Tag: Gavin Sawchuk

Oklahoma Sooners 2022 Recruiting Class Commitment Tracker

As early signing day approaches, where does the Oklahoma Sooners 2022 recruiting class stand?

It’s been a wild couple of weeks for the Oklahoma Sooners on the recruiting trail. What once had the makings of a top-five recruiting class dipped down to 27 a week ago in the 247Sports Team Composite Rankings. Now, on the eve of the early signing period, the Oklahoma Sooners have climbed back into the top 10 and could climb higher over the next couple of months with National Signing Day a couple of months away.

The Sooners have seen their fair share of de-commitments along the way, as one would expect with a coaching change. But that hasn’t stopped Brent Venables and his staff from making a statement in the 2022 recruiting cycle. The Sooners have had several players affirm their commitments over social media.

With early signing day set to kick off, here’s a list of the current commitments according to 247Sports. We’ll update the tracker as it evolves, but here’s Oklahoma’s 2022 recruiting class thus far.

2022 4-star Running Back Gavin Sawchuk reaffirms his commitment to Oklahoma via Social Media

In a post on Twitter, four-star running back for the 2022 recruiting class Gavin Sawchuk reaffirmed his commitment to the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Oklahoma Sooners’ next two recruiting classes took a bit of a hit in the wake of Lincoln Riley’s departure. From the 2022 and 2023 recruiting classes, they lost three five-star skill position players, who have since flipped to USC to follow the former Oklahoma Sooners head coach.

Over the past week, the Sooners have seen more players make affirmations of their commitment to the University of Oklahoma and four-star running back out of Littleton, Colorado is the latest to let it be known his plans haven’t changed.

In a not safe for work (NSFW) Twitter post, Gavin Sawchuk shared that he’s “not leaving” via a scene from the Leonardo DiCaprio film “The Wolf of Wall Street.”

It’s great news for the Oklahoma Sooners who’s running back depth chart looks a little thin heading into 2022. Kennedy Brooks is expected to head to the NFL, leaving Eric Gray and Marcus Major as the lone scholarship backs on the roster if Brooks moves on.

Sawchuk would have a great opportunity to get work early in his career if he’s able to get acclimated and work his way up the depth chart.

With the Oklahoma Sooners seemingly on the brink of announcing their next head coach, all of the news seems to be trending in the right direction with Gavin Sawchuk announcing his intentions to stay committed to the University of Oklahoma.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.

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Much ado about something? A look at the Oklahoma running back position over the last few years

A look at how things have gone for OU’s running backs and a look at what there is to look forward to going forward.

Like life, college football personnel has its highs and lows. There are times where you’re able to recruit, develop and send players to the league at an astonishing rate. Conversely, there are times when you experience turbulence within a position group seemingly every year.

It may be on field production (or lack thereof) or off the field issues that just deplete your position group.

The Oklahoma Sooners over the last decade have seen both sides of the coin.

From recruiting guys like Samaje Perine, Joe Mixon, Rodney Anderson and watching them go to the NFL to having running backs transfer in and practice for less than 14 practices and then transfer back out in less than 2 months, OU has seen it all of late.

Let’s take a look at the Sooners running back issues and where they are headed going into the future.

Jay Boulware, former Sooners running back coach helped recruit the men mentioned previously in Perine, Mixon and Anderson. Much to the chagrin of the Sooners faithful, he will be remembered for his misses in recruiting in the state of Texas more than anything.

He was let go largely due to the lack of production and development of guys he brought in. In stepped DeMarco Murray.

Murray, a former Sooners running back who went on to play for the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans took over after his first coaching stint at the University of Arizona.

Murray has suffered from some of the same issues Boulware dealt with. Failures to close on guys that were seemingly within reach (Camar Wheaton) or having to deal with suspensions/ineligible guys (Seth McGowan, Marcus Major, Mikey Henderson). The latest wave of running back problems has left OU with two scholarship running backs in a year where the Sooners are more equipped to win the national title than they’ve been since 2008.

How do they bounce back going forward to push this horrible string of mishaps and lack of depth behind them?

It starts with the 2022 and 2023 recruiting classes first and foremost. OU is at a big disadvantage with a week until the start of the 2021 season. There’s no real solution for this year outside of hoping walk on Jaden Knowles can be serviceable and eat some carries to spell Eric Gray and Kennedy Brooks.

That’s also contingent on Brooks and Gray remaining healthy. Things could get real desperate if one/both is injured at any point.

H-Back Jeremiah Hall will likely see carries this year too. Just maybe a receiver lower on the depth chart converts over or Micah Bowens (transfer QB from Penn State with some real mobility) steps up and becomes a RB.

Regardless, this year’s problems will have to be fixed in house.

2022 will see Raleek Brown, Gavin Sawchuk and possibly one more RB (high school recruit or grad transfer) come in to Oklahoma for next season. One of the duo of Gray and Brooks is almost a lock to leave for the NFL after this season with Brooks being the likely one. Gray could leave if he has the season that many anticipate and the Sooners win the national title.

In that scenario four running backs at minimum would need to find their way to OU next year assuming Marcus Major is eligible next year of course.

Four-star running back Jovantae Barnes out of Las Vegas, Nevada has a close relationship with RB coach Murray. Can Murray seal the deal and fight off Alabama and USC for the young man’s pledge?

In 2023, Treyaun Webb has gotten the ball rolling for running backs. Listed as the nation’s no. 3 RB on 247Sports, Webb is an excellent notch on the belt of Murray as long as he can keep him in the fold for the next two years. Guys like Richard Young and Reuben Owens are other names the Sooners are looking at for the class of 2023.

There’s no doubt some of the issues that OU has faced are completely out of the control of the guys in the program. But as we all know to be true, being proactive instead of reactive is the way to go.

Grinding on the recruiting trail and locking down these recruits will go a long way to providing stability in OU’s running back room and preventing such turnover and uncertainty heading into future seasons.

Sooners commit has big night in Mater Dei win over Duncanville

Sooners 2022 commit Raleek Brown makes big plays in huge win for Mater Dei on Friday night.

Friday night football is back. In a rare interstate matchup, the Max Preps No. 1 team in the country, Mater Dei of Santa Ana, traveled to North Texas to face Duncanville. Mater Dei dominated in a 45-3 win over the Panthers.

2022 Sooners commit Raleek Brown had a big day for the Monarchs, carrying the ball five times for 83 yards, and a touchdown. He added one catch for 17 yards to give him 100 yards from scrimmage in the blowout win.

Brown’s big moment came when he took the first-quarter handoff and showed his impressive vision and elusiveness. After finding a lane to the second level, Brown displayed the game-breaking speed, leaving Panthers defenders in the dust on his way to a touchdown.

While the running back position is left with some question marks for the Sooners, the future looks incredibly bright with Brown coming to town. His versatility as a pass-catcher and his explosiveness will provide Oklahoma with a playmaker who can score from anywhere on the field.

Combined with another top 2022 commit, Gavin Sawchuk, and 2023 commit Treyaun Webb, the Sooners have top talent coming down the pipeline for DeMarco Murray’s backfield. Though the 2021 depth chart looks a little thin, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel that will have better depth beyond this season.

Raleek Brown and OU a perfect fit says Bleacher Report

Looking at Raleek Brown’s role as a running back and slot receiver at OU in 2022.

Recruiting is a two-way street. Colleges need players and players need places to play. However, the situation the players and schools envisioned when they formed a commitment to each other doesn’t always play out that way.

Bleacher Report mapped out some of the notable and possible perfect fits for some of the 2022 class of football recruits.

One of the more important recruits for Oklahoma’s 2022 class, Raleek Brown, was mentioned. Writer Brad Shepard said this about Brown’s fit into the Sooners’ offensive plans going forward:

“The running back corps is going be much deeper than a season ago, highlighted by the return of Kennedy Brooks and the transfer of shifty Tennessee back Eric Gray, who could be a star-in-the-making.

Both of those players are eligible to head to the NFL after this season, and it’s a safe bet at least one will test the waters.

That will leave a spot on the offense for Raleek Brown, who is heading to OU from the prestigious Mater Dei High School in California. The four-star running back is a burner who is electric in the open field and can even split out and play slot.”

Brown’s physical gifts, speed and agility, make him the perfect Swiss Army knife for Lincoln Riley’s wide-open air raid attack. With a severe lack of depth behind Kennedy Brooks and Eric Gray heading into 2021, the room will thin out with at least one all but guaranteed to head to the NFL draft. That would leave OU with Tre Bradford, a transfer from LSU, and Marcus Major as the only returning scholarship backs. Major was recently ruled ineligible for 2021 due to academic issues. 

Brown and Gavin Sawchuk are the only running backs currently committed to Oklahoma. With Brown’s ability to play in the slot quite frequently, it allows for the more traditional running back, Sawchuk, to see the field. Brown may not have this possible amount of early playing time if he had chosen to stay at home and play for USC.

Time will tell how things work out for Raleek Brown and OU. As it stands, Brown and OU fit like a perfect jigsaw puzzle.

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Sooners 2022 RB commit flashes ‘Horns Down’ on social media

Four-star running back commit for the class of 2022, Gavin Sawchuk, flashed horns down in front of Kyler Murray’s Lamborghini.

Another day, another Oklahoma commit participating in a tradition like none other, flashing Horns Down. Continue reading “Sooners 2022 RB commit flashes ‘Horns Down’ on social media”

Oklahoma Sooners recruiting wave pushes them back into the top 10

The surging Oklahoma Sooners see their recruiting ranking climb back into the top 10 after productive recruiting weekend.

The Oklahoma Sooners got off to a hot start when it came to their 2022 recruiting class. They did have a period of cooling after Lincoln Riley watched two of his top receivers back out of their pledge and opt for different landing spots. It started with Jordan Hudson, who decided to stay in his home state of Texas and play for the SMU Mustangs. With a 247Sports composite rating of 0.9513, he became their highest-rated recruit ever.

The decommitment of Hudson was followed up by Talyn Shettron’s flip to the Sooners’ in-state rivals, the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Shettron will join his brother in playing for OSU. With those two decomittments, the Sooners saw their class ranking drop all the way to No. 22.

However, since that time Oklahoma and Riley have added three four-star talents and a pair of three-star athletes.

Recruit Position Stars Rating
Gavin Sawchuck RB 4 0.9800
Derrick Moore DL 4 0.9690
Jacob Sexton OT 4 0.9120
Xavion Brice ATH 3 0.8466
Robert Spears-Jennings ATH 3 0.8366

Prior to Derrick Moore’s commitment the Sooners found themselves at No. 9 to get back into the top 10, he boosted them to No. 8. OU is now just a point behind their biggest rivals, the Texas Longhorns for the top spot in the Big 12 Conference.

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As it sits at this moment, the Ohio State Buckeyes have the best class in the nation by a very wide margin. Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Penn State Nittany Lions, Florida State Seminoles, and LSU Tigers round out the top five. It is a close race following LSU with Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, and Oregon all right there together in the No. 6-9 spots.

The Sooners still have work to do, currently, they hold crystal ball predictions for several more top prospects in the 2022 recruiting class.

Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy is the highest-rated of the bunch with a five-star grade and the No. 6 player in the country. He is expected to visit Norman in September when the Sooners host Nebraska for the third game of the season. Gentry Williams is another hot target but the USC Trojans are gaining some momentum on that front. The other name to watch is Jake Taylor of Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas.

WATCH: Newest Oklahoma commit Gavin Sawchuk discusses his commitment

The newest Oklahoma Sooners commit, Gavin Sawchuk discusses his decision with CBS Sports’ Amanda Guerra.

The Oklahoma Sooners added another member to the running back room for DeMarco Murray in 2022. Earlier in the recruiting process, they added Raleek Brown of Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California). The No. 4 running back in the country will have some company with Gavin Sawchuk’s recent commitment. The running back product from Valor Christian (Littleton, Colorado), is the No. 2 running back in the country and No. 43 overall according to 247Sports composite rankings.

This gives Murray and head coach Lincoln Riley two more weapons in the backfield along with top 2021 prospect Caleb Williams. The offense continues to stay loaded. Sawchuk chose the Sooners over programs like the Ohio State Buckeyes, Southern California Trojans, and Alabama Crimson Tide.

On CBS Sports, the newest commit spoke about his decision with Amanda Guerra. He stated that “Oklahoma was home.”

There is still plenty of work for the Sooners on the recruiting trail. They currently sit at the No. 5 team overall and No. 1 in the Big 12 Conference according to the composite team rankings. Sawchuk becomes the No. 9 commit, which replaced the recent decommitment from Garland wide receiver Jordan Hudson. Six of the nine commits come on the offensive side of the ball.

Alex Grinch and company still have work to do on the defensive side of the ball as they continue to fill out their 2022 recruiting class. Ahead of the 2021 college football season, the Sooners sit in a good spot.

A look at Gavin Sawchuk’s highlights:

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions.

Social media reaction to No. 2 ranked 2022 RB Gavin Sawchuk committing to Oklahoma

Social media reaction to Oklahoma landing the No. 2 ranked running back in the class of 2022 Gavin Sawchuk on Tuesday.

Oklahoma made a big splash on the recruiting trail on Tuesday with the gained commitment of class of 2022 four-star running back Gavin Sawchuk out of Littleton, Colorado. Sawchuk is the No. 2 ranked running back in his recruiting class.

This was the first of an expected multiple announced commitments for the Sooners on the heels of their seemingly highly-successful “Champ U BBQ” that took place at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium over the weekend. Sawhcuk is likely only the beginning.

As one would expect, social media had plenty of reaction to the highly-touted running back prospect electing to play his college ball in Norman. Here are some of the highlights:

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Two Notre Dame running back targets commit to CFP stalwarts

On to the next one…

Earlier this month, the Irish staff welcomed Tennessee running back Dallan Hayden for a visit. Unfortunately for Notre Dame, we can now take Hayden off the list of potential running backs for the 2022 class as he committed to Ohio State his afternoon.

Hayden wasn’t the only big time running back prospect that the Irish missed out on today, as Colorado back Gavin Sawchuk also made his pledge, as he will head off to Oklahoma.

It now makes much more sense why the Irish are welcoming in running back Xayvion Bradshaw to campus later on this week.

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Currently the Irish have a commitment from Texas running back Jadarian Price, but it’s clear they would like to add another prospect along with him.

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Hopefully, we can bring you good news later this week after Bradshaw’s visit, as he would be a great addition to the 2022 Notre Dame football recruiting class.