Recruiting battles with Oklahoma

[Statefan]

Saw on 247 that we are battling OU for both Danley and Campbell. What's up with them trying to recruit MS? it would be great to add both of these guys to #Dawgfam15 obviously, but it would also be great to fight a well known school (albeit one in the worst Power 5 conference).

Anyone have any insight on whether we end up with these guys? 247 thinks so if that means anything

[ScottH]

One of their assistants - Jay Boleware - coached at Auburn for a few years.

I imagine he is recruiting MS with connections from AU days.

[ShotgunDawg]

With TCU joining the Big 12, Baylor improving, and Texas A&M joining the SEC, Oklahoma no longer gets EVERY good player in the DFW area. When standing in North Dallas, which is where most of the DFW powerhouse football teams are (Allen, Southlake Carroll, Coppell, McKinney Boyd, etc...) it is 2 1/2 hours to Norman, OK, and 3 hours to both Texas A&M and Texas. Due to this and the fact that there is an enormous amount of Oklahoma alums in the DFW area, Oklahoma was able to control recruiting in the DFW for most of their history. However, when TCU entered the Big 12, they began to take a guy here and there that Oklahoma wanted, simply because there will always be a segment of the population that would rather stay home if given the opportunity to play a sport at the highest level. Then when Texas A&M joined the SEC, they began to have greater pull on DFW recruits, and, at this point, are getting anyone they want, while also opening doors for other SEC teams to get players out of Dallas.

Think about it, Adrian Peterson from Texas. Basically, since the state of Oklahoma doesn't produce enough talent to make OU self sufficient, OU has had to recruit Texas very hard throughout their history in order to maintain their level as a national power. That is why Oklahoma is OK with the Texas/Oklahoma game is always in Dallas. Because OU needs Dallas. Right now, OU's traditional recruiting base is being invaded by teams that OU has traditionally not had to worry about, and OU's response has been to expand their recruiting base.

[Todd4State]

And to add to what Shotgun is saying, as far as JUCO's go, they don't have the ridiculous SEC Jackie Sherrill JUCO transfer rules to deal with.

[Todd4State]

Also, and I thought this was interesting.

Per MapQuest, it's only about 7 hours to Norman, OK from Memphis, TN and a little bit over 9 hours from Jackson.

In other words, about the same distance as it is from Jackson to Atlanta or Houston +/-1 hour.

[War Machine Dawg]

There is no way it's 8 hours from Jackson to Atlanta. 6, absolute tops. More like 5-5.5.

[Todd4State]

There is no way it's 8 hours from Jackson to Atlanta. 6, absolute tops. More like 5-5.5.

It's 6 hours from Jackson to Atlanta. They're the -1 of the +/-1 from Jackson.

[AlSwearengen]

And to add to what Shotgun is saying, as far as JUCO's go, they don't have the ridiculous SEC Jackie Sherrill JUCO transfer rules to deal with.

Isn't this another of Khayat's long lasting legacies resulting from their obsession with Jackie?

[RougeDawg]

Which one of our fans is goin to be the first to use the OP4 rationale and start comparing the similarities of our football history to Oklahoma.**

There's one stark difference in this situation though. We are in the discussion from the beginning, not swooping in last minute, and these kids are not committed to OK.

[engie]

These kids are also born and raised in Mississippi. Both of them...

[Chip]

My wife and father-in-law are OU graduates, so as I've mentioned before on the Manning camp thread (Dak & Knight performing well), I follow both schools. OU signed WR LaColtan Bester three years ago out of EMCC, and he turned into a pretty good player - and had a solid game in the Sugar Bowl last year. They also signed CB Tito Windham out of Harrison Central last spring.

OU does recruit Texas pretty hard and consider it their base along with Oklahoma, but they've had a fairly national recruiting geography as well. Probably 60 to 65% of their roster is from Oklahoma/Texas, with the other 35 to 40% coming from a number of states. On this year's team, starters or major participants from other states include LB Eric Striker, C Ty Darlington, S Ahmad Thomas from Florida, TE Blake Bell, LB Geneo Grissom, DT Jordan Phillips are from Kansas, DE Charles Tapper from Maryland, LB Devante Bond, WR's Derrick Woods and Micah Quick, RB Joe Mixon, TE Taylor McNamara from California, WR Durron Neal and now Dorial Green Beckham, as well as T Tyler Evans from Missouri. There are a number of younger players from California, Arizona, Louisiana, Alabama, Ohio, Utah, etc., that probably won't see the field this year, too.

I'd agree that adding TCU to their conference has made that program more competitive in the recruiting wars in DFW area. A&M has had a couple of good classes since they joined the SEC and have had the Johnny Football hype going for it. If they go 7-5 or so this season, I'd suggest that the shine will fade with them a little bit, as that was about how they performed consistently in the Big XII.

OU has particularly focused on California, Florida, Arizona and of late Louisiana as far as schools outside the Big XII footprint. They started in on California with USC's probation and scholly losses, which was a smart play. It thus far has been pretty successful for them with players like S Tony Jefferson (Arizona Cardinals), WR Kenny Stills (Saints), RB Brennan Clay (Broncos) coming out of there, and the players I mentioned early on the current roster. I think their thought on Louisiana is that there are a lot of really good football players and only one big time football school there in LSU, who can't take them all. As far as Mississippi, I think they're only on Campbell because he got in touch with OU's coaches as he supposedly says they're his dream team (see the Dandy Dozen article). Personally, I think that if they were Campbell's dream team, he would have already committed if their offer is committable. OU has within the last two weeks received commitments from a DE in Texas and a DE in Louisiana, and they're holding a DE spot for a player in Canada last named Gallimore, who they're competing with FSU on - so I'd think if they get the Gallimore commitment, Campbell may not have a spot.

With Danley, they've recruited EMCC since the Bester signing and successful two year playing stint. They think they'll have a need for OT with some experience next year. They got a couple of good true freshmen OTs in the 2014 class - one from Utah and one from Georgia - but need some experience.

Windham was purely a DC Mike Stoops call. MStoops handles the DBs at OU, in addition to the entire defense. He saw Windham's junior tape and loved him and offered him that day. Windham committed early on in the process and everyone thought that he would back out to play closer to home, or switch to FSU, who also recruited him. He never did.

[Coach34]

excellent post Chip

Danley's grades are an issue for him to even enroll in the SEC. Oklahoma may win by default. I certainly hope not.

[Chip]

Yeah C34 - there are some differences in JUCO transfer rules that make it tougher for the SEC/easier for the Big XII, but I've got to say I wouldn't know what they are specifically.

[Chip]

Another player not mentioned by anyone earlier that both MSU and OU have an interest in is OT Cody Ford from Louisiana. Ford is a TCU commit currently, but from what I've read he's likely to back out of that commitment. Ford was at Big Dawg Camp a couple of weeks ago. He was at an LSU camp last weekend, I believe. He hasn't received an LSU offer, and from what I've heard it is more of an MSU - OU recruiting battle than TCU at this point. I'm not sure about MSU's thoughts on him other than knowing he attended BDC. I'm pretty sure OU likes him a lot.

[Westdawg]

didn't know about Cody Ford at BDC, but that is a name i have heard with connections in the Dallas area. Hmmm. let me make a couple inquiries and see what i can find.

as for OU, they basically can get most kids from New Mexico and northwest/north central Texas to commit. Amazing the footprint they draw from. Granted, New Mexico is a HUGE state, but most of the population is in Las Cruces and Albuquerque/Santa Fe area. That is still a LONG way from OK. they also get most of who they want in the western central part of the country.

[Chip]

Cody Ford. See #9:

https://pelicanpreps.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1660657