Dalton Rodriguez decommits

[Boomer.....]

Union's Dalton Rodriguez changes commitment from OU to Tulsa

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/TU/article.aspx?subjectid=94&articleid=20121213_94_0_UinHgc441693&rss_lnk=92

Our only O-line commit.

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/7838/fuuuuuuu.png

[Ruf/Nek7]

Lovely. Just flippin lovely

[Flagstaffsooner]

He'll regret that.

[Always_Sooner]

Hopefully OU signs more lineman on both sides of the ball.

[badger]

Not sure it was his decision. Sometimes when recruits back off OU it's really OU telling them to find a new home. Not sure if that was the case here or not. If it was, there are pros and cons to this decision:

Pro:
-He'll be staying at home (union is tulsa, for those of you that aren't from this state)
- Tulsa is a good academic school
- It's a small campus and tight-knit community
- It's a bowl regular, including a recent trip to Hawaii

Con:
- He'll be staying close to home (nagging from HS girlfriend/mom/???)
- He'll be playing in front of a half-full 30k capacity stadium instead of an overfilled 85k capacity stadium
- It's C-USA versus the Big 12

In any event, best of luck!

[Soonerfan88]

He wants to play DE, OU wants him on OL.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

fortunately, it's just a game, and important financially to only those involved with it as a business, whether directly or indirectly.

[MyT Oklahoma]

Choosing a college is an important decision in life. You should get a great education. Meet some of your best friends in life. Maybe even meet your future spouse too. If this kid had any doubts that he didn't want to be in Norman then I am glad he changed his mind.

In my way of thinking (I am a fan after all) you either want to be a Sooner with all your heart or you don't. And yes I fully realize to many high school football players college is only a stepping stone to the NFL.

Irregardless though I wish him only the best.

[Curly Bill]

Not even a little bit worked up over this. To be disappointed in him leaving OU would have required I be excited he was coming to OU.

[Always_Sooner]

Why did OU not offer the 4 star guard from Vian Oklahoma?

He is committed to Tulsa...

[Okie35]

Not even a little bit worked up over this. To be disappointed in him leaving OU would have required I be excited he was coming to OU.

I couldn't agree more with your statement.

[8timechamps]

Here's the deal with Rodriguez:

He was recruited and committed as an Offensive Tackle. Rodriguez has NEVER played a snap of high school football at that position. He's played defensive end his entire life. When OU offered (and received a commitment) from Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (a defensive end), that put the total DE commits to four (not counting Rodriguez). He saw the writing on the wall (that he was not going to be playing DE), and flipped his commitment to Tulsa, where he can play DE.

This is another development that isn't too surprising.

[8timechamps]

Why did OU not offer the 4 star guard from Vian Oklahoma?

He is committed to Tulsa...

OU isn't really recruiting guards this year.

[Widescreen]

Here's the deal with Rodriguez:

He was recruited and committed as an Offensive Tackle. Rodriguez has NEVER played a snap of high school football at that position. He's played defensive end his entire life. When OU offered (and received a commitment) from Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (a defensive end), that put the total DE commits to four (not counting Rodriguez). He saw the writing on the wall (that he was not going to be playing DE), and flipped his commitment to Tulsa, where he can play DE.

This is another development that isn't too surprising.

So even though our coaches told him they were recruiting him as an OT, he was secretly holding out hope that they would change their minds and let him play DE?

[8timechamps]

So even though our coaches told him they were recruiting him as an OT, he was secretly holding out hope that they would change their minds and let him play DE?

I don't know the whole story, but from what I'm gathering, he was never told he was going to play DE. Sounds like the coaches were up-front with him about playing on the O-line.

[OkieThunderLion]

Not a good enough athlete to play DE at OU. He changed his mind about willingness to play OT.

[Soonerjeepman]

meh...I've totally given up getting excited about recruiting...honestly, when have we had a class of kids (25) that by the time they are Jr Sr we still have over 15 that contribute? Though I saw someone's thread awhile back, shocking that it seemed less than half of each class of recruits ends up being WAS.

[OkieThunderLion]

meh...I've totally given up getting excited about recruiting...honestly, when have we had a class of kids (25) that by the time they are Jr Sr we still have over 15 that contribute? Though I saw someone's thread awhile back, shocking that it seemed less than half of each class of recruits ends up being WAS.

Only 50% of 5-stars end up all-conference level players and/or NFL draft picks. And the number gets much smaller as you go down from there. It's easy to see how the majority of recruiting classes, even for the best schools, don't contribute a whole lot.

[badger]

Only 50% of 5-stars end up all-conference level players and/or NFL draft picks. And the number gets much smaller as you go down from there. It's easy to see how the majority of recruiting classes, even for the best schools, don't contribute a whole lot.

I know we have our own share of 5-star flameouts, but OSU got a five-star running back named Hershel Sims that they were incredibly giddy about. Then, the tweeting sh!t because he didn't get to play immediately (as Gundy probably promised during recruiting). Then, he ended up transferring... to Lamar. Then, he left Lamar. Now, who knows?

The most amazing part? The flameout happened in less than ONE season. He was in the 2011 recruiting class.

[Widescreen]

Wasn't Sims the one who got arrested for stealing from a teammate?

Edit: http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2012-06-01/herschel-sims-oklahoma-state-kicked-off-team-cowboys-jeremiah-tshimanga

Yep. So he didn't leave due to lack of playing time. He got the boot.

[OUInformant]

Bruce Kittle?

[OUInformant]

We will have to get some good linemen from the JUCO ranks. With as many injuries as we had this year, I can guarantee that our OLine is going to be awesome next year. But after that?

[BoomerJack]

Here's the deal with Rodriguez:

He was recruited and committed as an Offensive Tackle. Rodriguez has NEVER played a snap of high school football at that position. He's played defensive end his entire life. When OU offered (and received a commitment) from Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (a defensive end), that put the total DE commits to four (not counting Rodriguez). He saw the writing on the wall (that he was not going to be playing DE), and flipped his commitment to Tulsa, where he can play DE.

This is another development that isn't too surprising.

Also, article in Tulsa World said that he had been coached by Bill Blank's son at Union HS a couple of years ago and that was a familiarity factor in his choosing Tulsa.