Oklahoma News

Oklahoma loses TE recruit

By way of Tulsa World, SoonerScoop.com is reporting that tight end Dan Tapko has decided to leave the football program. The Kansas City, Mo., native had been participating in OU’s voluntary summer workouts.

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/07/11/three-star-11-signee-leaves-sooners/

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/oklahoma-suspends-4-football-players-040227694--ncaaf.html;_ylt=AoFqYJt_dvlVDPCITZARW3kcvrYF

"Stoops announced late Wednesday that defensive back Quentin Hayes and wide receivers Trey Franks, Kameel Jackson and Jaz Reynolds were suspended. He did not say why."

For the second time in less than a week, Oklahoma has officially landed a transfer from a Left Coast conference.

In a press release sent out Monday, the Sooners confirmed reports from earlier this month by announcing the transfer of cornerback Cortez Johnson. It was announced by Arizona in late March that Johnson would be transferring from the program.

Heading to Norman will serve as a reunion for Johnson; Mike Stoops, fired as the Wildcats’ head coach last year, is back on the OU coaching staff, as is former UA assistant Tim Kish.

As a true freshman under Stoops last year, Johnson started two of the eight games in which he played. He will be forced to sit out the 2012 season to satisfy NCAA transfer rules.

Joining Johnson on the transfer sidelines this season will be Jalen Saunders, the wide receiver whose transfer from Fresno State was made official last week. Additionally, it was reported over the weekend that receiver LaColtan Bester has signed with the Sooners.

Unlike Johnson and Saunders, however, Bester will be eligible to play immediately as he’s entering the program from the JUCO ranks.


http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/05/21/sooners-officially-add-ex-zona-corner/

First reported by Tulsa World, it was subsequently confirmed by additional media outlets that wide receiver Courtney Gardner will be ineligible to play for Oklahoma in 2012. In a text, the JUCO All-American wide receiver told ESPN.com that he “passed all his summer classwork but didn’t complete his last English class on time.”

Thanks to the attrition at the position this offseason — three projected contributors were indefinitely suspended earlier this year and their status for the 2012 season is very much up in the air — Gardner, who was also arrested for obstruction back in March, was expected to come in and contribute immediately to the Sooners’ passing game.

LaColtan Bester, another JUCO receiver transfer, has graduated and will be eligible in 2012, which helps somewhat mitigate the loss of Gardner.

In addition to Gardner, another JUCO transfer, offensive lineman Will Latu, is also academically ineligible. And, unfortunately, Latu won’t be the only lineman unavailable to Bob Stoops and his coaching staff this season — or any other season, for that matter.

Thanks to an injury that first occurred last season in the practice run-up to the Sooners’ bowl appearance, Dylan Dismuke has seen his playing career come to an end. Dismuke, rated as a four-star member of OU’s 2011 recruiting class, will be placed on medical hardship due to the knee injury he suffered during non-contact drills.

Oklahoma loses C

Senior center Ben Habern has decided to hang up the cleats due to lingering neck and back injuries. Habern started 30 games during his career, including six starts last year and 14 in 2010.


http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/08/01/oklahoma-loses-lineman-gains-back-three-suspended-players/

Oklahoma receivers Jaz Reynolds, Trey Franks and Quentin Hayes were reinstated to the team, however coach Bob Stoops told The Oklahoman that the three will miss "multiple games" as a part of their penance for violating team rules. The status of fellow wide receiver Kameel Jackson remains up in the air.

Penn St WR Justin Brown transferring to Oklahoma per ESPN. He will arrive Monday. 2nd transfer to OK this offseason with former Fresno St wr Jalen Saunders going there too.

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/colleges/oklahoma/post/_/id/11529/justin-brown-could-impact-ou-return-game

Things getting crowded...Some talented freshmen will probably redshirt

Kenny Stills
Jaz Reynolds
Trey Franks
Trey Metoyer
Jalen Saunders - Fresno St. Transfer
Justin Brown - Penn St Transfer
Sterling Shepherd - Freshmen
Duron Neal - Freshmen
Derrick Woods - Freshmen
Lacoltan Bestor - Freshmen - JC
Courtney Gardner - JC - I believe he was ruled ineligible

Sooners coach Bob Stoops announced Saturday that receiver Kameel Jackson will not be reinstated

Some news from Saturday's scrimmage from ESPN:

"The starting unit at the moment is Trey Metoyer and Justin Brown on the outside, with Kenny Stills working in the slot. Should Jalen Saunders gain eligibility, he would probably be OU’s fourth or fifth option at receiver, along with LaColtan Bester and Sterling Shepard".

Oklahoma senior DT Stacy McGee has been suspended indefinitely for an undisclosed violation of university policy.

McGee started 11 games as a sophomore and three in 2011 while playing in a rotation, accumulating 22 tackles and recorded 1.5 sacks a year ago. Defensive end David King will now slide inside and fill McGee's role in the tackle rotation

Source: Tulsa World

Grissom may start after moving from DE to TE

Geneo Grissom is one of the most talented players on Oklahoma's roster. The sophomore moved from defensive end to tight end this summer and he's impressing enough that he's in a three-man battle at tight end alongside Brannon Green and Taylor McNamara.


http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8289259/oklahoma-geneo-grissom-switches-defensive-end-tight-end-start-no-4-sooners

Redshirt freshman S Bennett Okotcha has left the Oklahoma football program.

Okotcha did not appear on the Sooners roster at the start of preseason practices, which led many to believe he was no longer with the program. The rumor turned out to be true and Okotcha, who surprisingly flipped his commitment from Notre Dame to Oklahoma, will likely land with at a different school in the near future. The freshman redshited in 2011.

Source: Jake Trotter on Twitter