Tag: Michael Boganowski

Sooners land commitment from in-state 2024 four-star EDGE Danny Okoye

Oklahoma is back on the board with another commitment. The Sooners landed four-star EDGE rusher Danny Okoye on Wednesday evening.

Oklahoma has put together a great recruiting class for 2024, and it just got better along the defensive line. Four-star EDGE [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag] committed to the Oklahoma Sooners on Wednesday.

Oklahoma was the choice over Tennessee, Texas, Alabama, and a number of other Power Five schools.

Oklahoma’s pursuit of Okoye started in the summer of 2022 when the Sooners offered in July. Since then, Miguel Chavis has spearheaded that recruitment, keeping Oklahoma in the thick of it.

Okoye cut down his options and posted a top-six featuring the Sooners, Crimson Tide, the Volunteers, Colorado, LSU, and the Texas Longhorns in August.

When speaking to Brett Greenberg of 247Sports back in August (Subscription required), Okoye said this about Oklahoma:

”OU has always been showing the love for me since the beginning. One of the reasons they are in the top six is just after their last season, the amount of work that they’ve put in and the amount of progress they’ve made as a team and program, it’s definitely worth being noticed. The coaching staff is a national championship coaching staff, and I can definitely see OU winning the national championship in the future.”

Oklahoma hosted Okoye for an official visit for the first game of the season when they blew away the Arkansas State Red Wolves. Momentum began to build for Okoye to the Sooners. The Sooners rode the wave and have secured his commitment.

When looking at the 247Sports composite, which takes into account rankings from each of the primary recruiting services, Okoye is pegged as the No. 152 overall recruit in the 2024 class. The four-star also rates as a top-10 edge rusher in the nation and the top player in Oklahoma. He also looks like an EDGE, standing six-foot-four and hovering around 240 pounds. He’s explosive, and during his junior season in 2022, he tallied 43 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, six sacks, one interception, and forced a fumble.

With Okoye’s commitment, Oklahoma now has 24 pledges in the 2024 recruiting. Oklahoma has also moved in front of Josh Heupel’s Tennessee Volunteers and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for the No. 7 spot in the 247Sports team rankings.

The Sooners’ pursuit of a top-five recruiting class continues with decisions from three-star OL [autotag]Daniel Akinkunmi[/autotag], four-star OT [autotag]Grant Brix[/autotag], three-star CB [autotag]Devon Jordan[/autotag], and four-star LB/S [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag] still to come.

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Oklahoma set to host a number of prospects for season opener vs. Arkansas State

The Oklahoma Sooners are hosting a number of prospects over the next few recruiting cycles for their season opener. Who’s will be in attendance?

Oklahoma’s first game of the season comes against Arkansas State in what could be a blistering day in Norman, Oklahoma. Aside from the pageantry of the first game and the excitement it’ll generate, the Sooners will also be playing host to a number future Sooners and other OU targets.

With the summer dead period officially over, athletes can revisit schools. Oklahoma has already established a nice little list of visitors of both the official and unofficial variety.

We’ve taken the liberty of compiling a list of all the visitors we know now.

Oklahoma 2024 prospects expected at ‘Party At The Palace’

Oklahoma set to host multiple 2024 recruits and commits for the Party at the Palace.

Oklahoma’s had a busy July to follow up a June full of official visits. July was about constructing their recruiting board for 2025 and 2026 as the 2024 class determines their future.

With so many Oklahoma targets for the 2024 recruiting class stopping by in June for official visits, it significantly decreased the likelihood that July would see nearly as much traffic. And while that may be true, this weekend’s Party at the Palace is still significant and a notable follow-up from Oklahoma’s ‘Sooners under the Sun’ underclassmen event that took place in the middle of the week. That event has already netted a pair of 2025 commitments from defensive tackle Ka’Mori Moore and four-star wide receiver Elijah Thomas.

For [autotag]Party at the Palace[/autotag], the 2024 class is back in the spotlight as more than 10 2024 prospects are expected to be in the building over the weekend. Several players are already committed, and the Sooners are hoping to use the event to move the needle with their uncommitted players. We took the liberty of highlighting who has been confirmed to be in Norman for the event.

Oklahoma will have the luxury of having multiple 2024 commits in the building to help with their recruiting efforts. [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] and [autotag]Isaiah Autry[/autotag] can help with the recruitment of three-star offensive lineman [autotag]Josh Aisosa[/autotag] and four-star offensive tackle [autotag]Grant Brix[/autotag]. Defensively, Jaydan Hardy can help with the recruitments of [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag], [autotag]C.J. Jackson[/autotag], and [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag] and get in the ear of three-star safety [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag], who plans to announce his commitment on July 31st. He’ll be deciding between Oklahoma, Houston, and UNLV.

In-state talent [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag] has had a compelling recruitment. He’s been offered by some of college football’s elite, including Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, and Ohio State. With Oklahoma still looking to build a historic class along the defensive line, knocking this visit out of the park would help go a long way.

Party at the Palace could provide the last springboard Oklahoma needs to help solidify its place in the recruitments of several 2024 guys as prospects prepare to lock in for their final high school seasons. This event also marks the last major recruiting event of the offseason for Oklahoma. The calendar gives way to fall camp in preparation for the [autotag]2023 college football season[/autotag].

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ChampU BBQ Visitor List: Who’s coming to Norman this weekend?

A look at who’s coming to town for the ChampU BBQ this weekend.

Oklahoma’s future looks bright. Less than a day ago, they received news of their first slate of SEC opponents when they begin play in their new conference in 2024. It’s a compelling slate and something that gets the competitive energy flowing.

If they plan to make an impact when they get there, the class of 2024 will have a profound hand in that. This class will be the first class that hits the ground and is immediately thrown into the fire that is the SEC. They’ll spend their whole careers being molded by the best football conference in the country. For the Sooners to compete for the top, this 2024 class must be unique.

It’s only fitting that Oklahoma has its premier recruiting event, the ChampU BBQ this weekend, right after the SEC opponents were revealed.

The Sooners can use the SEC to their advantage, selling the appeal of playing in an elite conference to any athlete unafraid of competing against the best in the country.

Last year’s ChampU BBQ had attendees signing with the Sooners and are now on campus with the current roster. Here’s a running count:

  • OT [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag]
  • LB [autotag]Phil Picciotti[/autotag]
  • ATH [autotag]Jacobe Johnson[/autotag]
  • RB [autotag]Daylan Smothers[/autotag]
  • CB [autotag]Makari Vickers[/autotag]
  • WR [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag]
  • OT [autotag]Logan Howland[/autotag]
  • QB [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]

In short, a nice chunk of OU’s 2023 class came to the event. Arnold was already committed before the BBQ, but having him there helped Oklahoma recruit and, ultimately, the remaining players committed in the months after.

The visitor list for the event is long, with well over 20 official visitors already confirmed.

This weekend in Norman will be jam-packed with an extensive amount of talent. David Stone, a consensus top-10 recruit, is the headliner. He’s a hometown kid who grew up a Sooner fan. A commitment from him would be massive. He’s at the top of the Sooners’ recruiting board and a must-have in this cycle.

[autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag] and [autotag]Taylor Tatum[/autotag] are two talented four-star running backs Oklahoma would be delighted to have.

Oklahoma has four 2024 commits in the building this weekend, and aside from them enjoying their officials, they can and will likely be used to recruit some of their uncommitted counterparts. [autotag]K.J. Daniels[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Isaiah Autry[/autotag], and [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag] are the four commits who will enjoy their officials as Oklahoma Sooners.

[autotag]Joseph Jonah-Ajonye[/autotag], [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], and [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag] join David Stone as highly touted defensive linemen in Norman this weekend. Aside from landing Stone, can Oklahoma at least snag two of the remaining three? This weekend of visits could go a long way in determining that.

This weekend will have ripple effects for the 2024 cycle and help lay the foundation for Oklahoma’s future in the SEC. Last year’s event netted Oklahoma seven commits in the weeks and months after. The Sooners will be thrilled if the same happens this year.

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What’s next for Oklahoma after losing out on 5-star linebacker?

What’s Oklahoma’s linebacker pursuits look like after missing out on 5-Star target Sammy Brown?

Just a day after five-star linebacker [autotag]Sammy Brown[/autotag], the No. 14 overall prospect, committed to Clemson, the Sooners are working on what is next.

This is the second big piece at linebacker the Sooners were hoping to land who chose to play elsewhere. Four-star [autotag]Peyton Pierce[/autotag] committed to Ohio State.

We know the Sooners are still in contact with Pierce, so a flip is possible.

Could a flip also be possible for Brown? It’s possible but unlikely. As of right now, he’s scheduled to be in Norman for the ChampU BBQ, but it’s unclear if he has canceled that visit.

Now, would Brent Venables recruit against his old team after a player has committed there? He previously didn’t, but I think he would in this scenario since he’s now been gone for a little more than a year.

So, if the Sooners can’t flip either of those prospects, what do they do next? Some names we’ve heard are three-star [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag], four-star Tyanthony Smith and, more recently, three-star [autotag]Easton Baker[/autotag].

None of those three bring the same hype as a five-star, but one thing  Venables knows very well is linebacker play. That’s something I would trust him on regardless of a rating.

So let’s break down each player, starting with Boganowski.

Some people see him as a hybrid. He’s 6 feet, 2 inches and 200 pounds and lives in Junction City, Kansas, an area Venables has had success in. The main competition will be Kansas State. According to On3, the Sooners hold a slight lead.

When talking about Oklahoma, he told Rivals a week ago, “They are going to the SEC, and they have made it clear that I am a priority. Coach Brent Venables is a winner, and it would be cool to play in one of his defenses.”

Smith’s recruitment is going to be a dogfight. He’s a highly-talented player from Jasper, Texas. He’s 6 feet, 1 inch and 205 pounds. Several schools are after him; Texas and Texas A&M appear to be Oklahoma’s main competition.

[autotag]Baker[/autotag] is a 6-foot, 190-pound linebacker from Tooele, Utah. He has come up quite a bit recently. Washington State looks to be the Sooners’ main competition. He was originally committed to BYU and will be in Norman for the ChampU BBQ on June 16.

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Oklahoma receives Rivals FutureCast for 2024 ATH Michael Boganowski

The Oklahoma Sooners picked up some momentum in the recruitment of 2024 LB Michael Boganowski, out of Junction City, Kansas.

Oklahoma has received a prediction for Michael Boganowski, a three-star athlete in the class of 2024 out of Junction City, Kansas. Boganowski is a playmaker on offense and defense but will make the biggest impact at the next level on defense as a linebacker.

The biggest appeal of Boganowski is his versatility. He’s 6’2″ and weighs 195 lbs. and he’s a freak athlete that will only get better at the linebacker position this year and at the next level in college.

Josh McCuiston, the Oklahoma recruiting editor for SoonerScoop at Rivals.com, has put a prediction in for Boganowski to end up with the Sooners. The Sooners are trending in a positive direction for Boganowski.

He holds offers from 14 Power Five teams, most notably Kansas State, Michigan, Oklahoma, Washington, Florida State, and Tennessee.

Boganowski highlights the focus on defense that Brent Venables is emphasizing as the type of athletic defender the Sooners want. He’s versatile and has a big body at linebacker that can evolve in college.  He’s a name to watch in the 2024 class.

Projections

  • Rivals FutureCast from Josh McCuistion on April 23.

Film

Hudl

Oklahoma Sooners offer 2024 LB Michael Boganowski

The Sooners look to keep things going in Kansas with an offer to 2024 linebacker Michael Boganowski.

The Oklahoma Sooners dipped back into Brent Venables’ home state of Kansas with an offer to 2024 three-star linebacker Michael Boganowski.

A versatile athlete, Boganowski lines up as an off-ball linebacker and is able to play deep middle third in Tampa-2 alignments. He’s a physical wrap-up tackler, coming downhill, and shows strong athleticism flowing sideline to sideline.

He plays both ways for Junction City, lining up as a wildcat quarterback. He’s faster than everyone on the field and has impressive athleticism, able to make people miss in the open field.

For Oklahoma, he projects as an off-ball linebacker that could work at the Cheetah position in Brent Venables’ defense. According to 247Sports, Boganowski recorded 123 total tackles, three tackles for loss, and four interceptions.

Only rated by 247Sports at the moment, Boganowski will be a late riser in the 2024 recruiting cycle as other Power Five schools start to catch on. He currently holds eight Power Five offers, including Oklahoma, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Kansas, and Kansas State. Look for that offer list to grow considerably by national signing day 2024.

Michael Boganowski’s Recruiting Profile

Projections

  • On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has the Nebraska Cornhuskers as the current leader for Boganowski.

Film

Hudl