Tag: DeAndre Moore

Three-star offensive lineman Joshua Bates ‘staying 100% committed’ to Oklahoma

Class of 2023 three-star offensive lineman Joshua Bates announced on Twitter that he is “staying 100% committed” to the Sooners.

Class of 2023 three-star offensive lineman Joshua Bates is the latest Sooner commit to deliver good news to the Oklahoma fan base.

Bates took to Twitter to announce that he is sticking with his commitment to Oklahoma after Brent Venables was named the Sooners’ new head coach.

“College Football is great because of Fans, Tradition and Competition… … All of that is The University of Oklahoma! ⭕ I’m staying 100% Committed to @OU_Football! #Boomer #CHO23N @OU_CoachB,” Bates wrote on Twitter in announcing his decision.

Bates currently checks in as the nation’s No. 31 interior offensive lineman and 456th player overall in the 2023 class according the 247Sports composite team rankings. The Durango, Colo., native is listed at 6-foot-3, 280 pounds.

Bates has been committed to Oklahoma since Aug. 13, but he took a recent unofficial visit to Colorado last weekend where his father Justin Bates was an All-Big 12 offensive lineman for the Buffs before being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys.

247Sports’ Adam Munsterteiger caught up with Bates to discuss his Colorado visit and where he stood with his Oklahoma commitment.

“I was able to talk to a bunch of their coaches to try to see what their plan was for some of their new hires and we just talked about Colorado football. I was able to be there with my family and we just really enjoyed the experience because my family has a legacy there. My dad is on some of the boards up there in those football offices, so that is pretty cool.

“I definitely like the academic part in it. They really support [their student-athletes] at CU which is really nice. I love the campus. Everything in Boulder is amazing and beautiful. It was pretty cool to visit and check everything out. Just being able to be welcomed up there has been great,” Bates said of his Colorado visit.

Bates shared what he thought about the Venables hiring and what it meant for his decision.

“Yeah, definitely going to wait to get on the phone and visit with him a little bit, really just re-look at the staff and see who is leaving and staying on the staff. In the next couple days hopefully I’ll have an announcement to see what I want to do. As of right now, with all the coaching changes, everything is kind of up in the air. That is why I looked at CU, it is kind of special. I definitely wanted to start looking into other programs and being able to figure out what I want to do from here,” Bates said.

The center that has led Durango to a 17-3 record over the past two seasons and a Class 3A state championship in 2020 must have liked what he heard from Venables and the OU coaching staff, because it didn’t take long for him to announce that he is solid with his Oklahoma commitment.

Sooner fans will love his approach at the center position, too.

“You can’t be a successful offensive lineman worrying about people’s feelings. It is the blue-collar way to play football on the offensive line that I embrace,” Bates said of his playing style.

Los Alamitos, Calif., wide receiver DeAndre Moore is Oklahoma’s other commit in the 2023 class. The four-star receiver recently reaffirmed his commitment to Oklahoma and discussed how he’s wanted to be a Sooner since the seventh grade.

OU has the nation’s No. 12 recruiting class with that pairing and the second-best class in the Big 12 in 2023 according to 247Sports.

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’23 commit DeAndre Moore talks about his commitment to the Oklahoma Sooners

2023 commit DeAndre Moore Jr. talks about his steadfast commitment to the Oklahoma Sooners despite the lack of a head coach.

The Sooners have lost numerous commitments since Sunday afternoon, when Lincoln Riley flipped Oklahoma’s world upside down by bolting for USC. But there’s been good news, too. Many commits have made it known they are still locked in with the Sooners.

Deandre Moore is one of those players. In a post on social media, he made it known he was still committed to the Oklahoma Sooners and DeMarco Murray. Over the last couple of days, what’s come to light is how deep that commitment is for Moore.

There are a variety of reasons a player commits to a university. Some do so for the coach, as we’ve seen with Malachi Nelson and Raleek Brown. Others do it for position coaches. Some are committed to the University of Oklahoma. Moore is the latter two.

When DeAndre Moore reaffirmed his commitment, he included running backs coach DeMarco Murray as a big reason. However, a recent interview with Greg Biggins offered even more insight that will make him a fan favorite with Sooners Nation for years to come.

I’ve been wanting to go to Oklahoma since the 7th grade. I don’t know how many people know that but it has always been my dream school and it was never about the coaching staff for me. I liked coach Riley, don’t get me wrong. I was looking forward to playing for him but that was more the cherry on top for me. I was going to Oklahoma because I love the school, and that’s still the case for me. – Moore via 247Sports

Moore followed that by reiterating how his strong relationship with DeMarco Murray further confirms Norman is where he’s supposed to be.

“I’ve known him since my freshman year, he’s a great person and a great coach, and I hope the next head coach decides to keep him,” Moore said.  “I talked to him the day Riley left for USC, just to let him know I was still a Sooner and wasn’t going anywhere. There’s nothing like having a coach that comes from where you come from and has experienced everything you want to achieve in life, and that’s what I have with DeMarco.”

Murray’s Nevada stardom has paid massive dividends for him on the West Coast as a recruiter. His rise from Nevada high school star to NFL running back to coach has resonated with many of the region’s recruits hoping to achieve similar goals.

The Los Alamitos high school junior is locked in. He’s no longer worrying about recruiting but is instead choosing to focus on nursing some injuries he played his junior season with and making sure he’s ready for basketball season. “I’m only focusing on school, and my health and I’m not going to be visiting anywhere else right now,” Moore told Wiltfong.

Moore is a pure athlete who can play offense or defense for multiple Power Five teams. He had numerous P5 offers to play defense. When Riley was around, the plan was for Moore to play wide receiver. Given the de-commitments of wide receiver Brandon Inniss and Makai Lemon, opportunities abound for Moore with the Oklahoma Sooners.

While they still have no head coach, the Sooners have very talented individuals who didn’t back out despite the uncertainty around the program. Moore represents a major piece of their 2023 class, which is in rebuild mode.

Holding onto DeAndre Moore is a significant win for whoever steps in to lead the Sooners into the future. It’s also a very poignant reminder that Oklahoma is just too hard to pass up regardless of the coach. The Sooners will recover from the lost commitments, because as Bob Stoops put it, “This is still Oklahoma.”

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Final thoughts on Lincoln Riley leaving Oklahoma for USC and what’s next for OU

As the Oklahoma Sooners head coaching search rages on, here are some final thoughts on Lincoln Riley’s departure and what’s next for OU.

It’s been a long six days since the news broke that Lincoln Riley was leaving the Oklahoma Sooners for the USC Trojans. Oklahoma leadership is entrenched with its coaching search while the new-look coaching staff has worked to retain players on the current roster and recruits.

Riley left the Sooners in a difficult position, but when Bob Stoops took the helm in the interim, the situation began to seem not so bad.

Led by Joseph Harroz, Joe Castiglione and Bob Stoops, Oklahoma is looking to the future of the program. As the coaching search appears to be reaching its conclusion, here are some final thoughts on Lincoln Riley’s departure and what’s next for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Chronicling the Sooner recruits who have reaffirmed their commitments

Despite the uncertainty in the program, multiple Oklahoma recruits have stood by their commitments as they wait for a new head coach.

While we have spent plenty of time discussing the guys that are decommitting from Oklahoma, not enough attention has been paid to the guys who have stood in the face of a major storm and let the world be known they are still on board with the Crimson and Cream.

Bob Stoops, Joe Castiglione, and Oklahoma’s school president Joseph Harroz Jr. all met with the football team in an attempt to soothe concerns and acknowledge that, despite the recent upheaval in the program, they would do whatever is possible to ensure the show goes on and that the future of this program was in great hands. The message seemed to resonate with current players where some took to social media to voice their support and belief in the program.

While they did this, recruits across the country became consumed with massive decisions to make. Some have already decided to open up their recruitments and look elsewhere. We have chronicled that for the 2022 class here and a list of guys for the 2023 guys here.

With those names out there looking to leave, the Sooners still have verbal commits in both classes. A few have stood out and announced that even without a head coach they plan to stick by the school and their commitment and proceed forward. Some remain mum. The outspoken ones are:

 

 

Oklahoma ’22 commit Jacob Sexton: ‘There’s something special amongst this group’

While some players are opting to de-commit to see what’s going to happen with the Sooners, Jacob Sexton says there’s “something special” about the 2022 class.

The Oklahoma Sooners started taking hits to their 2022 and 2023 recruiting classes not long after it was confirmed that Lincoln Riley was heading to USC to coach the Trojans. In response to the fallout, 2023 commit DeAndre Moore reaffirmed his commitment via social media and other recruits are following suit.

Last night, it was 2022 offensive lineman Jacob Sexton leading the way. In a social media post on Twitter Sexton provided encouraging words to his fellow 2022 commits saying, “there’s something special amongst this group and I believe it’s time us recruits get active on Twitter!”

If the departure of Lincoln Riley lit the next two recruiting classes on fire, posts like this will help extinguish some of the pandemonia. Oklahoma’s 2022 class, which was once seventh in the country per 247Sports Team Recruiting rankings, has fallen outside of the top 10. The No. 1 2023 recruiting class has fallen to No. 3 after Malachi Nelson’s de-commitment.

Taking the wheel amid the storm, Bob Stoops got back out on the recruiting trail to right the ship, meeting with Robert Spears-Jennings in Broken Arrow.

As the Oklahoma Sooners continue their head coaching search, affirmations of commitment will help to stabilize a program that took some hits over the last couple of days.

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Oklahoma’s 2023 recruiting class beginning to dissolve in wake of Riley departure

Not long after the news came in that Lincoln Riley was leaving Oklahoma for USC, the Sooners lost commitments from their 2023 class.

While the more pressing news for Oklahoma’s recruiting efforts is likely centered on the 2022 class, their 2023 class has taken a major hit. The Sooners under Lincoln Riley had positioned themselves to be major players on the recruiting trail with what was at the time the number one ranked recruiting class in the country.

With Riley departing for the sun, glitz, and glamour of USC, the  Sooners quickly began to lose prized recruits. Some remain, possibly looking at the coming days to see who takes the helm as Sooners head coach before making their next move.

We’ll be tracking every 2023 commit as they announce their intentions in the meantime.

Brandon Inniss, WR

This loss is going to sting tremendously if it does indeed mean the end of Oklahoma’s chance for talented blue-chip wide receiver prospect Brandon Inniss. Inniss had a phenomenal junior season playing QB due to attrition on his American Heritage squad in Florida. He committed to Oklahoma this summer and is the number one ranked receiver in the country for 2023. We shared thoughts about the caliber of player he was earlier this year.

Representatives of 247 Sports reached out to him in regards to his decomittment and he had this to say:

“Lincoln Riley was a big reason why I committed to Oklahoma,” Inniss told 247Sports when reached by phone. “So, I feel like going forward this is the best decision for me and my family.”

By all accounts, it looks like Inniss’ recruiting is wide open with him citing Alabama, Miami, Georgia, Ohio State, Florida, and Florida State as places he’d like to visit and interact with.

Malachi Nelson, QB

Make no mistake about it, this is the single biggest domino falling for the Sooners 2023 recruiting class. Malachi Nelson is a consensus top 10 recruit across the board and on top of that he represented your future at QB behind Caleb Williams. He’s the number two quarterback prospect behind Arch Manning and his rapport with teammates Makai Lemon and DeAndre Moore Jr helped the Sooners land them as well.

Lemon has not formally recommitted but being he is a native California kid and his best friend is Nelson, it’s all but a foregone conclusion that wherever Nelson ends up is where Lemon will too.

Moore dropped a post that let the world know that he is still committed to DeMarco Murray, his primary recruiter to Oklahoma. Murray is still on staff and Moore’s reaffirmation is major because it means the Sooners will still have a shot with 2022 running back Jovontae Barnes. Barnes and Moore are close friends and are both from Nevada, which is where Murray is from.

Greg Biggins and Steve Wiltfong of 247 sports both have put in crystal balls for Nelson to in-state USC. It’s completely clear that ultimately Nelson’s relationship with Riley and the allure of being the hometown hero for a program that needs resurrecting may just be too much to pass up.

Treyaun Webb, RB

This running back commit for the Sooners 2023 class hailed from the Sunshine State. Treyaun Webb is a blue-chip prospect from Jacksonville Trinity Christian Academy. He’s a Top247 running back Treyaun Webb and he announced his recruitment was back open on Sunday evening.

For Webb, this is decommitment number two as he was once a Georgia Bulldog pledge. Webb was recruited heavily by Murray and Riley and it might be that without Riley at the help he was unsure of what would happen to his usage and so forth. Webb had taken visits to other schools over the months since he’s committed. Notably, those visits were to Penn State and UGA. There’s a real chance he ends back up at UGA but it may too early to tell.

Webb joins a growing line of elite skill talent to bail on Oklahoma since Sunday afternoon.

It’s an unfortunate turn of events for a team that started the 2021 season as national title contenders. As the 2023 recruiting class is on standby to see who is brought in, stay tuned here at the Sooners Wire for further updates as the situation unfolds.

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Amid decommitments, 2023’s DeAndre Moore announces he’s ‘Still with DeMarco Murray and Sooner Nation’

While de-commitments ran rampant on Sunday evening, DeAndre Moore reaffirmed his commitment to DeMarco Murray and the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Lincoln Riley news was still simmering when the decommitments from top recruits around the country started cascading onto an already horrible weekend for the Oklahoma Sooners.

First, the Bedlam loss. Then, not even 18 hours later, the shock of losing Lincoln Riley to USC hit like a freight train. If that wasn’t bad enough, top 2022 and 2023 commitments began backing out after the news of Riley’s departure.

However, some good news finally came the Sooners way. DeAndre Moore Jr, the four-star running back/wide receiver, announced via Twitter that he was “still with DeMarco Murray and Sooner Nation.”

Moore, who transferred to Los Alamitos High School from Nevada this summer to play with Malachi Nelson (former commit) and Makai Lemon (current but tenuous commit), will stay with the Sooners at this point in the 2023 recruiting cycle.

While Oklahoma’s caught in an F-5 tornado, DeAndre Moore’s announcement provides a little bit of sunshine for the Oklahoma Sooners. Hopefully, it’s a sign other recommitments will be coming.

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2023 Commit DeAndre Moore flashes “OU” after touchdown pass from Malachi Nelson

In Los Alamitos Thursday night matchup with Corona Del Mar, 2023 wide receiver commit DeAndre Moore flashed OU after scoring a touchdown.

Los Alamitos High School in California has become quite the feeder program for the Oklahoma Sooners this Summer. Over the last few months, the Sooners have received commitments from three players that play for the Griffins in Makai Lemon, Malachi Nelson, and DeAndre Moore.

All three players are among the best at their position and all three have that five-star attribute listed next to their name.

In a rare Thursday night game, Los Alamitos took on Corona Del Mar and two of the Sooners’ Los Alamitos commits are already providing some highlights.

After Malachi Nelson hit DeAndre Moore on a slant route for a touchdown, Moore jumped up and fashioned the O and U over his head.

Moore committed to the Sooners just six days ago, adding to an already incredible recruiting class for 2023 that features four five-star players, two four-stars, and one three-star player on the rise.

DeAndre Moore is already having fun repping his future home. Much like Caleb Williams did for the 2021 cycle, Malachi Nelson picked up the recruiting efforts for the 2023 recruiting class. After joining Nelson at Los Alamitos this Summer, it looks like Moore will be joining Nelson in his efforts to land top-flight recruits to join them.

Flashing OU after a touchdown during a high-profile high school game will certainly catch the attention of others and provide the Sooners with some positive PR as the team struggles to find consistency offensively.

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Social Media Reactions to the commitment of 5-star WR DeAndre Moore

Social Media Reactions to the commitment of DeAndre Moore Jr. to the Oklahoma Sooners no.1 2023 recruiting class.

At some point we’re going to run out of words to describe just how special the 2023 recruiting class is. What Lincoln Riley and the Oklahoma Sooners’ are building in the 2023 recruiting cycle is going to be huge when these guys get to Norman in a couple of years.

DeAndre Moore Jr. joins fellow five-star wide receivers Brandon Inniss and Makai Lemon in a class that was the no. 1 recruiting class in the cycle according to 247Sports, and could be one of the best ever if this trend continues.

In the early stages of the 2023 recruiting cycle, Notre Dame and Penn State are the only other schools with a five-star commitment. They each have one. The Sooners now have four.

With Moore’s commitment, the Sooners now have seven players pledged to join the university in 2023. That includes Inniss and Lemon, the cycle’s no. 2 quarterback Malachi Nelson, Treyaun Webb (four-star), Luke Hasz (four-star), and rising three-star center Josh Bates.

Certainly, things could still change as we’ve seen with the 2022 class, however, with all of the departures from that group, 2023’s group of five-star wide receivers will have a clear path to contributing perhaps as early as their true freshmen seasons.

Oklahoma Sooners pick up commitment from another five-star recruit for 2023

The Oklahoma Sooners get great news with the commitment of another five-star wide receiver for the 2023 recruiting class.

The Oklahoma Sooners received some excellent news in the midst of their preparation for the West Virginia Mountaineers.The Sooners landed the commitment of five-star wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. Moore joins the number one ranked recruiting class in the nation for 2023 and also joins his Los Alamitos High School teammates in the Sooners 2023 class. Malachi Nelson and Makai Lemon virtually kickstarted this recruiting class with their pledges this summer.

Oklahoma has bounced back from a rough 6 months of recruiting wide receivers in the 2022 class by landing three five-star talents to play receiver starting in 2023. They may not be done at receiver either. There are still a few names like Jalen Hale, that may be in contention for a spot in this class as well.

The Sooners 2023 class is rivaling that of classes Oklahoma has not brought in since 2005 when 247Sports listed them as having the no. 3 overall class in the entire country. However, at this pace Oklahoma could very well finish with the number one class. There’s a quite a bit of time between now and the signing days for the 2023 players but with this level of recruiting prowess Oklahoma could parlay this into a few other commits.

With the exception of maybe two or three other prospects Oklahoma’s skill positions on offense are all but solidified. They will look to recruit on both sides of the line and build out their linebackers and secondary throughout the fall and spring for the 2023 class.

Lincoln Riley and his coaching staff are on fire on the recruiting trail and don’t expect it to slow down anytime soon with this type of momentum.

DeAndre Moore Jr’s Recruiting Profile

Rating

Stars Overall State Position
247 4 19 4 2
Rivals 4 88 7 12
ESPN 4 11 2 1
247 Composite 5 33 4 3

Vitals

Hometown Los Alamitos, CA
Projected Position Wide Receiver
Height 5-11
Weight 180

Recruitment

  • Offered on Feb. 3, 2020
  • Committed Sept. 24, 2021

Offers (Top 12)

  • Oklahoma
  • Alabama
  • Arizona State
  • Florida
  • Florida State
  • Georgia
  • Louisiana State
  • Miami (Fl)
  • Notre Dame
  • Southern California
  • Texas
  • Texas A&M

Film

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