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Posted

surprised they didn't talk up Blaylock or Guillory.. their guys on the youtube channels have been.. "absolute dawgs".. already dismissing last year's dawg in Tatum.  Think the Guillory love is because they aren't as deep as they keep saying they are in the secondary.   

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Posted

You get overheated enough that it damages your hypothalamus and you are fucked for life.  Your body will never be able to handle heat properly again and there is no way to fix it.  I know a guy who it happened to while in the army.  He was a ranger and was doing jungle survival training in Thailand.  He had a heatstroke and got put in the hospital.  He didn't want to have to repeat the training course, so he went back out too soon and had another one.  That one caused permanent damage and he had to be medically discharged.  He still has issues stemming from it to this day.  That's why the Texas staff was so careful with Wingo.

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Posted
1 hour ago, Frank Drebin said:

He has really redeemed himself.  He was basically Lattimer from the Program at OU.  I love a redemption story, so I kind of like the guy now.  He is also pretty good at his job in an industry where so many just mail it in.

He's carefully neutral, enthusiastic about the sport, and well prepared. It's funny seeing the hate on him on game threads as he calls the game professionally and is generally complimentary to Texas.

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Posted
37 minutes ago, texifornia said:

He's carefully neutral, enthusiastic about the sport, and well prepared. It's funny seeing the hate on him on game threads as he calls the game professionally and is generally complimentary to Texas.

Yeah, I love a good second-chance-redemption story too. We all need to believe that true rehabilitation is an attainable goal.  I only have one itsy-bitsy, teeny-tiny problem with Dvoracek: The rotten cocksucker's still alive. Other than that . . .

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Posted
4 hours ago, Frank Drebin said:

Venables has two losing seasons in 3 years.  He doesn’t recruit well.  I wouldn’t be optimistic if I was them.  Maybe arbuckle is a savant and mateer is great.  If so, they will still lose at least 4.  

They are in the bargaining phase of the 5 stages of grief. 

Posted
2 hours ago, texifornia said:

He's carefully neutral, enthusiastic about the sport, and well prepared. It's funny seeing the hate on him on game threads as he calls the game professionally and is generally complimentary to Texas.

My disdain for Dvoracek has nothing to do with his announcing.  I generally agree with you that he is pretty decent.  It's the whole almost killed a guy in an alcohol fueled roid rage thing that gets me.

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Posted
4 hours ago, closetojumping said:

Dvoracek is calling the Irish Bowl this weekend. He must really be confident and secure in his sobriety journey to feel okay on that island. Alcoholism isn't a concept that has reached the shores of the Emerald Isle yet, as far I've been able to discern. 

Hide the shillelaghs. 

Posted (edited)
3 hours ago, closetojumping said:

Look, I know I am so far in the tank on the notion that OU is wildly overrated this year that I probably can't be helped, but it's these fucking okie writers who are doing it to me. Spoilered is an article talking excitedly about 5 fast risers for OU in this fall's camp. If you've been following, it's unintentional hilarity.

Highlights:

-Each of the 5 "risers" is in a spot to play due to desperation.

-Logan Howland started due to injury last year at LT. He had surgery on his shoulder, missed the spring and was promptly pushed backwards on the depth chart. The great hope at RT was a transfer from juggernaut Western Carolina, dude named Simmons, and he's been hurt all camp. Enter Logan Howland at RT. He's rising again.

-Keonteziedeezie Lewis failed at UCLA and Wisconsin. He became a magical wizard for the rabid Salukis of Southern Illinois receiving for almost 800 yards against guys that wouldn't make high school rosters at 6A Texas programs. Now, because other spares they were relying on at WR are hurt, Lewis is "different, man" per the erudite Emmett Jones. Right.

-Ivan "Helobious" Carreon has barely been mentioned this past spring or fall camp, but OU's desperate at WR, so they're going to be forced to play him as well.

-We've covered the hilarity that is the Jaren Kanak journey. Hullaballoo, Kanak Kanak, Hullaballoo Kanak! OU people are convincing themselves that this guy is going to make a difference at TE in 2025. Their TE room is so putrid that a random transfer from Kennesaw State will be starting and they're going to utilize this Kanak idiot as a wildcard in some form behind him. 

-They're painting the insertion of Fasusi as the second coming of Kelvin Banks. After they throw his ass out of the recovery center, yank the IV feed from his dehydrated lower left arm, and push him back out onto the practice field for more reps and conditioning, that motherfucker better get back to earning the $750k Nagy is paying his ass. 

  Reveal hidden contents

Stock-risers: 5 Oklahoma offensive players who improved their standing during preseason practices

A look at five Oklahoma offensive players who improved their stock since the start of fall camp.

Tom GreenTom Green2 hrsVIP0

 

 

NORMAN — The preseason is just about wrapped for Oklahoma, as game prep is set to get underway for the Sooners with their season opener now nine days away.

Oklahoma has been practicing since July 31 in preparation for the 2025 season — a pivotal Year 4 for the program under head coach Brent Venables. After a disappointing inaugural season in the SEC, during which Oklahoma finished 6-7 and won just two games in league play, Venables and his program are in need of a bounceback this fall. The Sooners hope to accomplish that with a roster that features several returning pieces (including seven starters on defense) and big-time offseason additions, headlined by transfers John Mateer and Jaydn Ott on the offensive side.

While there are established pieces on both sides of the ball, Oklahoma is going to get contributions from other newcomers and lesser-known players as it tries to rebound from last year's debacle. As such, let's examine five players on each side of the ball who improved their stock this spring.

This list does not include established returning starters, and we tried our best to not focus on the same spring stock-risers we identified after spring practice (that means no Isaiah Sategna, Eddy Pierre-Louis, Reggie Powers III, Taylor Wein or Jacobe Johnson) or the five freshmen who have stood out this preseason that were highlighted on the site last weekend. Whether it was a newcomer fitting in nicely entering his first season at OU, young players progressing more than expected or returning pieces making a clear step forward or settling into new roles, here are five Sooners offensive players who improved their stock since the first day of fall camp. The defensive stock-risers will post in a separate story later today.

 

 

Logan Howland, right tackle

 

13235198.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320 (Photo: SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images, USA TODAY Sports)

 

Logan Howland started six games at left tackle as a redshirt freshman last season in what was essentially baptism by fire for the former four-star prospect. While he endured some struggles in the SEC, he showed improvement late in the season and put some promising stuff on tape as a first-year starter. However, after the season he underwent a procedure to repair a torn labrum and subsequently missed spring practices.

Howland returned for fall camp, with offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh easing him and fellow redshirt sophomore Heath Ozaeta back into the swing of things. With Jacob Sexton and Michael Fasusi battling things out at left tackle, and with Derek Simmons missing considerable time during preseason practices, Howland flipped over to right tackle and has settled in nicely in that role in recent weeks. Simmons, the veteran transfer from Western Carolina, at one point seemed like a lock to start at right tackle this season, but considering how much time he missed this preseason, Howland has positioned himself to be the Sooners' answer at right tackle and could be the starter come Week 1.

Keontez Lewis, wide receiver

 

13235200.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320 (Photo: SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images, USA TODAY Sports)

 

Keontez Lewis was one of five offseason transfer pickups for Oklahoma — and one of four who joined the program in the spring — as part of Emmett Jones' effort to reshape the wide receiver room. A transfer from Southern Illinois who has also made stops at UCLA and Wisconsin during his career, Lewis was hampered in the spring by a hamstring injury. This fall, Lewis has worked his way back into the discussion at wide receiver and has a chance to be a Week 1 starter for Oklahoma on the outside.

He has impressed teammates with his competitive nature (he had nine contested catches on 15 opportunities at Southern Illinois last season) and brings with him deep-ball capabilities that he showcased during his breakout season at Southern Illinois, when he posted a 96.7 receiving grade on throws 20-plus yards downfield, catching 11 of his 27 targets on those passes for 410 yards and a pair of touchdowns (37.3 yards per catch).

"Keontez is different, man," Jones said. "He's a dog. He loves to compete, loves to fight for the ball and is so smart when it comes to playing the wide receiver position. Some people ask me who he reminds me of, and he's cut from — I would say CeeDee (Lamb), Nic Anderson, those type of guys when it comes to just knowing the position, (being) smart, just playing fast and knowing what's going on in the back end, understanding route concept, spacing, (will) coach up guys on the field with him."

Ivan Carreon, wide receiver

 

13234980.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320 (Photo: SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images, USA TODAY Sports)

 

Oklahoma's second-year wide receivers have flown somewhat under the radar this offseason — a bit lost in the mix between returning wideout Deion Burks, the five transfer additions and two freshmen who have made waves since the spring — but Ivan Carreonmuch like fellow sophomore Zion Kearney, has come on strong during fall practices. The 6-foot-6, 224-pound sophomore got his feet wet in the SEC last season, as he was among the true freshmen thrust into action due to the array of injuries the Sooners endured at wide receiver, and he finished the year on a high note with seven receptions for 72 yards in the Armed Forces Bowl.

That experience as a true freshman benefited Carreon, who has looked more confident this fall while providing a big-bodied target with an impressive catch radius. It remains to be seen just how he'll factor into a crowded wide receiver room -- with Burks, Isaiah Sategna, Keontez Lewis, freshman Elijah Thomas and Kearney among those pushing for starting roles come Week 1 -- but it's clear Carreon is in a much better spot than he was even in the spring.

"Just (been focused on) playing faster," Carreon said. "I've got a big size. People don't think I can really move as much. So, just working on being more explosive, getting faster, working on my route details, and just playing with more confidence than I was as a freshman." 

Jaren Kanak, tight end

 

13235220.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320 (Photo: NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK, USA TODAY Sports)

 

Making a position change is seldom easy, especially when it's switching sides of the ball and after spending three seasons playing linebacker. Yet Jaren Kanak has embraced his move to tight end this offseason, and now after exceeding early expectations, the senior is poised to have a real role at tight end for Oklahoma's offense this fall.

The Sooners' tight end room is still a big question mark going into the season, with no proven pieces at this level in a room that features a converted linebacker, a Division-II transfer in Will Huggins, two Group of Five transfers in Carson Kent and John Locke Jr., a true freshman in Trynae Washington and a pair of oft-injured veterans in Kaden Helms and Kade McIntyre. Kanak may not earn the starting job (Kent seems to be the favorite heading into Week 1), but the 6-foot-2, 232-pounder figures to have a role — likely as an H-back type who can make things happen with the ball in his hands and provide a level of physicality as a blocker, though that last part is still a work in progress (albeit not for lack of effort).

"I've always been a physical football player, I like to say, and obviously, being undersized at the position that I play, I kind of got to bring that edge of having a little bit of grit to me and a little bit of aggression," Kanak said. "And I have natural leverage as coach (Joe Jon) Finley says. It's a nice way of calling me short. But I have very natural leverage, so I can get up and under guys and really be physical with them."

Michael Fasusi, left tackle

 

13205034.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320 (Photo: JAMES D. JACKSON, 247Sports)

 

We tried to avoid overlapping with our list of freshman standouts from fall camp, but the progress of true freshman Michael Fasusi this preseason has been hard to overlook. Fasusi has been impressive since he stepped foot on Oklahoma's campus back in January, and the former five-star prospect has only continued to improve under the tutelage of Bill Bedenbaugh. The 6-foot-5, 309-pounder has looked every bit the part of an instant-impact newcomer, and he earned plenty of first-team reps this fall while Jacob Sexton missed some time due to injury.

With Sexton working his way back into the fold, it's unclear who will earn the starting job in Week 1, but Fasusi's development in his first eight months on campus has given the Sooners confidence that he can execute at a high level as a true freshman. One way or another, Fasusi -- who landed on the 247Sports preseason Freshman All-America team -- will play this season, whether as a starter or a key rotational piece.

"You know I hate to put unreal expectations on him, you know me, I'm an honest dude," Bedenbaugh said. "I haven't had — and we've had good players, really good, guys that are All-Pros, (but) I haven't had anybody like them (Fasusi and freshman Ryan Fodje) at that age, just overall. They aren't afraid. They aren't afraid who they're blocking. Whether Fasusi gets his ass kicked by R Mason (Thomas) or not, he ain't scared. He's going out there to win…. Both of them just turned 18 three weeks ago. That's it, they're 18 years old. So are they going to make mistakes? Certainly, they are, you know what I mean? It's really, at this point, pretty impressive where they are for that age and being here eight months."

 

Tom green is a known absurdist.  This fits in well with his show skits. 
 

*should have multi quoted or edited the above. Sorry bout that. 

Edited by Pato del Muerto
Posted
4 hours ago, closetojumping said:

Look, I know I am so far in the tank on the notion that OU is wildly overrated this year that I probably can't be helped, but it's these fucking okie writers who are doing it to me. Spoilered is an article talking excitedly about 5 fast risers for OU in this fall's camp. If you've been following, it's unintentional hilarity.

Highlights:

-Each of the 5 "risers" is in a spot to play due to desperation.

-Logan Howland started due to injury last year at LT. He had surgery on his shoulder, missed the spring and was promptly pushed backwards on the depth chart. The great hope at RT was a transfer from juggernaut Western Carolina, dude named Simmons, and he's been hurt all camp. Enter Logan Howland at RT. He's rising again.

-Keonteziedeezie Lewis failed at UCLA and Wisconsin. He became a magical wizard for the rabid Salukis of Southern Illinois receiving for almost 800 yards against guys that wouldn't make high school rosters at 6A Texas programs. Now, because other spares they were relying on at WR are hurt, Lewis is "different, man" per the erudite Emmett Jones. Right.

-Ivan "Helobious" Carreon has barely been mentioned this past spring or fall camp, but OU's desperate at WR, so they're going to be forced to play him as well.

-We've covered the hilarity that is the Jaren Kanak journey. Hullaballoo, Kanak Kanak, Hullaballoo Kanak! OU people are convincing themselves that this guy is going to make a difference at TE in 2025. Their TE room is so putrid that a random transfer from Kennesaw State will be starting and they're going to utilize this Kanak idiot as a wildcard in some form behind him. 

-They're painting the insertion of Fasusi as the second coming of Kelvin Banks. After they throw his ass out of the recovery center, yank the IV feed from his dehydrated lower left arm, and push him back out onto the practice field for more reps and conditioning, that motherfucker better get back to earning the $750k Nagy is paying his ass. 

  Reveal hidden contents

Stock-risers: 5 Oklahoma offensive players who improved their standing during preseason practices

A look at five Oklahoma offensive players who improved their stock since the start of fall camp.

Tom GreenTom Green2 hrsVIP0

 

 

NORMAN — The preseason is just about wrapped for Oklahoma, as game prep is set to get underway for the Sooners with their season opener now nine days away.

Oklahoma has been practicing since July 31 in preparation for the 2025 season — a pivotal Year 4 for the program under head coach Brent Venables. After a disappointing inaugural season in the SEC, during which Oklahoma finished 6-7 and won just two games in league play, Venables and his program are in need of a bounceback this fall. The Sooners hope to accomplish that with a roster that features several returning pieces (including seven starters on defense) and big-time offseason additions, headlined by transfers John Mateer and Jaydn Ott on the offensive side.

While there are established pieces on both sides of the ball, Oklahoma is going to get contributions from other newcomers and lesser-known players as it tries to rebound from last year's debacle. As such, let's examine five players on each side of the ball who improved their stock this spring.

This list does not include established returning starters, and we tried our best to not focus on the same spring stock-risers we identified after spring practice (that means no Isaiah Sategna, Eddy Pierre-Louis, Reggie Powers III, Taylor Wein or Jacobe Johnson) or the five freshmen who have stood out this preseason that were highlighted on the site last weekend. Whether it was a newcomer fitting in nicely entering his first season at OU, young players progressing more than expected or returning pieces making a clear step forward or settling into new roles, here are five Sooners offensive players who improved their stock since the first day of fall camp. The defensive stock-risers will post in a separate story later today.

 

 

Logan Howland, right tackle

 

13235198.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320 (Photo: SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images, USA TODAY Sports)

 

Logan Howland started six games at left tackle as a redshirt freshman last season in what was essentially baptism by fire for the former four-star prospect. While he endured some struggles in the SEC, he showed improvement late in the season and put some promising stuff on tape as a first-year starter. However, after the season he underwent a procedure to repair a torn labrum and subsequently missed spring practices.

Howland returned for fall camp, with offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh easing him and fellow redshirt sophomore Heath Ozaeta back into the swing of things. With Jacob Sexton and Michael Fasusi battling things out at left tackle, and with Derek Simmons missing considerable time during preseason practices, Howland flipped over to right tackle and has settled in nicely in that role in recent weeks. Simmons, the veteran transfer from Western Carolina, at one point seemed like a lock to start at right tackle this season, but considering how much time he missed this preseason, Howland has positioned himself to be the Sooners' answer at right tackle and could be the starter come Week 1.

Keontez Lewis, wide receiver

 

13235200.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320 (Photo: SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images, USA TODAY Sports)

 

Keontez Lewis was one of five offseason transfer pickups for Oklahoma — and one of four who joined the program in the spring — as part of Emmett Jones' effort to reshape the wide receiver room. A transfer from Southern Illinois who has also made stops at UCLA and Wisconsin during his career, Lewis was hampered in the spring by a hamstring injury. This fall, Lewis has worked his way back into the discussion at wide receiver and has a chance to be a Week 1 starter for Oklahoma on the outside.

He has impressed teammates with his competitive nature (he had nine contested catches on 15 opportunities at Southern Illinois last season) and brings with him deep-ball capabilities that he showcased during his breakout season at Southern Illinois, when he posted a 96.7 receiving grade on throws 20-plus yards downfield, catching 11 of his 27 targets on those passes for 410 yards and a pair of touchdowns (37.3 yards per catch).

"Keontez is different, man," Jones said. "He's a dog. He loves to compete, loves to fight for the ball and is so smart when it comes to playing the wide receiver position. Some people ask me who he reminds me of, and he's cut from — I would say CeeDee (Lamb), Nic Anderson, those type of guys when it comes to just knowing the position, (being) smart, just playing fast and knowing what's going on in the back end, understanding route concept, spacing, (will) coach up guys on the field with him."

Ivan Carreon, wide receiver

 

13234980.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320 (Photo: SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images, USA TODAY Sports)

 

Oklahoma's second-year wide receivers have flown somewhat under the radar this offseason — a bit lost in the mix between returning wideout Deion Burks, the five transfer additions and two freshmen who have made waves since the spring — but Ivan Carreonmuch like fellow sophomore Zion Kearney, has come on strong during fall practices. The 6-foot-6, 224-pound sophomore got his feet wet in the SEC last season, as he was among the true freshmen thrust into action due to the array of injuries the Sooners endured at wide receiver, and he finished the year on a high note with seven receptions for 72 yards in the Armed Forces Bowl.

That experience as a true freshman benefited Carreon, who has looked more confident this fall while providing a big-bodied target with an impressive catch radius. It remains to be seen just how he'll factor into a crowded wide receiver room -- with Burks, Isaiah Sategna, Keontez Lewis, freshman Elijah Thomas and Kearney among those pushing for starting roles come Week 1 -- but it's clear Carreon is in a much better spot than he was even in the spring.

"Just (been focused on) playing faster," Carreon said. "I've got a big size. People don't think I can really move as much. So, just working on being more explosive, getting faster, working on my route details, and just playing with more confidence than I was as a freshman." 

Jaren Kanak, tight end

 

13235220.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320 (Photo: NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK, USA TODAY Sports)

 

Making a position change is seldom easy, especially when it's switching sides of the ball and after spending three seasons playing linebacker. Yet Jaren Kanak has embraced his move to tight end this offseason, and now after exceeding early expectations, the senior is poised to have a real role at tight end for Oklahoma's offense this fall.

The Sooners' tight end room is still a big question mark going into the season, with no proven pieces at this level in a room that features a converted linebacker, a Division-II transfer in Will Huggins, two Group of Five transfers in Carson Kent and John Locke Jr., a true freshman in Trynae Washington and a pair of oft-injured veterans in Kaden Helms and Kade McIntyre. Kanak may not earn the starting job (Kent seems to be the favorite heading into Week 1), but the 6-foot-2, 232-pounder figures to have a role — likely as an H-back type who can make things happen with the ball in his hands and provide a level of physicality as a blocker, though that last part is still a work in progress (albeit not for lack of effort).

"I've always been a physical football player, I like to say, and obviously, being undersized at the position that I play, I kind of got to bring that edge of having a little bit of grit to me and a little bit of aggression," Kanak said. "And I have natural leverage as coach (Joe Jon) Finley says. It's a nice way of calling me short. But I have very natural leverage, so I can get up and under guys and really be physical with them."

Michael Fasusi, left tackle

 

13205034.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320 (Photo: JAMES D. JACKSON, 247Sports)

 

We tried to avoid overlapping with our list of freshman standouts from fall camp, but the progress of true freshman Michael Fasusi this preseason has been hard to overlook. Fasusi has been impressive since he stepped foot on Oklahoma's campus back in January, and the former five-star prospect has only continued to improve under the tutelage of Bill Bedenbaugh. The 6-foot-5, 309-pounder has looked every bit the part of an instant-impact newcomer, and he earned plenty of first-team reps this fall while Jacob Sexton missed some time due to injury.

With Sexton working his way back into the fold, it's unclear who will earn the starting job in Week 1, but Fasusi's development in his first eight months on campus has given the Sooners confidence that he can execute at a high level as a true freshman. One way or another, Fasusi -- who landed on the 247Sports preseason Freshman All-America team -- will play this season, whether as a starter or a key rotational piece.

"You know I hate to put unreal expectations on him, you know me, I'm an honest dude," Bedenbaugh said. "I haven't had — and we've had good players, really good, guys that are All-Pros, (but) I haven't had anybody like them (Fasusi and freshman Ryan Fodje) at that age, just overall. They aren't afraid. They aren't afraid who they're blocking. Whether Fasusi gets his ass kicked by R Mason (Thomas) or not, he ain't scared. He's going out there to win…. Both of them just turned 18 three weeks ago. That's it, they're 18 years old. So are they going to make mistakes? Certainly, they are, you know what I mean? It's really, at this point, pretty impressive where they are for that age and being here eight months."

 

This is all inject into my veins material, but if I see an OU TE do anything against us much less convert a crucial down or TD, I'm likely to have a grand mal from you shitting on their TE room so convincingly. 

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Posted
41 minutes ago, BurgleBro said:

This is all inject into my veins material, but if I see an OU TE do anything against us much less convert a crucial down or TD, I'm likely to have a grand mal from you shitting on their TE room so convincingly. 

One week until kickoff, and we still don't know who the fuck OU's savior is gonna throw it to.

Excellent

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Posted
On SoonerScoop, someone checked with the Fasusi camp, and the kid got a couple of IVs last night and expects to be back at practice, soon. (I think they are being optimistic). 
 
Also, their indoor facility doesn’t have AC, yet. 

Why don’t they just put the wheels back on, remove the cinder blocks and hop on the highway, 55 AC all day! Problem solved.
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Posted

Spoilered below is a more credible argument about 5 defensive risers for OU in their fall camp. Not surprising given that the defense will actually be good whereas the offense has a lot to prove and has basically zero depth. 

Highlights:

-The 5 star dude with the Nigerian last name isn’t mentioned and he’s legitimately turning into a massive bust. 

-They really need one of the CBs they mention to actually be a sound contributor. Pick your poison with a true freshman that has some talent or a system guy that has never cracked the two deep. 

-Stone is interesting. We’ve talked about him here. Their writers have been spinning the notion of the switch turning on, but he’s not pushing a starter out of the way and he sucked in the spring. 

Spoiler

Stock-risers: 5 Oklahoma defensive players who have improved their standing during preseason practices

A look at five Oklahoma defensive players who improved their stock since the start of fall camp.

Tom GreenTOM GREEN8 hrsVIP5

On Now

Oklahoma Position Preview: Defensive Ends

 

 

NORMAN — The finishing touches are being put on the preseason for Oklahoma, as game prep is set to get underway for the Sooners with their season opener now nine days away.

Oklahoma has been practicing since July 31 in preparation for the 2025 season — a pivotal Year 4 for the program under head coach Brent Venables. After a disappointing inaugural season in the SEC, during which Oklahoma finished 6-7 and won just two games in league play, Venables and his program are in need of a bounceback this fall. The Sooners hope to accomplish that with a roster that features several returning pieces (including seven starters on defense) and big-time offseason additions, headlined by transfers John Mateer and Jaydn Ott on the offensive side.

While there are established pieces on both sides of the ball, Oklahoma is going to get contributions from other newcomers and lesser-known players as it tries to rebound from last year's debacle. As such, let's examine five players on each side of the ball who improved their stock this spring.

Earlier, we detailed five offensive players who improved their stock this preseason. Now, it's time for the defensive side of things. This list does not include established returning starters, and we tried our best to not focus on the same spring stock-risers we identified after spring practice (that means no Isaiah Sategna, Eddy Pierre-Louis, Reggie Powers III, Taylor Wein or Jacobe Johnson) or or the five freshmen who have stood out this preseason that we highlighted on the site last weekend. Whether it was a newcomer fitting in nicely entering his first season at OU, young players progressing more than expected or returning pieces making a clear step forward or settling into new roles, here are five Sooners defensive players who improved their stock since the first day of fall camp.

 

 

DANNY OKOYE, DEFENSIVE END

 

13206948.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320 (Photo: JAMES D. JACKSON, 247Sports)

 

When Brent Venables joined Toby Rowland for his season preview show earlier this week, the pair ran through a couple handfuls of Oklahoma players, rapid-fire style, with Venables offering a couple sentences on each Sooner. Among those listed was Danny Okoye, the redshirt freshman edge rusher who has taken a big leap since last season, when he took a redshirt while making just two appearances and logging nine snaps on defense.

Venables quickly highlighted Okoye's "untapped potential," adding that the Sooners "can't wait to release him (on) the SEC" this season. That was a telling proclamation from OU's fourth-year head coach as he prepares to step back into the role of defensive play-caller this fall. The 6-foot-3, 251-pound Okoye looks like he's chiseled from marble, up 6 pounds from a year ago and apparently turning a corner in his development as he vies for reps in a tantalizing defensive ends rotation this season. Okoye, who has been described as one of the best all-around athletes on the team, isn't expected to start, but he should find himself a role behind All-SEC performer R Mason Thomas in the rotation off the edge.

"He's a madman," defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis said. "When he knows what he's doing, he's playing really fast. Just an unbelievable young man, and as handsome, as gifted, as talented. as likable and as talented as he is, he's a better person.  It's a joy coaching him. He's going to be a household name pretty soon; I mean that."

DEVON JORDAN, CORNERBACK

 

13235600.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320 (Photo: BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK, USA TODAY Sports)

 

Oklahoma has leaned into a youth movement at cornerback this offseason, with Gentry Williams as the old head in a room that's littered with freshmen and second-year players. Among those second-year defensive backs is Devon Jordan, the sophomore from Tulsa who got a taste of the SEC last season in appearances against Texas and South Carolina midseason.

This preseason, though, the 5-foot-11 corner has been impressive while making the most of his opportunities in assistant coach Jay Valai's room. With Eli Bowen sidelined due to an ankle injury that has relegated him to a protective boot throughout preseason practices, Jordan has been one of the top performers when it comes to pushing for a starting job on the season-opening depth chart. Don't be surprised if Jordan is on the top line with Williams, his fellow Tulsa native, when the Sooners release their Week 1 two-deep next week.

"He understands scheme, understanding his responsibility and his process and then being violent within his processes too," Valai said. "I would say scheme starts the play, but players make the plays come alive, though. He's really bought into that. Technically sound but aggressive, too. Not playing with confidence but playing with conviction. Big-picture perspective, understanding post arrows, everything on the football field. His gain of knowledge of the game has been phenomenal. He's weaponized it."

COURTLAND GUILLORY, CORNERBACK

 

 

13215609.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320 (Photo: JAMES D. JACKSON, 247Sports)

 

Courtland Guillory was among the freshman standouts highlighted last weekend, so this is a bit of a double-dip, but the 6-foot, 183-pounder out of Houston has been a hot topic throughout the preseason. Guillory has been a favorite of Brent Venables all offseason, and the former four-star cornerback has shown why during fall practices while making his case for a starting job at the beginning of the season.

Guillory, like Devon Jordan, has been among those pushing for Eli Bowen's spot while the former Freshman All-American has been on the shelf. Guillory has excelled in one-on-one situations and carries himself with the confidence of a proven veteran—despite having yet to play a single snap at the college level. If Jordan isn't atop the depth chart next week, don't be surprised if it's Guillory in that spot instead. Regardless of who starts against Illinois State, Guillory is sure to see plenty of opportunities in the cornerback rotation this season.

"He's not confident, he's convicted," cornerbacks coach Jay Valai said. "He has no flinch. Whoever the best receiver is, he wants to line up against him. He sees Deion Burksout there, he says, 'I want Deion.' Whoever the best guy is, he wants them. And, for me, having that no-flinch mindset or mentality, I know when it's the fourth quarter or the game is on the line, he ain't going to hesitate. Him doing that, but backing it up with his work and process, showing up here early in the morning at 7 a.m. when nobody's in here to watch extra film — just understand the details, how we teach man-to-man, Cover 2, Cover 3, hot coverage. Everything we do, he's been really good at understanding the why behind it, too. He's not memorizing, he's understanding, just like Eli last year. It's a big thing. A lot of times, you ask a young guy what a Cover 3 is, they have no idea. Understanding the why, that's really where his game has come along."

DAVID STONE, DEFENSIVE TACKLE

 

 

13234994.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,off (Photo: NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images, USA TODAY Sports)

 

David Stone arrived at Oklahoma last year with unreal hype as the prized signee in the Sooners' 2024 class — a five-star prospect who was a top-10 overall player in the country coming out of IMG Academy. But Year 1 in Norman didn't live up to the expectations for Stone, who appeared in every game but logged just 94 defensive snaps as a true freshman, finishing the season with six total tackles, including one sack, with seven total pressures.

Stone seemed to turn a corner in the spring, but then in April he abruptly entered the transfer portal. It was a weekend-long saga that, ultimately, came to a resolution that resulted in Stone withdrawing from the portal and reaffirming his desire to continue his career at Oklahoma. Since that weekend, teammates have noticed a different Stone over the last four months. He has rededicated himself to the film room, spending ample time with defensive tackles coach Todd Bates, while becoming a more vocal leader and holding both teammates and himself accountable. Most importantly, Stone's efforts off the field have started to show on the field, as he has put together a strong preseason while not just establishing himself in Oklahoma's talented defensive tackles rotation but "fighting" for a starting job, according to Brent Venables. If the 6-foot-3, 310-pounder can continue on this trajectory, he'll have a chance to fulfill his five-star potential and be a true difference maker at the line of scrimmage in the SEC.

"He's just continued, man, been a model of consistency," Bates said. "And the work he's put in — the work, it'll show up and follow you like a shadow. Whatever you do or lack thereof, it's going to show. If you put it in, it's going to show. And he's putting it in like a coach."

OWEN HEINECKE, LINEBACKER

 

13235608.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320 (Photo: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images, USA TODAY Sports)

 

Oklahoma's linebacker depth was somewhat of a concern this offseason, with the Sooners returning both Kip Lewis and Kobie McKinziewhile shifting Sammy Omosigho from Cheetah to inside linebacker. The big question revolved around who would emerge as the fourth linebacker in that rotation, with Oklahoma State transfer Kendal Daniels a popular candidate this offseason.

While Daniels has that flexibility to play inside — and very well could see reps there this season — he has solidified himself at the Cheetah position and is likely to be the team's started in that role. Enter, Owen Heinecke, the former walk-on out of Tulsawho has primarily been a special teams contributor the last two seasons. The redshirt junior has had a strong showing in preseason practices, with Brent Venables shouting him out as having "as good a camp as anyone" through the team's first six practices earlier this month. The 6-foot-1, 227-pounder has not only positioned himself to see the field more this season, but he could very well be listed on the two-deep at linebacker when Oklahoma unveils its season-opening depth chart next week.

"He's played really, really well," Venables said. "…You see a lot of hard work in the summer. He's super instinctive, very athletic, explosive tackler, good in space, excellent blitzer. He's got really nice instincts now on the ball."

 

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Posted

SIAP...

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer's NIL salary revealed

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Originally posted on SI  |  By JC Shelton  |  Updated Aug 21, 2025 

Quote

Highly-touted transfer quarterback John Mateer is expected to be paid well at Oklahoma after his significant move from Washington State ahead of the 2025 college football season.

After backing up No. 1 2025 NFL Draft pick Cam Ward, Mateer took over the starting role for the Cougars as a first-year starter in 2024. The former three-star certainly exceeded expectations, totaling 44 touchdowns with 3,139 passing yards and another 826 yards on the ground in 12 games.

Mateer (6-foot-1, 224 pounds) ultimately decided to enter the transfer portal ahead of his redshirt junior campaign. And it was the Sooners who landed the talented passer after bringing former Washington State offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle.

Mateer's breakout season and high-profile role at a major program have seemingly paid off, as the Little, Elm, Texas native is expected to make between $2.5 and $3 million in NIL payments this year, according to On3's Pete Nakos.

Mateer ranks 13th in in college sports with an On3 NIL valuation of $2.7 million. He was recently named a brand sponsor for Beats by Dre as a part of the "Beats Elite" rollout.

Oklahoma and head coach Brent Venables needed an answer at quarterback following a disastrous first season (6-7) in the SEC. The Sooners finished 97th in total offense and 119th passing offense in 2024.

The challenge for Mateer is adjusting to a new program, teammates and head coach, all while holding a significant amount of weight on his shoulders to find success. Not having to learn a new offense, though, should help ease that transition.

Mateer and Co. will open the 2025 season at home against Illinois State on Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. ET (ESPN+).

 

Posted
6 hours ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Tom green is a known absurdist.  This fits in well with his show skits. 
 

*should have multi quoted or edited the above. Sorry bout that. 

Didn't know he was an OU 9.95er now. Makes sense.

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