Tag: Jeff Lebby

247Sports sees Oklahoma’s QB room as one of the best in the nation

Oklahoma figures to have one of the best QB situations in the nation in 2023 per 247Sports.

Most of Oklahoma’s 2023 hopes will rely on their defense’s ability to bounce back from a horrific 2022 season. They were in a transition year, learning a new defense brought over by then-first-year head coach Brent Venables.

While there’s a concern and noted apprehension about that side of the ball, offensively, the Sooners feel better about what they can accomplish. At the root of that belief is the quarterback room.

Dillon Gabriel returns to quarterback Oklahoma in his third season with Jeff Lebby as his offensive coordinator. Behind Gabriel, five-star quarterback Jackson Arnold prepares to be the backup and starter in 2024 as Oklahoma forges on to the SEC.

247Sports seems to believe in Oklahoma’s QB room as they ranked Oklahoma’s QB room sixth best for the 2023 season. Brad Crawford of 247Sports ranked the top seven QB rooms for the 2023 season and slotted Oklahoma sixth ahead of Oregon but behind the Tennessee Volunteers.

Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby loves his situation at quarterback at a program that just seems to churn quality players at the position each and every year. Gabriel threw for 3,168 yards and 26 touchdowns last season after transferring from UCF, but the Sooners squandered that production with a wretched defense. He was pressed this spring by the five-star Arnold, who has mastered this scheme quickly. Insiders at Sooners Illustrated tell us there’s a chance the leash will be short on Gabriel and that Arnold is game-ready as a first-year player. Arnold, a product of Denton (Texas) Guyer, was ranked No. 10 nationally, No. 4 at quarterback and No. 1 in the state of Texas as a member of the Class of 2023. – Crawford, 247Sports

Gabriel is the unquestioned offense leader, but as Crawford suggests, Arnold’s talent is hard to deny. If Gabriel or the team struggles early, Arnold could get the nod to give Oklahoma a spark like Caleb Williams did a few years back.

Gabriel performed well en route to winning Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year and finished second in the Big 12 in passing yards per game (264.0).

Arnold has all the talent in the world but is very unseasoned. The early nonconference games will be pivotal for Oklahoma to win running away so that Arnold, the presumptive backup QB, can receive real game experience.

Gabriel’s most significant task this offseason is continuing to become more consistent with routine plays and opening his vision even more. There were times last season that Gabriel did leave meat on the bone, which he and Jeff Lebby will have to work on.

Nonetheless, Oklahoma is in good hands as a  QB for next season. This Sooner offense will go where Doillon Gabriel takes it.

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Sooners 2024 commit Michael Hawkins named an Elite 11 finalist

Oklahoma QB commit Michael Hawkins earns invite to Elite 11 Finals.

Michael Hawkins keeps improving. Since landing his Oklahoma offer, Hawkins has been adamant about his journey to get better as a quarterback. He’s shown his improvement at various showcases. His skills have been displayed, and he’s risen among the cream of the crop, winning the accuracy award at the UA Dallas showcase earlier this year and QB MVP at Rivals Camp for a second straight year.

The wins for Oklahoma’s lone QB commit in 2024 continue to pile up. Hawkins officially earned an invite to the Elite 11 finals after performing at the Elite 11 Regional in Austin, Texas.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound field general is the latest quarterback to join the Elite 11’s showcase event in California. There are very few honors that high school quarterbacks value more than being invited to the Elite 11 Finals. The event is for the nation’s best passers, who get to participate in high-level competition and training from some of the world’s best.

Last year, Jackson Arnold was named Elite 11 MVP en route to becoming a consensus five-star QB across every recruiting service. Former Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray participated in it as well.

Hawkins will compete with names such as DJ Lagway (Florida), Air Noland (Ohio State), the nation’s number-one player and Georgia commit, Dylan Raiola, Julian Sayin of Alabama, and Jadyn Davis of Michigan.

The event will give more opportunities for Hawkins to showcase his live arm and the accuracy that many evaluators rave about. Hawkins also plans to camp in Oklahoma this summer to help improve his craft. It would be easy for Hawkins to continue connecting and building a rapport with his future offensive coordinator, Jeff Lebby.

In the meantime, Hawkins will continue working the phones and recruiting to help the Sooners staff build this 2024 class that will accompany him to Norman next year.

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Could Jeff Lebby be a part of the next head coaching carousel?

Looking ahead to the next head coaching carousel, CBS Sports believes Jeff Lebby could get some looks.

Jeff Lebby’s first year with the Oklahoma Sooners went well. The offense was productive and explosive. It helped them win a few shootouts when the defense struggled to hold teams under 30 points.

It wasn’t all great. The Sooners struggled to come up with an adequate quarterback option or game plan for the Red River Showdown without Dillon Gabriel. Other than the loss to Texas and the ineffectiveness against West Virginia in the wet conditions, the Sooners’ offense was really good in 2022.

Lebby’s offensive prowess is what will have him in consideration for head coach jobs each coaching cycle. That’s why CBS Sports David Cobb mentions him among several coaches that could join the 2023 head coaching carousel.

Lebby will be under some pressure to help get Oklahoma turned back in the right direction after an underwhelming start to the Brent Venables regime last season. But at just 39, he’s already proven himself as one of the sport’s top offensive minds while working under the likes of Josh Heupel at UCF and Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss. Red flags over Lebby’s time at Baylor working for Art Briles during a scandalous period aren’t going to totally disappear, but as that period of his career fades further into the distance, his viability as a head coach improves. — Cobb, CBS Sports

Most recently, Lebby was included in discussions for Alabama’s offensive coordinator position. He spurned the reported pursuits of Nick Saban to stick with the Oklahoma Sooners and Venables.

As each year that Lebby produces strong offensive performances goes by, the more his name will come up in coaching searches. However, there’s a chance he could go the same route as his head coach. Lebby could go like Venables, bide his time and wait on an opportunity that is a better job than being the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma.

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Jovantae Barnes lands inside College Sports Wire’s list of top 25 running backs in 2023

Jovantae Barnes among College Sports Wire’s top 25 running backs heading into the 2023 season.

[autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] had a strong freshman season behind Eric Gray in 2022. Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk are in a prime position to take over the Sooners with Gray’s departure for the NFL.

Last season, Barnes carried the ball 116 times for 519 yards and five touchdowns. That performance has many expecting Barnes to be the lead ball carrier and heading toward a breakout season in 2023. With another year under DeMarco Murray and Jeff Lebby’s coaching on offense, it’s hard to imagine Barnes doesn’t surpass his numbers from his freshman season.

Last week Patrick Conn of College Sports Wire ranked Barnes No. 2 among Big 12 running backs ahead of the 2023 season. This week, Barnes just makes the cut on Conn’s list of the top 25 running backs in all of college football.

Barnes is looking to be the next Oklahoma running back that causes headaches for the defense. Last year Eric Gray led the team but with his departure, there is ample opportunity for Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk to show they are ready to carry the load for the Sooners. – Conn, College Sports Wire Regional Editor

He just barely got on the list at No. 25, and a lot of it is because of the potential he has in that Sooners’ offense. He needs to show more this year to stay on this list. If the Oklahoma Sooners can answer some of the questions along the offensive line, look for Barnes to have a breakout year for the Sooners.

No. 1 on the list is Blake Corum after he decided to come back for another season to try and lead Michigan to a national championship for one more year.

Corum opted to return for a fourth season at Michigan over the NFL. He and Bijan Robinson were the top two running backs in the country and with Corum coming back, he is easily RB1 going into 2023. His backup Donovan Edwards picked up the slack and then some in Corum’s absence following his injury. Edwards is another back that is easily among the top five in the Big Ten after rushing for 991 yards and five touchdowns. They might be the best duo in the country. – Conn, College Sports Wire Regional Editor.

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2025 four-star RB Deondrae Riden receives an offer from Oklahoma

2025 running back and four-star recruit Deondrae Riden receives an offer from Oklahoma. Riden has a ton of potential at the next level.

2025 running back and four-star recruit Deondrae Riden has received an offer from the Oklahoma Sooners. He stands at 5-foot-10 and weighs 195 pounds. Riden hails from Desoto, Texas.

He has 30 scholarship offers, with 27 of those offers coming from Power Five programs. Some of the notable offers include Alabama, Georgia, Miami (FL), Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, and USC outside of Oklahoma now.

When you watch Riden’s high school tape, he shows off a ton of speed. He displays good contact balance and has shown the ability to run with power.

Riden is consideed a four-star prospect by ESPN, Rivals, and 247Sports and a top 230 player in the country across the board. Rivals has him ranked as the No. 4 running back in the class and he’s a top 40 player in the state of Texas.

DeMarco Murray is looking to build off the success Oklahoma’s already had in the 2025 cycle, picking up commitments from blue-chip Texas prospects Kevin Sperry and Gracen Harris. Murray’s had a lot of success in recent recruiting cycles and there’s no reason to suspect that will change moving forward.

Deondrae Riden’s Recruiting Profile

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ESPN’s early Junior 300 rankings includes two Oklahoma commits

While they continue to build their 2024 class, Oklahoma is off to a promising start to 2025 with two commits in ESPN’s Junior 300.

The class of 2024 is the recruiting class at the forefront of the college football world. Those student-athletes are preparing for their final years of high school football and looking to decide where their next destinations will be. Oklahoma already has a top 30 class, and you can be sure they will continue to ascend as the months wear on.

The 2025 class is starting to see their recruitments pick up. The contact between players and coaching staff transitions from preliminary introductions to building bonds and trust. Plenty of players have committed to schools despite being unable to take any official visits yet. Oklahoma has put in work for the class of 2025 and is one of schools with multiple commitments so far. ESPN published its first iteration of the ESPN Junior 300, and a pair of Oklahoma commitments are represented.

Oklahoma’s chosen QB for the class of 2025 and its first commit, [autotag]Kevin Sperry[/autotag], checks in at No. 131. [autotag]Gracen Harris[/autotag], one of Texas high school football’s best slot receivers, checks in at No. 101. Both prospects are rated four-star recruits by ESPN.

Oklahoma joins Georgia, Alabama, and Penn State as schools with multiple commits from ESPN’s Junior 300. Georgia leads the way as the reigning national champions already have seven commitments from the ESPN 300  for 2025.

Outside of the two commits the Sooners already have, there are some notable names in the rankings that the Sooners actively recruiting.

[autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag], a five-star tight end in the rankings, is among the most notable of the uncommitted. Mitchell is the best friend and former teammate of Oklahoma’s four-star 2024 QB commit [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag]. Mitchell has been projected to land with the Oklahoma Sooners for some time. That would be a significant commitment marking Jeff Lebby’s second five-star commit as offensive coordinator.

Five-star wide receiver Dakorien Moore from Duncanville High School has a well-known connection with Sooners wide receivers coach Emmett Jones. Oklahoma figures to be prominent in recruiting the Texas powerhouse due to Jones’ ties with the school and the North Texas area.

Oklahoma has also offered four-star receivers [autotag]Andrew Marsh[/autotag] and [autotag]Isaiah Mozee[/autotag]. The early commitments from Kevin Sperry and Gracen Harris will help them, especially amongst prospects from the state of Texas.

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Oklahoma offers 2026 wide receiver Dominic Saidu-Robinson

Oklahoma offers 2026 wide receiver Dominic Saidu-Robinson out of Dallas, Texas.

Oklahoma offers 2026 wide receiver Dominic Saidu-Robinson out of Dallas, Texas. He goes to First Baptist Academy. Oklahoma is getting in early for his recruitment and it’s easy to see why.

Saidu-Robinson still has three years before he comes out of high school for college, but he’s shown a lot so far. His size stands out. He’s 5-foot-11 and weighs 160 pounds as a rising sophomore. There’s a chance he can add a few more inches to his frame

He has 14 scholarship offers already. Expect that number to continue to rise through the summer and into next season. Robinson’s recruitment is on the verge of heating up, and it makes sense why so many schools like Oklahoma wanted to get in on his recruitment early.

In addition to  Oklahoma, some of the notable offers are Colorado, Ole Miss, Arizona State, Missouri, and TCU. Oklahoma is easily the most notable school to offer him so far.

Emmet Jones and Jeff Lebby have prioritized bigger wide receivers on the outside in the spread-out passing attack.

 

Saidu-Robinson’s game shows and ability to excel against all three levels of the defense with his size, balance, and athleticism. If Oklahoma can reel him in for the 2026 class, it would be huge and help the Sooners make a big impression in the SEC with their explosive offense through the air.

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Jovantae Barnes No. 2 in College Sports Wire’s list of top Big 12 running backs

Jovantae Barnes is ranked 2nd in College Sports Wire’s list of top Big 12 running backs.

It was a strong true freshman campaign for [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] in 2022. As the back up to [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag], the former four-star runner provided the Sooners with a really good second option out of the backfield.

Last season, Barnes carried the ball 116 times for 519 yards and five touchdowns. That performance have many expecting Barnes to be the lead ball carrier and heading toward a breakout season in 2023.

Jovantae Barnes was ranked No. 2 in Patrick Conn’s College Sports Wire’s list of the top Big 12 running backs for the 2023 college football season.

Barnes is looking to be the next Oklahoma running back that causes headaches for the defense. Last year Eric Gray led the team but with his departure, there is ample opportunity for Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk to show they are ready to carry the load for the Sooners. – Conn, College Sports Wire

Barnes should be the lead back for the Sooners this season, but he could also split some time with [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] in the Oklahoma running backfield. Sawchuk had 15 carries, 100 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown in his extended appearance against Florida State in the Cheez-It Bowl. Even if it’s a 50-50 split, there will be more than enough work for Barnes and Sawchuk in an offense that gave running backs 420 carries a year ago.

Barnes is eclipsed in these rankings by only Jonathon Brooks for the Texas Longhorns.

Brooks is projected to be the starter ahead of Keilan Robinson, C.J. Baxter, and Jaydon Blue in that Texas running back room. He only had 30 carries last season and also had 197 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground. He also had two catches for 37 receiving yards.

If you thought that the Longhorns would have a down year at running back after both Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson were drafted, think again. This room is loaded with talent. Jonathon Brooks, Keilan Robinson, C.J. Baxter, and Jaydon Blue all gearing up for their shot. We project Brooks to be the guy and likely have a huge season for Texas. – Conn, College Sports Wire

The Red River Rivalry is going to be a running back showcase for the ages if these two running backs can perform up to these expectations.

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College Sports Wire has Dillon Gabriel ranked as the 12th-best QB in the country

Oklahoma’s leader and QB1, Dillon Gabriel, was listed as the No. 12 QB in the country by College Sports Wire.

Oklahoma’s true preparation for the 2023 season is approaching its final steps.

Team 129 will start summer workouts ahead of fall camp in the coming weeks, and guys will return from their breaks after spring practice. Oklahoma looks to hit the ground running in pursuit of one final Big 12 crown and one last berth in the College Football Playoff as a member of the Big 12 before it departs for the SEC next summer.

At the heart of that goal, quarterback Dillon Gabriel resides with the keys to Jeff Lebby’s offense. He plays a significant role in Oklahoma’s attempt to rebound from the program’s worst season in over 20 years.

Gabriel was the target of ire for some Sooners fans despite starting 12 of the team’s 13 games and ranking second in the Big 12 in passing yards per game (264), total offense (290.3 ypg), pass efficiency rating (154.4), yards per completion (13.8), yards per pass attempt (8.6) and passing touchdowns (25). He completed 62.7% of his passes for 3,168 yards and rushed for 317 yards and six touchdowns. He threw for at least 230 yards in nine of his 11 complete games and threw for at least one touchdown in 10 of those games.

He did leave a few plays on the field once or twice a game, and he has spoken about that this offseason. However, on a list of reasons OU went 6-7 last year, he should be in the bottom third.

College football feels more wide open this year than it has in the last few. Sure, Georgia has transformed itself into a red and black version of Godzilla, terrorizing the rest of college football. But, UGA no longer has proven signal-caller Stetson Bennett and has to reload a roster that lost multiple starters to the top 100 picks of the 2023 NFL draft. Alabama doesn’t have a QB that’s proven either with Bryce Young leaving Tuscaloosa to become the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. As you sit back and survey the college football landscape, the field is wide open, but QB play could be the separation for many.

Our friends at College Sports Wire ranked the 25 best quarterbacks in college football and while the consensus remains that one-time Sooner Caleb Williams is the top guy, the rest could be debated.

Dillon Gabriel slots in at No. 12 nationally and No. 2 in the Big 12 behind Kansas’ Jalon Daniels.

Gabriel was a huge acquisition for the Sooners prior to the 2022 season. A move that almost didn’t happen after the former UCF passer originally committed to transfer to UCLA. But as has been the case for a good chunk of his collegiate career, he missed time due to injury. Of course, that injury occurred due to a late hit by TCU during their game. The Big 12’s leading passer is hoping for a repeat of last year if Oklahoma wants to avoid back-to-back losing seasons. — Conn, College Sports Wire

Gabriel is a significant part of Oklahoma’s equation heading into 2023. He has spent multiple seasons with Jeff Lebby as his offensive coordinator dating to their time at UCF.

It’s now or never for Gabriel. With five-star QB Jackson Arnold on campus, the margin for error this year could be slim. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where Gabriel remains the top QB in Norman if Oklahoma’s offense struggles. Gabriel has command of the offense, and his teammates respect and follow him.

However, Oklahoma is not a place where 6-7 will be tolerated in back-to-back seasons. Changes could be made at QB, if nothing else, to shake things up.

Ultimately, it’s hard to believe Gabriel will not play at least as well as he did last year. He could likely even exceed that if things fall perfectly. He lost three of his top four pass catchers to the NFL, so early on, adjusting and finding his complementary options to wide receivers Jalil Farooq and Drake Stoops could set the tone for his ability to consistently perform and whether or not Gabriel moves up this list by the end of the season.

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Oklahoma offers 2025 four-star wide receiver Adrian Wilson

Oklahoma offers 2025 four-star wide receiver Adrian Wilson.

Adrian Wilson has been offered a scholarship by Oklahoma for the 2025 recruiting class. He’s a four-star wide receiver out of Weiss High School in Pflugerville, Texas. He stands at 6-foot-2 and weighs 165 pounds.

Wilson has a ton of potential. He obviously has the size, but based on his tape there’s a lot to like about his ability. He has great ball skills already, where quarterbacks can just throw the ball up to him and he’ll catch it easily with a defender draped on him. He’s a great deep-ball threat because of that.

He needs to continue polishing his route running for the collegiate level, but that will come. He’s a perfect receiver for Lebby to utilize in this offense if he decides Oklahoma is the place for him.

Wilson’s recruitment has been heating up, and that’s been proven with him having 15 recruiting offers so far, with 11 of those offers being from Power Five schools. The most notable of those, outside Oklahoma, are Oregon, Ole Miss, Utah, TCU, Arizona, and Arizona State.

Wilson’s recruitment is only going to get even hotter. He has the potential that is going to have schools salivating for a target of his size in their wide receiving corps. He’s going to get more looks at 7-on-7 camps and eventually when the high school season starts back up in the fall too.

Oklahoma needs all the help it can get in the receiving corps after Marvin Mims left for the NFL this past season, so bulking up on that area makes sense for the future of Jebby Lebby’s offense.

Adrian Wilson’s Recruiting Profile

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