Tag: jay valai

No. 4 player in the state of Oklahoma signs National Letter of Intent with OU

The state’s No. 4 overall player has officially signed with the Oklahoma Sooners.

Since stepping into the role as cornerbacks coach for the Oklahoma Sooners, [autotag]Jay Valai[/autotag] has done an outstanding job both with development and with recruiting. The Sooners’ cornerbacks, when healthy, made big strides in 2023.

Valai also did a good job on the recruiting trail, earning three commitments. One of those was the No. 4 player in the state, [autotag]Devon Jordan[/autotag].

Jordan played at Tulsa Union and is a 5-foot-11 and 168-pound four-star cornerback. He’s someone who probably will not see the field much in 2024 unless it’s on special teams.

The Sooners return a number of young players who saw the field in 2023. But if 2023 is any indicator, that could change at any moment. There were guys last year who probably weren’t expected to play a whole lot before the season but had to due to injury.

Jordan has great speed. In fact, 247Sports reported he ran a wind-aided 10.71 100 meters and 21.93 200 meters times as a junior in spring 2023 at the OSAA 6A regional meet. He placed fifth at the OSAA 6A meet in the 100 with a wind-legal 10.91. Speed is something the Sooners can use in the secondary.

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

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

Oklahoma Sooners continue Denton Guyer pipeline, sign cornerback Eli Bowen

The Sooners have had a lot of success recruiting Denton Guyer recently and they continue that with the signing of Eli Bowen.

[autotag]Jay Valai[/autotag] had his hands full in 2023 thanks to a lot of injuries at his position. The one steady spot was [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag], but the other side constantly saw guys in and out.

A lot of those young guys showed their youth but also showed promise, which just shows how important it is to recruit the right guys. Valai hopes he has another one of those guys with the signing of [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag].

Bowen is the younger brother of [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] but is no slouch himself. He’s a four-star cornerback who is 5-foot-9 and weighs 165 pounds.

His role in 2024 is unclear. As I mentioned before, it’s a position that suffered a lot of injuries, so he could be thrown into the fire in year one. He joins a group that includes Gentry Williams, Kani Walker, Kendel Dolby, Makari Vickers, and Jacobe Johnson. Ideally, he spends a year with [autotag]Jerry Schmidt[/autotag] getting bigger because he has a bright future in the Crimson and Cream.

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

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

Sooners offer Oregon State transfer defensive back Jermod McCoy

Oklahoma joins a growing list of suitors for Oregon State transfer Jermod McCoy. McCoy had a terrific true freshman season.

Oklahoma has already been active in the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag]. That activity will continue. The Sooners are one of the latest teams to offer Oregon State transfer cornerback Jermod McCoy.

On Tuesday, the talented cornerback announced he’d received an offer from the Sooners.

McCoy had an excellent season as he racked up 31 tackles, two interceptions, and seven pass deflections as a true freshman. He was a three-star recruit coming out of high school from Whitehouse, Texas. Now, he’s considered a four-star after his freshman season, according to 247Sports transfer portal rankings.

 

McCoy stands six feet tall and weighs 180 pounds. He’s a dynamic athlete with a high school track and field background that shows up on the field. Oklahoma received a significant boost in its secondary over the last few days with the return of Billy Bowman and a commitment from San Diego State transfer Dezjhon Malone.

Landing McCoy will not be easy. The competition is stiff. Florida, Texas A&M, USC, Washington, Oregon, Auburn and Arkansas are among the teams that have already offered the talented corner with three years remaining eligibility. Sooners cornerback coach Jay Valai will have his work cut out for him.

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

Sooners secure commitment from transfer cornerback Dezjhon Malone

Oklahoma beat out West Virginia, Purdue, and others for San Diego State transfer cornerback Dezjhon Malone.

The Oklahoma Sooners added another defensive back to their roster as former San Diego State Aztecs cornerback Dezjhon Malone announced his commitment to the team on Sunday.

Malone announced he would enter the transfer portal on November 30. He received notable offers from West Virginia, Purdue, and Louisville, but Jay Valai and the appeal of Oklahoma won out. He was a steady contributor for his former school, where he appeared in 25 games with the Aztecs during four seasons.

Malone led the Aztecs with 11 starts at cornerback in the 2023 season and will bring excellent size to the position at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds.

 

He was an All-Mountain West honorable mention in 2023 after logging 47 tackles, two for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, and one interception with seven passes broken up on the year. According to Pro Football Focus, Malone allowed just one touchdown in over 400 coverage snaps in 2023.

With Oklahoma potentially losing Woodi Washington to the NFL draft, Malone is a capable cornerback who joins a strong group of promising corners. He’ll add competitive depth to a group that includes Gentry Williams, Kani Walker, Jasiah Wagoner, Makari Vickers, Jacobe Johnson, and Kendel Dolby. Depth at cornerback was an issue in 2023. As the Sooners figure out their secondary while heading into their first season in the SEC, having veteran options provides the Sooners some insurance in the defensive backfield if the young guys on the roster aren’t able to seize a role in 2024.

Oklahoma has added two transfers since the season ended and figures to still bring in a few more. Malone joins former Michigan State transfer offensive lineman Spencer Brown as incoming additions via the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag].

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

Sooners assistant due for a raise according to USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma Sooners have had a bounce back season in 2023 and USA TODAY Sports believes one OU assistant is due for a raise.

The Oklahoma Sooners have a chance to finish the season with double-digit wins in Brent Venables’ second season in Norman.

After going 6-7 in 2022, the idea in 2023 was simply to get better. And they’ve done that across the board. The offense is playing at a higher level, but, more importantly, the defense has improved.

As we near the conclusion of the 2023 season, the coaching carousel has already begun across the college football landscape. Several Power Five jobs have opened up, which means coach movement will unfold over the next few weeks.

As the season winds down, USA TODAY Sports’ Tom Schad broke down seven assistants he believes deserve a pay raise. Either because they had a strong season or simply because their current program would be wise to do what they need to to keep the assistant.

Among Schad’s seven assistants who deserve a raise is Oklahoma Sooners co-defensive coordinator – pass defense, cornerbacks and nickelbacks coach [autotag]Jay Valai[/autotag].

Oklahoma is tied for the FBS lead with 17 interceptions, including two last weekend against West Virginia and two that have been returned for touchdowns. It’s a credit to the Sooners’ entire defensive staff but also the impact of Valai, who has been highly sought-after in recent years and looks poised to take another step. The 36-year-old spent one year in the NFL, as a quality control coach with the Kansas City Chiefs, and has since coached defensive backs at some of the nation’s premier football programs, including stints at Alabama and Texas before arriving at Oklahoma in 2022. – Schad, USA TODAY Sports

Valai is making $700,000 a year.

The Oklahoma Sooners secondary has been significantly better in 2022 than it was a year ago. The unit has improved from 119th in the nation in pass defense to 90th. A year ago, the Sooners were 10th in the nation in interceptions per game. This year, they’re tied for first. They have done this while dealing with injuries at cornerback and safety throughout the season.

As Schad mentions, it’s been a total team improvement, but the secondary has made a big jump in understanding of the defense to execution. At the same time, you can’t deny the effect Valai has had on the cornerbacks and the pass defense.

Valai was a strong hire shortly after Brent Venables’ arrival, and two years in, it’s paying dividends. It may be time for the Sooners to pay Valai.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Oklahoma Sooners predicted to land 2025 4-Star cornerback

A prediction has been put in in favor of the Oklahoma Sooners for 4-Star 2025 cornerback.

The Oklahoma Sooners continue to hit the recruiting trail hard in the 2025 recruiting class. The Sooners currently have the No. 4 class in the country.

It feels like just about every week, Oklahoma is earning a new prediction for a 2025 recruit or a commit. On Friday night, they earned a commitment from EDGE rusher [autotag]Alexander Shieldnight[/autotag]. This time the Sooners received a prediction from On3 and SoonerScoop’s Josh McCuiston for four-star cornerback from Texas, Cobey Sellers.

Sellers is six feet tall and weighs 170 pounds. He’s a defensive back who is ranked as the No. 16 cornerback in the country. Sellers is also a top 250 overall recruit on every recruiting site and would be a big addition to [autotag]Jay Valai[/autotag]’s cornerback room.

Oklahoma is currently the favorite to land the talented cornerback with the Texas Longhorns, LSU Tigers, [autotag]Baylor Bears[/autotag] and [autotag]SMU Mustangs[/autotag] lurking. Oklahoma has an 89% chance of landing Sellers, according to On3’s recruiting prediction machine.

The Sooners currently have eight commits in 2025 already. With a top-five class in 2023 and trending toward another top 10 class in 2024, they have a chance to start stacking big-time classes ahead of their move to the SEC.

There is still a long way to go with Sellers, and he hasn’t set a commitment date, but there is no question the Sooners are off to a great start.

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

Oklahoma Sooners receive two predictions for 2024 4-Star safety

Oklahoma recruiting continues its hot streak, earn crystal ball predictions for 4-Star safety.

The Oklahoma Sooners had an eventful weekend. They picked up a pair of commitments on the defensive side of the ball and then defeated the UCF Knights. The Sooners also received a crystal ball prediction favoring OU in the recruitment of four-star safety Reggie Powers on Friday. Sunday evening, the Sooners picked up two more crystal ball predictions from 247Sports.

Powers is a 6-foot-1, 200-pound safety from Dayton, Ohio. He was once committed to the Michigan State Spartans. Right now, the Sooners are competing with the [autotag]UCLA Bruins[/autotag] for Powers’ services.

Physically strong, well-built prospect who also has a basketball background. Has been to events and verified size and also put up solid testing numbers which include good agility times at his size. Has good play speed, is aggressive and shows instincts and ability to diagnose plays in run support. Is an excellent box defender. Shows that he can also play in coverage. Ultimately is likely a strong safety or hybrid defender depending on the scheme but is a high-floor prospect who can fit into the framework of multiple defenses and be effective. – Allen Trieu National Recruiting Analyst 247Sports

The two predictions the Sooners received Sunday evening came from national recruiting analyst Allen Trieu and director of football recruiting Steve Wiltfong.

Powers was in Norman over the weekend on an unofficial visit and now looks to be trending heavily toward choosing the Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners have been active in their pursuit of the four-star safety as they look to add him to an already strong defensive recruiting class in 2024.

There has been some speculation Sooners could go on a run in recruiting to end this month and start November. The commitments they’ve received in the last few days combined with the predictions trending for Oklahoma with Powers certainly support that speculation.

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

Report Card: Saturday against Tulsa was about passing final nonconference test with flying colors

Oklahoma dominated Tulsa from beginning to end. Take a look as we go position by position and hand out grades for the performance.

Saturday’s dismantling of Tulsa was a much-needed conclusion for the Sooners to their nonconference schedule. The Sooners needed to erase any doubts, bouncing back and disposing of teams handily after a grind-it-out win against SMU.

The concerns about the conservative nature of the offense against SMU were put to rest as Oklahoma slung the ball all over the field for 476 yards.

Defensively, the Sooners grounded the Tulsa passing attack, allowing less than 250 yards through the air.

It was a convincing win and a pleasant, feel-good tuneup before they turn their heads to Cincinnati. Big 12 play is upon them, but before we turn the page, let’s pass out grades for this weekend’s performances.

Sooners defense leads the way: 3 stars in Oklahoma’s win over the SMU Mustangs

Oklahoma took down SMU 28-11 on Saturday behind some stifling defense. We broke down our three stars for the game.

A week ago, if someone told you Oklahoma would hold an explosive SMU team to less than 20 points, you’d likely be very excited. We confirm the Sooners did that on Saturday night.

Oklahoma won a grind-it-out type of game 28-11, but the main story for the Sooners was the electric play of their defense. Sure, they gave up over 300 yards, but the Sooners were excellent and resilient when SMU crossed the 50-yard line. Their defense cranked it up a notch, and the Sooners got off the field.

It wasn’t a perfect performance, especially considering the conservative nature of the offensive game plan and the lack of explosiveness the offense showed in a total flip of what it looked like the week before against Arkansas State.

Still, when it mattered the most, Oklahoma found plays in the second half, and it was enough for the Sooners to get to 2-0.

Up Next: 3 Stars from OU’s win over SMU

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

Report Card: Sooners breeze through Arkansas State with big-time performances

The Oklahoma Sooners were fantastic in their win over Arkansas State, but how did they grade in this week’s Report Card?

Saturday allowed us to see team 129 in Oklahoma’s illustrious football history for the first time this season. This team entered the day with cautious optimism, but a cloud of last season’s disappointment still hungover over the program. Year two of Brent Venables’s tenure needed to start off with a bang, and his team did just that as they dismantled the Arkansas State Red Wolves 73-0.

The Sooners are on another level regarding raw talent than the Arkansas State Red Wolves. That is abundantly clear, but Oklahoma had to show it could dominate an inferior opponent. They also needed to showcase the improvements in recruiting and among their returning players.

Saturday was a fun, stress-free showcase of domination. Now that the first game is behind us, it’s time to dive deeper and hand out our first grades of the year in this week’s report card.