Oklahoma Sooners: Oklahoma Sooners
Cornerback Tito Windham Jr. (Gulfport, Miss./Harrison Central) was getting accustomed to the day-to-day routine.
Major college coaches come for spring practice and give him attention, but the offer doesn’t come. Missouri, Auburn, Michigan State, Alabama and LSU were among the schools stopping by to watch Windham work.
Oklahoma came a week before his spring practice started. OU defensive coordinator Mike Stoops came by again on Wednesday. After practice, he talked to Windham on the phone and offered, and Windham immediately committed. He went public with the commitment Friday.
“It has been real crazy,” Windham said. “So many people congratulating me. It has been a great day.”
Windham wasn’t shocked OU came by for practice, but said he was shocked by the offer. He said it wasn’t until Thursday it had him what had actually happened.
“My mind went blank,” Windham said.
Before this week, Windham, who is 5-foot-9 and 174 pounds, only had one other offer: Louisiana-Lafayette.
If other offers come around now, it simply won’t matter.
“No, my recruitment is done,” Windham said. “I’m not sure if I’m going to visit [OU] in the summer or the fall, but I’m definitely going to get there soon.”
Windham has talked to Stoops since his commitment and the message is simple: Keep working and getting stronger. Windham said that won’t be a problem because he has been as heavy as 185 pounds before so he said putting the weight back on will come easy.
Recruited as a corner, Windham didn’t mention anything about ball skills as why OU fans should be excited.
“I love to hit people,” Windham said. “I’m a hard hitter, and I’m really fast.”
The Windham commitment completes a crazy week for OU recruiting. The Sooners entered the week with four commits and leave with seven, including two on Friday.
Windham is the second cornerback to commit this week, joining Cedar Hill (Texas) High defensive back Marcus Green who committed Sunday.
Offensive lineman Alex Dalton (Troy, Ohio/Troy) committed Friday morning, hours before Windham went public with his announcement.
Windham is the second recruit from Mississippi to sign with OU in Bob Stoops' tenure as coach. Lacoltan Bester signed with the Sooners in 2012 after transferring from East Mississippi Community College.
Major college coaches come for spring practice and give him attention, but the offer doesn’t come. Missouri, Auburn, Michigan State, Alabama and LSU were among the schools stopping by to watch Windham work.
Oklahoma came a week before his spring practice started. OU defensive coordinator Mike Stoops came by again on Wednesday. After practice, he talked to Windham on the phone and offered, and Windham immediately committed. He went public with the commitment Friday.
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Tom Hauck/Student SportsCornerback Tito Windham says he's done with recruiting after committing to Oklahoma.
Tom Hauck/Student SportsCornerback Tito Windham says he's done with recruiting after committing to Oklahoma.Windham wasn’t shocked OU came by for practice, but said he was shocked by the offer. He said it wasn’t until Thursday it had him what had actually happened.
“My mind went blank,” Windham said.
Before this week, Windham, who is 5-foot-9 and 174 pounds, only had one other offer: Louisiana-Lafayette.
If other offers come around now, it simply won’t matter.
“No, my recruitment is done,” Windham said. “I’m not sure if I’m going to visit [OU] in the summer or the fall, but I’m definitely going to get there soon.”
Windham has talked to Stoops since his commitment and the message is simple: Keep working and getting stronger. Windham said that won’t be a problem because he has been as heavy as 185 pounds before so he said putting the weight back on will come easy.
Recruited as a corner, Windham didn’t mention anything about ball skills as why OU fans should be excited.
“I love to hit people,” Windham said. “I’m a hard hitter, and I’m really fast.”
The Windham commitment completes a crazy week for OU recruiting. The Sooners entered the week with four commits and leave with seven, including two on Friday.
Windham is the second cornerback to commit this week, joining Cedar Hill (Texas) High defensive back Marcus Green who committed Sunday.
Offensive lineman Alex Dalton (Troy, Ohio/Troy) committed Friday morning, hours before Windham went public with his announcement.
Windham is the second recruit from Mississippi to sign with OU in Bob Stoops' tenure as coach. Lacoltan Bester signed with the Sooners in 2012 after transferring from East Mississippi Community College.
During the summer months, SoonerNation will take a closer look at each player on Oklahoma’s roster in our Crimson Countdown series. Each day, we will analyze each player’s impact on the program since arriving on campus, his potential impact this fall and his long-term impact. Starting with No. 1 Kendal Thompson, the series will follow the roster numerically through our final analysis of No. 99 Chaz Nelson.
No. 16 Jaz Reynolds
Receiver, 6-foot-2, 198 pounds, senior
No. 16 Jaz Reynolds
Receiver, 6-foot-2, 198 pounds, senior
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Ohio OL done waiting, commits to Sooners
May, 17, 2013
May 17
10:23
AM CT
By
Bob Przybylo | ESPN.com
After the first visit to Oklahoma in March, offensive lineman Alex Dalton (Troy, Ohio/Troy) was pretty sure he would wind up with the Sooners.
Following the second visit, he was sure OU was the place for him. But he still wasn’t going to rush his decision. He wanted to make the call when he felt ready.
On Friday morning, Dalton was ready. He called OU offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh to let him know he was pledging to the Sooners.
“I’ve been thinking about it a lot here lately,” Dalton said. “There was nothing that really made me feel like I had to do it today, but I knew I wasn’t looking for anything else.”
Bedenbaugh tweeted on Friday morning he was going to be in Ohio for the day, and Dalton said Bedenbaugh spoke with his high school coach during the morning and everybody involved sensed the commitment coming.
Dalton announced a top three of OU, Indiana and Stanford in March following a busy spring break with trips to OU and Stanford. But after the second OU visit, it was more of a top one list than anything else. The Sooners were making their case, and Stanford had backed off a bit.
As the spring evaluation period continued, though, other schools made their push. Arkansas started to get in contact with him. Offers from Nebraska, Louisville and Virginia Tech came and interest from schools like Northwestern or Tennessee started to see what the interest was.
“I was open to go look at them, but I knew what I wanted,” Dalton said. “There wasn’t anything else I was looking for.”
Dalton said he had been messaging with Bedenbaugh on Facebook and Twitter on a daily basis and the relationship was only getting better with each day.
Dalton first forged his relationship with Bedenbaugh when Bedenbaugh was coaching at West Virginia. When Bedenbaugh made the move to OU, one of his first offers was to Dalton.
Dalton was comfortable with Bedenbaugh, but he had to make sure he was 100 percent sure OU met all of his requirements.
“I looked at the school itself for football,” Dalton said. “I thought about where I had the best chance to play. Where I fit in as a player and a person. The distance.
“Oklahoma is not too far away but far away enough for me to make it on my own. My family can visit and watch me play. It all worked out.”
Dalton is being recruited at center by the Sooners although he can also play offensive guard. Dalton is OU’s sixth overall commitment for the Class of 2014 and the second this week.
This is what OU fans were hoping for in getting Bedenbaugh as coach. OU’s first offensive lineman commit for the Class of 2013 came in December. This time around it is seven months earlier. And there is no doubting his commitment.
“I’m excited to have this process over,” Dalton said. “I know that if I would have waited longer, my mind wouldn’t have changed.”
Following the second visit, he was sure OU was the place for him. But he still wasn’t going to rush his decision. He wanted to make the call when he felt ready.
On Friday morning, Dalton was ready. He called OU offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh to let him know he was pledging to the Sooners.
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Bedenbaugh tweeted on Friday morning he was going to be in Ohio for the day, and Dalton said Bedenbaugh spoke with his high school coach during the morning and everybody involved sensed the commitment coming.
Dalton announced a top three of OU, Indiana and Stanford in March following a busy spring break with trips to OU and Stanford. But after the second OU visit, it was more of a top one list than anything else. The Sooners were making their case, and Stanford had backed off a bit.
As the spring evaluation period continued, though, other schools made their push. Arkansas started to get in contact with him. Offers from Nebraska, Louisville and Virginia Tech came and interest from schools like Northwestern or Tennessee started to see what the interest was.
“I was open to go look at them, but I knew what I wanted,” Dalton said. “There wasn’t anything else I was looking for.”
Dalton said he had been messaging with Bedenbaugh on Facebook and Twitter on a daily basis and the relationship was only getting better with each day.
Dalton first forged his relationship with Bedenbaugh when Bedenbaugh was coaching at West Virginia. When Bedenbaugh made the move to OU, one of his first offers was to Dalton.
Dalton was comfortable with Bedenbaugh, but he had to make sure he was 100 percent sure OU met all of his requirements.
“I looked at the school itself for football,” Dalton said. “I thought about where I had the best chance to play. Where I fit in as a player and a person. The distance.
“Oklahoma is not too far away but far away enough for me to make it on my own. My family can visit and watch me play. It all worked out.”
Dalton is being recruited at center by the Sooners although he can also play offensive guard. Dalton is OU’s sixth overall commitment for the Class of 2014 and the second this week.
This is what OU fans were hoping for in getting Bedenbaugh as coach. OU’s first offensive lineman commit for the Class of 2013 came in December. This time around it is seven months earlier. And there is no doubting his commitment.
“I’m excited to have this process over,” Dalton said. “I know that if I would have waited longer, my mind wouldn’t have changed.”
Every Friday, SoonerNation releases the Sooner Intel, a sneak peek inside Oklahoma Sooners football recruiting with news and notes on the latest happenings around the program. Talk about it on our forum. A few things discussed in this week's update:
Read the Sooner Intel after the jump.
- Why OU isn't out of the picture for a four-star Houston safety.
- An OU linebacker target who visited for junior day is taking his time and will visit other schools.
- What the Sooners' newest commit brings to OU's future defense.
- An in-state tight end is dedicated to becoming great. Will the Sooners offer?
- Keep an eye on a 2015 in-state defensive back who is working out with elite DBs.
- More on what went wrong with OU's basketball decommitment.
Read the Sooner Intel after the jump.
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During the summer months, SoonerNation will take a closer look at each player on Oklahoma’s roster in our Crimson Countdown series. Each day, we will analyze each player’s impact on the program since arriving on campus, his potential impact this fall and his long-term impact. Starting with No. 1 Kendal Thompson, the series will follow the roster numerically through our final analysis of No. 99 Chaz Nelson.
No. 15 Zack Sanchez
Cornerback, 5-foot-11, 170 pounds, redshirt freshman
No. 15 Zack Sanchez
Cornerback, 5-foot-11, 170 pounds, redshirt freshman
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MOORE, Okla. -- It has been a couple of years since Oklahoma recruited at Moore (Okla.) Southmoore. OU hit the school hard with prospects like quarterback Kendal Thompson, defensive back Julian Wilson and tight end Austin Haywood.
The Sooners have a reason to return with Class of 2014 wide receiver Jalen Adams. He has made several unofficial visits to OU, including last month for the spring game.
Already with an offer from Tulsa, Adams said schools such as Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Stanford are showing constant interest. Adams, who had 39 receptions for 766 yards and eight touchdowns last season, will be at OU’s football camp in two weeks.
The Sooners have a reason to return with Class of 2014 wide receiver Jalen Adams. He has made several unofficial visits to OU, including last month for the spring game.
Already with an offer from Tulsa, Adams said schools such as Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Stanford are showing constant interest. Adams, who had 39 receptions for 766 yards and eight touchdowns last season, will be at OU’s football camp in two weeks.
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Q&A: 4-star prospect Martin deciding soon 
May, 15, 2013
May 15
1:00
PM CT
By
William Wilkerson | ESPN.com
AUSTIN, Texas -- Versatility is a trait widely admired by college programs, but one that doesn’t always come in the form of someone 6-foot-6 and 247 pounds.
Koda Martin’s size alone makes him an attractive prospect, but couple it with his ability to play on either side of the ball and it’s easy to see why the four-star recruit from Manvel, Texas, has close to 20 offers.
Martin, who is rated as the No. 21 offensive tackle and No. 43 player in the state of Texas, was in Austin on Saturday to get a better feel for one of those schools that offered him.
We caught up with Martin at the Texas State track and field meet to see how everything went with the visit with Texas, and where he stands overall.
Koda Martin’s size alone makes him an attractive prospect, but couple it with his ability to play on either side of the ball and it’s easy to see why the four-star recruit from Manvel, Texas, has close to 20 offers.
Martin, who is rated as the No. 21 offensive tackle and No. 43 player in the state of Texas, was in Austin on Saturday to get a better feel for one of those schools that offered him.
We caught up with Martin at the Texas State track and field meet to see how everything went with the visit with Texas, and where he stands overall.
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During the summer months, SoonerNation will take a closer look at each player on Oklahoma’s roster in our Crimson Countdown series. Each day, we will analyze each player’s impact on the program since arriving on campus, his potential impact this fall and his long-term impact. Starting with No. 1 Kendal Thompson, the series will follow the roster numerically through our final analysis of No. 99 Chaz Nelson.
No. 14 Aaron Colvin
Cornerback, 6-foot, 181 pounds, senior
No. 14 Aaron Colvin
Cornerback, 6-foot, 181 pounds, senior
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WR Foreman stress-free, piling up offers
May, 15, 2013
May 15
10:00
AM CT
By
Sam Khan Jr. | ESPN.com
TEXAS CITY, Texas -- These days, it's all smiles for ESPN 150 receiver Armanti Foreman.
Life is good for the Texas City (Texas) High School star. Offers are coming left and right. He's preparing for a banner senior season with his twin brother, 2014 running back D'Onta Foreman. He's enjoying the final weeks of his junior year of high school. On Tuesday, Armanti was sprinting past defensive backs and juking defenders out of their shorts, showing the playmaking ability that has so many colleges at his doorstep.
Life is good for the Texas City (Texas) High School star. Offers are coming left and right. He's preparing for a banner senior season with his twin brother, 2014 running back D'Onta Foreman. He's enjoying the final weeks of his junior year of high school. On Tuesday, Armanti was sprinting past defensive backs and juking defenders out of their shorts, showing the playmaking ability that has so many colleges at his doorstep.
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Every Wednesday, the SoonerNation staff will take a quick-hit look at some of the top recruits and storylines facing Oklahoma recruiting for the week.
This week’s targets: OU will never be hurting at wide receiver as long as Jay Norvell remains the wide receivers coach. OU already has the commitment of one four-star wideout in Dallis Todd (La Mirada, Calif./La Mirada), but Norvell is going after some big guns in Texas. He is visiting ESPN 150 receiver K.D. Cannon (Mount Pleasant, Texas/Mount Pleasant) and four-star WR Nick Alexander (Lancaster, Texas/Lancaster). Both have visited the campus multiple times, but both are going to be incredibly tough to land. Norvell, though, is never afraid to aim high, and OU is squarely in the mix for them.
This week’s targets: OU will never be hurting at wide receiver as long as Jay Norvell remains the wide receivers coach. OU already has the commitment of one four-star wideout in Dallis Todd (La Mirada, Calif./La Mirada), but Norvell is going after some big guns in Texas. He is visiting ESPN 150 receiver K.D. Cannon (Mount Pleasant, Texas/Mount Pleasant) and four-star WR Nick Alexander (Lancaster, Texas/Lancaster). Both have visited the campus multiple times, but both are going to be incredibly tough to land. Norvell, though, is never afraid to aim high, and OU is squarely in the mix for them.
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EDMOND, Okla. -- It’s not that Edmond Santa Fe had never sent a recruit to a top school before, but it has never been done on such a consistent basis as it is right now.
The Wolves have had top prospects before. Defensive back Reggie Smith was about as elite as they come before signing with Oklahoma in 2005 and making his way to the NFL. Quarterback Brandon Weeden got his start at Edmond Santa Fe, played at Oklahoma State and was a first-round pick in the NFL.
The Wolves have had top prospects before. Defensive back Reggie Smith was about as elite as they come before signing with Oklahoma in 2005 and making his way to the NFL. Quarterback Brandon Weeden got his start at Edmond Santa Fe, played at Oklahoma State and was a first-round pick in the NFL.
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Bob Stoops: Strength of schedule matters
May, 14, 2013
May 14
2:00
PM CT
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops wants to make sure teams are rewarded for scheduling tough games.
During the summer months, SoonerNation will take a closer look at each player on Oklahoma’s roster in our Crimson Countdown series. Each day, we will analyze each player’s impact on the program since arriving on campus, his potential impact this fall and his long-term impact. Starting with No. 1 Kendal Thompson, the series will follow the roster numerically through our final analysis of No. 99 Chaz Nelson.
No. 12 Derrick Woods
Receiver, 6-foot-1, 186 pounds, redshirt freshman
No. 12 Derrick Woods
Receiver, 6-foot-1, 186 pounds, redshirt freshman
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In Mike Stoops' first year back as defensive backs coach, OU got exactly who it wanted at safety for the Class of 2013.
The same can be said so far for the Class of 2014, as OU secured the commitment of three-star safety Vontre McQuinnie (Lancaster, Texas/Lancaster) three months ago at the Sooners' first junior day.
Since then, there has been no question about the level of McQuinnie’s commitment. The question now is who is going to join him in Norman?
Stoops has made sure OU has options. He hasn’t offered any safeties so far during the spring evaluation period. Instead he and the Sooners have focused on maintaining a tight bond with these top targets:
The same can be said so far for the Class of 2014, as OU secured the commitment of three-star safety Vontre McQuinnie (Lancaster, Texas/Lancaster) three months ago at the Sooners' first junior day.
Since then, there has been no question about the level of McQuinnie’s commitment. The question now is who is going to join him in Norman?
Stoops has made sure OU has options. He hasn’t offered any safeties so far during the spring evaluation period. Instead he and the Sooners have focused on maintaining a tight bond with these top targets:
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NORMAN, Okla. -- The foundation of championship teams is often built upon the disruptive nature of its defensive line. The foundation of a quality defensive line is unearthed on the recruiting trail.
Cracks in both foundations emerged during the 2012 season at Oklahoma.
The Sooners finished 10-3 with a Big 12 co-championship but had one of their least disruptive defensive fronts in recent memory. And they’ll kickoff the 2013 with a very inexperienced defensive interior.
Cracks in both foundations emerged during the 2012 season at Oklahoma.
The Sooners finished 10-3 with a Big 12 co-championship but had one of their least disruptive defensive fronts in recent memory. And they’ll kickoff the 2013 with a very inexperienced defensive interior.
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ABOUT SOONER NATION
Jake Trotter
Jake Trotter joined ESPN.com in 2011 after four years with The (Oklahoma City) Oklahoman, covering OU and Big 12 football. He's a graduate of Washington and Lee (Va.) University and lives in Oklahoma City with his wife. Email him at trotterjake@gmail.com.
Brandon Chatmon
Brandon Chatmon joined ESPN.com in 2011 after spending eight years with The Oklahoman, covering Oklahoma State University, high schools and recruiting. Chatmon lives in Norman, Okla. Email him at bchatmonespn@gmail.com.
Bob Przybylo
Bob Przybylo joined ESPN.com in 2011 after spending four years with The Oklahoman, covering high schools and recruiting. Przybylo lives in Oklahoma City. Email him at bprzybyloespn@gmail.com.