Tag: Oklahoma football recruiting

With 2020 recruiting class finished, Oklahoma maintains position in blue-chip race

On the surface, it doesn’t look great. Oklahoma brought in its worst recruiting class since 2016, but the Sooners maintained their position.

On the surface, it doesn’t look great.

Oklahoma lost its third-straight College Football Playoff game in a drumming from eventual national champion LSU. The Sooners then turn around and land only the No. 17 ranked recruiting class (11th on 247Sports), according to Rivals.

Tough optics for a program with a fanbase clamoring to end the longest drought between national championships in Oklahoma’s history since Bud Wilkinson won his first in 1950.

That, though, is just optics.

Since Lincoln Riley got to Oklahoma in 2015, the Sooners have steadily climbed back into the thick of the college football blue-chip race. The one where the top programs in college football horde all the best recruits in the country.

Oklahoma ranked with the middle-of-the-pack as only 39.81 percent of its roster was four or five-star recruits for the 2015 season. That number quickly climbed to 50.5 percent in 2017, up to 59.79 percent in 2018 after Riley’s first recruiting class as a head coach and now that number settles in at 63.27 percent for the 2020 season.

The Sooners’ 2020 recruited talent over the last four recruiting classes ranks fifth in college football, behind Alabama (87.13 percent), Georgia (75.25 percent), Ohio State (71.91 percent) and Florida (67.03 percent). And yes, that means Oklahoma is ahead in recruited talent against the likes of Clemson and LSU right now (well … Texas, too).

In the 2020 recruiting class, the Sooners landed 12 four-stars of its 23 member class. Their 2017-19 recruiting classes helped them continue to grow in recruited talent again as the 2016 recruiting class—the last one that the blue-chip ratio was 50 percent of lower—exits the window.

Although Oklahoma didn’t live up to the recruiting level under the past defensive regime and strength staff, the Sooners strengthened their roster with recruited talent—proving its worth on the recruiting trail.

And even with a down recruiting year in 2020, Oklahoma and Lincoln Riley maintained its position among the blue-chip race in college football.

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Oklahoma wraps up 2020 recruiting class with Joshua Eaton, Reggie Grimes

OU capped off its 2020 recruiting class on the second college football signing day. The Sooners officially announced its final two members.

Oklahoma capped off its 2020 recruiting class on the second college football signing day.

After signing 21 of its public commitments in the early signing period*, the Sooners officially announced its final two commitments in four-stars Reggie Grimes and Joshua Eaton.

Grimes committed to Oklahoma on Thanksgiving day before competing in the Under Armour All-American game and in the Polynesian Bowl. The Brentwood, Tennessee, native finished as the 142nd best player in the 2020 recruiting class, according to Rivals.

Eaton surprisingly got in the fold the night of the early signing day. The Houston native de-committed from Texas on Oct. 25 and was rumored to not sign in the early signing period and continue to look around. He finished as a four-star recruit on Rivals.

The Sooners have had scholarships open up due to transfers the last month, but seem to be done with additions from high school or junior college to the 2020 roster.

Grimes and Eaton give Oklahoma 12 four-star commitments of its 23 member 2020 recruiting class.

Although the recruiting calendar is officially in a dead period until the end of Feb., the race to the early signing period in Dec. is already underway. Lincoln Riley has three commitments this far in what is expected to be a highly-touted 2021 recruiting class.

 

*Chandler Morris was officially announced after his public commitment at the Under Armour All-American game. 

Oklahoma makes final five for 2021 5-star offensive lineman Bryce Foster

Oklahoma is in an early battle for the 2021 recruiting class’s biggest recruits. The Sooners made Bryce Foster’s final five.

Oklahoma is in an early battle for one Of high school’s best offensive lineman.

Class of 2021 five-star offensive lineman Bryce Foster has had some heavy suitors after him almost a year before he can sign his national letter of intent. The Sooners are one of those schools, and are in his final five schools.

The Katy, Texas, native is listed as Rivals’ No. 8 overall player in the 2021 recruiting class and also the No. 2 offensive lineman in the 2021 recruiting class. Foster also has  LSU, Oregon, Texas and Texas A&M I’m his final five with Oklahoma.

The major recruit is coming off an unofficial visit to Norman, Oklahoma, on the final recruiting weekend before the February dead period.

Foster also visited Texas A&M on Sunday after visiting Oklahoma on Saturday.

He has yet to announce where he will be taking official visits to, but with a final five already made, those schools should be in the running for Foster’s official visits.

The highly-touted recruit won’t have to make a decision until Dec. 2020.

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The gap between Oklahoma, top teams is not because of recruiting

There was a talent gap between Oklahoma and LSU. But just how wide is that gap? The gap, though, is not because of a lack of recruiting.

We all saw it.

LSU walked out on the field against Oklahoma in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and looked bigger. Looked faster. Looked stronger.

The Tigers romped the Sooners by epic proportions. Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow pitched a no-hitter against the Oklahoma defense. The Sooners made the LSU defense look like world beaters.

There was a talent gap between the two. But just how wide is that gap?

Here is what Lincoln Riley said about it the day after the game to a group of selected reporters.

“I don’t think the result of this game is going to change anything in recruiting. We know we’ve got to continue to get better personnel. Right now, we’ve got a lot of good personnel, but there’s still a handful of teams across the country, from top to bottom, that have better personnel than we do. That just is what it is. We’ve got good personnel. We’ve got a lot of good individual players, but we got to continue to build talent base across the whole team, and I think especially defensively.

“It’s kind of like the same process — I know you all are tired of me saying it — but the same process we went through offensively. We kind of got caught in a transitional year, certainly offensively, and scrounged it together and we were able to do some good things. We’re closing the gap. There’s no doubt we are. I think a lot of the things that need to happen are being done, it’s just there’s not always the immediate results we always want. That’s just part of building it.”

The gap he is referencing, isn’t really there for recruiting.

Oklahoma has been climbing in its recruited talent since Lincoln Riley got to Norman, Oklahoma in 2015. The Sooners have increased the amount of blue-chip recruits on its roster by 23.46 percent since the 2015 season. Oklahoma will be at 63.27 of its roster being four or five star recruits in the 2020 season as it stands today. The Sooners were at 39.81 percent in 2015.

Riley is right when it is in regard to three programs—Alabama, Ohio State and Georgia. Those three are across the 70 percent threshold of its roster being blue-chip recruits, with the Crimson Tide being at an unimaginable 88.78 of its roster being four or five-star recruits for the 2020 season.

Riley isn’t right when it comes to the tier underneath those three. Oklahoma has more recruited talent the last four years than LSU, Florida, Penn State, Texas and many others. The Sooners even have more recruited talent than Clemson, who was won two of the last three national championships and vying for a third in four years in a week and a half.

The conversation here lies within the comparison with Clemson. The Tigers, albeit their location in the southeast, are churning out NFL talent at every position across the board while recruiting at the same level the last four-to-six years as Oklahoma. Dabo Swinney’s ability to develop his talent is the reason the gap between them and the Sooners exists.

When it comes down to it, Oklahoma brought in 18 defensive backs since the 2016 recruiting class. Twelve of those defensive backs were four-star recruits. Only five of the defensive backs signed from 2016-18 made major contributions in multiple years thus far (Parnell Motley, Tre Brown, Tre Norwood, Patrick Fields and Bookie Radley-Hiles). Three of those from the 16-18 classes have transferred. Four of those four-star defensive backs came from the 2019 recruiting class, and the other, Ty DeArman, is already set to transfer.

For one final time—the Mike Stoops era at Oklahoma set the Sooners back. As did having Kerry Cooks oversee the Oklahoma secondary.

The notion that the gap is solely based on recruiting is true in a small instance. The reality that Oklahoma’s development of players, specifically on the defensive side of the ball, is what set the Sooners back.

That’s the burden that Alex Grinch had to live with in 2019, and what he’ll have to change in 2020 and the years to come.

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What Chandler Morris’ commitment means for Oklahoma

The Sooners got their signal-caller in the 2020 recruiting class. Just moments ago, Chandler Morris announced his commitment to Oklahoma.

The Sooners got their signal-caller in the 2020 recruiting class.

Just moments ago, four-star quarterback Chandler Morris announced his commitment to Oklahoma on national television at the Under Armour All-American Game.

Morris, a Dallas, Texas, native via Highland Park High School, was committed to Arkansas for five months before backing off his pledge when his dad, Chad Morris, was let go as the Razorbacks head coach. Oklahoma offered in Sept. of 2018 and recruited him since, even while he was committed to Arkansas.

He fills a void the Sooners desperately needed with only two scholarship quarterbacks on its roster.

Here is what Chandler Morris’ commitment means for Oklahoma.

DEPTH

As I mentioned just above, Oklahoma desperately needed a quarterback in the 2020 class. The Sooners only have Spencer Rattler and Tanner Mordecai as scholarship quarterbacks for next years.

There’s no telling if Morris will be ready to contribute if his number was called upon, but having a highly touted recruit is more than likely better than having to hand over the reins of the program to a walk-on.

STABILIZATION

The shock that came from Brock Vandagriff’s de-commitment on New Year’s Day is still there, but Oklahoma’s future has always been tied to quarterback play.

After Spencer Rattler moves on following the 2021 or 2022 season, Morris will be the next-in-line. His commitment means the Sooners will potentially have quality quarterback play through 2023 or 2024.

THE RAID LIVES ON

There are no questions about it—Chandler Morris is a Lincoln Riley quarterback.

Smaller in stature, but not in confidence. His arm is more accurate than strong.

Morris already ran a Raid-style (NOT AIR RAID) offense during his time at Highland Park High School in Dallas. That will now live on over the next four to five years.

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How to watch 5 Oklahoma commits in Under Armour All-American Game

High school All-American season is here. Here is how you can watch the OU commits and target play in the 2020 Under Armour All-American game.

High school All-American season is here.

The Under Armour All-American game comes first on Thursday night, and Oklahoma has five commitments who will be playing in the game.

Three come from the offensive line in four-star linemen Andrew Raym, Anton Harrison and Nate Anderson. Four-star defensive end Reggie Grimes is the lone defender in Orlando and national high school receiving record holder and four-star receiver Marvin Mims is in attendance.

Raym, Anderson and Mims have been standouts in Under Armour All-American practices this week, with Anderson being a top-five offensive performer twice, Mims making the list on Monday and Raym on Tuesday.

Raym and Mims will report from the Under Armour All-American to Oklahoma to early enroll in Jan..

Oklahoma may be adding another commitment playing in the game as four-star quarterback Chandler Morris will make his commitment announcement at 5 p.m. CT prior to kickoff.

Here is how you can watch the Oklahoma commits and target play in the 2020 Under Armour All-American game.

WHEN: 5 p.m. CT

HOW TO WATCH: ESPN 2

HOW TO STREAM: WATCH ESPN

When, how to watch Chandler Morris announce his commitment

After losing the commitment of the No. 1 quarterback in the class of 2021, one quarterback’s commitment has become that much more important.

After losing the commitment of the No. 1 quarterback in the class of 2021 on Wednesday, one quarterback’s commitment has become that much more important.

Highland Park, Texas, native Chandler Morris will be making his announcement Thursday prior to the Under Armour All-American Game to the school of his choosing. Morris was previously committed to play for his dad (Chad Morris) at Arkansas until he was let go as the head coach of the Razorbacks in Dec..

The 4-star quarterback comes from a high school offense very similar to Oklahoma’s. The Sooners offered Morris during his junior year in the fall of 2018, but didn’t stop recruiting him once he committed to Arkansas.

Oklahoma has been the loan constant in his recruitment with USC, Virginia Tech and TCU coming in later after Morris’ dad was let go from Arkansas.

Here is everything you need to know about his commitment.

WHEN: 5 p.m. CT

HOW TO WATCH: ESPN 2

HOW TO STREAM: WATCH ESPN

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Long time Oklahoma commit Jase McClellan flips commitment, signs with Alabama

Recruiting gives and recruiting takes, but this one is going to hurt Oklahoma. A long time, elite running back has flipped late to Alabama.

Recruiting gives and recruiting takes, but this one is going to hurt Oklahoma.

On July 29, 2017, Aledo, Texas, running back Jase McClellan was on a visit to Norman, Oklahoma, for the Sooners’ annual recruiting barbecue. He was coming off a stellar freshman high school season.

Oklahoma had offered, and Oklahoma got his commitment that day.

Two-and-a-half years later, McClellan has flipped his commitment to Alabama to play for Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide the day of the early signing period for the 2020 recruiting class.

McClellan had made multiple visits, unofficially and one officially, to Oklahoma. He unofficially visited Alabama over the summer and then returned for an official visit for the Alabama-LSU game on Nov. 9.

The Sooners won’t be left too empty-handed, as Oklahoma has already received the signature from four-star running back Seth McGowan.

It is still unclear if head coach Lincoln Riley and running backs coach Jay Boulware will take another running back in this 2020 recruiting class.

Prior to McClellan’s flip to Alabama, Oklahoma had the No. 12 ranked recruiting class according to Rivals.com, and that is sure to fall.

You can stay up to date on all Oklahoma news and updates from the early national signing day here. 

Oklahoma lands commitment from 3-star junior college safety Justin Harrington

Alex Grinch gets a Christmas present that he can’t open until February. Three-star safety Justin Harrington announced his commitment…

Oklahoma gets more help in the secondary on early national signing day.

Alex Grinch gets a Christmas present that he can’t open until February. Three-star safety Justin Harrington (Bakersfield Community College; Bakersfield, CA) announced his commitment to the Sooners today.

The JUCO safety stands 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds making him a guy that may even be able to play Nickel or even drop down into a pure linebacker position if he gains 20 or so more pounds.

Harrington joins three-star cornerback, Kendall Dennis in announcing their commitment to Oklahoma, despite not signing on Early National Signing Day. Harrington will hold off his official signing until February during the normal National Signing Day.

Harrington picked off offers from Houston, Colorado, Iowa State and Oklahoma State, choosing Grinch and Roy Manning’s pitch over the others.

Upon signing officially, Harrington would join Bryson Washington, a three-star cornerback from Houston who officially signed with the Sooners this morning.

Adding a JUCO transfer to the young backend of Oklahoma’s defense could be a huge payoff for Grinch.

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When, how to watch Oklahoma target Kendall Dennis announce commitment

Oklahoma will be in the mix for one nationally televised announcement. Here is how to watch Kendall Dennis announce his commitment.

Oklahoma will be in the mix for one nationally televised announcement on this early national signing day.

The Sooners offered three-star corner Kendall Dennis on Nov. 18, right before the Lakeland, Florida, native took his official visit to Oklahoma the weekend of Nov. 22 through Nov. 24 for the TCU game.

Dennis has since been offered by Clemson—who ended up taking another defensive back instead—and has visited Florida State. Oklahoma has remained a strong contender since the offer.

The three-star corner has exceptional speed at 6-foot and 174 pounds, running a 4.57 40-yard dash at The Opening Finals in July. He ran a 4.40 40-yard dash at an Opening Regionals event in Feb..

Dennis would join four-star safety Bryson Washington and four-star athlete Davon Graham in Alex Grinch’s 2020 secondary.

Dennis will make his announcement live on early national signing day. Here is how you can watch:

WHEN: 1:15 p.m. CT

HOW TO WATCH: ESPNU

HOW TO STREAM: WATCH ESPN

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