Oklahoma Sooners: Matt Dimon
A visit Tuesday wasn’t the first time ESPN Watch List defensive end Solomon Thomas (Coppell, Texas/Coppell) had seen the Oklahoma campus.
Not even close. Thomas has been a frequent visitor to Norman, Okla., the last couple of years for camps or game visits. But Tuesday’s unofficial trip was about something else.
Not even close. Thomas has been a frequent visitor to Norman, Okla., the last couple of years for camps or game visits. But Tuesday’s unofficial trip was about something else.
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After recruiting them for several months, Oklahoma's coaching staff was finally able to talk publicly about the players the Sooners added to the program on signing day. Over the next week or so, SoonerNation will review some of the key things coaches had to say about the players signed at each position group during their signing day webcast on Soonersports.com.
One of the most intriguing signees for the Sooners is defensive end Matt Dimon (Katy, Texas/Katy). A high-motor defender who matches his energy with production, Dimon could force his way into the lineup as a true freshman. Defensive ends coach Bobby Jack Wright is hopeful Dimon steps right in alongside sophomores Charles Tapper and Mike Onuoha to provide OU quality, yet youthful depth at defensive end.
"[He's] a quick-twitch guy off the edge, good run stopper, good pass rusher," Wright said. "Hopefully he’s a guy who can come in and give us immediate help at defensive end. And we’ll give him the opportunity to do that."
At 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds, Dimon brings excellent size to the defensive end spot and could, in the long term, bring some swing versatility similar to David King, who played defensive end and defensive tackle as a senior.
"He’s kind of an old school-type guy," linebackers coach Tim Kish said. "He’ll bring great energy to the program."
"[He's] a quick-twitch guy off the edge, good run stopper, good pass rusher," Wright said. "Hopefully he’s a guy who can come in and give us immediate help at defensive end. And we’ll give him the opportunity to do that."
At 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds, Dimon brings excellent size to the defensive end spot and could, in the long term, bring some swing versatility similar to David King, who played defensive end and defensive tackle as a senior.
"He’s kind of an old school-type guy," linebackers coach Tim Kish said. "He’ll bring great energy to the program."
NORMAN, Okla. -- Nowhere have the Sooners done a better job compiling young talent defensively than at defensive end.
But two questions loom going into the spring. Will that young talent be ready to contribute to a defense in need of impact performers? And how will the Sooners use their defensive ends?
But two questions loom going into the spring. Will that young talent be ready to contribute to a defense in need of impact performers? And how will the Sooners use their defensive ends?
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LB coach Kish closes strong for Sooners 
February, 7, 2013
Feb 7
8:00
AM CT
By
Bob Przybylo | ESPN.com
NORMAN, Okla. -- Entering the fall, some Oklahoma fans were wondering what in the world first-year linebackers coach Tim Kish was doing.
Kish had made a big reputation as a solid recruiter during his time at Arizona. Several months into the job at OU, and he hadn’t help land any of the top Arizona recruits, had taken too long with many top Texas prospects and had some fans calling for a change.
Supporters of Kish said give it time, give him an opportunity to build the relationships with recruits and judge him from there.
Kish had made a big reputation as a solid recruiter during his time at Arizona. Several months into the job at OU, and he hadn’t help land any of the top Arizona recruits, had taken too long with many top Texas prospects and had some fans calling for a change.
Supporters of Kish said give it time, give him an opportunity to build the relationships with recruits and judge him from there.
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Sooners sign impact players for 2013
February, 6, 2013
Feb 6
6:03
PM CT
By
Brandon Chatmon | ESPN.com
NORMAN, Okla. -- Anyone who watched Oklahoma’s defense in the final four games of the season knows that the Sooners were in dire need of help in the secondary and along the defensive line. West Virginia’s Tavon Austin and Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel torched the Sooners’ defense on their way to record-breaking performances, as OU had no answer for the dynamic playmakers.
Courtesy of Trinity Valley Community CollegeBob Stoops is expecting a big immediate impact from juco defensive tackle Quincy Russell.The Sooners hope they’ve addressed those needs with their defensive line and secondary signees in the Class of 2013 and will see immediate dividends on the field this fall.
“You’re never going to get everyone you want but we feel like we’ve helped ourselves in some critical areas,” defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said.
Cornerback Stanvon Taylor (Tulsa, Okla./East Central) joins safeties Ahmad Thomas (Miami, Fla./Central) and Hatari Byrd (Fresno, Calif./Central East) as signees who appear poised to step right in and play in the secondary. Taylor, in particular, drew a lot of praise from Mike Stoops while drawing comparisons to All-Big 12 cornerback Aaron Colvin from OU head coach Bob Stoops on signing day.
“We’re projecting him to come in and solidify that corner position for us,” Mike Stoops said. “I can’t say enough about this guy, he has all the qualities you want in a superstar.”
Yet those impact signees in the secondary won’t mean much if the Sooners cannot solidify their defensive front. To that end, OU signed seven defensive linemen (four defensive tackles, three defensive ends) on Wednesday, with junior college transfer Quincy Russell (Athens, Texas/Trinity Valley) looming as the biggest potential impact player along the defensive interior.
Courtesy of Trinity Valley Community CollegeBob Stoops is expecting a big immediate impact from juco defensive tackle Quincy Russell.“You’re never going to get everyone you want but we feel like we’ve helped ourselves in some critical areas,” defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said.
Cornerback Stanvon Taylor (Tulsa, Okla./East Central) joins safeties Ahmad Thomas (Miami, Fla./Central) and Hatari Byrd (Fresno, Calif./Central East) as signees who appear poised to step right in and play in the secondary. Taylor, in particular, drew a lot of praise from Mike Stoops while drawing comparisons to All-Big 12 cornerback Aaron Colvin from OU head coach Bob Stoops on signing day.
“We’re projecting him to come in and solidify that corner position for us,” Mike Stoops said. “I can’t say enough about this guy, he has all the qualities you want in a superstar.”
Yet those impact signees in the secondary won’t mean much if the Sooners cannot solidify their defensive front. To that end, OU signed seven defensive linemen (four defensive tackles, three defensive ends) on Wednesday, with junior college transfer Quincy Russell (Athens, Texas/Trinity Valley) looming as the biggest potential impact player along the defensive interior.
Damon Sayles/ESPNCornerback Dakota Austin committed to the Sooners over the weekend and signed on Wednesday.Watch live coverage on ESPNU | Talk signing day on our SoonerNation forum
| OU class
Follow the live blog after the jump.
Oklahoma's seven ESPN 300 signees are in
February, 6, 2013
Feb 6
10:50
AM CT
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
Oklahoma's top commits have all signed their letters of intent and are locked in to becoming future Sooners. Here's who Oklahoma's bringing in from our ESPN 300, the list of the nation's top 300 prospects:
Not many surprises for the Sooners, though Dimon had some power issues at his high school and couldn't get his letter of intent to the Oklahoma coaches until 8:48 a.m. Oklahoma's class is at No. 20 in the ESPN class rankings, the same spot it began the day. Byrd also made headlines last month when word surfaced that coaches had told him he's likely going to be able to start at safety from the moment he gets on campus. Very interesting stuff. Oklahoma signed a lot of high-quality defensive talent in this class, as you can see, and Taylor is likely to play cornerback for the Sooners.
Mostly a drama-free day across the Big 12 on the recruiting trail.
- No. 27: Keith Ford, RB, Cypress, Texas
- No. 137: D.J. Ward, DE, Moore, Okla. (signed in December, early enrollee)
- No. 178: Cody Thomas, QB-PP, Colleyville, Texas
- No. 199: Stanvon Taylor, ATH, Tulsa, Okla.
- No. 240: Dannon Cavil, WR, San Antonio, Texas (signed in December, early enrollee)
- No. 284: Matt Dimon, DE, Katy, Texas
- No. 293: Hatari Byrd, S, Fresno, Calif.
Not many surprises for the Sooners, though Dimon had some power issues at his high school and couldn't get his letter of intent to the Oklahoma coaches until 8:48 a.m. Oklahoma's class is at No. 20 in the ESPN class rankings, the same spot it began the day. Byrd also made headlines last month when word surfaced that coaches had told him he's likely going to be able to start at safety from the moment he gets on campus. Very interesting stuff. Oklahoma signed a lot of high-quality defensive talent in this class, as you can see, and Taylor is likely to play cornerback for the Sooners.
Mostly a drama-free day across the Big 12 on the recruiting trail.
Roundtable: OU's best recruiter in 2013
January, 31, 2013
Jan 31
4:30
PM CT
By SoonerNation staff | ESPN.com
Every Thursday, the SoonerNation staff will answer a roundtable question about OU football. Leave a comment or talk about it in our "There's Only One" forum.
Today's question: Which Oklahoma coach has recruited best for the Sooners in 2013?
• In two years, Bobby Jack Wright has loaded up the defensive end spot for bear in Norman. Last year, he signed promising athletes Charles Tapper and Mike Onouha. This year, he augmented the position further, garnering commitments from two of the Top 25 DEs in the country in D.J. Ward and Matt Dimon. That foursome, along with upside prospect Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, whom the Sooners swiped from Oklahoma State, should ensure that defensive end is a position of strength for years to come.
Today's question: Which Oklahoma coach has recruited best for the Sooners in 2013?
• In two years, Bobby Jack Wright has loaded up the defensive end spot for bear in Norman. Last year, he signed promising athletes Charles Tapper and Mike Onouha. This year, he augmented the position further, garnering commitments from two of the Top 25 DEs in the country in D.J. Ward and Matt Dimon. That foursome, along with upside prospect Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, whom the Sooners swiped from Oklahoma State, should ensure that defensive end is a position of strength for years to come.
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Sooner Intel: Recruiting news and notes
January, 24, 2013
Jan 24
10:00
AM 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:
Read the Sooner Intel after the jump.
- OU tailback commit has been approached by a Big 12 rival. But he's not going anywhere.
- A new school enters the mix for a four-star cornerback.
- Breaking down OU's dilemma at offensive tackle.
- One OU commit took a visit to Arkansas last weekend. Is he still solid with the Sooners?
- Sooners defensive end commit says "thanks but no thanks" to an SEC school.
- Who will OU offer at quarterback for 2014?
Read the Sooner Intel after the jump.
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Team needs: For the first time in a long time, the quarterback position is up for debate in 2013. With Landry Jones graduating, there isn’t a clear-cut favorite, although it appears Blake Bell has been pegged as the guy. As for the rest of the offense, the Sooners are in pretty good shape. If you’re looking for OU’s real issues, though, it’s on defense. OU knew it was losing cornerback Demontre Hurst and safety Javon Harris, but with safety Tony Jefferson opting to not come back for his senior season, OU doesn’t have either of its safeties returning for 2013. Linebacker became a sore spot for the program during the latter half of 2012, culminating in linebacker Tom Wort declaring for the NFL draft because the scheme isn’t really tailored for him.
Help is on the way: OU fans can debate whether Josh Heupel is the guy to run OU’s offense, but you cannot question his ability to recruit. Heupel has landed yet another top quarterback in ESPN 300 prospect Cody Thomas (Colleyville, Texas/Heritage, ranked No. 178). OU needs help in the secondary, and Mike Stoops attacked the position hard during the spring. Three-star safety Ahmad Thomas (Miami/Central) is enrolling early, and ESPN 300 safety Hatari Byrd (Fresno, Calif./Central East) said he is ready to replace Jefferson. Corner shouldn’t be hurting either with the pledge of ESPN 300 athlete Stanvon Taylor (Tulsa, Okla./East Central).
Other key commits: Cannot talk OU’s 2013 class without mentioning running back Keith Ford (Cypress, Texas/Ranch). Ranked No. 27 in the ESPN 150, Ford is the top-ranked recruit for OU’s class. OU is also getting help from the juco ranks with the commitment of four-star ESPN JC 100 offensive tackle Josiah St. John (Athens, Texas/Trinity Valley). Defensive end was locked up in April with two ESPN 300 commits in D.J. Ward (Moore, Okla./Southmoore) and Matt Dimon (Katy, Texas/Katy).
Other key targets: OU is still seeking help in the secondary and is looking at ESPN 300 athlete Adrian Baker (Hollywood, Fla./Chaminade-Madonna) and four-star cornerback L.J. Moore (Fresno, Calif./Central East). The Sooners are still keeping tabs on several offensive tackles after four-star tackle Aaron Cochran (Atwater, Calif./Buhach) committed to Cal earlier this week.
Help is on the way: OU fans can debate whether Josh Heupel is the guy to run OU’s offense, but you cannot question his ability to recruit. Heupel has landed yet another top quarterback in ESPN 300 prospect Cody Thomas (Colleyville, Texas/Heritage, ranked No. 178). OU needs help in the secondary, and Mike Stoops attacked the position hard during the spring. Three-star safety Ahmad Thomas (Miami/Central) is enrolling early, and ESPN 300 safety Hatari Byrd (Fresno, Calif./Central East) said he is ready to replace Jefferson. Corner shouldn’t be hurting either with the pledge of ESPN 300 athlete Stanvon Taylor (Tulsa, Okla./East Central).
Other key commits: Cannot talk OU’s 2013 class without mentioning running back Keith Ford (Cypress, Texas/Ranch). Ranked No. 27 in the ESPN 150, Ford is the top-ranked recruit for OU’s class. OU is also getting help from the juco ranks with the commitment of four-star ESPN JC 100 offensive tackle Josiah St. John (Athens, Texas/Trinity Valley). Defensive end was locked up in April with two ESPN 300 commits in D.J. Ward (Moore, Okla./Southmoore) and Matt Dimon (Katy, Texas/Katy).
Other key targets: OU is still seeking help in the secondary and is looking at ESPN 300 athlete Adrian Baker (Hollywood, Fla./Chaminade-Madonna) and four-star cornerback L.J. Moore (Fresno, Calif./Central East). The Sooners are still keeping tabs on several offensive tackles after four-star tackle Aaron Cochran (Atwater, Calif./Buhach) committed to Cal earlier this week.
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OU surviving poaching season ... for now
January, 21, 2013
Jan 21
9:30
AM CT
By
Bob Przybylo | ESPN.com
Oklahoma is making a living out of flipping commitments for its 2013 class. The Sooners have done it five times out of their 20 commits.
And while OU coach Bob Stoops has been busy trying to get others to reconsider where they stand, other schools are making hard charges at some of Stoops’ prized recruits.
And while OU coach Bob Stoops has been busy trying to get others to reconsider where they stand, other schools are making hard charges at some of Stoops’ prized recruits.
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As critics took aim at Oklahoma’s defensive line this season, head coach Bob Stoops was unyielding in his defense of his players, often pointing to the experience that five senior rotation players bring to the table. Stoops said on more than one occasion that his defensive line was playing well.
The numbers beg to differ.
OU ranked No. 112 nationally in tackles for loss (4.23 per game), No. 70 in sacks (1.85 per game), No. 50 in scoring defense (25.46 points per game) and No. 100 in turnovers gained (16). While it’s true the Sooners defensive line wasn’t required to be disruptive in defensive coordinator Mike Stoops' system, a general lack of penetration played a key role in those final numbers.
The numbers beg to differ.
OU ranked No. 112 nationally in tackles for loss (4.23 per game), No. 70 in sacks (1.85 per game), No. 50 in scoring defense (25.46 points per game) and No. 100 in turnovers gained (16). While it’s true the Sooners defensive line wasn’t required to be disruptive in defensive coordinator Mike Stoops' system, a general lack of penetration played a key role in those final numbers.
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Sooner Intel: Recruiting news and notes
January, 3, 2013
Jan 3
10:00
AM 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:
- How did OU get involved with its latest offer in California?
- ESPN 300 ATH talks about his top two
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ESPN 300 DE Dimon '100 percent with OU'
December, 28, 2012
12/28/12
2:00
PM CT
By
Bob Przybylo | ESPN.com
Four-star defensive end Matt Dimon (Katy, Texas/Katy) has been a firm Oklahoma commit since he pledged to the Sooners in mid-March.
He has never given an indication about things between him and the Sooners going south. For that reason, the last week has been perplexing to Dimon, who is ranked No. 284 in the ESPN 300.
Dimon helped Katy win the state championship last weekend, being named the Defensive MVP of the championship in the process. He thought he would be bombarded with people asking him about the championship. Instead, most of the attention was on Texas and the surprising rumors that he was thinking about looking at the Longhorns.
He has never given an indication about things between him and the Sooners going south. For that reason, the last week has been perplexing to Dimon, who is ranked No. 284 in the ESPN 300.
Dimon helped Katy win the state championship last weekend, being named the Defensive MVP of the championship in the process. He thought he would be bombarded with people asking him about the championship. Instead, most of the attention was on Texas and the surprising rumors that he was thinking about looking at the Longhorns.
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ARLINGTON, Texas -- For Matt Dimon, it doesn’t get much better than this.
Dimon's Katy Tigers went 16-0 and capped off a perfect senior season with a 35-24 win over Cedar Hill on Saturday for the Class 5A-2 state championship at Cowboys Stadium.
Dimon led the Tigers with three tackles for loss and finished with five tackles and 1.5 sacks for a more than satisfying finale to his Katy career.
Dimon's Katy Tigers went 16-0 and capped off a perfect senior season with a 35-24 win over Cedar Hill on Saturday for the Class 5A-2 state championship at Cowboys Stadium.
Dimon led the Tigers with three tackles for loss and finished with five tackles and 1.5 sacks for a more than satisfying finale to his Katy career.
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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.