Tag: Todd Bates

Defensive tackle transfer Philip Blidi longer visiting Oklahoma for the Spring game

The Oklahoma Sooners have a busy recruiting weekend ahead but one talented defensive lineman will no longer be there.

The Oklahoma Sooners have a massive weekend ahead with the spring game and the number of recruits set to be on campus. In addition to the high school prospects OU will be hosting, the Sooners will also host several transfer targets this weekend.

The list of transfers includes defensive tackles [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Jermayne Lole[/autotag] and interior offensive lineman [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag]. Initially, that list included Indiana Hoosiers’ transfer, [autotag]Philip Blidi[/autotag]. He was the first of the group to announce he’d be at the spring game but has now announced he will not be in attendance.

Some people may look at that and be surprised. When Blidi first entered the portal, it looked like he was set to be a Sooner. But after a few visits and the list of Sooners targets growing, the rumblings of Blidi not ending up in the Crimson and Cream only grew louder.

Obviously, he would have brought a lot of experience, which would have helped a talented but young defensive tackle group. However, the Sooners still have two big-time transfers at that position set to come to campus. Williams is considered Oklahoma’s top defensive tackle target. As the Sooners are over the scholarship limit, they were going to have to be picky in their additions.

So, now the focus turns to Williams and Lole and a recent transfer portal entry in UCLA defensive tackle Jay Toia. But it remains to be seen how active the Sooners will be with Toia.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Sooners now the trending favorite for 2025 4-star defensive lineman

The Oklahoma Sooners received On3 Predictions from Steve Wiltfong and Chad Simmons for four-star defensive lineman Trent Wilson.

The Oklahoma Sooners are looking to build upon one of their best defensive line recruiting classes of the modern era in the 2024 cycle. Oklahoma already has commitments from [autotag]Ka’Mori Moore[/autotag] and [autotag]Alexander Shieldknight[/autotag] and look to be the trending favorite for a blue-chip prospect, [autotag]Trent Wilson[/autotag].

Steve Wiltfong, now of On3, and Chad Simmons each issued an On3 prediction favoring the Sooners in Wilson’s recruitment. The Sooners now have a sizeable lead over Penn State and Maryland in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.

Wilson, who hails from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, has 17 offers from Big Ten and SEC schools.

The Sooners offered Wilson at the end of January but [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] has apparently moved the needle in a short time.

Here’s what I had to say about Wilson back in January. At the end of January, Wilson released a top eight that included the Florida State Seminoles, Penn State Nittany Lions, Maryland Terrapins, Florida Gators, Texas A&M Aggies, Tennessee Volunteers, and the Ohio State Buckeyes along with the Sooners.

Wilson, who plays as the three-technique defensive tackle, or between the guard and tackle in their defensive alignment, plays with good quickness and power. He uses a good first step to dart the gap between opposing offensive linemen to get to the quarterback or bring down the running back in the backfield. – Williams, Sooners Wire

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Oklahoma makes final three for 2025 DT Kole Briehler; set to host official visit June 21

Three-star DT Kole Briehler announced his final three and Oklahoma is set for a battle with Ohio State and Stanford for his commitment.

Oklahoma is rounding the final turn and is gearing up for the home stretch in the race for one of their defensive line targets in the [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag].

On Wednesday morning, three-star defensive tackle [autotag]Kole Briehler[/autotag] offered an update about his recruitment process. He posted a graphic on social media highlighting the final three schools in his recruitment process.

Oklahoma, Stanford, and Ohio State remain firmly in the mix, according to Briehler’s post.

Briehler also listed dates for his official visits with each choice as well. Stanford, soon to be an ACC member in 2024, will get the first official visit on June 1. A couple of weeks later, Ohio State will host Briehler. Recently, Briehler visited the Buckeyes. Last but certainly not least, the Sooners will host him on June 21 and have the final official visit before what could be a summer commitment.

Briehler is 6-foot-3 and has incredible strength. Oklahoma offered him back in November, and they have remained a steady candidate since then. Out of the Hun School, the talented defensive line prospect hails from the same program that produced 2023 offensive line signee [autotag]Logan Howland[/autotag].

No one knows how this may go, and no predictions have been submitted yet, but this recruitment will last through the summer. [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] is the primary guy for Oklahoma here, and he has a good track record for securing defensive linemen from the East Coast.

Will he prevail again? We’ll find out.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

Danny Okoye looking to develop ‘as much as possible’ during spring practice

Danny Okoye is one of the more intriguing prospects the Sooners have had in awhile and he’s ready to make an impact.

One of the bigger surprise signings of the 2024 recruiting class was four-star edge [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag]. Okoye finished in the top 80 nationally, and at one point had eliminated the Oklahoma Sooners from his recruitment.

But after reconsidering Oklahoma, he quickly went all in on the Sooners before committing and then signing. Now, he’s an early enrollee and already participated in winter workouts and spring ball.

Okoye is one of the more intriguing prospects. He didn’t face great competition in high school, but his physical tools are off the charts. Okoye came into Oklahoma at 233 pounds but is already up to 255 pounds. He ran a 4.56 40-yard dash.

Okoye talked about his expectations for the spring.

“Just develop as much as possible,” Okoye said. “This is the first spring ball that I’ve been a part of. I’m not expecting to be as advanced as some of these other guys, but if I can advance myself as much as I can in the time that I have given to me, I’ll be happy. I’m sure it’ll pay off when the season comes and I can fight for a starting spot.”

The hardest part for many freshmen is the mental aspect of the game and it’s even harder playing in a Brent Venables defense. But the physical attributes are there for Okoye. He also has the work ethic to go with it.

Having that combination could see him get early playing time and start terrorizing [autotag]SEC[/autotag] offenses next season.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on X @JaronSpor.

Oklahoma Sooners offer four-star DL prospect and Auburn commit Malik Autry

Oklahoma has offered fast-rising 2025 four-star DL prospect Malik Autry.

Oklahoma just had one of its all-time best defensive line recruiting hauls with their 2024 class. It was headlined by five-star defensive tackle David Stone but there were multiple four-star defensive linemen in the Sooners’ haul.

Oklahoma needed every single signee as the Sooners were set to be pretty thin along their defensive line after the 2024 season. They now turn their recruiting efforts to 2025, where the Sooners already have one commitment from three-star nose tackle Ka’Mori Moore.

Moore committed last summer, and Oklahoma is in pursuit of adding more.

Their most recent offer is to four-star prospect Malik Autry. Autry is a large human being who most certainly fits the mold of the 1-technique type of nose tackle that the vast majority of SEC teams seem to have. He is the no. 89 overall prospect in the Top247 and is seeing his recruitment take off. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him rise into the top 60 nationally when it’s all said and done.

Autry stands tall at six-foot-five and clocks in at 320 pounds. He hails from Alabama and is currently committed to the Auburn Tigers. He was offered by Todd Bates, who is from Alabama himself. Bates has long been considered an excellent recruiter for his ability to connect with the gentlemen he recruits. Can he help loosen the bond between Auburn and help give Oklahoma a fighting chance?

Malik Autry’s Recruiting Profile

Film

HUDL

Co-defensive coordinator Todd Bates, Oklahoma working on new contract per report

Oklahoma defensive tackles coach and Co-DC Todd Bates is set to receive a raise and new three year deal per report.

It’s been one heck of a start to 2024 for co-defensive coordinator and defensive tackles coach Todd Bates.

He received a pay bump earlier this offseason and appears headed for another raise according to Matt Zenitz of 247Sports.

According to Zenitz, Bates is set to push his salary up to $900,000 per year as he finalizes a three-year contract extension with the Sooners. The extension rewards Bates for his contributions and comes on the heels of an offseason, where, according to the report, Bates was being pursued by other programs this offseason. Instead, the well-respected defensive line coach will stay in Norman to continue the work of rebuilding the Sooners defensive line.

Bates has been a monumental add for his development of the Oklahoma defensive line in larger part because of his prowess on the recruiting trail.

Bates was the primary recruiter for the Sooners in their pursuit of five-star defensive tackle David Stone. Stone was the first five-star defensive tackle the Sooners have landed in over a decade. He has also helped transform the Oklahoma defensive line that led the NCAA in tackles for loss or for no gain last season.

For Bates, his journey is just getting started. He has yet to see a complete cycle of his recruits manifest on the field. He’s revitalized the interior defensive line at Oklahoma.

Still, this year represents a significant step in competition as his unproven unit will have their first season in the SEC. They will be face some of the best offensive linemen in the country on a weekly basis.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

Oklahoma addition listed as one of the top graded edge transfers in the country by PFF

The Oklahoma Sooners might have found a steal in the transfer portal as a new edge rushers was graded as one of the top transfers by PFF.

The Oklahoma Sooners once again hit the transfer portal hard, hoping to fill holes heading into the SEC next season. One thing that has been glaring these last two seasons is the lack of a pass rush.

So, the Sooners went out and signed one of the best in the portal. Miami (OH) transfer [autotag]Caiden Woullard[/autotag] signed with the Sooners. He finished last season with 41 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. That helped Pro Football Focus grade him as the sixth-best edge rusher who hit the portal this offseason.

That was massive for Oklahoma. The Sooners have to get more of a pass rush next season where they don’t have to blitz all of the time to generate that pass rush. If they are able to do that, that will allow them to do a lot more things defensively with their linebackers as well as helping out their defensive backs in the back end.

 

The Sooners already possess one of the more experienced defenses in college football, and Woullard’s three years of playing experience helps. While last year was his breakout year, he had a steady sophomore season, finishing with 29 tackles, five tackles for loss, and four sacks.

The question now is, is the speed of the game too much for him to handle with him moving up from a Group of Five conference to the premier conference in the land? Only time will tell.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on X @JaronSpor.

Oklahoma Sooners get prediction for top 50 2025 recruit

The Oklahoma Sooners received yet another prediction for a 2025 recruit, this top for a top 50 defensive end.

The Oklahoma Sooners continue to work to put their 2025 recruiting class together which has a chance to be the best one in the Brent Venables’ era. Right now with nine commits, it’s ranked as a top-five class in the country.

A commit that could be a big help to the class is the state of Oklahoma’s top prospect and a top 50 overall player, [autotag]C.J. Nickson[/autotag]. The 6-foot-5 220-pound EDGE would be a massive get for the Sooners. It seems like the Sooners have done a good job early on in the process as Rivals and OUInsider’s Brandon Drumm submitted a Futurecast for the talented defender.

Nickson had a really good junior season finishing with 54 tackles, five tackles for loss and five pass break ups. He also plays offense where he caught 34 passes for 577 yards and five touchdowns. He’s also a really talented basketball player and 247Sports reports he has offers from Oral Roberts, Tulsa and UT Arlington.

There has been some speculation he might play basketball at Oklahoma along with football. That’s something that would have to be worked out with [autotag]Porter Moser[/autotag].

Nonetheless, Oklahoma currently leads for the talented defender as On3 gives them the best odds to land Nickson. This one feels like there is still a long way to go so there is still a lot more work to be done.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Pair of Sooners signees stand out at Under Armour All-American Week

A pair of Oklahoma Sooner signees impress at the Under Armour All-American week.

The 2024 Under Armour All-American week is in the books, and two future Oklahoma Sooners impressed all week long. Five-star defensive lineman [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] was mentioned but the surprise might have been from four-star [autotag]Eugene Brooks[/autotag].

247Sports shared their “superlatives” of the week and those two Sooners made the list. Stone was given the “most energy” superlative.

This award last year went to Clemson’s Peter Woods, who went on to make the 247Sports’ True Freshman All-American Team. It wouldn’t be shocking to see David Stone make that same list next year. Stone was as active as anyone on the defensive line this week and fought to take reps in practice, which is rare to see in such a laid-back setting. The blend of Stone’s speed, power, technique and motor should have him on the field sooner rather than later for the Sooners, who spent three years fighting for his signature. – Andrew Ivins 247Sports

Stone had a massive week and only grew the expectations from Sooner fans for his freshman season. He’s become someone some wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t start by the end of next season.

Brooks has kind of flown under the radar, but he put the country on notice. He earned a superlative that probably brings a smile to a lot of Sooner Nation; “best run-blocker.”

No one was better in the phone booth all week than Eugene Brooks, who manhandled opponents during 1-on-1 drills and opened up wide run lanes when things transitioned to 11-on-11 period. Brooks is a natural knee-bender that is quick to establish a firm base and then keep his legs pumping. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Brooks, who owns some of the best shot put numbers in the class, push for early playing time in Norman with the Sooners set to lose four veteran offensive linemen to the NFL Draft. – Ivins, 247Sports

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Oklahoma Sooners 2025 commit among the top performers at the All-American Bowl

An Oklahoma Sooners’ 2025 defensive line commit is listed as a top performer at the All-American Bowl.

With the [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag] pretty much in the books. Barring any last pushes, the focus now shifts to the 2025 class. The Sooners currently have nine commits and rank No. 4 in the country according to 247Sports.

Over the weekend, the All-American Bowl was held with a number of top-rated 2025 and 2026 recruits in attendance. One 2025 Sooner commit who stood out was defensive lineman [autotag]Ka’Mori Moore[/autotag].

In fact, On3’s Sam Spiegelman listed Moore as his third-best performer from the weekend.

2025 Oklahoma-committed DL Ka’Mori Moore was nifty working off the edge and also taking reps on the inside, where he is an absolute mismatch. Moore showcased a handful of pass-rush moves, including an impressive swim, as well as excellent bend from a 6-foot-2, 310-pound DL. Moore had a strong showing inside the Alamodome on Friday, and fits the mold of an athletic 3-technique that can provide some juice from the interior. – Spiegelman

Moore is currently ranked as a three-star prospect, but with more performances like that, he will almost assuredly move up the rankings. The Lee’s Summit North product will also no longer have to share the line with the nation’s top prospect in 2024, giving him a chance to shine by himself.

Even still, it seems like Oklahoma has a good one heading their way coming signing day next season.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.