Tag: Dennis Simmons

Lincoln Riley challenges Zachariah Branch to be more than a special teams weapon

Lincoln Riley sent a clear message to Zachariah Branch.

On the USC football team, sophomore receiver Zachariah Branch stands out as a rare talent who captivates college football fans with every touch of the ball. Last year, Branch made history by becoming USC’s first true freshman to earn All-America honors, showcasing his exceptional abilities as both a punt and kick returner. He led all punt returners in the nation in 2023 with 20.8 yards per return.

During the recent Big Ten media days event, USC head coach Lincoln Riley reflected on Branch’s impressive freshman campaign, highlighting his potential for even greater achievements in the upcoming season.

“Zachariah Branch had really an exciting freshman year for us. He’s an explosive player. Even when you’re used to being on the college football field and really talented players are somewhat the norm, he’s a little bit different in the way he moves and also his strength. He had a great year for us last year, especially as a returner. [He] was one of the most dominant returners in the country, if not the most.”

Riley is now ready for Branch to step up as a sophomore and become the receiving threat he was at Bishop Gorman High School before joining the Trojans.

“Yeah, we’ve really challenged him this year to become a bigger part and a more consistent part of our offense. That is really going to be part of his evolution. He had some really good moments for us offensively last year, but he wasn’t as impactful as he was on special teams. And certainly, I think he’s growing as a receiver, as a ball carrier, understanding offenses, understanding route running, understanding defenses, how we’re trying to attack people. There’s just a maturity and a growth process that we’ve really pushed him on, and I think he’s handled it well.  We’ve got a really talented group of receivers there that got a chance to showcase their skills in the bowl game”

The talented, young wide receivers Riley referred to: Duce Robinson, Ja’Kobi Lane, and Makai Lemon, who joined USC’s 2023 recruiting class alongside Branch. Last season, Branch tallied 31 receptions for 320 yards and two touchdowns. Riley and Trojan fans are optimistic that wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons can facilitate a sophomore leap, a common phenomenon among elite talents. Branch adding wide receiver to his All-American pedigree would significantly aid first-year starting quarterback Miller Moss and the Trojan offense in their first year in the Big Ten.

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Former Oklahoma Sooner Jeff Badet finds a new home

Former Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Jeff Badet has found a new home to continue his professional career.

Former Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Jeff Badet has found a new home to continue to pursue his professional football career. This time in the Canadian Football League (CFL).

The Toronto Argonauts announced they have signed the former Sooner to a contract. The Argonauts are one of the best teams in the CFL, finishing last year at 16-2 and atop the East Division. They are led by former Ole Miss Rebels Chad Kelly at quarterback.

This is just another page in the book for Badet. The speedy receiver spent one year in Norman after transferring from Kentucky. He was a part of the 2017 College Football Playoff team. He finished that season with 400 yards on 26 catches and three touchdowns.

Since then, it’s been a rollercoaster of a pro career. He went undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft but was signed by the Minnesota Vikings. He spent that season on the practice squad before being cut in 2019. He then went and played for the Dallas Renegades of the XFL, coached by [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag].

He then bounced around on some NFL team’s practice squads before spending a season in the USFL. Last year he returned to the XFL playing for the Vegas Vipers. Now he’s off to the CFL for the first time in his career.

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‘He’s a game changer’: Fresh start provides opportunity for Marvin Mims to have explosive 2022

In a new offense with a new quarterback, more opportunities could lead to an explosive season for Sooners wide receiver Marvin Mims.

Heading into 2021, the expectations had risen for sophomore wide receiver Marvin Mims. After tieing for the team lead in receptions and leading the team in yards and touchdowns, many expected Mims to take another step forward in performance and production.

While his yards per reception exploded from 16.5 in 2020 to 22 in 2021, he saw fewer targets and recorded fewer receptions than the year before. And Mims played in two more games in 2021 than he did his freshman year due to COVID.

Despite not having a 1,000-yard season to his name (yet), Mims was ranked No. 8 by Anthony Treash in Pro Football Focus’ top 25 wide receivers heading into 2022.

Depth at wide receiver limited Mims’ opportunities last year. Even with Theo Wease missing pretty much the entire season due to injury, oddly, Mims wasn’t utilized as much as he should have been in 2021.

Jadon Haselwood led the Oklahoma Sooners in snaps at wide receiver with 588. He received more than 100 snaps on the offensive side of the ball than Marvin Mims. Compare that to a school like Alabama, who had one of the most prolific offenses in the country, and they had three wide receivers with more than 600 snaps on the season. Slade Bolden, who was third on the Crimson Tide with 57 targets, still had 16 more targets than Mims, who finished fourth on the Oklahoma Sooners. Jameson Williams and John Metchie each recorded more than 100 targets on the season. Mims was fourth on the Sooners in targets behind Haselwood, Michael Woods, and Mario Williams. He had just four more targets than Jeremiah Hall.

Mims admitted on Thursday at Big 12 media days that the lack of opportunities was frustrating.

“There wasn’t as many targets as I was looking for, nowhere near it,” Mims said. “It was kind of a letdown, but at the end of the day I had to just keep battling through it. There were times where I was really unhappy about it with both the receiver coach and the offensive coordinator, but it was what it was.”

The Oklahoma Sooners’ offense struggled with inconsistency several times in 2021. In the passing game, Oklahoma failed to get the ball to their best playmaker in Marvin Mims. He had three or fewer targets in nine games last season. Against Oklahoma State, when the offense was struggling to move the ball in the second half, Mims saw just two targets. Six players saw more targets than Mims in that game. His one reception was a four-yard catch.

Despite the lack of opportunities, Mims’ big play ability allowed him to the lead the Sooners in receiving yards for the second year in a row.

In a new offensive system, Mims will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of returning Sooners. The break neck pace that Jeff Lebby wants to play at will increase the number of snaps per game, increasing the number of opportunities Mims and the rest of the wide receiver group will receive.

Dontario Drummond, who led the Ole Miss Rebels in receiving in 2021 saw 802 snaps last season. That led to 94 targets that Drummond turned into 76 receptions for 1,031 yards and eight touchdowns.

Imagine if Marvin Mims saw a similar workload? Well we might just see that this year.

Mims and new starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel are building a rapport. One that should lead to opportunities for the electric wide receiver to easily eclipse his numbers from his first two years in Norman, which will further put into question the lack of usage.

“I think what’s really cool about me and Marvin is we’re very similar in just the way we approach football, but also the way we approach life,” Gabriel shared with the media at Big 12 media days. “And as we connected and continue to have conversations over the past six or seven months, I just feel really confident in the person he is. He’s a great human being and someone that I’d love to be friends with. And that’s why this relationship has been so smooth, so easy. And that’s like not even on the field, right? What he’s been able to do on the field is elite. He’s a game changer. And he’s proven it last year, but what he’s about to do this year is take it to a whole another level. And I’ve seen him grow in so many ways.”

Heading into his third year, the only returning primary receiver from last year, and with the full support of his quarterback and his offensive coordinator, Marvin Mims looks like a player about to explode in 2022.

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Mario Williams is reportedly in Los Angeles for a visit with USC

Talented freshman wideout Mario Williams is in LA for a visit with the USC Trojans per a report.

While the Sooners continue to bring players in via the transfer portal and  this recruiting cycle, the players that have transferred out of Oklahoma are knee-deep in their own decisions as they look around to decide what’s best for them.

Freshman wide receiver Mario Williams declared he would be entering the transfer portal in the aftermath of his fellow 2021 classmate Caleb Williams’ decision. There was speculation he may head for the southeast but a Mario Williams has indicated that he’d like to continue playing with Caleb.

 

That in itself sounds like the two may have had  preliminary discussions about where they could reunite.

Mario Williams indicated through his Instagram account that he’s in Los Angeles and Chris Hummer of 247Sports confirmed a report by USC insiders that Williams was taking a visit to meet with the Trojans. On3’s WeAreUSC confirmed that Mario Williams will be meeting with USC (subscription required) brass this weekend as he explores his transfer options

Caleb Williams, easily the biggest name in the portal, is still looking around and trying to decide where he will land next. With each passing moment, it’s looking increasingly like the ship has sailed for Oklahoma, but a familiar name and place has entered the mix.

Caleb Williams is likely to visit UCLA and USC as well in the coming days. Williams on a visit to USC with Mario Williams lines up with what the receiver from Plant City, Florida said about playing with Caleb.

Who knows if that’s the last school the two visit, but it’s certainly the most notable one considering the head coach and wide receivers coach at USC have quite a history with the two players in question.

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Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Mario Williams to enter the transfer portal

Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Mario Williams decided to follow his quarterback into the transfer portal.

The dominoes keep falling for the Oklahoma Sooners as yet another player has decided to enter the transfer portal. This time it’s freshmen wide receiver, Mario Williams. Williams took to his social media account to announce that he’ll follow fellow freshman Caleb Williams into the transfer portal.

Williams came into Oklahoma with a lot of fanfare and showed flashes of great ability despite Oklahoma’s inconsistencies on offense throughout the season. His best game came against Texas Tech when he hauled in five catches for 100 yards and a touchdown.

Recruited by Lincoln Riley and Dennis Simmons, Williams was the number four rated receiver on 247Sports composite rankings and the 43rd overall recruit in the 2021 recruiting cycle. Hailing from Plant City, Florida Williams also committed to play baseball at the University of Oklahoma.

Hayes Fawcett, of On3 recruiting, added that Caleb Williams decision to leave Oklahoma is what spurred Mario Williams’ decision to test the transfer portal waters.

As mentioned in a previous piece on Sooners Wire, it isn’t surprising to see Mario Williams follow Caleb Williams into the transfer portal. The two players grew close during their recruitments and envisioned playing together. It looks as if wherever Caleb goes, Mario could follow.

With Williams (the receiver) declaring for the transfer portal it only furthers the notion that Oklahoma will have to start looking around in the portal to add depth to the wide receiver room.

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‘Back active’: Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Michael Woods indicates return versus Baylor

After missing the Kansas and Texas Tech games, Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Michael Woods tweeted that he’s “back active” for Baylor.

After missing Oklahoma’s past two games against Kansas and Texas Tech, it appears as if Sooners wide receiver Michael Woods is set to return against Baylor.

Woods took to Twitter to announce the news.

The senior from Magnolia, Texas, was sorely missed initially. With Woods and freshman wide receiver Mario Williams sidelined against Kansas, the Jayhawks built a 10-0 halftime lead as the Sooners’ offense sputtered.

OU figured it out after halftime in Lawrence, ripping off 35 second-half points. That form continued in the Sooners’ last game against Texas Tech.

True freshman quarterback Caleb Williams diced the Red Raiders’ defense up to the tune of 402 passing yards. In that game against Texas Tech, Williams became the Sooners’ third quarterback in program history to pass for six touchdowns without an interception in a single game.

Still, Oklahoma will happily welcome back all the healthy bodies it can find. OU assistant head coach, passing game coordinator and outside receivers coach Dennis Simmons talked on Tuesday about what Woods has added to the Sooners’ offense.

“I mean, he’s added a lot of value. Once again, he’s a guy that’s been in a lot of wars and has played a lot of college football. There’s some things that go on in between the lines that he’s able to help those guys with just from that veteran leadership standpoint alone. And then obviously with the success that he’s had on the field and the competitive catches that he’s made and coming up in crucial situations in games, I think that’s added to our offense as a whole,” Simmons said.

Woods has 25 receptions for 294 yards and a pair of receiving touchdowns on the season. His longest reception of the season was his 59-yarder against TCU and his best statistical game of the season came against West Virginia when Woods hauled in eight passes for 86 yards.

Oklahoma is still hoping it eventually sees the return of talented wide receiver Theo Wease as well. The junior has missed the entirety of the 2021 season.

In the Big 12 teleconference call on Monday, Riley said it was “a little bit of a reach” that Wease would be able to return against Baylor. Riley did indicate last week that he felt Wease was “getting close” to a return.

At this point, any return for Wease will be a bonus for Oklahoma. Until then, Oklahoma fans can focus on the positive news that Woods appears set to return for the Sooners’ big showdown against the Baylor Bears.

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Report: Oklahoma Sooners flip wide receiver with OU ties from the Oregon Ducks

The Oklahoma Sooners got a much-needed wide receiver addition to the 2022 recruiting class with the commitment of Nicholas Anderson.

This weekend wasn’t just good for Oklahoma on the field. We chronicled before the game, the Sooners would have some visitors in town for their matchup with Texas Tech. At the top of the list sat Nicholas Anderson. He was an Oregon commit and was in town to watch the Sooners play on an unofficial visit.

Whatever took place on this visit, had a profound impact on Anderson as he flipped his commitment from the Oregon Ducks to the Oklahoma Sooners.

It should be noted that Nicholas Anderson is no stranger to the Crimson and Cream. He’s the younger brother of former Sooners great Rodney Anderson. It may seem as though a visit in the game-day atmosphere once again was all Anderson needed to make his decision. He’s now the lone wide receiver committed for Oklahoma’s 2022 recruiting class and is a much-needed addition after Oklahoma lost three previous commits at the wide receiver position.

Anderson is tall at 6’3 and is long, lanky, and has track speed. He can fly and he’ll have to add weight but he’s considered one of the best route runners in the state of Texas for his class. This is a very solid pickup for Oklahoma at a position that needed depth in this class.

Anderson may be a project receiver but with his athletic gifts, he’s worth bringing in and seeing how he develops under outside wide receiver’s coach Dennis Simmons’ tutelage.

Nicholas Anderson’s Recruiting Profile

Rating

Stars Overall State Position
247 3 n/a 44 55
Rivals 3 n/a 65 63
ESPN 4 106 22 13
247 Composite 4 237 38 38

Vitals

Hometown Katy, TX
Projected Position WR
Height 6’3
Weight 195

Recruitment

  • Offered on November 1st, 2021
  • visit on October 30th, 2021

Offers

  • Oregon Ducks
  • Notre Dame Fighting Irish
  • Texas A&M Aggies
  • Auburn Tigers
  • USC Trojans
  • Tennessee Volunteers
  • Penn State Nittany Lions
  • Florida State Seminoles
  • Virginia Tech Hokies
  • Stanford Cardinal

Crystal Ball

Film

Nicholas Anderson film

Twitter

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What are the Sooners getting in DeAndre Moore Jr?

What are the Oklahoma Sooners getting from 2023 five-star commit DeAndre Moore Jr?

The Oklahoma Sooners don’t have any plans to slow down in recruiting for the 2023 class. They started strong and have remained strong through the summer into the fall. The start was strong enough that they lay claim to the nation’s number one recruiting class as it currently stands on 247Sports.

The latest member to join the class is DeAndre Moore Jr. He’s really a five-star athlete with the ability to play wide receiver or safety at the Power 5 level. Currently, the Sooners have plans to use him as a wide receiver when he gets on campus. Here’s what Oklahoma is getting in DeAndre Moore Jr:

Moore’s film showcases why he’s going to be a dangerous weapon for the Sooners’ offense. Moore routinely wins out of the slot and lined up outside.

He’s listed at 5’11 190 pounds and could conceivably grow another inch or so before he even laces up his cleats to play for Oklahoma. Moore’s ability to run and threaten defensive backs vertically opens up underneath and intermediate routes for himself. He looks comfortable catching passes in awkward spots like falling backward or adjusting mid-air over defenders.

His ability to stack receivers and get them out of their backpedal due to his speed will help him push for early playing time as the Sooners are always looking for guys to help open up the vertical passing game. He has strong hands and a wide catch radius as well. Moore missed an entire year of high school due to COVID which was a reason for his transfer to Los Alamitos High School.

As with many high school receivers that look to make the transition from high school to college, the biggest thing Moore will have to compete with is himself in the weight room. Defensive backs in college are stronger and more like to put hands on him coming out of his releases. More strength will allow him to play through and let his legs and feet do what they do best.

Personally, I love the way he attacks the ball in the air. It never feels like he’s waiting for it to come to him. He looks like he’s going to get it. Take a look below as he is catching a touchdown pass from his current and future teammate at Oklahoma, Malachi Nelsonn.

 

Moore is confident and has good lateral quickness in short routes as well. He’s not afraid to go and get a ball despite being listed at just 5’11.

Lincoln Riley, DeMarco Murray, and Dennis Simmons are doing major work right now surrounding Caleb Williams and Malachi Nelson with the players to be successful. The work on the recruiting trail can and will pay massive dividends on the field when the time comes.

Which under the radar Sooner could make an impact versus Tulane?

Which Sooner is flying under the radar heading into 2021? And how could he make an impact versus the Green Wave?

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On Wednesday, Oklahoma revealed its first official depth chart for Saturday’s season opener versus Tulane. Its reveal confirmed a doctrine that the Sooners’ coaching staff has been preaching all fall; that regardless of position depth if a player is good enough to play, he will find his way onto the field.

The Sooners are expected to win big over the Green Wave (31.5 point favorites per Tipico). If OU can pad the lead with a couple of insurance touchdowns, it could provide quarterback Spencer Rattler a golden opportunity to throw to his new receivers during a live game.

So if you’re looking for an “under the radar” Sooner to watch this Saturday, why not wide receiver Cody Jackson?

Lincoln Riley has proven time and again that he’s unafraid to play freshman receivers. And while many believe Wednesday’s injury to Theo Wease means more snaps for fellow freshman Mario Willaims, Jackson can help carry the extra reps.

Cody Jackson arrived in Norman during the middle of last season. A consensus four-star prospect, his ability to find the endzone is already well documented. In 2019, he recorded an eye-popping 21 TDs and 1366 receiving yards for Foster High School per Sooner Sports.

Since beginning practice with the team in the spring, Jackson has garnered the respect of receivers coach Dennis Simmons. He also seems to have a new friend in Spencer Rattler.

“Cody’s probably taken the biggest jump of any receiver just from getting better and making more plays. He was a young guy coming in. He came in the spring and he was feeling everything out,” explained Rattler during last month’s media availability.

Rattler added, “In fall camp he looked super comfortable. He was making a lot of big-time plays, big-time catches, big-time runs, all of that stuff. His confidence is getting better and better and I’m happy to see him doing well.”

Jackson’s long-term role within the offense is still unknown. And it’s unlikely he becomes an immediate cornerstone in 2021. However, don’t be surprised if he makes a couple of head-turning plays versus Tulane.

Oklahoma Sooners’ assistant coaches receive extensions

Multiple Oklahoma assistant coaches receive contract extentions at Board of Regents meeting.

As each college football season comes to a close and another one dawns, it is not just the roster that is evaluated. Coaches are as well for the optimization of talent. The Oklahoma Sooners made a statement about their assistant coaches, granting many a contract extension at the Board of Regents meeting per Sooner Scoop staff writer Bob Przybylo.

Offensive line coach/co-offensive coordinator Bill Bedenbaugh, inside receivers coach/co-offensive coordinator Cale Gundy, cornerbacks coach Roy Manning, running backs coach DeMarco Murray, inside linebackers coach Brian Odom, defensive line coach Calvin Thibodeaux, outside linebackers/defensive ends Jamar Cain and director of sports performance Bennie Wylie all received extensions through 2023.

Defensive coordinator/safeties coach Alex Grinch and assistant head coach/passing game coordinator/outside receivers coach Dennis Simmons both received contract extensions through 2024.

In addition, Gundy was given a $20,000 raise and Simmons a $90,000 raise.

Locking up Alex Grinch for several years is key for the program’s success. Grinch significantly improved the defense over the past couple of years in Norman. The unit went from being the laughingstock in the Big 12 to one of the best in college football. A testament to the energetic man with the headset. Grinch took over as defensive coordinator/safeties coach in 2019 and revamped the group. The defense improved from a total defense ranking of 114th in 2018, 38th in 2019, to 29th in the nation in 2020. That is telling. The squad also drastically improved in rush defense (2018-59th, 2019-32nd, 2020-9th), interceptions (2018-112th, 2019-100th, 2020-3rd), and sacks-per-game (2018-74th, 2019-34th, 2020-7th).

His “Speed D” is built on playing aggressive, downhill, high-effort football to generate turnovers. In his hybrid 3-4/4-2-5 system, the defensive line operates in a one-gap, quickly penetrating and attacking style at the line of scrimmage. The dominance from the front frees things up for the linebackers and nickel backs. On the back end, Grinch prioritizes stopping the run, moving guys around in the box to disrupt tempo. His developed unit has poised Oklahoma for their next national title.

On the opposite side of the ball, Bill Bedenbaugh has created the protective wall surrounding Oklahoma’s high-profile quarterbacks. He continuously produces elite offensive lineman entering the NFL draft and primes them for success at the next level. Whether it be the team’s bread and butter- the counter pull, pass protection, or run blocking, the guys in the trenches perform at a high level under Bedenbaugh’s tutelage. His O-Line has paved the way for two Heisman Trophy winners and one runner up. Without the big guys up front doing their jobs, Oklahoma’s explosive offensive attack would be nonexistent.

He led the 2018 Oklahoma offensive line that was recognized as the nation’s best with the reception of the Joe Moore Award. The Sooners led the country in total offense (570.3 yards-per-game), scoring offense (48.4 points-per-game), rushing yards-per-carry (6.6) and yards-per-play (FBS-record 8.6). Bedenbaugh was a finalist in 2017 and semifinalist in 2018 for the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant coach. He has established himself as one of the best talent producers in the country and Oklahoma took notice with a well-deserved contract extension.