Tag: ou sooners football

Sooners RB coach DeMarco Murray suspended one game for recruiting violations

Oklahoma self-reported recruiting violations, but DeMarco Murray suspended one game by NCAA.

The NCAA announced on Tuesday that Oklahoma Sooners running backs coach [autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag] will be suspended for one game related to recruiting violations self-reported by the University of Oklahoma Compliance Department.

According to the NCAA’s release, “The school, Murray and the enforcement staff agreed that the violations in the football program occurred when Murray impermissibly contacted 17 prospects over 16 months, including 65 impermissible phone calls and 36 impermissible text messages. Murray indicated that he was not aware that a COVID-19 waiver of recruiting contact rules had expired.  During the investigation, the enforcement staff determined that the school had properly educated football coaches on the applicable recruiting rules and the timing of changes to them.”

Brent Venables was able to rebut some of the violations under previous rules that removed the full weight of responsibility from the head coach. In January of 2023, any rules violations became the automatic responsibility of the head coach.

According to the NCAA release, “As a result of the violations in their respective programs, the parties agreed that football head coach Brent Venables violated head coach responsibility rules.” However, with some of those violations taking place prior to rule changes in January of 2023, Venables was able to rebut some of the responsibility for Murray’s actions. “Because Venables was not personally involved in the violations and demonstrated that he promoted an atmosphere of compliance and monitored his staff, Venables rebutted his presumed responsibility for some of the earlier violations,” the release stated.

The NCAA revealed that the University of Oklahoma has already self-imposed a number of sanctions related to violations. Many of those sanctions date back to 2023, but here are the sanctions meted out by the NCAA, but there are a few that will be relevant for 2024 and 2025.

Here are the sanctions against the OU Football Program and DeMarco Murray. Current sanctions in bold.

  • One year of probation.
  • A $5,000 fine.
  • A one-game suspension for Murray during the 2024 football season.
  • A prohibition against football staff calling the involved prospects during the May 29-June 11, 2022, and April 15-May 31, 2023, periods (self-imposed).
  • A 20% reduction in football recruiting days in spring 2023 (self-imposed).
  • A prohibition against football staff from calling or corresponding with involved prospects from Aug. 1-31, 2023 (self-imposed).
  • A limitation of Murray’s 2023 football recruiting days to eight, down from an average 16.4 per recruiting coach (self-imposed).
  • A prohibition from off-campus recruiting for Murray during the 2023 fall evaluation period (self-imposed).
  • A three-week ban on recruiting phone and electronic correspondence for the football program from Dec. 8, 2024, to March 31, 2025.
  • A prohibition against unofficial visits during the first game of the 2024 season.

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Brenen Thompson rising to the occasion ahead of first career start

Brenen Thompson has had a fantastic offseason and looks like a breakout candidate ahead of his first career start.

It’s no secret the deepest unit on the team has faced its challenges in fall camp. The Sooners lost [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag] for the season. [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] was banged up early but looks to be on tract to start against Temple. [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] is working his way back from the season-ending knee injury he suffered against Texas last season, but [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] says there are no limits for Anthony as the season approaches. Another projected starter, [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] is currently listed day-to-day.

That’s opened the door for one of the under-the-radar options to take advantage and cement his place in the starting lineup come week one. Former Texas Longhorns transfer [autotag]Brenen Thompson[/autotag] is slated to start this Friday night against the Temple Owls. The speedster played in a rotational role in 2023, flashing his big-play speed with seven catches for 241 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged an incredible 34.4 yards per reception in limited time.

As the Sooners start the season, Brent Venables is pleased with the growth Thompson has shown ahead of his first collegiate start.

“He’s become one of our best leaders,” head coach Brent Venables said Monday. “Incredibly vocal. Really bright young guy that really cares about his teammates. He can run the entire route tree. He’s focused on not being labeled as just a nine-route or go-ball guy. He’s done a great job, whether it’s the curls, the mesh, the digs, cross the middle of the field. Shows great toughness and durability.”

The toughness and durability are going to be key for the Sooners going forward. But hearing Venables talk about Thompson’s expanded route tree shines a light on what the former track star could do for the Sooners.

If Thompson can be a threat to the defense at every level of the passing attack, it will open up so many more options for the Sooners offense. Combined with a guy like Deion Burks, who has flashed the speed to win deep as well, defenses will have a difficult time accounting for the speed that the Sooners have at wide receiver. And because of that speed, defensive coordinators will be forced to leave two safeties high, which will open up options in the short to intermediate passing game as well as the rushing attack.

Thompson has shown the potential to be a dynamic weapon in the Sooners offense, but there wasn’t a clear path to playing time. The injuries Oklahoma’s suffered, combined with his fantastic offseason have opened the door for Thompson to have a breakout season for the Sooners.

“I think (my expectations) are the highest,” Thompson said. “I think I got the highest expectations, even over Coach V. I think my expectations of myself are higher than what he has for me. I’m trying to go win for this team. I’m trying to put this team first. I’m trying to do everything in my ability to win for this team.”

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CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys agree to historic deal

Heading into the final year of his rookie deal, CeeDee Lamb agrees to four-year extension with the Dallas Cowboys.

The drawn-out negotiations between former Sooner great [autotag]CeeDee Lamb[/autotag] and the Dallas Cowboys have come to an end. According to multiple reports from Ian Rapaport and Adam Schefter, Lamb has agreed to one of the biggest contracts for a non-quarterback in NFL history.

According to reports, Lamb has agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Cowboys that will pay him $136 million over the course of the contract. Lamb gets $100 million guaranteed, including $38 million on signing. Lamb was heading into the final year of his rookie deal in 2024.

Lamb’s $34 million average annual value (AAV) brings him in just behind Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson, who will make an average of $35 million a year on his deal signed this offseason, according to OverTheCap.com.

Lamb is going into his fifth season with the Dallas Cowboys after being taken with the No. 17 overall pick of the 2020 NFL draft. Since his rookie campaign, Lamb has increased his production every single season, culminating in an incredible 2023 season where he caught 135 passes on 181 targets for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also ran the ball 14 times for 114 yards and two touchdowns in an All-Pro and Pro Bowl season last year.

The Cowboys now have their top wide receiver and one of the best in the game locked up for the next five seasons as they hope to build off of last year’s playoff appearance.

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Sooners top 10 in 247Sports team talent composite rankings

Oklahoma has a chance to contend in 2024 as one of the more talented teams in the nation.

By a number of measures, the Oklahoma Sooners are carrying a ton of talent into the 2024 college football season. They have one of the higher blue-chip ratios in the nation, which is often synonymous with title contention.

According to 247Sports talent composite rankings, the Oklahoma Sooners are the eighth-most talented program in the country and the fifth highest-ranked program in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Oklahoma has four five-star prospects, led by starting quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]. They have 53 four-star prospects and 28 three-star prospects.

Only Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, and Notre Dame have more blue-chip prospects than the Sooners’ 57 combined four and five-star players. So, are the Oklahoma Sooners ready to compete? Well, their ability to recruit would argue that it is.

[autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his staff have done a phenomenal job turning over the roster over the last several years. They’ve developed a program that could have a defense as good as their offense. It’s been a long time since there was more confidence in what the defense brought to the table than on offense as the Sooners turnover the offensive line and transition to a new starting quarterback.

But Arnold is a talented quarterback. He’s got a skillset that could make Oklahoma’s offense incredibly productive. The Sooners have talented and experienced players to deploy along the offensive line. If it all comes together, with what the Sooners have on defense, OU could be in line for a strong season in 2024.

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Creed Humphrey becomes highest paid center in NFL history with new four-year extension

Creed Humphrey set to become highest paid center in NFL history.

Offensive linemen associated with the University of Oklahoma have had a banner week, and it looks set to end with another former Sooner making positive headlines.

Thursday evening, NFL insiders broke the news that [autotag]Creed Humphrey[/autotag] became the highest-paid center in league history with a four-year, $72 million extension.

There is no center in the NFL as good as Humphrey. That’s probably been the case since he started as a rookie anchoring the offensive line, which protects the best quarterback on the planet, Patrick Mahomes.

Humphrey has been selected for two Pro Bowls and two Super Bowls and was named a second-team All-Pro in 2022. He is dominant at the point of attack and as cerebral as they come.

Humphrey was entering the final year of his rookie contract. Still, the Kansas City Chiefs have shown a propensity to get deals done early for their key players. They avoided contract disputes and locked Humphrey down before things could get messy.

Throughout the new deal, Humphrey will average $18 million per season, making him the highest-paid center based on average annual value. This surpasses the previous mark of Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles, who earned $14.25 million.

Humphrey has not missed a game in the NFL and has started every regular-season game and all ten possible playoff games since he was drafted.

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Coaches vote Sooners defensive stars to All-SEC first team

Billy Bowman and Danny Stutsman voted to the Coaches preseason All-SEC first-team.

The Oklahoma Sooners may have a lot to prove as a team heading into the SEC, but there are a pair of Sooners defenders getting a ton of respect heading into their senior season.

Senior linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and senior safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] were selected to the All-SEC first team by the league’s coaches. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players. They were the only players voted to any of the three All-SEC teams.

Bowman showed out as one of the best safeties in the game in 2023. He recorded six interceptions, including three returns for touchdowns. Bowman also had 63 total tackles and four passes defended. He set program highs in interceptions, interception yardage, and interceptions returned for a touchdown.

Stutsman led the Sooners with 106 tackles and 16 tackles for loss in a breakout year of his own.

Both players had the opportunity to go to the NFL and would have likely been taken in the top 100 of the 2024 NFL draft. However, the two defensive leaders opted for one more year of development and to make a run through the SEC before heading off to the NFL.

The Oklahoma Sooners defense is on a strong trajectory heading into the 2024 season, but nothing will be given to them. Getting Stutsman and Bowman back for one more year provides the Sooners with front-line talent to go along with what [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] have been building through the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail.

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Sooners offensive line dealing with injuries ahead of 2024 season

The Oklahoma Sooners are dealing with injuries along their offensive line, but Brent Venables confident they’ll be ready to go.

Continuity, chemistry, and communication are each important factors for an offensive line to be successful. The Sooners are working to retool their offensive line after losing the five guys who started for much of the 2023 season.

They’re a talented group that’s been putting in the work, but during fall camp, it’s a group that’s been dinged up a bit as Oklahoma tries to establish their starting five and a rotation on the two-deep depth chart.

Speaking with the media on Tuesday, Brent Venables shared that the Sooners offensive line has dealt with injuries.

“Has it been perfect? No,” Venables said. “But I’m sure that if you look back at most camps, that’s usually the case. But I do like where we’re at. There has been a chance to work together in lots of different types of settings, but I feel like we’re in a really good position there right now.”

He didn’t detail who was injured but said the guys that are banged all should be good to play when the Sooners open up against Temple on August 30. But the Sooners still have questions to answer at the position. However, Venables trusts offensive line coach [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag], and the work the guys have put in will find the right group to lead the Sooners offense.

“Bill (Bedenbaugh) understands the things that he needs to focus on to help put a group together,” Venables said. “I’m talking not just five, I’m talking eight to 12, 12 guys. Whether that’s the development piece, the drill work, the walkthroughs, the film study, all that stuff matters. Finding the best combination of guys and then all of the what-ifs when it comes to keeping guys healthy.”

The Sooners have a lot of talent up front, and they have experienced players like [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag], [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag], and [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag]. They’ll be relying on the development of former four-star prospects in the 2022 recruiting class, [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag] and [autotag]Jake Taylor[/autotag] playing significant roles. That group is projected to be the starting lineup for the Sooners, but [autotag]Heath Ozaeta[/autotag], [autotag]Geirean Hatchett[/autotag], [autotag]Josh Bates[/autotag], [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag], and [autotag]Spencer Brown[/autotag] will contend for snaps along the offensive front as well.

For the Sooners offense to thrive like it needs to, the Sooners will need to stabilize their offensive line by the time they get to SEC play. [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] has all the talent in the world, but if he doesn’t get a reasonable amount of time, it’s going to be difficult to see that talent on display.

If Oklahoma has plans of contending in year one in the SEC, it’s going to take a good offensive line to get there. And with Oklahoma’s track record, there’s confidence it’ll come together.

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Sooners star wide receiver ready to go for 2024 season

After suffering a knee injury in 2024, Sooners wide receiver Andrel Anthony appears to be ready for the start of the 2024 season.

The Oklahoma Sooners have been battling the injury bug at wide receiver during fall camp. [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag] was lost for the season, and [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] missed time with a toe injury, though he is now said to be ready to go.

But one healthy wide receiver who has made substantial progress this fall is [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag].

Anthony, who transferred in from Michigan in 2023, had a tremendous start to the season before going down with an ACL tear in the Red River Showdown. Through five and a half games, Anthony recorded 27 catches for 429 yards and one touchdown. He became [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag]’s go-to guy in the early going. He had three games over 75 yards receiving and was on his way to a big day against Texas, with five catches for 42 yards.

The injury put a damper on what could have been a big year. As the 2024 season approaches, however, Anthony sounds like he’s ready to roll.

“He’s doing good,” Brent Venables shared with the media on Tuesday evening. “He won’t be required to wear (the brace). We’re obviously trying to be careful with him. He doesn’t have any limits.”

Venables shared it would be up to Anthony whether he would continue with the knee brace, but the senior wide receiver is off and running.

It has been nearly 10 months since his injury, and he has made tremendous progress this offseason to get back. With Gibson out for the year, Oklahoma’s wide receiver rotation will need the speedy Anthony. It’s unlikely he’ll start right away, but the Sooners will make sure to ramp him up through the first three games of the season to get him game-ready when [autotag]SEC[/autotag] play hits.

If he can recapture his early season success from a year ago, the Sooners have a nice rotation of wide receivers for Jackson Arnold to rely on.

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Paul Finebaum believes the Sooners are an upset away from playoff contention

With a difficult schedule ahead, Paul Finebaum believes the Sooners will need an upset to earn a College Football Playoff Berth.

It’s the time of the year when predictions are flying.

The Oklahoma Sooners find themselves in unfamiliar territory. They’re not a top 10 team in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll. They’re not the favorite to win their conference. Most publications don’t even consider them a playoff team.

Given the schedule, those judgments are understandable. The Sooners play six teams ranked ahead of them in the US LBM Coaches Poll. They were picked to finish eighth in the SEC and most playoff projections have three to four SEC teams in the playoff.

But this is why they play the games. The Sooners have put together a team that’s going to be capable of competing with every team they play in 2024. Lest we forget, they beat everyone’s preseason darling, the Texas Longhorns last season.

ESPN’s [autotag]Paul Finebaum[/autotag] talked about teams that had a chance to make the playoff, but would need a big upset along the way to make it happen, and he mentioned the Oklahoma Sooners.

“One more school on the fringe of what I just got through saying (is) Oklahoma,” Finebaum said. “They’re an upset away probably from being in playoff contention.”

The Sooners will play Tennessee, Texas, Ole Miss, Missouri, Alabama and LSU. Each of those teams is ranked higher than the Sooners. Will they be by the time they play OU? We’ll find out over the next four months.

Oklahoma has a chance to do some special things this season, but it’ll take getting some big wins to do so. It all starts in eight days when the Sooners take the field against the Temple Owls.

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Sooners just outside College Football Playoff in ESPN’s latest projection

In ESPN’s latest College Football Playoff projection, the Sooners are among the first four out.

The beginning of the 2024 season is 10 days away, and all of the talk and the gnashing of teeth about the Oklahoma Sooners entering the 2024 season will give way to actual football games.

The Sooners have quite the challenge ahead of them. Six of the teams on their schedule were ranked in the top 15 of the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll. It’s going to be as entertaining a season as we’ve had over the last 25 years with conference realignment and the expanded playoffs.

The Sooners schedule can be seen as both a positive and a negative. On the one side, it’s tough. Getting to 10 wins will be a challenge. On the other side of the coin, if the Sooners get to nine or 10 wins they’ll be a legitimate title contender.

But how many wins Oklahoma gets to is the question. Heather Dinich of ESPN thinks the Sooners miss the playoff as one of the first four out in her College Football Playoff projection for ESPN (ESPN+).

The Sooners will be better in Brent Venables’ third season — particularly on defense — but it won’t be reflected in their record because of a challenging first season in the SEC. OU has to replace all five starters on the offensive line and could have three or four road losses with trips to Auburn, Ole Miss, Mizzou and LSU. – Dinich, ESPN

Along with the Sooners in the first four out are the LSU Tigers, Missouri Tigers and Tennessee Volunteers. OU plays each of those teams.

No doubt road trips to Auburn, Oxford and Baton Rouge will be tough. The Sooners have had a great deal of success in Columbia and against Missouri with a 67-24-5 record all-time.

But Oklahoma will also have some tough home games when they welcome Tennessee and Alabama to town, and that doesn’t account for the Red River Rivalry, which is always a toss-up.

November could be a make-or-break month for the Sooners. They play Missouri, Alabama and LSU in the final month of the season. How they perform in those games could tell the tale of the 2024 college football season for the Sooners.

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