of the final four games as well. He was 10th in the Big 12 in pressures among edge rushers, but he finished fourth in the conference in stops at the position.

He’s kind of been the forgotten man in the defensive end room with the emergency of R Mason Thomas, signing PJ Adebawore, and adding Rondell Bothroyd and Trace Ford in the portal.

There’s no doubt that Oklahoma has a lot more depth this year than they did last year so if Downs is up and down again, he will see his snaps start to diminish.

But if he can build upon how he ended the season, then being a first-team all-Big 12 is definitely in the cards.

He could also end up being a guy who plays a lot when they go with three down linemen but doesn’t play as much when they go with four down linemen.

That is still to be determined but if he’s more consistent, it will be hard to keep him off of the field.

Dillon Gabriel No. 2 in College Sports Wire’s post-spring Big 12 quarterback rankings

Dillon Gabriel No. 2 in College Sports Wire’s post-spring Big 12 quarterback rankings.

After a spring game that provided some entertaining moments, the Oklahoma Sooners have some intriguing position battles at offensive line, defensive line, cornerback, and safety.

One place where the starter is locked in is at quarterback. Dillon Gabrel is QB1 for Oklahoma and enters his second year in the Big 12. Regional Editor Patrick Conn over at College Sports Wire believes Gabriel is the second-best signal-caller in the conference. Gabriel comes in at No. 2 behind Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels.

Gabriel was a huge acquisition for the Sooners prior to the 2022 season. A move that almost didn’t happen after the former UCF passer originally committed to transfer to UCLA. But as has been the case for a good chunk of his collegiate career, he missed time due to injury. Of course, that injury occurred due to a late hit by TCU during their game. The Big 12’s leading passer is hoping for a repeat of last year if Oklahoma wants to avoid back-to-back losing seasons. – Conn, College Sports Wire

Oklahoma enters year two under Venables looking to improve in every facet. Last year’s team was the worst in 20+ years. Bringing back their quarterback will help the Sooners rebound from their 6-7 season.

Improving his pocket presence was a point of emphasis for Gabriel this offseason. Making more routine throws consistently would also help the Sooners’ offense reach another level of production.

If Gabriel can do those two things and the Sooners find consistent playmakers to replace Marvin Mims, Brayden Willis, and Eric Gray, Oklahoma will score a plethora of points in its final season in the Big 12.

Gabriel won Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year by the league’s coaches and earned All-Big 12 honorable mention recognition. He was also named AP Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and garnered second-team all-league acclaim from the Associated Press and Pro Football Focus.

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Bay Area Brayden Willis: Sooners tight end selected by the San Francisco 49ers

One of the program’s most beloved players and former captain, Brayden Willis was selected in the seventh round by the San Francisco 49ers.

Oklahoma’s final selection of the 2023 NFL Draft is last year’s captain and fan favorite, tight end Brayden Willis. Willis heads west to the Bay Area where he will look to secure a spot on one of the NFC’s best teams, the San Francisco 49ers.

San Francisco chose Willis with the 247th pick in the draft. He’ll begin his career as a corespecial teams player early on as he integrates into the offense and learns from one of the league’s best tight ends, George Kittle.

 

San Francisco also represents a perfect scheme fit for what Willis does best.

He came back to school for the 2022 season to show he could be a meaningful target in the passing game. He led Oklahoma with seven touchdown receptions in 2022. However, his best skill on the field is as a blocker, where he shows excellent athleticism, effort, and power as he displaces defenders.

For a team like the 49ers who run the ball as frequently as they do, his blocking ability could help him see the field sooner than many may expect for a seventh round pick.

The journey to this moment was a long one for Willis, but each year as a Sooner, he continued to grow and attack every game with, max effort. From his early seasons where he played H-back filling in for various roles in Lincoln Riley’s offense to Willis’ ascension as a leader and a 2022 second-team All-Big 12 selection, Willis gave his all to the Oklahoma Sooners. His work paid off. Now he’s in the NFL, where he will get to join another Sooner and one of the NFL’s best players in Trent Williams.

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Eric Gray on his way to the Big Apple after being selected by the New York Giants

Oklahoma’s Eric Gray is headed to the Big Apple after being selected by the New York Giants in the 2023 NFL draft.

After having two Sooners off the board on Friday night, Oklahoma finally sees their first Sooner off the board on Saturday as running back Eric Gray will head to the northeast and join the New York Giants.

Gray was taken in the fifth round with pick No. 172.

The New York Giants took a step forward this year behind first-year head coach Brian Daboll. Daboll earned his stripes helping transform Josh Allen and the Bills’ offense into a machine over the last few years.

He entered the facility light on playmakers, aside from former Penn State running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley, one of the league’s most gifted athletes, has struggled with injuries since coming into the NFL. While he put together a relatively healthy year culminating in a Giants playoff berth, Eric Gray’s provides significant value to the Giants roster.

 

Gray offers insurance in the event of an injury or Barkley’s contract negotiations stall. New York gave their star running back the franchise tag, but the two sides have until mid-July to work out an extension. Otherwise they’ll do the dance again in the 2024 offseason.

Gray’s effortless-looking running style provided the catalyst for a breakout season in 2022.

He ran for 1,366 yards and 11 touchdowns while adding 229 receiving yards on 33 catches. Gray was arguably Oklahoma’s best player on the offense. For his efforts, he earned first-team All-Big 12 recognition from PFF and was an All-Big 12 second-team selection by league coaches and the Associated Press.

Gray earned Academic All-Big 12 first-team honors while being one of three recipients of the program’s coveted Don Key Award (presented for excellence on and off the field).

Gray’s final season in Norman was a marked improvement from his first year where he struggled to establish himself behind running back Kennedy Brooks. The numbers and production weren’t there, but a full offseason working with running backs coach DeMarco Murray and more opportunities gave him the runway to take off. Now he’s taking his talents to the next level with the New York Giants.

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Sooners forward Jalen Hill to enter the transfer portal

Oklahoma loses another player to the transfer portal with the departure of forward Jalen Hill.

Oklahoma’s basketball program is in some murky waters at the moment. After a tough season that saw them finish last in the Big 12, the Sooners are undergoing some serious roster turnover.

Several seniors are moving on, and a slew of key contributors have left via the transfer portal.

Before Monday, Oklahoma had already seen [autotag]Benny Schroder[/autotag], [autotag]Joe Bamisile[/autotag], [autotag]Bijan Cortes[/autotag], and C.J. Nolan enter the portal. CJ Noland announced Monday he was taking his talents to Saint Louis.

Senior forward Jalen Hill will also enter the transfer portal, per CBS Sports Jon Rothstein.

Hill quickly entered the rotation as a freshman for the Sooners in 2019 before becoming a full-time starter as a junior.

The Las Vegas native had the best season of his college career in 2022-23, averaging a career-high 9.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. His leadership and defense were integral to everything the Sooners wanted to accomplish on the court. Hill was athletic enough to guard 3’s and 4’s and play small ball 5. He was capable enough to switch and stay with point guards in the screen action.

During conference play, he turned his game up a notch and averaged 10.3 points per game on 51 percent shooting, finishing the season as an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.

The departure also marks the last holdover from the Lon Kruger era. With Hill out the door, every player on the OU roster now or going forward will be recruited or brought in by Porter Moser.

Oklahoma must be very active in the transfer portal to fill out its needs. They don’t have enough players now to fill out the roster.

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