Oklahoma Sooners: UCLA Bruins
Heading into the spring, it was difficult to imagine any duo in the West region stealing the recruiting spotlight from Gardena (Calif.) Serra's Adoree' Jackson and Dwight Williams. And while the five-star cornerback and four-star linebacker still rank as two of the more highly-recruited players in the country, some of the buzz has shifted to another set of teammates in Southern California. You won't hear much complaining from Jackson and Williams, however, as they share a locker room with the new dynamic duo.
Outside linebacker John Houston and defensive end Rasheem Green -- stars of the 2015 recruiting class -- didn't step into the recruiting process this spring; they dove in. For both, it was outstanding performances at the Los Angeles Nike Camp that catapulted them onto the radars of college coaches. UCLA offered both shortly after the event and they have been on a roll since then.
Outside linebacker John Houston and defensive end Rasheem Green -- stars of the 2015 recruiting class -- didn't step into the recruiting process this spring; they dove in. For both, it was outstanding performances at the Los Angeles Nike Camp that catapulted them onto the radars of college coaches. UCLA offered both shortly after the event and they have been on a roll since then.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
#BlueChipBattles: ESPN 150 release edition
April, 19, 2013
Apr 19
11:49
AM CT
By RecruitingNation | ESPN.com
Student Sports, ESPN, ESPNSpeedy Noil, Adoree Jackson and Da'Shawn Hand are three of the most coveted recruits in the Class of 2014.
: RecruitingNation summoned its writers from around the country to outline the recruiting battles for the ESPN 150's top 10 prospects.
Plus, rank the battles in SportsNation.
#TopFBMixtapes: Athlete mixtapes are all the rage in this highlight-crazed era of sports. We reached out to our Twitter followers to find out which 2014 football stars had the best highlight reels on YouTube, then had our staff rank and comment on the top submissions.
Tom Luginbill writes
: After talking to many coaches across the country and hearing their frustrations, here are their five biggest complaints about homemade highlight videos.Simmons talks Stanford; OU trip unlikely 
April, 14, 2013
Apr 14
12:00
PM CT
By
Damon Sayles | ESPN.com
With his commitment to Stanford Saturday afternoon, ESPN Watch List safety Brandon Simmons (Arlington, Texas/Mansfield Timberview) had Oklahoma fans asking one question: Will he still visit Norman, Okla.?
Simmons had a five-school tour planned from Thursday through Tuesday, and Oklahoma was the last stop on the itinerary. After committing to Stanford on his visit, Simmons said plans for the immediate future have changed.
“I don’t think I’ll be taking that visit now,” Simmons said. “I found everything I wanted [in Stanford].”
Simmons had a five-school tour planned from Thursday through Tuesday, and Oklahoma was the last stop on the itinerary. After committing to Stanford on his visit, Simmons said plans for the immediate future have changed.
“I don’t think I’ll be taking that visit now,” Simmons said. “I found everything I wanted [in Stanford].”
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Want to know where Solomon Thomas (Coppell, Texas/Coppell) will end up? Good luck with that.
Truth is, the ESPN Watch List defensive end is wide open with his recruiting process -- and by “wide open,” that doesn’t mean, in this case, that he has a favorite but is keeping it under wraps.
Truth is, the ESPN Watch List defensive end is wide open with his recruiting process -- and by “wide open,” that doesn’t mean, in this case, that he has a favorite but is keeping it under wraps.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Former Michigan offensive lineman commit Denzel Ward (Bradenton, Fla./IMG Academies) was one of the standout linemen at Saturday's Orlando NFTC.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Texas 2015 OL holds three big offers
February, 13, 2013
Feb 13
2:13
PM CT
By
Damon Sayles | ESPN.com
Few players at the Texas Class 5A level can boast about playing varsity football as a freshman. Zach Rogers (Carrollton, Texas/Hebron) was a 14-year-old starter on the offensive line.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Q&A: 2014 Texas athlete Armani Watts
January, 16, 2013
Jan 16
12:00
PM CT
By
Bob Przybylo | ESPN.com
It was a good junior season for athlete Armani Watts (Forney, Texas/North Forney). Not so much in the wins and losses with his team finishing at 2-8, but in other ways.
Watts, the epitome of versatility, did whatever was asked of him. He threw for 756 yards with three touchdowns. He rushed 162 times for 1,017 yards with seven scores and had eight receptions for 188 yards and two touchdowns. He also played defensive back.
That versatility has led to offers from UCLA, Clemson and North Texas. He was all set to attend OU’s junior day until the Sooners postponed it last week.
Watts, the epitome of versatility, did whatever was asked of him. He threw for 756 yards with three touchdowns. He rushed 162 times for 1,017 yards with seven scores and had eight receptions for 188 yards and two touchdowns. He also played defensive back.
That versatility has led to offers from UCLA, Clemson and North Texas. He was all set to attend OU’s junior day until the Sooners postponed it last week.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
2014 S Bonney talks offers, junior days
January, 14, 2013
Jan 14
3:15
PM CT
By
Sam Khan Jr. | ESPN.com
The fall was quite busy for 2014 safety John Bonney (Houston/Lamar), who was part of a long, prosperous playoff run with his Redskins teammates all the way to the Texas Class 5A Division I state championship game.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Sooners 17th in Way-Too-Early Top 25
January, 8, 2013
Jan 8
5:30
PM CT
By RecruitingNation staff | ESPN.com
Streeter Lecka/Getty ImagesAlabama, with three of the past four national titles, is No. 1 in the Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2013.There are still seven months before the start of the 2013 season, and the teams and their order figure to change frequently, but it's never too early to take a look at the Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2013.
And with three national championships in the past four years, there's no reason to change the team that's on top. Oklahoma will try to make it back to the top from the No. 17 spot.
Also see:
2014 QB Cornwell with plenty of options
January, 6, 2013
Jan 6
3:00
PM CT
By
Bob Przybylo | ESPN.com
Quarterback David Cornwell (Jones, Okla./Jones) came out of nowhere to have an exceptional junior season and is now unquestionably one of the top in-state prospects for the Class of 2014.
Problem is, though, neither Oklahoma nor in-state power Oklahoma State have shown much interest. Cornwell camped at OU and had good contact with former OSU quarterbacks coach Todd Monken.
With Monken’s departure to become the Southern Mississippi head coach combined with little interest from OU quarterbacks coach Josh Heupel thus far, right now it looks like one of the state’s best prospects will have to look elsewhere.
Problem is, though, neither Oklahoma nor in-state power Oklahoma State have shown much interest. Cornwell camped at OU and had good contact with former OSU quarterbacks coach Todd Monken.
With Monken’s departure to become the Southern Mississippi head coach combined with little interest from OU quarterbacks coach Josh Heupel thus far, right now it looks like one of the state’s best prospects will have to look elsewhere.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Benenoch taking one more official visit
November, 27, 2012
11/27/12
1:30
PM CT
By
Max Olson | ESPN.com
After taking an official visit to UCLA last weekend, Caleb Benenoch (Katy, Texas/Seven Lakes) is one step closer to reaching his decision.
The four-star offensive lineman is down to Texas, Oklahoma, Baylor and UCLA as his final four choices. He made the trip to Los Angeles for the Bruins’ 35-17 loss to Stanford but came away thoroughly impressed.
“It was a lot of fun,” Benenoch said. “I got to hang out with players like Simon Goines. He’s from Keller, Texas, so we had a lot to talk about since we’re both Texas guys. Their center is also a Texas guy, and there were lots of people I can relate to.
The four-star offensive lineman is down to Texas, Oklahoma, Baylor and UCLA as his final four choices. He made the trip to Los Angeles for the Bruins’ 35-17 loss to Stanford but came away thoroughly impressed.
“It was a lot of fun,” Benenoch said. “I got to hang out with players like Simon Goines. He’s from Keller, Texas, so we had a lot to talk about since we’re both Texas guys. Their center is also a Texas guy, and there were lots of people I can relate to.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Sooners could have BCS bowl berth spoiled
November, 25, 2012
11/25/12
8:31
PM CT
By
Jake Trotter | ESPN.com
NORMAN, Okla. -- After a wild win in Bedlam, No. 11 Oklahoma is on a collision course to meet an old foe in a BCS bowl.
That is, if a team from one of Bob Stoops’ old stomping grounds doesn’t get in the way.
Going into the final week of the season, the BCS bowl picture has begun to crystallize. After the 51-48 overtime victory over Oklahoma State, the 9-2 Sooners have emerged as a prime candidate to snag the Sugar Bowl’s BCS at-large berth, which would pit them against 11-1 Florida in a rematch of the 2008 national championship.
But a pair of obstacles remain: the Sooners’ road trip to TCU; and Kent State.
That’s right. Kent State, where Stoops coached as an assistant in 1988, could knock OU out of the BCS.
Seven of eight teams ranked directly ahead of the Golden Flashes -- Oregon State, Texas, UCLA, Rutgers, Michigan, Louisville and Oklahoma State -- all lost over the weekend, allowing Kent State to surge up to No. 17 in the latest BCS Standings.
If the Golden Flashes beat No. 21 Northern Illinois in the MAC championship game on Friday night -- they’re 5-point underdogs -- there’s a chance they could steal OU’s BCS at-large spot.
Per BCS rules, as a member of a non-AQ conference Kent State clinches an automatic BCS bowl berth if it’s A) ranked in the Top 16 of the final BCS Standings; B) ranked higher than that of a champion from an AQ conference; C) ranked higher than all other non-AQ teams.
That is, if a team from one of Bob Stoops’ old stomping grounds doesn’t get in the way.
Going into the final week of the season, the BCS bowl picture has begun to crystallize. After the 51-48 overtime victory over Oklahoma State, the 9-2 Sooners have emerged as a prime candidate to snag the Sugar Bowl’s BCS at-large berth, which would pit them against 11-1 Florida in a rematch of the 2008 national championship.
[+] Enlarge
Matthew Emmons/US PresswireBob Stoops and the Sooners need some help to solidify a BCS bowl berth.
Matthew Emmons/US PresswireBob Stoops and the Sooners need some help to solidify a BCS bowl berth.That’s right. Kent State, where Stoops coached as an assistant in 1988, could knock OU out of the BCS.
Seven of eight teams ranked directly ahead of the Golden Flashes -- Oregon State, Texas, UCLA, Rutgers, Michigan, Louisville and Oklahoma State -- all lost over the weekend, allowing Kent State to surge up to No. 17 in the latest BCS Standings.
If the Golden Flashes beat No. 21 Northern Illinois in the MAC championship game on Friday night -- they’re 5-point underdogs -- there’s a chance they could steal OU’s BCS at-large spot.
Per BCS rules, as a member of a non-AQ conference Kent State clinches an automatic BCS bowl berth if it’s A) ranked in the Top 16 of the final BCS Standings; B) ranked higher than that of a champion from an AQ conference; C) ranked higher than all other non-AQ teams.
Tom Hauck for ESPN.comMax Redfield is out at USC -- is Leon McQuay in?.
You can also rank the battles this week in SportsNation.
OT Dowling basks in attention on OU visit
October, 22, 2012
10/22/12
10:30
AM CT
By
Bob Przybylo | ESPN.com
There is no telling what the atmosphere is going to be like for Oklahoma’s home game Saturday night against Notre Dame. It’s safe to say the environment will eclipse what the Sooners had last week in their blowout 52-7 victory against Kansas.
But even against a team it was supposed to dominate, three-star offensive tackle Sean Dowling (Fallbrook, Calif./Union) cannot say enough good things about OU and its coaches and fans.
Dowling, who is 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds, is a UCLA commit and was the only official visitor for the Jayhawks game.
But even against a team it was supposed to dominate, three-star offensive tackle Sean Dowling (Fallbrook, Calif./Union) cannot say enough good things about OU and its coaches and fans.
Dowling, who is 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds, is a UCLA commit and was the only official visitor for the Jayhawks game.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Watch List WR Denson taking his time
October, 18, 2012
10/18/12
4:04
PM CT
By
Erik McKinney | ESPN.com
The state of Arizona is loaded with top-tier talent in the 2014 recruiting class. One of those players, wide receiver Cameron Denson (Tucson, Ariz./Salpointe Catholic) already holds eight scholarship offers from some big-time programs, including Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon State, UCLA and Washington.
The 6-foot-1, 170-pound athlete has done a big of everything for the Lancers this season. He has completed 29 of 36 passes for 408 yards and three touchdowns, rushed 56 times for 944 yards and 18 touchdowns, and caught 14 passes for 215 yards and another score. He's also added a kickoff and punt return for touchdowns.
And while he's one of the more highly-recruited juniors in the region, Denson hasn't done much with the recruiting process at this point. He did however, take an unofficial visit to UCLA this past weekend.
The 6-foot-1, 170-pound athlete has done a big of everything for the Lancers this season. He has completed 29 of 36 passes for 408 yards and three touchdowns, rushed 56 times for 944 yards and 18 touchdowns, and caught 14 passes for 215 yards and another score. He's also added a kickoff and punt return for touchdowns.
And while he's one of the more highly-recruited juniors in the region, Denson hasn't done much with the recruiting process at this point. He did however, take an unofficial visit to UCLA this past weekend.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
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.