Tag: Kendel Dolby

Oklahoma Sooners going all-in to improve defense for 2023

The Oklahoma Sooners are going all-in via the transfer portal to fix a defense that was one of the worst in the country in 2022.

The transfer portal has created a bit of a chaotic element in the world of college football. Players that coaches expect to be around for three to five years may depart after just one season with the immediate eligibility transfer rule.

At the same time, there’s beauty in the transfer portal as well. A team like the Oklahoma Sooners, coming off its worst season since 1998, isn’t forced to stand pat and wait on its players to develop.

After the 2022 season, in which the defense ranked in the bottom 30 of college football and allowed 30 points per game, the Sooners are aggressively improving the talent on the defensive roster for 2023.

[autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and the Oklahoma Sooners have added six players on the defensive side through the transfer portal. And that doesn’t include [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag], who they brought in as a junior college addition through the 2023 recruiting class. So far, they’ve earned transfer commitments from:

  • [autotag]Jacob Lacey[/autotag], DT from Notre Dame
  • [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag], Edge/LB from Indiana
  • [autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag], S from Texas Tech
  • [autotag]Trace Ford[/autotag], DE from Oklahoma State
  • [autotag]Rondell Bothroyd[/autotag], DL from Wake Forest
  • [autotag]Davon Sears[/autotag], DT from Texas State

That’s a lot of experience and a lot of production at the collegiate level to add to the defensive depth chart for 2023.

Rondell Bothroyd brings 14 sacks and 26.5 tackles for loss over the last two seasons to Norman. Dasan McCullough had a standout season as a true freshman for the Hoosiers and was an ESPN true freshman All-American. We were witnesses to the thunderous tackling ability that Reggie Pearson brings to the Sooners’ secondary in Oklahoma’s loss to Texas Tech in 2022. Jacob Lacey didn’t play much for Notre Dame in 2022, but he was effective in the three games played.

Trace Ford has battled injuries in Stillwater but has been productive when he played. In his first two seasons at Oklahoma State, Ford procured 7.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss as a true freshman and sophomore. Davon Sears has taken the winding road to the Power Five after spending time at Ellsworth Community College and Texas State. He was an effective interior defensive line presence for the Bobcats, even if the numbers aren’t eye-popping.

The Sooners have some defensive building blocks to work with, including [autotag]Ethan Downs,[/autotag] [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag], [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], [autotag]Isaiah Coe[/autotag] and [autotag]Jordan Kelley[/autotag].

They have some young guys from the 2022 recruiting class that will have a chance to be impact players in 2023, such as [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag], [autotag]Kobie McKinzie[/autotag], [autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag], [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag], [autotag]Gentry Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Rowe[/autotag]. The Sooners have signed arguably the best defensive recruiting class they’ve had in years.

However, Venables and his coaching staff aren’t waiting around. After a 6-7 season, they felt the mandate to make significant additions to the roster to improve the talent, and they’ve done that. It doesn’t mean Oklahoma will contend for the Big 12 title and the College Football Playoff, but they’re not sitting back to see if the young talent will take the steps this offseason to be the difference makers the Sooners’ defense needs to make significant strides in 2023.

They’ll have a lot to prove when they get into the Big 12 part of their schedule next season. Nonconference play will not give us much of an indication of where this defense is next season. However, with what they’ve done in the transfer portal, the defense should be on an upward trajectory.

[autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his staff are doing everything they can to fix the defense, and their work in the transfer portal is indicative of those efforts.

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Breaking down the Oklahoma Sooners 2023 recruiting class by position

How does the Oklahoma Sooners 2023 recruiting class look broken down by position?

The Oklahoma Sooners have put together a really nice recruiting class through the early signing period of the 2023 cycle. We haven’t even made it to February’s national signing day, and Oklahoma’s sitting with the No. 5 class in 247Sports recruiting rankings.

The Sooners have added a four- or five-star player at every position save for tight end. Even there, the Sooners added one of the best players in the state to Joe Jon Finley’s room.

It’s an incredible collection of athletic, fast and versatile players that will, along with the 2021 and 2022 recruiting classes, be the foundation of Oklahoma’s journey into the SEC.

Let’s break it down by position group.

Top 10 JUCO prospect Kendel Dolby signs with the Oklahoma Sooners

Northeastern Oklahoma A&M product Kendel Dolby signs letter of intent with the Oklahoma Sooners.

The early signing period is underway, and the Oklahoma Sooners’ [autotag]2023 recruiting class[/autotag] is beginning to put pen to paper.

Oklahoma didn’t waste any time looking to add defensive back talent to the roster after the season concluded. The Sooners went to the junior college ranks for Kendel Dolby, a four-star cornerback in the 2023 recruiting class.

Out of Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, Dolby is the No. 8 JUCO prospect in the 2023 cycle.

The Sooners offered on Nov. 2. It didn’t take long to lock him in; he committed to the Sooners on Nov. 23. He planned on taking a trip to visit Washington, but Brent Venables and his staff didn’t let that happen.

Dolby joins a group of signees that will help shape the foundation of Oklahoma’s defensive backfield for years to come.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Oklahoma’s Kendall Dennis to enter the transfer portal

Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Kendall Dennis announced he will enter the transfer portal. From @john9williams

Oklahoma’s secondary has now lost its third player to the transfer portal as former four-star defensive back Kendall Dennis announced via social media that he intends to enter the portal when it opens up on Dec. 5.

Dennis, a redshirt sophomore, played 47 snaps in seven games this season. He recorded four total tackles.

Originally a member of the 2020 recruiting class, Dennis was the No. 23 cornerback in the country and the No. 56 in the state of Florida.

Though Oklahoma had some injury issues in the secondary this season, Dennis struggled to breakthrough for significant playing time. He finished behind true freshman Gentry Williams in defensive snaps and incoming transfer C.J. Coldon, who assumed a starting role later in the season.

At the moment there have been no decisions made by Woodi Washington or C.J. Coldon as to their future. They could decide to turn pro and go to the NFL, but a return seems more likely in an attempt to improve their value ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Sooners have added JUCO transfer Kendell Dolby to the roster for 2023, which should help ease the blow of the defensive back departures, but it will be upon Robert Spears-Jennings and Gentry Williams to step into important pieces on the depth chart.

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

2022-2023 Oklahoma Football Transfer Portal Tracker

What’s happened in the transfer portal for the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2022-2023 offseason?

The 2022 regular season is behind us, leaving the Oklahoma Sooners eagerly awaiting their bowl destination with one last chance to close a disappointing season in Norman above .500.

While the Sooners wait to find out their bowl location and matchup, they’ll be working to secure their 2023 recruiting class and retool the roster through veteran transfers. They’ve already added to their interior defensive line depth with the addition of [autotag]Jacob Lacey[/autotag] and will probably add more depth on a defense that wasn’t good enough in 2022.

While the portal giveth, it also taketh. In just a few days since the end of the regular season, Oklahoma has lost Theo Wease, Jordan Mukes and Joshua Eaton to the portal. While Mukes and Eaton didn’t play much for the Sooners, the loss of Wease will be felt.

In his last hurrah as an Oklahoma Sooner, Wease posted a career-best 123 yards on just three receptions and had a big-time touchdown for the Sooners.

There will be much more activity on the transfer portal horizon over the next few months, and we’ll keep track of all the comings and goings with our handy-dandy transfer portal tracker.

Updated Dec. 12 at 8 p.m. CT

Oklahoma Sooners receive commitment from JUCO CB Kendel Dolby

Oklahoma added to their 2023 recruiting class with a commitment from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M cornerback Kendel Dolby. From @john9williams

The Oklahoma Sooners 2023 recruiting class picked up another commitment Wednesday afternoon with a pledge from junior college defensive back Kendel Dolby.

Dolby comes from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in Miami. That’s the same school that produced former Sooners defensive tackle LaRon Stokes.

Dolby played in five games for NEO in 2022 and recorded 19 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and four pass breakups. His best game of the year came back in August when Dolby recorded six total tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and three pass breakups.

The recruitment of the junior college prospect moved quickly as Oklahoma offered him on Nov. 2. He visited Norman during Bedlam weekend, and just a few days later committed to Oklahoma. According to 247Sports, he had planned on taking a trip to visit Washington, but will now be a member of the Oklahoma Sooners.

Dolby also had offers from Washington State, Kansas, Arkansas, Boise State, Houston, Liberty, Mississippi State, Missouri, and Oklahoma State.

The 23rd commitment to the Sooners’ 2023 recruiting class, Dolby joins Makari Vickers, Jacobe Johnson, Jasiah Wagoner, and Erik McCarty coming in to join the Sooners’ defensive backfield next year.

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Oklahoma lands projection for JUCO DB Kendel Dolby

Oklahoma’s big recruiting weekend hopes to pay serious dividends with recruits. The Sooners made an impression on JUCO DB Kendel Dolby. From @thatmanbryant

Oklahoma’s big recruiting weekend against Oklahoma State has the potential to pay major dividends for them in the long run. A mix of current Sooner commits and other prospects descended upon Norman on Saturday night. The list was over 20 deep, with some surprise visitors showing up last minute as well.

One of the recruits in attendance was JUCO DB Kendel Dolby. Dolby is a cornerback out of Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. He received an Oklahoma offer in November and scheduled an official visit for Bedlam weekend. Dolby made it in and saw the Sooners’ secondary ball out as two Sooners defensive backs grabbed interceptions on Saturday evening.

Dolby, a 5-11 cornerback, was offered by safeties coach Brandon Hall so there may be a possibility that Dolby moves to safety if he ended up in Norman. A day after the game, that possibility seems a bit more plausible, as OU Insider’s Brandon Drumm logged a prediction in Oklahoma’s favor to land the junior college defensive back.

Dolby would be a part of the 2023 class if he signs. Oklahoma is fighting Oklahoma State and Washington State for his services as it currently stands. Making a final push before early signing day Oklahoma looks to put the finishing touches on a class currently ranked seventh in 247Sports’ team recruiting rankings.

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OU, Bedlam to play host to big names with a number of prospects descending on Norman

Oklahoma takes on in-state rival Oklahoma State for Bedlam and will be doing so with a massive group of recruits in attendance. From @thatmanbryant

There’s a fairly significant amount of importance surrounding Bedlam this year. The amount of games left between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State has been reduced significantly with Oklahoma’s impending move to the SEC on the horizon.

We may have 2023 and 2024, but the rivalry will cease as we know it in the next few years. Every game has always mattered but these last few, like the one on Saturday night, will mean a lot more.

Additionally, Oklahoma is fighting for bowl eligibility. They need one more win to participate in 2022’s bowl season.

Lastly and arguably most importantly, Oklahoma has its biggest recruiting weekend of the football season with Oklahoma State coming to town. We’ll revisit 2022 Bedlam several years from now and look back and remember it as a pivotal moment in Oklahoma’s last five to ten years.

There are some big-time names across multiple recruiting classes that will be in attendance for Oklahoma including five-star DT and Texas A&M commit David Hicks and recently dubbed 2024 five-star DT David Stone. More than 20 recruits have already committed to being in Norman, some via social media and others per OUInsider.com.