adoniijahsooner
12/1/2009, 03:11 PM
Bob and the staff appear to be pretty excited about what's coming in next year. Also, the mention of a west coast trip to seal the deal on a couple of kids should make some of us who follow these things excited about getting a couple of blue chippers(Stills and Jefferson). Talk of this being Stoops best recruiting class in his 11 years is being thrown around. If you have been paying attention then you know that this class has a different feel than some of the previous ones.
http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/story/1800728.html
By MIKE JONES
[email protected]
Considering what he’s been facing out there in rumor land during a most crucial time for the future of the program, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops on Monday did the best thing he could have done to ensure the promise of February’s recruiting class by firmly stating, "I’m going to be at Oklahoma next year."
Stoops further contended that the Notre Dame rumors have not been a problem.
"In the end," he said, "the players I’m recruiting understand what I’m excited about, and what I intend to do. I couldn’t be more excited and pleased about what we’re doing here and what the future holds."
By all accounts, this could be a recruiting class to remember. Emphasis on "could be" because, of course, you never know.
And what coach is not optimistic about recruiting? But Stoops leaves no doubt as to how he felt when he and his staff began to hit the trail Sunday.
"We’re in great shape with a bunch of great guys already and several other excellent ones still working," he said. "It’s as good as at any time we’ve been here. Probably as good as we’ve ever had to this point."
That’s interesting, and may be more than just coachspeak in light of a conversation I had Saturday night.
I happened to spend some time at dinner talking with one of Bob’s assistants. Who it was isn’t important one way or the other. What he said is, especially as it pertains to Stoops’ subsequent take Monday on the subject of recruiting.
This guy said he was physically whipped and understandably looked it. His immediate intent was to head for the house and hit the sack. That said, he nevertheless volunteered how pumped he was about getting on a flight to one of the coasts Sunday afternoon to begin the nailing-down process for the February signing date.
It was his opinion that OU was poised to sign "the best class we’ve had in 11 years." His inference was that it was loaded with offensive linemen and remarkable skill players, which should be hailed by Sooners fans after this season.
What should be the obvious footnote is that if this incoming class matches expectations, it would follow what most believe is a really good group already on campus.
"I like ’em," Stoops said. "They’ve been a good group overall. There’s a lot of potential there."
Those guys will get a lot of work in coming practice sessions before OU tries to shake that bowl-game monkey long riding piggyback. And, of course, one of the more interesting developments during the off-season is the continuing education of quarterback Landry Jones, whose main shortcoming is that he isn’t Sam Bradford.
If it hasn’t yet dawned, Bradford was one of those who simply don’t come around very often. He, too, had his rookie-season moments when he locked onto a receiver or didn’t get all the way through his reads. But he may be the most accurate young quarterback I’ve seen in 40 years of covering college football.
Jason White could chunk it deep on a dime, but from my vantage point he couldn’t match Bradford’s innate ability to put it where the other guy can’t get it. Anywhere.
To compare Sam’s first year to Landry’s is milk to orange juice — Sam had an offensive line most of whom now draw NFL paychecks and receivers named Iglesias, Johnson and Kelly. Let’s just say Jones didn’t.
But in both on- and off-the-record conversations, OU’s staff has been firm that Jones will take big steps during the off-season and that redshirt Drew Allen will get his chance to show what he can do, although it’s going to be awfully hard to replace the line-of-fire education Jones has received.
"There were a few spots where [Jones] could have handled it better," Stoops said. "We understand that. But he made good progress and we’re pleased with it, and he will continue to improve."
And one of the committed — quarterback Blake Bell — may signal a new direction, a pass-and-run guy as opposed to the pro-style guys OU has featured during Stoops’ tenure, which doesn’t appear to be over in any sense.
Mike Jones, 817-390-7760
http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/story/1800728.html
By MIKE JONES
[email protected]
Considering what he’s been facing out there in rumor land during a most crucial time for the future of the program, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops on Monday did the best thing he could have done to ensure the promise of February’s recruiting class by firmly stating, "I’m going to be at Oklahoma next year."
Stoops further contended that the Notre Dame rumors have not been a problem.
"In the end," he said, "the players I’m recruiting understand what I’m excited about, and what I intend to do. I couldn’t be more excited and pleased about what we’re doing here and what the future holds."
By all accounts, this could be a recruiting class to remember. Emphasis on "could be" because, of course, you never know.
And what coach is not optimistic about recruiting? But Stoops leaves no doubt as to how he felt when he and his staff began to hit the trail Sunday.
"We’re in great shape with a bunch of great guys already and several other excellent ones still working," he said. "It’s as good as at any time we’ve been here. Probably as good as we’ve ever had to this point."
That’s interesting, and may be more than just coachspeak in light of a conversation I had Saturday night.
I happened to spend some time at dinner talking with one of Bob’s assistants. Who it was isn’t important one way or the other. What he said is, especially as it pertains to Stoops’ subsequent take Monday on the subject of recruiting.
This guy said he was physically whipped and understandably looked it. His immediate intent was to head for the house and hit the sack. That said, he nevertheless volunteered how pumped he was about getting on a flight to one of the coasts Sunday afternoon to begin the nailing-down process for the February signing date.
It was his opinion that OU was poised to sign "the best class we’ve had in 11 years." His inference was that it was loaded with offensive linemen and remarkable skill players, which should be hailed by Sooners fans after this season.
What should be the obvious footnote is that if this incoming class matches expectations, it would follow what most believe is a really good group already on campus.
"I like ’em," Stoops said. "They’ve been a good group overall. There’s a lot of potential there."
Those guys will get a lot of work in coming practice sessions before OU tries to shake that bowl-game monkey long riding piggyback. And, of course, one of the more interesting developments during the off-season is the continuing education of quarterback Landry Jones, whose main shortcoming is that he isn’t Sam Bradford.
If it hasn’t yet dawned, Bradford was one of those who simply don’t come around very often. He, too, had his rookie-season moments when he locked onto a receiver or didn’t get all the way through his reads. But he may be the most accurate young quarterback I’ve seen in 40 years of covering college football.
Jason White could chunk it deep on a dime, but from my vantage point he couldn’t match Bradford’s innate ability to put it where the other guy can’t get it. Anywhere.
To compare Sam’s first year to Landry’s is milk to orange juice — Sam had an offensive line most of whom now draw NFL paychecks and receivers named Iglesias, Johnson and Kelly. Let’s just say Jones didn’t.
But in both on- and off-the-record conversations, OU’s staff has been firm that Jones will take big steps during the off-season and that redshirt Drew Allen will get his chance to show what he can do, although it’s going to be awfully hard to replace the line-of-fire education Jones has received.
"There were a few spots where [Jones] could have handled it better," Stoops said. "We understand that. But he made good progress and we’re pleased with it, and he will continue to improve."
And one of the committed — quarterback Blake Bell — may signal a new direction, a pass-and-run guy as opposed to the pro-style guys OU has featured during Stoops’ tenure, which doesn’t appear to be over in any sense.
Mike Jones, 817-390-7760