^^^ THIS! This exactly...
The rest of the season is not only going to be rough for OU, but this couldn't be a worse situation for recruiting for not only next year but possibly for the next several. They'll still fill a roster, but not with legit dominant SEC talent.
Over the last 3y my son has been to both Big12 and SEC university football camps. The difference in the way the camps are setup, the difference in the coaching interaction with the kids at the camps, and especially in the size and ability of those that show up at SEC camps vs Big12 camps is very noticeable. Not this last summer but the summer before, my son shows up at a KU camp, a sophomore in HS, 5' 11" 195lbs running a 4.6 40y and is working out with the LB crew throughout the camp. Same for the KState, OSU, OU, etc camps. At the Arkansas and Texas A&M camps both, he went to work out with the LB and both LB coaches asked him, "you supposed to be here with the LB or over with the safetys?". He told them he plays LB but will go wherever they want him, they said "Okay awesome, we're glad you're here, if you've got the skills we'll put the weight on you for LB." He was one of probably 30 LB at each and he was the smallest at the A&M camp and one of the smallest at Arkansas. At the Big12 camps he was always one of the five biggest.
Sitting there taking all that in watching him and the other kids, the athletes that show up to those SEC camps so much bigger and faster at every position except for corners it seemed. I know camps aren't where programs see most of their recruits, but the difference in what recruits were looking for was very noticeable.
Over the last 3y my son has been to both Big12 and SEC university football camps. The difference in the way the camps are setup, the difference in the coaching interaction with the kids at the camps, and especially in the size and ability of those that show up at SEC camps vs Big12 camps is very noticeable. Not this last summer but the summer before, my son shows up at a KU camp, a sophomore in HS, 5' 11" 195lbs running a 4.6 40y and is working out with the LB crew throughout the camp. Same for the KState, OSU, OU, etc camps. At the Arkansas and Texas A&M camps both, he went to work out with the LB and both LB coaches asked him, "you supposed to be here with the LB or over with the safetys?". He told them he plays LB but will go wherever they want him, they said "Okay awesome, we're glad you're here, if you've got the skills we'll put the weight on you for LB." He was one of probably 30 LB at each and he was the smallest at the A&M camp and one of the smallest at Arkansas. At the Big12 camps he was always one of the five biggest.
Sitting there taking all that in watching him and the other kids, the athletes that show up to those SEC camps so much bigger and faster at every position except for corners it seemed. I know camps aren't where programs see most of their recruits, but the difference in what recruits were looking for was very noticeable.
OU was going to take a hit on recruiting regardless, with this year it was just going to happen. But OU does still have the history and BV has cred there and at Clemson. He'll be fine if he can get the ship to quit taking on water. As I see it, that will not start until next year. A good hire after the season is over will go along ways to getting there.
Littrell is out, BV looks to be in full panic, it does not look good. You know who needs to be fired? The guy that came up with the SEC idea.
I'm afraid most of the OU history factor just lives on in Sooner fans age 40 and over. During a current 18yo recruits lifetime, OU has finished in the top 10 eleven times. Making to a championship game once(didn't win), when they were 2yo. Start comparing those to Georgia, Alabama, Clemson, LSU, etc. Recruits looking for NFL dreams to be fulfilled, given the offer, are going to sign somewhere with the "recent" history and consistency. The free college degree is great and all, but with the NIL, those four and five star recruits are going where the best chance to get to the NFL is. Some of those kids, if they invest their NIL properly, won't need a degree if they don't make it to the NFL anyway. Different times for sure.
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OU sucked the first 4 years of the Big 12 too.
OU is on the road to becoming like Nebraska when they when to big boy football (Big Ten)
The Wimp 12 is not the same as Big Boy Football
I'm just saying OU can turn it around. The Big 12 had Nebraska, Colorado, Texas A&M, and Missouri is the early years. OU beat 3 top 5 Big 12 teams in three straight games in 2000. It's been done before and Venables was a part of that.
This topic is like pretty much any other topic on OSA, and society in general. We constantly do little more than complain, post after post.
This will not be a banner year for OU, but the same can be said for many teams. There will only be one champ at the end of the season. I only took a couple of my post-graduate courses at OU, but they have been “my team” since high school days, and will continue to be.
This will not be a banner year for OU, but the same can be said for many teams. There will only be one champ at the end of the season. I only took a couple of my post-graduate courses at OU, but they have been “my team” since high school days, and will continue to be.
Big boy football? Whatever.
The conference has zero to do with OUs struggles. They could barely beat Houston who is a bottom dweller of the B12.
I don’t get the SEC is big boy football hype. They have two dominant teams just like every other league.
