OU's Bradford moves up on Kiper's big board
2/9/2010 12:33:00 PM
Sam Bradford has moved up ESPN’s Mel Kiper’s list of prospects as the NFL Draft countdown continues. The draft starts April 22, a Thursday night. The combine in Indianapolis is later this month.
Bradford has moved from No. 5 overall to No. 4 overall, according to Kiper. Here’s what he wrote in a Feb. 4 update:
“Based on what I'm hearing regarding the health of his shoulder, I've moved Sam Bradford ahead of Jimmy Clausen. That's not a huge surprise, because I've been saying it since Bradford was hurt – this is a guy who was a potential No. 1 pick last year, and a physical issue that, from all indications, simply won't detract at all from what Bradford can do.”
A few highlights of Kiper’s list of top prospects (four of the top 10 and six of the top 25 are from Oklahoma schools):
* OU defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is No. 2
* Bradford is No. 4, up one position from Kiper’s ranking a week early.
* OSU tackle Russell Okung is No. 8.
* OSU receiver Dez Bryant is No. 9
* OU tackle Trent Williams is No. 24.
* OU tight end Jermaine Gresham is No. 25.
 CLICK HERE TO SEE KIPER’S TOP FIVE. FOR A FULL LIST, YOU NEED A SUBSCRIPTION.
Quick thoughts on XLIV
2/7/2010 11:47:00 PM
Quick thoughts on the Super Bowl:
* Can’t claim to be a Saints fan, but was rooting for Robert Meachem. Glad he got a ring.
* Thoughts on a few commercials:
Green Police: Funny.
Guys without pants: Weird.
Tim Tebow: What's the big deal?
Casual Fridays: Disturbing.
Bears Shuffle: "That's fresh."
Danica Patrick: Still hot.
E-Trade baby: Not as cute. Is that same kid? Maybe first one got too big.
Budweiser: Lots of them. Struggling to remember one that stands out.
Favorite commercial: SUV takes toys/stuffed animals on unforgettable joyride.
* Saints coach Payton will be dubbed a genius. Don’t know if he’s a genius, but he’s got guts.
* The Who: Maybe I should have been in the crowd. They were into it.
* Biggest gaffe of night: Peyton Manning’s pick.
* Second-biggest gaffe: Missed the national anthem due to technical difficulties.
* Didn’t seem possible that Garrett Hartley could get bigger in New Orleans, but the former Sooner kicker might have done it. Clutch. Kept Saints in game.
* XLIV on scale of 1 to 10: 8. Fun game.
Barnett to OSU fans: 'My decision isn't based on making them happy.'
2/4/2010 2:51:00 PM
I’ve spoken to Booker T. Washington’s Calvin Barnett a few times in recent months and talked to him yesterday for a little while. I know this will offend some OSU fans, but the kid has wisdom beyond his years in some ways.
Before you hyperventilate, bear with me.
Let’s start with how Barnett handled his recruitment. I’ve got mixed emotions about what he did at signing day – taking the stage and peeling off an orange and black Booker T. Washington pullover to reveal a red Arkansas shirt.
On the one hand, it’s great stuff for the media. Makes for photos, intrigue and interesting reading. It was a show, and it’s fun to see a kid and his friends enjoy the moment. I like that.
On the other hand, there were a bunch of kids at Tulsa Public Schools’ signing ceremony yesterday. All were given their moment and most chose to humbly take the stage with family and friends. Barnett selected a different, more self-centered path.
After breaking a longstanding commitment with OSU, he was rewarded with media coverage far exceeding that of his peers. The media (myself included) lapped up his performance like hounds at feeding time.
Look, I understand kids change their minds in the recruiting process. Big-time recruits like Barnett have a ton of pressure that, frankly, is impossible for most of us to comprehend. But Barnett didn’t just decommit from OSU. He waited until signing day to put on a show about that decommitment. (Side note: In my interview with Barnett, he had nothing bad to say about OSU. He liked the program but felt more comfortable at Arkansas.)
Now, let me tell you why I think Barnett is wise.
He has a grasp on the recruiting process – and sports in general – that’s beyond his 18 years. When I asked him pointedly about breaking his commitment and the disappointment that would produce from OSU fans, Barnett said: “My decision isn’t based on making them happy.”
He’s 100 percent right about that. No recruit should worry about fans, because fans care about their schools. You’ve got OSU fans, Arkansas fans, Texas fans, Tulsa fans, OU fans and plenty of others. These aren’t Calvin Barnett fans, and he’s sharp enough to know it.
“If they really support me,” Barnett said, “they can come be a Razorbacks fan.”
There may be some things that I disagree with regarding Barnett’s recruitment; and OSU fans might not like his de-commitment. But you know what? He shouldn’t worry about what I think or what anyone else thinks about it. He needs to do what he thinks is best for his life, because he’s the one who will live it.
OU's Colvin seemed humble and confident
2/4/2010 10:53:52 AM
I spoke to OU football recruit Aaron Colvin for a few minutes before his signing Wednesday at Owasso High School.
Recruiting is such an inexact science that I won’t try to project what kind of player Colvin will become for the Sooners. But I can tell you that he was an engaging person. With his parents sitting about 15 feet away, Colvin thoughtfully answered questions, discussing his past, his signing day and his future at OU.
He was both humble and confident. Anyone willing to admit that they were crying at football practice as a grade-schooler has both humility and confidence. People who aren’t confident won’t admit something like that.
He joined eight other Owasso athletes from various sports at the signing ceremony, upstaging no one with some flashy display.
As for Colvin’s future, he made no guarantees about immediate playing time. He said he wanted try out at all four positions in the secondary – free safety, strong safety, and both corners.
“My goal is to play (right away), but I’ll kind of take it as it comes,” he said.
Recruiting: Updating state teams' rankings and conference races
2/2/2010 11:52:00 AM
National Signing Day is tomorrow, and here’s a look at conferences leading the pack (SEC again) and how our state teams stack up according to Rivals.com and Scout.com, two sites that follow recruiting closely:
OKLAHOMA
The Sooners are rated as a top five class but trail Texas in both rankings:
Scout: The Sooners are third nationally, trailing No. 1 Florida and No. 2 Texas.
Rivals: The Sooners are fifth nationally, trailing Florida, Texas, Auburn and Alabama.
OKLAHOMA STATE
There’s a significant discrepancy between Scout and Rivals when it comes to the Cowboys, which shows the inexact science of recruiting rankings.
Scout: The Cowboys are No. 10 overall and are third in the Big 12 – behind Texas (No. 2) and Oklahoma (No. 3).
Rivals: OSU is No. 5 in the Big 12. The Cowboys trail Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Missouri in the conference. Oklahoma State is 26th nationally.
TULSA
The Golden Hurricane's class is ranked as middle-of-the-pack in Conference USA.
Scout: TU isn’t in the top half of the C-USA rankings right now. Tulsa is ranked 89th overall and is seventh in the 12-team league.
Rivals: TU is tied for sixth in the league with SMU. Both are ranked No. 73 nationally.
THE CONFERENCES
If you saw our project from Matt Baker in Sunday’s Tulsa World,
the conference recruiting leader should come as no surprise right now. The SEC is out front – loading up on players in the talent-rich Southeast.
Baker’s Sunday project revealed some of what we knew – Texas and states in the southeast are loaded with talent. What came as a surprise to me was how much talent those places produce.
When you look at the maps, check out Alabama. It’s no wonder the state has such good football programs – it’s loaded with talent. Birmingham is a recruiter’s gold mine.
According to Rivals, the SEC has six of the top nine recruiting classes – Florida (1), Auburn (3), Alabama (4), LSU (6), Tennessee (7) and Georgia (9). The only SEC party crashers in the top 10 are Texas (2), Oklahoma (5), Penn State (8) and Texas A&M (10). The SEC and Big 12 account for nine of the top 10 ranked classes right now on Rivals.
It's similar on Scout.com’s conference rankings right now. The SEC is on top, followed by the Pac-10 and the Big 12. The SEC has four of the top seven recruiting classes – Florida (1), Alabama (4), Auburn (5) and LSU (7).
In Conference USA, Houston has the No. 1 rated class by both services. The Cougars are No. 45 nationally on Rivals and are No. 52 on Scout.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT RIVALS.COM FOOTBALL RANKINGS.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT SCOUT.COM FOOTBALL RANKINGS.
Recruiting news: OU top 10... USC up... Notre Dame falling...
1/31/2010 9:31:57 PM
Who are the recruiting winners and losers – so far – as National Signing Day approaches Wednesday? Tom Lemming, a longtime recruiting guru who now works for MaxPreps, conducted an interview Friday night on CBS College Sports. Here were some of his thoughts.
* Oklahoma was ranked No. 8 on his top 10 list and has four top 100 recruits committed. The Sooners undoubtedly would have been higher had they won the Jackson Jeffcoat sweepstakes. Jeffcoat, a defensive lineman from Plano, Texas, chose the Longhorns on Friday. Jeffcoat was Lemming's No. 3 ranked player nationally. The Longhorns were No. 2 on Lemming's recruiting list and had seven top 100 players committed.
* Urban Meyer's health issues apparently aren't hurting recruiting. Lemming had the Gators No. 1.
* Notre Dame is having a bad year. Lemming talked about "major losses" for the Irish since the coaching change. Illinois' top high school defensive player (Bruce Gaston) chose Purdue over the Irish. Notre Dame also lost a four-star commitment who switched to Stanford, Lemming said
Lemming also mentioned the recruiting loss of Anthony Barr, who is ranked No. 14 in the country. Barr chose hometown UCLA over Notre Dame – where his father played football. Barr has a Tulsa connection. According to multiple recruiting sites, his father is Tony Brooks, who played for Notre Dame in the late 1980s after starring at Booker T. Washington.
* Southern Cal is doing well despite a coaching. Lane Kiffin apparently has picked up where Pete Carroll left off. The Trojans were ranked No. 4 on Lemming's list and had five top 100 commitments. Lemming said coaching changes often hurt recruiting classes, but the exception is the "USC Trojans, who just seem to keep going no matter who is the head coach."
Here was Lemming's top 10, with top 100 commitments in parenthesis:
1. Florida (9)
2. Texas (7)
3. Alabama (3)
4. Southern Cal (5)
5. Penn State (3)
6. Auburn (3)
7. LSU (2)
8. Oklahoma (4)
9. Florida State (2)
10. Georgia (3)
Nothing against the Sooners, but...
1/29/2010 12:36:00 PM
OU fans who loyally follow recruiting are stung today by Jackson Jeffcoat’s decision. He’s ranked as one of the nation’s best players and has chosen Texas over Oklahoma and Houston.
Jeffcoat said he felt comfortable at OU, but he just felt like Texas was the best place for him.
Is he headed for greatness? You never know. The real work begins now. But judging by this Dallas Morning News report from Jeffcoat’s signing, he has some support at home.
Jeffcoat played for Plano West High School in Texas. His father is former Dallas Cowboys player Jim Jeffcoat, who is now an assistant coach at Houston. Everyone has watched Jackson’s every move guessing where he might be leaning.
What were his parents telling him through a process that must have been stressful for a teen-ager? Here's what Jackson Jeffcoat told the Dallas Morning News: “My parents told me that wherever I decided to go, it was the right choice. It’s definitely a relief. It’s a lot of weight off my shoulders.”
OSU's Perrish Cox making an impression
1/28/2010 11:41:00 AM
Former OSU cornerback Perrish Cox says he’s hearing that he might be a late first-round or early second-round pick in April’s NFL Draft. Seems he might be improving that stock this week.
Today in the paper, we had some notes from the Senior Bowl, and they mentioned his strong performance.
Cox, a cornerback, apparently is impressing NFL scouts – and he might be doing it at the expense of old teammate, Zac Robinson. Cox reportedly intercepted two Robinson passes during workouts.
Cox was suspended for the Cotton Bowl but must not be rusty. In a Sporting News report, he was mentioned among five players who are turning heads during Senior Bowl drills.
Here is an excerpt from a Sporting News article that mentions Cox, who joins Mississippi’s Dexter McCluster (OSU fans have bad memories of him from the Cotton Bowl.), Florida receiver Riley Cooper, Idaho guard Mike Iupati and Penn State defensive tackle Jared Odrick as players catching the eye of NFL executives.
"... On the field this week, Cox's timing has been impeccable.
" ‘Consistency, that’s what people want to see from me,’ Cox said. ‘I keep hearing late first round, or early second round. But I hope I'm moving up.’ "
Get your tickets early if you're a Nebraska fan
1/27/2010 6:55:05 PM
Here's all you need to know about the passion Nebraska fans have for their Huskers football team:
Tickets go on sale next week, and school officials expect about 45,000 to be purchased on the first day. And that's for the spring game.
Nebraska is making what seems like a pretty smart marketing move by putting spring game tickets on sale when fans are most fired up during the offseason -- National Signing Day.
Last year, Nebraska sold 60,000 tickets for its spring game in the first week, according to an Associated Press story that attributed a university spokesman.
Nebraska has its spring game the same day (April 17) as Oklahoma this year. I've heard OSU's spring game is also that day but haven't seen that information the school.
Zac Robinson working out with struggling Tebow at Senior Bowl
1/26/2010 3:50:00 PM
Former OSU quarterback Zac Robinson is working out at the Senior Bowl this week, and apparently he’s looking better than a much higher profile quarterback – Tim Tebow.
According to some accounts and a story on Yahoo! Sports, Florida’s Heisman winner looked bad while he was going through drills with Robinson and West Virginia quarterback Jarrett Brown.
Here is an excerpt from the Yahoo! story that mentions Robinson but devotes most of its commentary to an unflattering report on Tebow:
“Performing drills with fellow South team quarterbacks Zac Robinson of Oklahoma State and Jarrett Brown of West Virginia, Tebow fumbled the ball at least twice while taking snaps under center.
“Later in team drills, Tebow fell into his same old habits — holding onto the ball too long, locking onto receivers and throwing wobbly passes.
“The scouts noticed.
“ ‘He looks like the third QB out there," one NFC South talent evaluator said.”
Stoops in the media?... What is commitment?... Manning vs. Favre?
1/26/2010 10:59:32 AM
Three thoughts on a Tuesday:
* I wonder if Bob Stoops would ever give it a try as a media member after his coaching career? Sounds kind of crazy doesn’t it. Of course, I never would have believed it with Bob Knight if someone had raised that possibility 20 years ago. I heard Knight call one game this season and thought he was good. Never would have believed he’d be in the media.
* Booker T. Washington’s Calvin Barnett says he’s committed to OSU, but he visited Arkansas over the weekend. My thought: Players who keep visiting aren’t committed. (I know the argument -- wanting to take the visits for the experience and to have fun. But if a visit goes really well, what about the commitment then?)
Barnett, one of the top defensive tackle recruits in the country, has people lobbying him to break his OSU commitment and go to Arkansas. Signing day is Feb. 3, and Barnett says he and teammate Eric Bennett (an Arkansas commitment) have something flashy planned.
* Quick, which story is going to wear you out faster – two weeks of hype leading to Peyton Manning going against the Saints (his dad’s old team) or the Brett Favre saga? I’m thinking Favre.
OSU and the NCAA... TU's big game... Meachem's catch...
1/25/2010 11:32:00 AM
Quick thoughts from the weekend:
* I checked out collegerpi.com today, and Oklahoma State has moved onto the NCAA Tournament mock bracket. I know there’s a long way to go until March, but the K-State win was huge. The Cowboys moved from off the bracket to a No. 8 seed on Jerry Palm’s field. (Quick side note: I’ve looked at these mock brackets for years, and I think collegerpi.com is annually the best.) Oklahoma State’s RPI is No. 28.
OSU’s path to the NCAA Tournament isn’t easy, but it’s now clear: Protect the home court and the bid is a virtual lock.
* Tulsa isn’t on the collegerpi.com bracket. In fact, Palm projects Conference USA as a one-bid league – as has been the case in recent years. Right now, Palm projects UAB getting into the field. If C-USA is indeed a one-bid league, it will all come down to the tournament at the BOK Center in March. Tulsa’s RPI is No. 77. That could rise with a road win against No. 25 UAB on Tuesday.
* Former Booker T. Washington receiver Robert Meachem made a 12-yard catch to set up former OU kicker Garrett Hartley’s game-winning boot in the NFC Championship game. Some fun ties to Oklahoma watching that one, although Adrian Peterson fans had to be holding their breath every time he touched the ball – would it be a big run or a fumble? Meachem's catch also created some breath holding. He was juggling the ball as he went to the ground but made the big play.
* Get ready for the Brett Favre retirement watch. I have a hard time believing his career will end with the final pass being an interception that cost his team a chance to win. I’ll start paying attention to all the Favre talk in August.
* My Super Bowl picks cratered. I had Vikings over Chargers when the playoffs started. So much for that. I suspect most will pick the Colts over the Saints. So will I.
NFL mock drafts: Bradford No. 4. He's also No. 26
1/22/2010 10:11:00 AM
Former OU Heisman winner Sam Bradford will be selected No. 4 by the Washington Redskins in the upcoming NFL Draft, predicts ESPN’s Mel Kiper.
Former OU quarterback Sam Bradford, who has an injured shoulder, will be selected No. 26 by the Arizona Cardinals in the upcoming NFL Draft, predicts NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks.
Mock drafts are hardly an exact science; and as you can see, Bradford’s status is all over the place. Both Kiper and Brooks produced their first mock drafts this week, after all the underclassmen had formally declared their intentions.
Is Bradford a top five pick as Kiper believes? Is he barely a first-round pick, as Brooks believes? Is he somewhere in between? It’s hard to know, but it seems evident that the next few months are critical for OU’s Heisman winner as he tries to show teams that his shoulder is fine and he’s worthy of a high selection.
Both men project at least five state players going in the first round on lists that will be updated repeatedly in coming weeks.
* Brooks' first-round projections:
OSU tackle Russell Okung No. 2 to Detroit;
OU defensive tackle Gerald McCoy No. 3 to Tampa Bay;
OU tackle Trent Williams No. 4 to Washington;
OSU receiver Dez Bryant No. 21 to Cincinnati;
OU’s Bradford No. 26 to Arizona.
Click here to check out his draft list.
* Kiper has six state players in the first round, the addition being OU tight end Jermaine Gresham:
McCoy No. 2 to Detroit;
Bradford No. 4 to Washington;
Okung No. 5 to Kansas City;
Bryant No. 10 to Denver;
Williams No. 13 to San Francisco;
Gresham No. 25 to Baltimore.
Click here to see the top five. To see the entire list, you need a subscription.
Both men project Nebraska defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh No. 1 to St. Louis.
This year's draft is April 22-24. It starts on a Thursday and ends on a Saturday. The first round starts at 6:30 p.m. and will be televised by ESPN and the NFL Network.
Should we run this Tiger story in the Tulsa World?
1/21/2010 10:21:00 AM
Here’s where Tiger Woods story stands: The Associated Press is reporting that a Celebrity Web site is reporting that the National Enquirer will have photos that might be of Tiger Woods at a clinic where a sexual addiction program is conducted.
Now, here’s a question, and I’d like your thoughts, either on a poll (click the link at the bottom) or on this blog: Is that a story we should run in the Tulsa World? I considered that last night and didn’t run it, but I think we are going to have it in tomorrow’s paper.
Here’s why I elected not to run the story: Because I wanted a better source than a Web site reporting what the National Enquirer might be reporting.
Here’s why I think we are going to run it tomorrow: Because Woods’ personal life has become news, and because the Associated Press hasn’t reported that Woods is in a clinic. Instead, the AP reported what it knew and attempted to reach Woods’ agent. That agent didn’t return the call, when he had a chance to dispute the story.
You might not agree with the media’s coverage of Woods’ personal life, but there’s no denying it has become news. Sponsors are dropping him, costing him millions – possibly hundreds of millions – of dollars. And he’s not playing golf right now, which hurts the PGA Tour. The reason for that: His personal life. That’s news.
The clinic Woods is reportedly receiving treatment is in Hattiesburg, Miss., where media face an ethical question. How do you cover that?
The Hattiesburg American newspaper addressed that issue in a commentary headlined: Does Tiger deserve some privacy?
Here is an excerpt: “There is a fine line between covering Woods when he wrecks his car and extending coverage when and if he gets treatment.
“Where does news end and privacy begin, even if the person involved is one of the most recognizable faces in the world? That's a question that journalists debate constantly.
“One of the tenets of the Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics states: ‘Show good taste. Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity.’
“We believe Woods deserves some privacy if he is getting treatment in Hattiesburg – or or in Arizona or South Africa, as other online sites have reported in the last couple of weeks.
“And we believe other patients at the clinic also deserve to be left alone.”
It’s an interesting stance and obviously is open for debate. If you are interested, let me know what you think by voting in the poll question or posting a comment here.
CLICK HERE TO VOTE ON THE POLL QUESTION: Should media be covering whether Tiger Woods has checked himself into a clinic that treats patients for sexual addiction?
It's more than pride for TU against ORU
1/20/2010 12:02:47 PM
The ORU-TU basketball showdown is a huge game for pride, but it should be more than that for the Hurricane. Tulsa desperately needs a win to keep from damaging its NCAA Tournament at-large hopes.
Right now, Tulsa’s RPI – a key number relating to NCAA berths – is 73, according to collegerpi.com. That has to get better (probably the No. 30-40 range) if TU wants an at-large berth in March.
TU faces a tough situation tonight as it relates to the NCAA Tournament. A win probably wouldn't give the Hurricane a huge lift, but a loss could be especially painful, because ORU is No. 147 in the RPI.
The Mabee Center will be a pressure cooker for TU. That pressure could intensify more in the BOK Center in March. Because if TU stumbles tonight, it would increase the chances that the Hurricane's only path to the NCAA Tournament would be to win the C-USA Tournament, which is coming to town March 10-13.
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