Tag: Skip Johnson

Sooners receive another prediction for 2024 5-Star RB Taylor Tatum

Just a few days after receiving his fifth star from 247Sports composite rankings, Oklahoma received another prediction for Taylor Tatum.

Just a few days after Taylor Tatum received his fifth star in the 247Sports composite, Oklahoma received another prediction for the running back.

Still, there’s no date for a commitment, but this has long felt like the Sooners are going up against the USC Trojans.

At one point, it felt like a commitment could pop at any moment, with a number of predictions rolling in from each of the three major recruiting services. But the Sooners continue to wait for Tatum to announce a date or make his pledge known.

On Sunday, the Sooners received another prediction in their favor from On3 national host Josh Newberg. That brings the Sooners’ probability of landing Tatum to 66.4%, according to On3. Oklahoma is also the heavy favorite according to Rivals and 247Sports.

Tatum is a player they don’t mind waiting for. He’s too talented to move on from at any point.

Waiting is the hardest part. However, this is the new world order for  Oklahoma recruiting. Brent Venables encourages players to take all of their visits before committing, so it’s going to make the process play out a little longer. Especially for some of the top players in the recruiting class. They are players teams just don’t give up on easily. The top teams in pursuit will not slow their recruitment until the paperwork is faxed in.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what your recruiting class is in July. What matters is how it finishes come signing day.

One thing is for certain, DeMarco Murray and the baseball staff led by Skip Johnson have done an incredible job recruiting the talented two-sport athlete.

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Transfer portal is helping fill Oklahoma’s pitching holes

Skip Johnson has wasted little time fortifying his pitching staff after a 2023 season in which Oklahoma ranked No. 151 in team ERA.

Oklahoma’s 2023 season was a rough one. Fresh off their trip to the final of the 2022 College World Series, the Sooners came into the 2023 season looking for similar success. Sure, they lost a lot of guys to the draft and graduation, but it’s hard to imagine that the returning players felt that they couldn’t make a run to the College World Series again.

However, titles aren’t decided on paper. Aside from a mid-season run, Oklahoma started the season flat and fizzled out early in the Big 12 tournament. The Sooners snuck into the NCAA tournament as the second-to-last tournament team. They bowed out after losing two games in the Charlottesville regional.

The constant in almost every loss for the Sooners this year? Pitching.

Oklahoma’s pitching from the beginning of the season to the end never really held up its end of the bargain. Oklahoma finished the season No. 151 nationally in team ERA allowing 5.95 runs per game. Seven of the eight finalists that made it to Omaha this season were in the top 50 in team ERA.

Pitching is the great equalizer; it can fill in many gaps for teams and propel them to new heights.

Skip Johnson and the Sooners coaching staff has made a concerted effort this offseason to add to their pitching staff, landing five transfer pitchers to Oklahoma’s roster for next year.

Oklahoma landed a pair of transfers from Wichita State in Jace Miner and Austin Henry, JUCO transfers Malachi and Kyson Witherspoon, and a recent commitment from Texas Tech transfer righty Brendan Girton.

Oklahoma saw firsthand what Miner and Girton could do as both pitched against Oklahoma this season. Girton pitched four innings of one one-hit ball with four strikeouts in April. Miner faced Oklahoma three times in 5.2 innings of work, allowing zero runs.

Henry may have the highest ceiling. He was a top 75 prospect out of high school. His pedigree is incredibly impressive. He could eventually be a weekend starter at some point next season.

The Witherspoon twins feature nice repertoires and will be essential options for the staff. Both throw low to mid-90 fastballs.

Oklahoma’s only way to continue to push forward as a baseball program, especially as they prepare to move to the SEC, is to construct the caliber of rosters the SEC has.

Three of the eight teams to make it to Omaha this season were from the SEC. The championship series features LSU and Florida. Both teams are potent offensive juggernauts but remain balanced with top 50 pitching and MLB quality arms in the rotation and out of the bullpen. Oklahoma’s blueprint to success is right in front of them.

Skip Johnson sees it. And if this summer is any indication, Johnson is determined to turn a weakness into a strength.

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Oklahoma Sooners land Wichita State transfer RHP Austin Henry

Oklahoma landed transfer right-handed pitcher Austin Henry from Wichita State today.

Oklahoma’s baseball team will have a bit of a Wichita State feel next season. Recently, the Sooners landed a commitment from Jace Miner to bolster their ranks. Now the Sooners added their second transfer from the Shockers on Thursday afternoon as right-handed pitcher Austin Henry committed to Oklahoma.

Henry hails from South Dakota but spent his first year at Wichita State. He was the No. 1 player in the state according to Perfect Game and Prep Baseball Report. Perfect Game had him tabbed as the No. 72  recruit nationally and the No. 20 right-handed pitcher in the country.

He stands 6-foot-5 and weighs over 215 pounds. In high school, he was South Dakota’s first-ever Perfect Game All-American and was selected for the 2021 Perfect Game All-American Classic. Perfect Game also listed him as the top recruit joining the American Athletic Conference in the fall of 2022.

Henry’s redshirt year comes after Tommy John’s surgery in 2022 and should have him ready to start for Oklahoma next spring. He entered the transfer portal after some coaching changes at Wichita State. There’s tremendous upside with this commitment, and paired with the pledge of James Nesta, it gives the Sooners two high-ceiling arms that could headline their rotation over the next few years. Both players have professional aspirations.

From a scouting perspective, Henry’s fastball was sitting comfortably in the low to mid 90’s. That velocity could see a notable uptick as he gets stronger and in a collegiate strength and conditioning program. His curveball may be his best pitch, with spin rates over 3,200 RPMs. Pairing the two together and finding another secondary pitch to keep hitters off balance should be next in his evolution as a pitcher.

Skip Johnson has been a busy man as he continues to make sure Oklahoma’s pitching woes from the 2023 season aren’t a problem he has to sweat next year.

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Oklahoma’s pitching staff gets boost with commitment of James Nesta

In addition to his prowess on the football field, the Oklahoma Sooners baseball team got a gem with the commitment of James Nesta.

Oklahoma found themselves a gem from the Tarheel State when they landed two-sport athlete James Nesta earlier this week.

It’s a win for Oklahoma on the gridiron as they landed their first linebacker of the 2024 class. Nesta has exceptional versatility where he can play in space as an off-ball linebacker or rush the passer off the edge. He stands 6-foot-4 and could be a candidate to play cheetah in Brent Venables’ system.

As a junior last fall, Nesta was credited with 41 tackles, including 13 for loss and nine sacks. He also had a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. The draw of learning from Brent Venables helped the talented four-star linebacker choose OU over UNC and Miami. It wasn’t his only reason for picking Oklahoma, though.

Nesta’s ability on the diamond is special in its own right. Nesta has played baseball virtually his whole life. For his high school and travel ball teams, he pitches and plays in the outfield. Nesta’s value to the Oklahoma baseball program over the next three years will be because of his right arm. Perfect Game named Nesta a preseason underclassman second-team All-American for the summer baseball circuit. The Oklahoma commit plans to battle with his South Charlotte Panthers squad this summer.

Nesta has a fastball that has been clocked as high as 94 MPH. That’s incredibly impressive for a high school pitcher heading into his senior year. It’s something that head baseball coach Skip Johnson and his staff will dream of all summer. His fastball’s velocity will improve with dedicated time in two different strength and conditioning programs, along with his body maturing with age.

Nesta also features promising offspeed offerings that will also continue to improve. Lowering his arm angle would help with his command, which he’s worked on diligently over the last year. Oklahoma’s pitching was a significant thorn in their side in 2023. Johnson has already added to his staff with the transfer commitment of Jace Miner from Wichita State, so adding Nesta feels like a cherry on top.

If Nesta blossoms and shines as a pitcher, Venables may have to have some tough conversations. An arm with the possibility to throw triple digits is a money maker in the MLB and something many scouts will be monitoring going forward as Oklahoma enters the SEC next season. Either way, you slice it, Oklahoma athletics is better after having landed James Nesta. Now we wait and see how and where he shines brightest.

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Oklahoma Sooners land commitment from four-star LB James Nesta

James Nesta committed to Oklahoma over UNC and Miami. Nesta also plans to play baseball at OU.

Oklahoma is starting to reap the benefits of its major recruiting event, the ChampU BBQ. Oklahoma just landed the commitment of four-star James Nesta. This talented dual-sport athlete is expected to play linebacker at Oklahoma and spend time on the diamond with the Oklahoma Sooners baseball team.

Nesta hails from North Carolina, where he plays at Hough High School just outside Charlotte. Nesta is a talented linebacker/edge who could play in the box and provide run support while rushing off the edge in clear pass-rushing situations. His athleticism and ability to play in space make him a possible cheetah candidate in Brent Venables and Ted Roof’s defense.

He finished his junior season with 41 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, nine sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery, which he returned for a touchdown. His team made a deep run into the playoffs before being defeated by the eventual state runner-up.

Nesta’s commitment is significant for Oklahoma in 2024 because the Sooners’ board at linebacker was extremely open. The commitment of Payton Pierce to Ohio State and Sammy Brown to Clemson threw a wrench in Oklahoma’s plans.

Oklahoma sold Nesta on his role in Brent Venables’s defense with the development to match and the ability to play baseball on an SEC team. Nesta is a talented pitcher, and his commitment is a win for head baseball coach Skip Johnson.

The University of Miami was the leader heading into Nesta’s trip to Norman for the ChampU BBQ. However, the conversations and his time spent in Norman moved the needle in Oklahoma’s favor, and the talented rising senior never looked back.

With Nesta, the Sooners get the No. 347 player, according to the 247Sports composite. The composite also has him as a four-star and the No. 12 prospect in North Carolina. Nesta wasn’t beholden to playing his college ball in North Carolina, so the battle came down to Oklahoma and Miami in many ways. In the end, the appeal of the SEC and being developed by one of the best defensive minds in the game, Brent Venables, won out.

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Sooners leads Oklahoma universities in MLB Draft picks since 2003

No school in Oklahoma has sent more players to the MLB Draft than the University of Oklahoma since 2003, with players like Kyler Murray, Cade Cavalli, and Cade Horton leading the way.

While baseball isn’t the first sport people think of when they think of the University of Oklahoma, no school in Oklahoma has sent more players to the MLB Draft than the Sooners since 2003. After 11 Sooners were taken in the 2022 draft, Oklahoma leads the state with 121 players selected.

Oklahoma State and Oral Roberts round out the top three with 113 and 66 draft picks.

A full list of every single Sooner draft pick can be found on The Baseball Cube’s website. OU has had three first-round draft picks since 2018, [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag], [autotag]Cade Cavalli[/autotag], and [autotag]Cade Horton[/autotag].

Cavalli is the Washington Nationals No. 4 prospect and made his MLB debut back in August. Cade Horton is the Chicago Cubs No. 4 prospect and signed with the Cubs following the last year’s draft.

While the Oakland Athletics still own Kyler Murray’s MLB rights after drafting him back in 2018, Murray’s contract with the Arizona Cardinals is worth more money per season than the A’s entire payroll.

After OU’s run to the National Championship, Skip Johnson received a contract extension and a hefty raise. The Sooners’ skipper is getting $750,000 per year and is under contract through the 2026 season.

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Sooners shortstop Peyton Graham taken No. 51 overall by the Detroit Tigers in the MLB draft

Oklahoma Sooners’ star shortstop Peyton Graham was taken 51st overall by the Detroit Tigers in the 2022 MLB draft.

The Oklahoma Sooners had a good night on Sunday during the 2022 MLB draft, with three players selected in the top 51 picks. First, it was Cade Horton who went No. 7 overall to the Chicago Cubs, and Jake Bennett went Nol. 45 overall to the Washington Nationals. Capping off the weekend was the Oklahoma Sooners’ star shortstop Peyton Graham.

Graham was selected No. 51 overall in the second round by the Detroit Tigers.

“He’s got dynamic athleticism,” head coach Skip Johnson said. “There’s nothing that he can’t do on a baseball field. He can run, he can throw, he can hit. He’s got power, he’s got instincts to play the game, instincts to run the bases. He’s got every tool that you can imagine. For him, the ceiling is incredible. (The Tigers are getting) an all-star. A superstar that’s going to play a long time. He loves to compete. He wins every competitive thing we do on the field, whether it’s outfield, pop-ups, bunting – he’s going to win all of them because he’s so competitive.”

Graham hit .335 for the Oklahoma Sooners with 20 home runs, 71 RBIs, and 75 runs scored.

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Oklahoma Sooners P Jake Bennett selected No. 45 overall by the Washington Nationals

Oklahoma Sooners starting pitcher Jake Bennett taken No. 45 overall by the Washington Nationals in the Major League Baseball draft.

After Cade Horton went to the Chicago Cubs with the No. 7 overall pick, the Oklahoma Sooners No. 1 starter in the rotation Jake Bennett also came off the board in the second round with the No. 45 pick to the Washington Nationals.

Bennett, like Horton, had a great postseason, helping the Sooners advance through the College World Series to the final against Ole Miss.

Bennett went 10-4 with a 3.69 ERA in 20 starts, striking out 133 batters in 117 innings pitched in 2022.

“They’re going to get a professional type of kid that understands what routines are, understands what pitchability is, understands the work that it takes to put in,” head coach Skip Johnson said about Bennett. “He’s like the poster child of our program. Came in as a freshman – body changed, delivery changed, makeup changed, command – everything you can think of from a pitcher, he did well in it. He’s going to be an innings eater in pro ball. He posted up every time, every outing all year long. I think there were maybe one or two guys all year that did that throughout the year. Every week he posted up and pitched once a week. That right there tells you he’s going to eat innings. He’s very routine-oriented, a lot like – I’m not saying he’s ever going to be Clayton Kershaw at all – but there are some similarities between what Clayton does and what Jake does. He’s stuck in his routines and he’s going to make sure he does those things diligently. Making sure he does his arm exercises the right way, making sure he does his running, making sure he does his lifting. He’s going to be really on top of all of those little things as a professional.”

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Oklahoma RHP Cade Horton drafted 7th overall by Chicago Cubs

With the seventh pick in the MLB Draft, the Chicago Cubs selected Oklahoma Sooners RHP Cade Horton

Cade Horton didn’t have to wait long to hear his name get called on Sunday night in the 2022 Major League Baseball draft going No. 7 overall to the Chicago Cubs.

The Cubs selected the Oklahoma pitcher just four picks after the Texas Rangers took former Vanderbilt standout Kumar Rocker.

The 20-year-old Horton really got going in the second half of 2022 and was an instrumental piece in OU’s run to the national championship series vs. Ole Miss. For Cubs fans looking at his stats, don’t look at his numbers for the whole season. You won’t see the whole story.

Here are Horton’s game-by-game stats.

Essentially, if you take away Horton’s games against West Virginia and Texas Tech, he’d have much better numbers. Keep an eye out for that. Look at his performances in the Big 12 tournament and in the College World Series.

On a somewhat inconsistent pitching staff, Horton was a stabilizing force.

Horton being drafted this high will surely bring attention to an Oklahoma program on the upswing. With the move to the SEC on the horizon, this is a huge boost for the Crimson and Cream.

Horton will probably sign for under-slot value, allowing the Cubs to draft higher-caliber players in the later rounds of the draft.

Horton could be pitching at one of the most hallowed stadiums in all of baseball very soon. It shouldn’t be long before Sooners fans see one of their own at Wrigley Field.

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Oklahoma Baseball’s Skip Johnson named Central Region Coach of the Year

After the program’s best season in over a decade, Skip Johnson was named the Central Region’s Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association.

After OU Baseball’s best season in over a decade and a magical run all the way to the national championship, Manager Skip Johnson has been named the 2022 Central Region Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association.

OU won their first Big 12 title since 2013 and made it to the College World Series for the first time since 2010. While the team did have its flaws, they got hot in April and carried that momentum all the way to Omaha to finish as the national runner-up after losing to Ole Miss.

Johnson will go into his sixth season in Norman with some more hardware on his mantle.

Oklahoma head baseball coach Skip Johnson was named 2022 Central Region Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association after leading the Sooners to a campaign that surpassed the expectations of many prior to the season.

In his fifth season at the helm, Johnson guided Oklahoma to the Big 12 Championship title, the program’s 11th NCAA Men’s College World Series appearance and a national runner-up finish in the MCWS Finals. OU became only the second Big 12 school to participate in an MCWS Championship Series, and the first since Texas in 2009.

The Sooners ended their season with a 45-24 record, including a 27-12 mark since April 12, and a 15-9 mark in Big 12 Conference play. Oklahoma, which was picked to finish sixth in the Big 12 preseason poll, tied for second in the regular season league standings. OU posted a 12-4 record after the end of the regular season and an 8-4 mark in the NCAA Tournament.

Oklahoma won its final six series of the regular season, then tore through the Big 12 Championship with a perfect 4-0 record, won the NCAA Gainesville Regional with a 3-1 mark and won the NCAA Blacksburg Super Regional 2-1 before advancing through MCWS bracket play in three games. In total, OU spent the entire postseason (and the final six weeks of the season overall) away from home, compiling a 14-5 record in that span. – OU Baseball

The Sooners will go into next season with a lot to prove as defending Big 12 Tournament champions.

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