Tag: Brendan Zurbrugg

Sooners 2026 QB target Dereon Coleman set for an unofficial visit to Norman

QB prospect Dereon Coleman set for unofficial visit to Norman.

Oklahoma’s top quarterback target for the class of 2026 is four-star prospect [autotag]Dereon Coleman[/autotag]. The talented signal-caller will be making an unofficial visit to Norman.

In a post on his social media page, Coleman announced he would visit April 11 and 12.

This is significant as the Sooners have already received multiple predictions in favor of Coleman to land with Oklahoma. So, getting him in the building should truly only add to the lead that Oklahoma may already have.

 

Oklahoma has plenty of quarterback depth on the roster right now. [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] takes over as the starter in 2024 and will likely hold the job through at least the 2025 season. Following Arnold, [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] and [autotag]Brendan Zurbrugg[/autotag] will have the first crack at the starting job and current commit [autotag]Kevin Sperry[/autotag] is expected to join the roster next spring.

Coleman seems to be the Sooners’ number one focus at the position for 2026. He grew up an OU fan, so in many ways, this may be the perfect fit.

Aside from Oklahoma, Coleman is being recruited heavily by Ole Miss, Arkansas, Texas A&M, and USF.

As it stands, Oklahoma has just one commit in the [autotag]2026 recruiting class[/autotag]: four-star running back [autotag]Jonathon Hatton[/autotag].

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Sooners pick up Rivals futurecast for 2026 quarterback Dereon Coleman

The Oklahoma Sooners received a Rivals Futurecast for 2026 QB Dereon Coleman.

When Jeff Lebby took over the offense for the Oklahoma Sooners, Brent Venables made it abundantly clear Lincoln Riley’s previous strategy of taking a quarterback every other year would no longer fly. Since then, the Sooners have replenished the quarterback cupboard with talent every year. At least two new quarterbacks joined the program via the high school ranks or transfer portal each year.

As Oklahoma heads into the 2024 season, it legitimately has three scholarship quarterbacks. Jackson Arnold leads the way for 2023, but the Sooners welcome two quarterbacks from the 2024 recruiting class: four-star [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] and three-star [autotag]Brendan Zurbrugg[/autotag]. [autotag]Kevin Sperry[/autotag] is already committed to 2025, and the Sooners are pivoting to 2026.

This winter, they’ve offered a couple of the top quarterbacks in the cycle: Jared Curtis and Faizon Brandon. Joining the list of signal callers the Sooners have offered in 2026 is Dereon Coleman out of Orlando, Florida. That Oklahoma offer has seemingly moved the needle for Coleman so much that OUInsider’s and Rivals recruiting analyst Parker Thune issued a futurecast favoring the Sooners Thursday evening.

Coleman is a smaller quarterback prospect, standing at six feet. He throws a nice tight spiral and showcases some arm strength, ripping passes over the middle of the field. He also showed the ability to buy time with his athleticism while simultaneously looking down the field to make plays with his arm.

Coleman is a solid prospect, and it will behoove many not to sleep on him as he continues to grow and improve. He isn’t rated for the 2026 cycle, but with Oklahoma, Arkansas, SMU, Ole Miss and Nebraska in pursuit, it’s only a matter of time until he receives an evaluation from the recruiting services.

Dereon Coleman’s Recruiting Profile

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Where each of the Oklahoma Sooners signees finished in final 2024 recruiting rankings

A look at where each Oklahoma Sooners 2024 signee finished in the final rankings for the 2024 recruiting cycle.

The 2024 recruiting class finished in the top 10 for the Oklahoma Sooners. It was an important class, as it marked the first group of players that would play their entire career in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Given the need to rebuild the offensive and defensive lines to be able to contend in the SEC, additional importance was placed on landing a strong offensive and defensive line class. And [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his staff did just that.

But that’s not where the impressive returns stopped. Oklahoma also came through with the top running back in the cycle and a blue-chip set of wide receivers. It was an impressive cycle for [autotag]Emmett Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag].

[autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag] was considered the top tight end in the 2025 recruiting cycle before reclassifying to 2024, giving Joe Jon Finley a bonafide star to work with.

At defensive back, Jay Valai and Brandon Hall continued to pull in impressive talents, landing four-star prospects [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag], [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag], [autotag]Jeremiah Newcombe[/autotag], [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag], [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag], and [autotag]Devon Jordan[/autotag].

At quarterback, the Sooners landed highly productive passers from two big football states in [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] from Texas and [autotag]Brendan Zurbrugg[/autotag] from Ohio. Two years ago, the depth at the position was questionable. Now [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] has an impressive group of passers to lead his offense into the future.

Looking back at the trenches. The Sooners landed two legit studs in [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag] for the interior and three blue-chip prospects to work along the edge in [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag], and [autotag]Wyatt Gilmore[/autotag].

It was a necessity heading into the SEC, where the offensive line play and physicality in the trenches go to another level. And as much as we love the defensive line recruiting, the offensive line recruiting could end up being just as impactful.

Sure, aside from [autotag]Eugene Brooks[/autotag], Bill Bedenbaugh’s group didn’t receive a ton of recognition in recruiting circles. But it’s an athletically impressive group with a strong work ethic and a lot of upside.

So as we turn the page on Oklahoma’s 2024 recruiting class, let’s take a look at how each player finished in the final player rankings from ESPN, Rivals, 247Sports, and On3.

At the end, you can see which recruiting service liked each of Oklahoma’s signees the most.

What does ESPN have to say about incoming quarterback Michael Hawkins?

Oklahoma’s incoming quarterback Michael Hawkins has a chance to be a big-time player due to his dual-threat ability, says ESPN.

The Oklahoma Sooners have long been a place where quarterbacks find success. That’s in part due to the offenses that the Sooners playcallers have put on the field, but also because the university attracts some of the nation’s best quarterbacks.

In the [autotag]Alamo Bow[/autotag]l, we’ll get to see [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] make his first start, but Oklahoma’s quarterback future goes beyond Arnold. The Sooners added two quarterbacks in the 2024 recruiting class, [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] and [autotag]Brendan Zurbrugg[/autotag].

Hawkins, it could be argued, was severely underrated in the 2024 recruiting class as he showed off a number of tools that will make him successful at the collegiate level. 247Sports and On3 were lower than ESPN and Rivals on the Oklahoma legacy, where he was considered a four-star prospect in the 2024 cycle.

It’s the dual-threat nature of Hawkins’ game that has Todd Luginbill of ESPN (ESPN+)  excited for his future with the Sooners.

Hawkins is going to be a dynamic runner for the Sooners. He has a live arm but is not a classic passer. He timed at 4.9 seconds in the 40-yard dash in 2021 and now runs 4.6. If Oklahoma and new OC Seth Littrell want to really challenge defenses with a running QB, Hawkins fits the bill. – Tom Luginbill, ESPN

At a camp at SMU back in 2021, Hawkins posted a time of 4.43 in the 40-yard dash.

There’s no telling at what point Hawkins could see the field. It could very well be in 2024 as he’s gotten a jump start on his Oklahoma Sooners career, joining the team for Alamo Bowl practices. But when he does, you can bet, he’ll put a lot of stress on the defense with his ability to beat teams with his legs.

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Sooners quarterback Davis Beville enters the transfer portal

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Davis Beville entering the transfer portal.

As the Oklahoma Sooners usher in a new era at quarterback, they’ve lost two of their top three passers on the depth chart to the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag].

According to Pete Nakos of On3, [autotag]Davis Beville[/autotag] is entering the transfer portal, joining former starting quarterback [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] in the portal. Gabriel’s found a new home with the Oregon Ducks, and now Beville will look to ply his craft elsewhere in 2024.

Beville started one game with the Sooners, the infamous 49-0 loss in the Red River Rivalry game in 2022. During his tenure with the Oklahoma Sooners, he completed just 50% of his passes for 102 yards and an interception. Prior to his time with the Sooners, in two years at Pitt, Beville completed 59.7% of his throws for 339 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.

With [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] expected to take the reigns at quarterback in 2024 and an influx of talent at the position in [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] and [autotag]Brendan Zurbrugg[/autotag], the Sooners still have a talented quarterback room for new offensive coordinator Seth Littrell to work with.

Oklahoma could look to add a veteran quarterback to join a group that also includes [autotag]General Booty[/autotag]. [autotag]Casey Thompson[/autotag] is a name that has been suggested could be a fit in Norman.

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Oklahoma Sooners’ 2024 signing class position outlook

A position by position look at who signed with the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2024 signing class.

The Oklahoma Sooners put together another top-10 recruiting class, signing all 27 of their prospects on the first day of the early signing period.

It’s a class that will help define Oklahoma’s success in the SEC. It’s a class that’s balanced, with 14 offensive signees and 13 on the defensive side of the ball. The defensive front is garnering all of the attention, but the Oklahoma Sooners brought in a number of really talented players on both sides of the ball.

Here’s a position breakdown of the Sooners’ 2024 signing class.

More: [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag] coverage

Oklahoma inks its second QB commit of 2024 cycle in Brendan Zurbrugg

Brendan Zurbrugg becomes the second quarterback Oklahoma signed in the 2024 class. He’s a productive passer out of Alliance, Ohio.

Oklahoma got caught unprepared in the 2022 season, as they had no competent backup scholarship quarterbacks when Dillon Gabriel went down in the loss to TCU. That unpreparedness saw them score zero points against the Texas Longhorns.

The Sooners took it personally and went out with a plan for the 2024 class. They have signed not one but two quarterbacks. Michael Hawkins was already in the boat, and the Sooners doubled up and landed Brendan Zurbrugg, a productive passer out of Ohio. Zurbrugg went from being a Syracuse commit to a Northwestern commit before he flipped to OU and has now officially signed with the Sooners.

Zurbrugg stands 6-foot-3 and will graduate from Alliance High School as the program’s all-time leader in passing yards, completions, completion percentage, and passing touchdowns. As a senior in 2023, he was an all-state first-team member.

Barring something catastrophic, Jackson Arnold is the quarterback for the next few years, but Zurbrugg and Hawkins will compete hard for that QB2 spot.

More from the [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag]

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5 positions the Oklahoma Sooners don’t need to pursue in the transfer portal

The transfer portal opens on Monday Dec. 4 and while Oklahoma will address certain spots, there are several positions they don’t need to worry about.

The transfer portal is set to open on Monday Dec. 4 and the Oklahoma Sooners will be active to improve the talent on the roster.

Bryant Crews, here at Sooners Wire, highlighted several positions that should be a priority for the Sooners in portal season. However, there are a few spots that Oklahoma looks pretty good at heading into the 2024 offseason.

Brent Venables and his staff have done a great job building the talent base on both sides of the ball through both the high school and transfer portal ranks. And as the young talent on the roster continues to develop, there will be less need to attack the transfer portal for starters.

Here are five areas that look good to go for the Oklahoma Sooners as they head into the opening of the transfer portal.

Oklahoma flips three-star Northwestern QB commit Brendan Zurbrugg

Oklahoma flips Northwestern quarterback commit Brendan Zurbrugg as he joins Oklahoma’s 2024 class.

Oklahoma had one of the worst offensive displays in a long time in their rivalry game against Texas last season.

In the offseason, Oklahoma brought in five-star signee QB Jackson Arnold. He’s the program’s future at the position. He’ll likely be QB2 on the depth chart come game one against Arkansas State.

Beyond Arnold, the depth chart could use a bit more freshening up. Enter three-star Brendan Zurbrugg, who flipped his commitment from Northwestern to Oklahoma today.

Zurbrugg had been committed to Northwestern Since June 26. Over that time frame, Northwestern fired head coach Pat Fitzgerald amid hazing allegations.

Oklahoma swooped in and offered Zurbrugg an opportunity to join four-star quarterback Michael Hawkins in the 2024 class. Oklahoma’s been diligently searching for a second QB to add to this group to add depth to a position group that options should injuries arise.

 

Zurbrugg has excellent size at 6-foot-4. He visited Oklahoma for “Party at the Palace” over the weekend. Last season for his Alliance High School team, he went 154/202 with 2,184 yards passing and 23 touchdown passes.

Last year’s debacle at the Cotton Bowl between Oklahoma and Texas has left a permanent mark in Oklahoma’s mind. The Sooners aren’t going to allow themselves to be without a capable quarterback option again should the starter get hurt.

Landing not one but two quarterbacks in 2024 who can be developed into starting options down the road is intelligent team building.

It shows a willingness to correct mistakes.

With Zurbrugg in now, Oklahoma remains at No. 15 in team recruiting rankings but has closed the gap between itself and Alabama. A mere five points separate the two right now.

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Oklahoma 2024 prospects expected at ‘Party At The Palace’

Oklahoma set to host multiple 2024 recruits and commits for the Party at the Palace.

Oklahoma’s had a busy July to follow up a June full of official visits. July was about constructing their recruiting board for 2025 and 2026 as the 2024 class determines their future.

With so many Oklahoma targets for the 2024 recruiting class stopping by in June for official visits, it significantly decreased the likelihood that July would see nearly as much traffic. And while that may be true, this weekend’s Party at the Palace is still significant and a notable follow-up from Oklahoma’s ‘Sooners under the Sun’ underclassmen event that took place in the middle of the week. That event has already netted a pair of 2025 commitments from defensive tackle Ka’Mori Moore and four-star wide receiver Elijah Thomas.

For [autotag]Party at the Palace[/autotag], the 2024 class is back in the spotlight as more than 10 2024 prospects are expected to be in the building over the weekend. Several players are already committed, and the Sooners are hoping to use the event to move the needle with their uncommitted players. We took the liberty of highlighting who has been confirmed to be in Norman for the event.

Oklahoma will have the luxury of having multiple 2024 commits in the building to help with their recruiting efforts. [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] and [autotag]Isaiah Autry[/autotag] can help with the recruitment of three-star offensive lineman [autotag]Josh Aisosa[/autotag] and four-star offensive tackle [autotag]Grant Brix[/autotag]. Defensively, Jaydan Hardy can help with the recruitments of [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag], [autotag]C.J. Jackson[/autotag], and [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag] and get in the ear of three-star safety [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag], who plans to announce his commitment on July 31st. He’ll be deciding between Oklahoma, Houston, and UNLV.

In-state talent [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag] has had a compelling recruitment. He’s been offered by some of college football’s elite, including Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, and Ohio State. With Oklahoma still looking to build a historic class along the defensive line, knocking this visit out of the park would help go a long way.

Party at the Palace could provide the last springboard Oklahoma needs to help solidify its place in the recruitments of several 2024 guys as prospects prepare to lock in for their final high school seasons. This event also marks the last major recruiting event of the offseason for Oklahoma. The calendar gives way to fall camp in preparation for the [autotag]2023 college football season[/autotag].

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