Trotter's Mailbag: Where will Fleming go? 
March, 23, 2012
3/23/12
11:20
AM CT
By
Jake Trotter | ESPN.com
Jake Trotter answers readers’ questions about Oklahoma football in his mailbag every Friday. Got a question for Jake? Submit it here.
Brandon in Texarkana, Texas, writes: In the past 5 years OU has gone 52-16 with three conference titles, while Texas has gone 48-17 with a much weaker out-of-conference schedule, and one conference title. While we do bring in quality and very talented players, and I know you can’t base a recruit purely on what they are ranked, Texas has really dominated Big 12 recruiting, with the exception of 2008. Texas has 53 players in the NFL, while OU has 31. Do you think this is a case of Texas not maximizing talent, or OU just doing more and developing their players at a better rate?
Jake Trotter: Brandon, to your first point, it’s always easier to recruit out of your own backyard. If all the players in Texas were in Oklahoma, you’d seen the Sooners dominate the recruiting rankings the way the Longhorns have. To your second point, I don’t think there’s any question OU has done a better job than Texas of maximizing its talent, at least going back to the advent of the Mack Brown/Bob Stoops eras. OU has won a lot of games with players that Texas didn’t want, like Derrick Strait and Brandon Everage, who grew up in the Austin area.
Brandon in Texarkana, Texas, writes: In the past 5 years OU has gone 52-16 with three conference titles, while Texas has gone 48-17 with a much weaker out-of-conference schedule, and one conference title. While we do bring in quality and very talented players, and I know you can’t base a recruit purely on what they are ranked, Texas has really dominated Big 12 recruiting, with the exception of 2008. Texas has 53 players in the NFL, while OU has 31. Do you think this is a case of Texas not maximizing talent, or OU just doing more and developing their players at a better rate?
Jake Trotter: Brandon, to your first point, it’s always easier to recruit out of your own backyard. If all the players in Texas were in Oklahoma, you’d seen the Sooners dominate the recruiting rankings the way the Longhorns have. To your second point, I don’t think there’s any question OU has done a better job than Texas of maximizing its talent, at least going back to the advent of the Mack Brown/Bob Stoops eras. OU has won a lot of games with players that Texas didn’t want, like Derrick Strait and Brandon Everage, who grew up in the Austin area.
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OU targets ready for Nike showcase event
March, 23, 2012
3/23/12
9:45
AM CT
By
Bob Przybylo | ESPN.com
It won’t be the most eventful weekend on Oklahoma’s campus, but there are going to be a bevy of OU targets on display in Texas.
An Elite 11 quarterback camp will be at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday night, followed by a Nike Football Training Camp event Sunday at the Cowboys' practice facility. About 300 prospects are expected to participate in the event.
Here are 20 recruits with OU interest to keep an eye on:
An Elite 11 quarterback camp will be at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday night, followed by a Nike Football Training Camp event Sunday at the Cowboys' practice facility. About 300 prospects are expected to participate in the event.
Here are 20 recruits with OU interest to keep an eye on:
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Triple option: Jefferson's final season?
March, 23, 2012
3/23/12
8:00
AM CT
By
Jake Trotter | ESPN.com
Every weekday morning, a member of the SoonerNation gives his take on three things happening in the Sooner sports world.
1. Academics is going to be a huge key for the Sooners over the next couple of months. It's critical that OT Will Latu, WR Courtney Gardner, RB Alex Ross and the rest of the 2012 class makes it to campus. Somebody like Gardner could be the difference in OU contending for a national title.
2. All Twitter signs are pointing to this being Tony Jefferson's final year in college. Jefferson several times has indicated on Twitter that he is planning to enter the NFL draft next year. I'm not sure that Jefferson is a first-round pick in 2013, but he could certainly play his way into being a second- or third-rounder. If that's where he ends up projecting, I'd be surprised if Jefferson came back.
1. Academics is going to be a huge key for the Sooners over the next couple of months. It's critical that OT Will Latu, WR Courtney Gardner, RB Alex Ross and the rest of the 2012 class makes it to campus. Somebody like Gardner could be the difference in OU contending for a national title.
2. All Twitter signs are pointing to this being Tony Jefferson's final year in college. Jefferson several times has indicated on Twitter that he is planning to enter the NFL draft next year. I'm not sure that Jefferson is a first-round pick in 2013, but he could certainly play his way into being a second- or third-rounder. If that's where he ends up projecting, I'd be surprised if Jefferson came back.
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Sherit updates offers, recruiting status
March, 22, 2012
3/22/12
4:15
PM CT
By
Corey Long | ESPN.com
Hillsborough (Tampa, Fla.) defensive end Jordan Sherit continues to receive new offers each week and with it there is a new group of programs that are aggressively recruiting the 6-foot-3, 235-pound junior.
"Last week Notre Dame, Stanford and Mississippi State all offered," Sherit said.
Last week was Sherit's spring break but he failed to visit any programs.
"Last week Notre Dame, Stanford and Mississippi State all offered," Sherit said.
Last week was Sherit's spring break but he failed to visit any programs.
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Sooner Intel: Recruiting news and notes
March, 22, 2012
3/22/12
2:30
PM CT
By
Bob Przybylo | ESPN.com
Every Thursday, 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:
• Texas safety target could see himself at Oklahoma
• California defensive end is excited about his Sooners offer
• New receiver offer has been in touch with the OU staff for a long time
• Texas safety target could see himself at Oklahoma
• California defensive end is excited about his Sooners offer
• New receiver offer has been in touch with the OU staff for a long time
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Stanvon Taylor (Tulsa, Okla./East Central) is expected to be one of the 300-plus recruits in attendance for Sunday’s Nike Football Training Camp. He’s also planning to prove once and for all that he is 100 percent healthy.
Taylor, a 5-foot-11, 165-pound cornerback, broke the fibula and tore ligaments in his left leg during the first game of the 2011 season. He missed all of the season and is now on a mission to show college scouts that he hasn’t lost a step.
“Right now, I feel good. I played basketball this year, and now, I’m in track,” Taylor said. “I realize that schools has questions, I’m not letting it bother me. I’m just going out and working hard so that they [scouts] can’t tell anything ever happened. I feel once they check me out, I’ll be all right.”
Taylor, a 5-foot-11, 165-pound cornerback, broke the fibula and tore ligaments in his left leg during the first game of the 2011 season. He missed all of the season and is now on a mission to show college scouts that he hasn’t lost a step.
“Right now, I feel good. I played basketball this year, and now, I’m in track,” Taylor said. “I realize that schools has questions, I’m not letting it bother me. I’m just going out and working hard so that they [scouts] can’t tell anything ever happened. I feel once they check me out, I’ll be all right.”
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College Football 411: Spring storylines
March, 22, 2012
3/22/12
12:15
PM CT
By SoonerNation staff | ESPN.com
ESPN writers and bloggers cover key BCS conference storylines during spring football.
Position battle update: Defensive line
March, 22, 2012
3/22/12
10:05
AM CT
By
Brandon Chatmon | ESPN.com
While the Sooners are on spring break this week, SoonerNation will update readers on five position battles this spring. For today: Defensive line.
Developing a defensive line that is feared throughout the Big 12 is one of the focuses of the offseason at Oklahoma.
The Sooners need to replace Big 12 co-defensive player of the year Frank Alexander and NFL draft early entry Ronnell Lewis at defensive end, but rotation players R.J. Washington and David King return.
Developing a defensive line that is feared throughout the Big 12 is one of the focuses of the offseason at Oklahoma.
The Sooners need to replace Big 12 co-defensive player of the year Frank Alexander and NFL draft early entry Ronnell Lewis at defensive end, but rotation players R.J. Washington and David King return.
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Triple Option: Lon Kruger's decision
March, 22, 2012
3/22/12
8:00
AM CT
By
Brandon Chatmon | ESPN.com
Every weekday morning, a member of the SoonerNation gives his take on three things happening in the Sooner sports world.
1. The beginning of the 2013 recruiting cycle for Oklahoma has been very intriguing. The Sooners continue to branch out nationally and pursue the nation’s best players from coast-to-coast. The result: Two commitments, each from the state of Texas (Keith Ford, Matt Dimon).
This change in recruiting philosophy will take time but it is worth it. Lon Kruger mentioned the Sooners brand recognition as one of the things that intrigued him about the job. And that’s basketball. So while the OU emblem on the shirt will get the coaching staff in the recruits' doors, it still takes time to build the relationships that result in recruiting success. So while it might not pay off in the next year or two, it will pay off long term and continue to pay off because OU has a combination of tradition, atmosphere and success that is difficult to match.
1. The beginning of the 2013 recruiting cycle for Oklahoma has been very intriguing. The Sooners continue to branch out nationally and pursue the nation’s best players from coast-to-coast. The result: Two commitments, each from the state of Texas (Keith Ford, Matt Dimon).
This change in recruiting philosophy will take time but it is worth it. Lon Kruger mentioned the Sooners brand recognition as one of the things that intrigued him about the job. And that’s basketball. So while the OU emblem on the shirt will get the coaching staff in the recruits' doors, it still takes time to build the relationships that result in recruiting success. So while it might not pay off in the next year or two, it will pay off long term and continue to pay off because OU has a combination of tradition, atmosphere and success that is difficult to match.
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Mike Stoops: Defense getting back to basics
March, 21, 2012
3/21/12
5:00
PM CT
By
Brandon Chatmon | ESPN.com
One of the main concerns for new defensive coordinator Mike Stoops has been putting his players in the right position to succeed during his first spring back at Oklahoma.
Mental mistakes and coverage busts were a bit too common in 2011 so Stoops wants to make sure that his defensive players, above all, understand their role in the defense.
“It’s nice to be able to recruit players who can do certain things other players can’t because they’re big and they’re fast,” Stoops said. “But you still have to teach fundamentals, technique and responsibilities within your defense.
“No matter how good [of a player] you are, you still have to be somewhere in a defense all the time.”
Spring coverage from SoonerNation
Oklahoma prepares for its 2012 season.
Spring practice blog » Sooners forum 
Mental mistakes and coverage busts were a bit too common in 2011 so Stoops wants to make sure that his defensive players, above all, understand their role in the defense.
“It’s nice to be able to recruit players who can do certain things other players can’t because they’re big and they’re fast,” Stoops said. “But you still have to teach fundamentals, technique and responsibilities within your defense.
“No matter how good [of a player] you are, you still have to be somewhere in a defense all the time.”
Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones is spending his spring break in Palo Alto, Calif., working out with quarterback guru George Whitfield, who is also training Clemson signal-caller Tahj Boyd.
Whitfield sent out several photos of Jones and Boyd stretching and going through drills on his Twitter page on Tuesday. You can view them here.
Whitfield is also training Stanford's Andrew Luck, who is expected to be the first pick in the 2012 NFL draft, and trained the No. 1 pick in the 2011 NFL draft, Auburn's Cam Newton.
What do you think of Jones working out with Whitfield during spring break?
Whitfield sent out several photos of Jones and Boyd stretching and going through drills on his Twitter page on Tuesday. You can view them here.
Whitfield is also training Stanford's Andrew Luck, who is expected to be the first pick in the 2012 NFL draft, and trained the No. 1 pick in the 2011 NFL draft, Auburn's Cam Newton.
What do you think of Jones working out with Whitfield during spring break?
Most of the attention for Edmond (Okla.) Santa Fe surrounds 2014 quarterback Justice Hansen. Already with offers from Arkansas and Missouri, the sophomore Hansen is expected to be one of the top signal-callers of his class.
But the talent doesn’t end with Hansen. Oklahoma was able to get a good luck at some of the school's talent as it pursued 2012 signee defensive end Michael Onuoha.
Sandwiched in between those two classes are several quality 2013 recruits, including linebacker/safety Khari Harding.
But the talent doesn’t end with Hansen. Oklahoma was able to get a good luck at some of the school's talent as it pursued 2012 signee defensive end Michael Onuoha.
Sandwiched in between those two classes are several quality 2013 recruits, including linebacker/safety Khari Harding.
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While the Sooners are on spring break this week, SoonerNation will update readers on five position battles this spring. For today: Tight end.
The thinnest position on the entire team going into the spring was tight end. Austin Haywood quit, Max Stevenson suffered a potentially career-ending injury and left the team and James Hanna and Trent Ratterree graduated. That left the Sooners without a single returning tight end on scholarship.
No wonder, then, that tight was a top priority for OU’s most recent recruiting class. The Sooners went out and signed junior-college transfer Brannon Green and California prep star Taylor McNamara, who both enrolled for the spring. Now, it appears the Sooners are off the precipice at a position that has been vital to what OU has done offensively the last several seasons.
The thinnest position on the entire team going into the spring was tight end. Austin Haywood quit, Max Stevenson suffered a potentially career-ending injury and left the team and James Hanna and Trent Ratterree graduated. That left the Sooners without a single returning tight end on scholarship.
No wonder, then, that tight was a top priority for OU’s most recent recruiting class. The Sooners went out and signed junior-college transfer Brannon Green and California prep star Taylor McNamara, who both enrolled for the spring. Now, it appears the Sooners are off the precipice at a position that has been vital to what OU has done offensively the last several seasons.
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Who's replacing Broyles ... on punt return?
March, 21, 2012
3/21/12
9:45
AM CT
By
Jake Trotter | ESPN.com
The Sooners haven’t worked on punt return yet. But when they do, Cale Gundy said Kenny Stills, Roy Finch and Brennan Clay will get the first cracks at succeeding Ryan Broyles, OU’s primary punt returner the last four seasons.
Stills replaced Broyles last season after Broyles went down with a knee injury. But Stills was more of a care of the position, returning only eight punts for a total of 38 yards. Clay and Finch were both dynamic returners in high school, but neither have returned punts in college. Both do have experience on kickoff returns.
Way Adds A New Gig
Oklahoma punter Tress Way used to hold kicks for brother, Cole, currently Tulsa’s punter.
Way could be holding for the Sooners, too, next season.
Last year’s holder, Nyko Symonds, has transferred, leaving a void at the spot. Placekicker Michael Hunnicutt knew who he wanted as a replacement.
“I guess Hunnicutt went to coach (Bob) Stoops and said he liked having me hold the ball,” Way said. “I practiced through winter workouts and I'm practicing it now. I like it. It's fun. It's different. I know how he likes the ball so I can keep doing it if I need to.
“I've got to get better but I have a while before our first game. It's fun, though.”
Stills replaced Broyles last season after Broyles went down with a knee injury. But Stills was more of a care of the position, returning only eight punts for a total of 38 yards. Clay and Finch were both dynamic returners in high school, but neither have returned punts in college. Both do have experience on kickoff returns.
Way Adds A New Gig
Oklahoma punter Tress Way used to hold kicks for brother, Cole, currently Tulsa’s punter.
Way could be holding for the Sooners, too, next season.
Last year’s holder, Nyko Symonds, has transferred, leaving a void at the spot. Placekicker Michael Hunnicutt knew who he wanted as a replacement.
“I guess Hunnicutt went to coach (Bob) Stoops and said he liked having me hold the ball,” Way said. “I practiced through winter workouts and I'm practicing it now. I like it. It's fun. It's different. I know how he likes the ball so I can keep doing it if I need to.
“I've got to get better but I have a while before our first game. It's fun, though.”
Triple Option: Sooners offer off the board
March, 21, 2012
3/21/12
8:00
AM CT
By
Dane Beavers | ESPN.com
Every weekday morning, a member of the SoonerNation gives his take on three things happening in the Sooner sports world.
1. The Oklahoma women's basketball team failed to make the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament for the first time in four years and the second time in seven years, losing to St. John's Tuesday night in Norman. Still, Sherri Coale's team had a fine season, especially considering the Sooners lost expected contributors Jasmine Hartman and Lyndsey Cloman early in the season to knee injuries.
2. Another OU offer is off the board for 2013 as defensive end Deon Hollins Jr. (Fort Bend, Texas/Marshall) committed to UCLA on Tuesday night, despite never seeing the Bruins' campus. Hollins Jr., according to his father, fell in love with new coach Jim Mora's defensive scheme. In case you were keeping track, that makes 21 Oklahoma offers for 2013 that have committed elsewhere.
3. Jake wrote about Oklahoma's backup quarterback situation on Monday and included a note about the 2013 starting QB race being truly wide open for the first time since 2007 when Sam Bradford won the job over Joey Halzle and Keith Nichol. That's kind of amazing to think about how lucky the Sooners have been and just how solid the position has been for the last six years. As for the 2013 race, the smart money's on Blake Bell but the darkhorse is Kendal Thompson. We continue to hear good things about his development.
1. The Oklahoma women's basketball team failed to make the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament for the first time in four years and the second time in seven years, losing to St. John's Tuesday night in Norman. Still, Sherri Coale's team had a fine season, especially considering the Sooners lost expected contributors Jasmine Hartman and Lyndsey Cloman early in the season to knee injuries.
2. Another OU offer is off the board for 2013 as defensive end Deon Hollins Jr. (Fort Bend, Texas/Marshall) committed to UCLA on Tuesday night, despite never seeing the Bruins' campus. Hollins Jr., according to his father, fell in love with new coach Jim Mora's defensive scheme. In case you were keeping track, that makes 21 Oklahoma offers for 2013 that have committed elsewhere.
3. Jake wrote about Oklahoma's backup quarterback situation on Monday and included a note about the 2013 starting QB race being truly wide open for the first time since 2007 when Sam Bradford won the job over Joey Halzle and Keith Nichol. That's kind of amazing to think about how lucky the Sooners have been and just how solid the position has been for the last six years. As for the 2013 race, the smart money's on Blake Bell but the darkhorse is Kendal Thompson. We continue to hear good things about his development.
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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.