Dimitri Flowers is the next Millard Fat Back. I don't think he is or will be at the skill level of Millard but a solid athlete nonetheless. A buddy of mine coached him in a select baseball league and said he is very coachable and of great character. I see nothing but good things in this kids future.
As mentioned, Dimitri Flowers is the guy that's expected to take on that role eventually. I believe that Aaron Ripkowski will still be the #1 option there in 2014. I think Perine has the body type, but he wants to be a true running back, and that's what we recruited him to play. I thought for a long time he would take over Millard's role, and he still may, but after we got the Flowers commit, it told me OU wants Perine running the ball.
I agree about Perine. He is a hefty dude. I could see him being a short yardage/goal line type back as well. Ripkowski showed tremendous progress as a blocker, he is just not the run/catch threat Millard was. Perine and Flowers are more likely to pose those threats.
Kenyon Frison just uncommitted from Utah after the Arizona State visit. He's supposed to decide after the Nebraska visit next week.
Sounds like Miciah Quick's visit to USC last weekend went okay, but didn't really blow him away. Several recruits that visited USC with Quick said they think he's OU bound. Quick still has one more official (UCLA next weekend), and it's a big one...but, I'm feeling pretty comfortable with OU's standing here. Still think the Sooners land Quick, Parker, Clark, Frison and Garnett to close the class.
I concur that we will land Quick, Parker, Clark, Frison, and Garnett. Since it looks like Glenn will be an academic casualty, that opens up the spot for Garnett. With Kendal Thompson tranferring with the Grad School option, that opens up a spot for Quick. The way I see it here is how the others go. Please feel free to opine: Parker: Unless A&M pulls something funny, he comes here. In the secondary, I think this means that Brooks might be the next to transfer. Between injuries and position switches, he might look elsewhere. I believe that he wants to be an RB, and with our new guys, I just don't see it happening. Also, with Windham coming, he is basically the same player. Clark: I think his Mom has a big play in this, and he saw this new defense and just how fun it can be. I think that either Okorokwo leaves due to playing time and the new faces coming, or it means that, unfortunately, CJ Ward's medical condition is not good. Frison: It is either us or ASU, plain and simple. I cannot see him re-committing to a school that he just de-committed. He knows we need a big man, and his is literally that. If he comes, I think that means Sam Grant would leave. He has been recruited over (Ilajana and Meier), and with Frison coming and Daimler from last year, the future at Tackle is there. Much like Brooks, injuries and position changes would facilitate this. Just my two cents.
According to the Times Picayune, Garnett is visiting Tennessee this weekend and will make his decision after that.
I'd be really surprised if Parker doesn't end up a Sooner. A&M is working every angle to get him (Sumlin visited on Monday night), but I think the writing is on the wall. A&M just renewed interest in a 3 star safety, and scheduled a visit next weekend (or maybe the week after). So, while I think they will continue to battle, I think they know their chances aren't good. Clark is the most interesting recruit left on the board for OU. Les Miles is making a final in-home visit tonight or tomorrow night, and then it's up to Clark to decide. He is visiting ASU next weekend, but I think that is only a courtesy visit (for Jackie Shipp). I agree that Mom is the biggest factor in this, and ultimately, I think she wants Dre close, so I think that, combined with his growing interest in OU's defense, will lead to Clark being a Sooner. Everything is pointing toward Quick being a Sooner, but he does have one more visit (next weekend) to UCLA, and that's probably the biggest hurdle left for the Sooners. I still think he ends up at OU. I completely agree with your comments on Frison. I think his Nebraska visit (next weekend) is a formality, and his "interest" in Utah is just out of respect. It's down to ASU and OU. Could go either way. As for transfers, things could get interesting. We are very heavy at DE and DB. So, I wouldn't be surprised to see a transfer from either group. From what I've heard, Okorokwo has a bright future, but I'm not sure he will see much playing time anytime soon. We'll see how DJ Ward performs in the Spring/Summer. He has so much talent, but he's been out of the game for going on 3 years. If he can knock the rust off, I think he can be a contributor in 2014, which could lead Oko to transfer. Brooks is just kinda "there", he hasn't separated himself as a DB or RB, and like you said, there's little chance he'll break the RB depth chart. I'm not sure he's good enough a DB to ever see much (if any) time. A transfer there wouldn't surprise me either.
Yep, he's supposed to announce prior to signing day, so if he announces next week that would fit into what I'm thinking. He takes his visit to Tennessee, then commits sometime around mid-week. I'd be mildly surprised if he didn't commit to OU in the next 7-10 days.
Deondre Clark has an in-home visit with Les Miles tonight. Then Clark takes an official to LSU this weekend. Still has a visit set for ASU the following weekend, so there's a couple of bullets to dodge, but I still like OU.
No question LSU is the biggest threat to OU, and he was (and to my knowledge, still is) verbally committed to LSU. However, things have drastically changed in the past two months. OU went from no communication with Clark to a "strong" relationship between Montgomery and Clark. He's also been quoted as saying he's "very excited" about OU's defensive scheme. His mom has always been a strong Sooner lean, but when Shipp left, the communication stopped. Now, she has developed a relationship with Stoops and Montgomery, and is very vocal about which school she prefers. Ultimately, I think mom wins out (and I think it's safe to say Deondre has bought in to OU too). After Stevie went off to OSU and had some issues, I think she wants Dre close. At first, it seemed like mom was the only one that liked OU, but that has changed, and Deondre has OU right with LSU. Then there's the position angle that Stoops is selling. Miles is recruiting Clark as a true DE, whereas Stoops wants him in the hybrid DE/OLB role. I think he'd fit better in the 3-4, and I think he knows that. You never know though, he could just decide he wants to be at LSU. I don't think we'll know until NSD.
Couple of notes from the weekend: Deondre Clark had a "great" visit to LSU. Since Miles did an in-home with the Clark's on Thursday, followed by an official visit to LSU, he could be really tough to flip (at least in the next few days). I still think the Sooners stand a good shot at him. But, I'll be tight. Courtney Garnett, not yet a Sooner commit, addressed rumors that he decommitted from Texas because he wouldn't qualify. He tweeted his GPA and ACT scores to shut up the doubters. He will be qualified to attend wherever he commits. I feel like he's about 95% OU right now. As expected, Sooner DT commit Brandon Glenn too an official visit to a JUCO over the weekend. Looks like there is a really good chance he won't qualify and may double sign to ensure a landing spot. I still believe he will be a Sooner (if OU is interested) in a couple of years.
Actually, he always wanted OU until we let the Shipp set sail then it became LSU. It is just a matter of Jerry M establishing a great relationship with Clark to seal the deal.
