Change in OU Recruiting Philosophy

[Coal Harbour]

I was taken back by the fact that out of the 26 LOI that OU received on NSD, only 7 recruits were from the state of Texas. I can't remember that number being so low. The strength of the Big XII will always be gauged by the success of UT and OU. Baylor and Okla State are nice stories, but the country pays more attention to the Big XII when the traditional powers are front and center.

It will certainly be interesting in the future when California and Arizona recruits from OU meet Florida recruits playing for UT at Fair Park. I know that is a stretch, but I do find it fascinating.

 

[SlickStreet]

It's interesting regarding OU's recruiting, and even from what I recall the last few years, because it doesn't seem like Stoops has fared as successfully in Texas as OU normally has. Many, in fact, have believed OU absolutely must recruit very well in Texas to be excellent. Yet, Stoops continues to have them at or near the top in the conference. This year was to be a rebuilding one for OU, since they were considered among the very least experienced teams in the country and having to replace a record-setting QB. Yet, despite suspect, even poor QB play much of the year, they go 11-2 and win the Sugar Bowl. Quite a season considering.

 

[Juan]

OU recruiting SoCal is smart, IMO.

There is as much talent concentrated there as anywhere.

And really only one big dog - USC. Who else? UCLA and Cal are not really the big dogs. Stanford recruits nationally, as they must. Oregon/Notre Dame?

There are top tier players there ripe for the taking.

Yet, after Ricky we never made much of an effort.

 

[Topstarr]

YES OU sucks.....sucks but they beat Alabama. what you think of that atm

 

[Sirhornsalot]

While they did go 11-2, we pretty much exposed them in the RRR. They sneaked by a lot of conference games against teams they shouldn't have had problems with.

Normally, OU piledrives lesser teams in the conference. OU whipped Bama because Bama didn't want to be there and OU matched up well and was motivated.

Stoops did a fine coaching job with a team that just wasn't very talented. Credit Mike, most of all, who was challenged more than the rest.

OU is not stocked and IMO, the national approach is really beginning to show up in a negative way. No one fears OU anymore.

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

I like that Coach Strong has good relationships in FL, but I don't want to see us sign more than a half dozen kids outside of TX annually.

We need to own this state again!

 

[jrcruz1026]

We may be able to pull some recruits from Florida for 2015

 

[doc longhorn]

Very simply - OU cannot remain a dominate brand in football without Texas players.

 

[SlickStreet]

While they did go 11-2, we pretty much exposed them in the RRR. They sneaked by a lot of conference games against teams they shouldn't have had problems with.
Normally, OU piledrives lesser teams in the conference. OU whipped Bama because Bama didn't want to be there and OU matched up well and was motivated.

Stoops did a fine coaching job with a team that just wasn't very talented. Credit Mike, most of all, who was challenged more than the rest.

OU is not stocked and IMO, the national approach is really beginning to show up in a negative way. No one fears OU anymore.

You may be right on all of this, but some reasons we whipped them was not only very poor QB play from them, but also a highly suspect strategy offensively with said QB. Meanwhile, Case played the best game of his life. That same Case, quite often, would have delivered some gifts to the Sooners. OU also was sorely missing their huge Nose Tackle Jordan Phillips, who had just been hurt the week before, along with their standout LB/pass rusher, Cory Nelson.

 

[Coal Harbour]

I think it's good for the University of Texas when Oklahoma is an elite program. The RRR serves as a benchmark type game and the winner is automatically placed into the national championship discussion with the timing of the game taking place at the beginning of conference play. That isn't the case if both programs are average.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

I think it's good for the University of Texas when Oklahoma is an elite program. The RRR serves as a benchmark type game and the winner is automatically placed into the national championship discussion with the timing of the game taking place at the beginning of conference play. That isn't the case if both programs are average.

I can find nowhere in me the ability to wish good for OU. I've tried in the past with mixed results. No one got hurt or anything but it's something I would have to think about, then re-think, then consult with some other Horns, then I don't know . . .

When OU plays Aggy, I'm the guy wondering what kind of natural disaster could happen without fans getting hurt.

 

[Juan]

OU recruiting SoCal is smart, IMO.There is as much talent concentrated there as anywhere.

And really only one big dog - USC. Who else? UCLA and Cal are not really the big dogs. Stanford recruits nationally, as they must. Oregon/Notre Dame?

There are top tier players there ripe for the taking.

Yet, after Ricky we never made much of an effort.

Here is the handy map I was looking for on this point.

http://mode.github.io/blog/2014-01-16-football-hometowns/index.html#

It is a very cool infograph style map with several tabs to play around with

 

[JimsTexas]

I might be wrong but I think CS will still recruits Texas hard because that is were some of the top talent still lives. But you have to believe that he will carry us more up onto the national seen more than any Texas coach ever has. Texas has needed that for sometime. My friends y'all have a great week.

 

[Randolph Duke]

I might be wrong but I think CS will still recruits Texas hard because that is were some of the top talent still lives. But you have to believe that he will carry us more up onto the national seen more than any Texas coach ever has. Texas has needed that for sometime. My friends y'all have a great week.

We have to remember that Strong's approach of having to not only attend class but also sit in the front two rows and work in the classroom, along with living on campus, staying out of trouble and working hard at conditioning and practice is not going to be embraced by every student-athlete. This is especially true when the option is Sumlin's approach of rap music during practice, entire semesters of online classes toward a degree in "Agricultural Leadership" and "handling internally" matters such as arrests and failed drug tests. As Coach Strong more narrowly defines the caliber of student-athlete he wants for the program, he is going to have to cast a wider net.

Let's not kid ourselves, the SEC hasn't built its reputation on the backs of athletes who went to class, studied hard and stayed out of trouble. It was one year ago almost to the day that the Alabama football players all got arrested for felony robbery, LSU's star running back was suspended for an arrest and violation of probation on his sexual assault conviction and "voted back by the team' (He could certainly count on the vote of his quarterback who himself was kicked out of the Georgi program for a sexual assault arrest and conviction when his mother was the head coach's secretary). Even Vandy couldn't win without bringing in the character risks that ended up getting the program mired in the rape case on campus.

It will take a few years for Coach Strong to quit scaring athletes into Sumlin's program. If Strong can show discipline and hard work pays more benefits than what Sumlin is offering, recruiting in Texas will pick back up. If not, he will be pulling in a large number of OOS prospects.

 

[echeese]

You may be right on all of this, but some reasons we whipped them was not only very poor QB play from them, but also a highly suspect strategy offensively with said QB. Meanwhile, Case played the best game of his life. That same Case, quite often, would have delivered some gifts to the Sooners. OU also was sorely missing their huge Nose Tackle Jordan Phillips, who had just been hurt the week before, along with their standout LB/pass rusher, Cory Nelson.

Used to better arguments from you. . .

We beat them like a dog WITHOUT our #1 QB. . . all teams have injuries. . .

Case did in fact deliver them a gift or the score would not have been as close. . .

You beat strong passing team by applying pressure to the QB . . . .we did that. . .

But the OPer is correct . . .Mack along with the rise of Aggie and Baylor has forced OU out of Texas HS recruiting by and large. . .they have never shown they can sustain success without Texas kids. . .