2021 OU football preview

OUDAILY

‘21 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

ONLINE ALL SEASON AT OUDAILY.COM

‘I GOT THIS’

He said it before.

Now it’s time to prove it.

Inside the maturation of OU star Spencer Rattler. 3 Game-by-game previews 24 Clay Horning’s column 27 Perrion Winfrey’s scary good 33

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

August 2021 •

Inside this issue This 40-page OU football preview issue is produced in a partnership between The OU Daily, the independent student newsroom of the University of Oklahoma, and The Norman Transcript, Norman’s oldest continuously operated business. It is being distributed to audiences of both newsrooms.

The maturation of Spencer Rattler Dennis Simmons’ rising stock Marvin Mims’ Biletnikoff goal Game-by-game previews Clay Horning’s column Nik Bonitto’s quiet ferocity Perrion Winfrey is scary good Caleb Kelly’s perseverance

OUDAILY

‘21 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

ONLINE ALL SEASON AT OUDAILY.COM

4 15 18 25 27 30 33 36

The OU Daily Editor: Blake Douglas

Sports Editor: Mason Young Assistant Sports Editors: Austin Curtright, Chandler Engelbrecht Copy Chief: Francisco Gutierrez Design Editor: Alayna Weldon Designers: Josie Gerdes, Jordan Lanoue, Connie Wiggins Photo Editor: Trey Young Assistant Photo Editor: Edward Reali The Transcript Editor: Emma Keith Sports Editor: Jesse Crittenden Senior Sports Columnist: Clay Horning

3

4

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

• August 2021

‘I GOT THIS’

How OU quarterback Spencer Rattler has matured from confident kid to national championship contender Mason Young @Mason_Young_0

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

Quarterback Spencer Rattler looks to the replay board during the Sooners’ season opener against Missouri State last season. He opens this season as a Heisman Trophy favorite.

The night before returning to Norman for summer workouts ahead of the biggest season of his life, Spencer Rattler returned to his roots.

Oklahoma’s quarterback traveled 20 minutes southeast from his Phoenix home on June 4 to Scottsdale Ranch Park, where a few hundred children waited.

They were all participants in “Friday Nights, Under the Lights,” a recurring offseason camp of the Scottsdale Firebirds Youth Football program.

Founded in 2008, the Firebirds are a storied kids tackle organization, having won 20 state titles and several national awards while producing 65 current Division I college players. Club coordinator and coach Matt Frazier isn’t shy about calling it the nation’s best youth football program.

Rattler, the pride of the

Firebirds from upper elementary school through junior high, has returned each of the past six summers. He coaches and encourages campers on the same field where his Firebirds career began. By Frazier’s design, he pays his experience forward to players hoping to one day match his footsteps.

At this year’s event, per Frazier, Rattler sat before a microphone as campers rapidly fired 10 questions in one minute to the greatest Firebird of all time. One attendee quickly addressed the elephant in the room — the Heisman Trophy, which Rattler is a frontrunner to win in December. Seven other Sooners have claimed the award for college football’s most outstanding player, including Rattler’s predecessors Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray in the past four years.

The gist of Rattler’s reply?

FOOTBALL PREVIEW “Great, if it happens.” It took another question to reveal his real prize.

“What’s your goal?” another camper asked, and there was the moment of truth.

“To win the national championship,” Rattler announced.

Then, “Describe yourself in two words.”

“Confident and committed,” Rattler responded.

Frazier had seen that moxie before. It reminded him of when he approached a 12-year-old Rattler in the huddle with one minute left in their state championship game. The coach had drawn up a quarterback counter fake — a play his young passer had never run, which required him to sell the defense on a handoff before keeping the ball and running. Despite the challenge, little Rattler mustered the outsized confidence now ascribed to the likes of Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes.

“I got this, coach,” he told Frazier before executing the play, scoring and winning the state title by one point, securing one of his four Arizona youth championships as a Firebird.

Nearly nine years later, Rattler’s conviction lives on in socks that read “I got this,” which Frazier fashioned for all his current Firebirds. That night at Scottsdale Ranch, more football attire took on greater symbolism, as Frazier presented Rattler with a framed Firebirds jersey, and revealed the organization is retiring his No. 7. Rattler’s father Michael and sister Olivia surprised him by attending the impromptu induction. While the Firebirds boast notable alumni like Arizona Cardinals receiver Christian Kirk, Rattler’s number is their first retired.

August 2021 •

“I don’t keep real detailed stats, but I know that there has never been a quarterback — probably in high school, and certainly in Arizona youth football — that accomplished what that kid did,” Frazier said. “He made everybody better and he made us all proud.”

After becoming 2012 United Youth Football League Player of the Year, Rattler followed his Firebirds career with four years of stardom at Pinnacle High School, where he set Arizona records for passing yards and touchdowns. He became a High School All-American and a highly coveted prospect who’d gained national attention before arriving at OU in 2019. There, he was briefly usurped from starting by graduate transfer Jalen Hurts in his first season before claiming the starting job in his second.

Now, Rattler enters his redshirt sophomore season with enormous hype as the Heisman favorite who could be the first pick in April’s NFL draft. He also stands to benefit as much as anyone in college football from new name, image and likeness powers. But more than acquiring awards and signing lucrative contracts, Rattler is committed to winning the national championship — which would be OU’s eighth and first since 2000 — he and those in his inner circle say.

Amid a crucial offseason, Rattler has trained to become, as he put it during spring practice, “the most unstoppable quarterback” in college football. From calisthenics with his adept fitness trainer to throwing sessions with his longtime quarterback guru, he has been maturing physically all summer. Rattler has always

exhibited confidence, but he hasn’t always held it together like the 12-year-old wunderkind fighting for a state championship. A high school suspension, a brief college benching and some regrettable screen time bear his struggles out.

Over the past eight weeks, however, eight interviews with those close to the quarterback indicate Rattler is prioritizing his mental maturity, too. He has focused on increasing his leadership at OU and looking out for others in Norman, Arizona and abroad. This is the story of Rattler’s maturation in full, as he looks to put everything together and do what Heisman winners Jason White, Sam Bradford, Mayfield and Murray could not do — win the national championship for Oklahoma. If he can pull off what they couldn’t, he’ll not only etch his name in school history, but also provide a significant boost to the Sooners’ looming entrance in the Southeastern Conference. The Heisman Trophy, heightened NIL earnings and the top selection in the 2022 NFL Draft are plausible personal rewards.

Like the left leg tattoo Rattler has featured in recent social media posts states, “N:OW” is the time for him to prove he has “got this.”

‘We looked like a scout team that night’ From the home side at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, David Yost watched as Rattler dismantled Texas Tech’s defense, making any throw from anywhere with perfect finesse and command. Then the Red Raiders’ offensive coordinator, he had witnessed a similar performance from Rattler before.

Previously, Yost spent the 2016 season as Oregon’s quarterbacks coach after a three-year stint at Washington State. At the time, class of 2016 prospect and future Los Angeles Charger Justin Herbert was the Ducks’ successor under center.

Upon arriving in Eugene, Yost’s charge was evaluating Herbert’s heirs. He visited Arizona in January, but didn’t happen upon Rattler, who’d just finished his freshman football season and begun basketball. Yost returned to the desert that spring to watch Oregon commit Ryan Kelley, a four-star 2017 recruit from Basha High. This time, he also ventured to Pinnacle for a peek at Rattler, who around that time was offered a scholarship by Lincoln Riley, then Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator.

Yost was quickly impressed by the young quarterback, two years Kelley’s junior. The velocity and spin on Rattler’s ball plus his footwork, athleticism and ability to throw from multiple arm angles indicated he’d be one of the nation’s top passers in his class.

A third visit solidified that notion. During Rattler’s sophomore season, Yost attended a weeknight practice and was astounded.

Rattler threw with pinpoint accuracy even outside the pocket, on the run and in uncomfortable positions.

Yost also noted how catchable Rattler’s throws were — timed perfectly, tailored to each receiver and delivered with masterful touch beyond his age.

When defensive drills began, Rattler kept calling his receivers by name and slinging more reps as he jogged off the field. By Yost’s count, Rattler made close to 300 passes that night. Only

5

five or six fell incomplete.

“I went to watch Trevor Lawrence throw. I hung out for three days with (Tua Tagovailoa) in Hawaii when I was at Oregon,” Yost said.

“I’ve seen all these guys, and (Rattler’s) probably the best I’ve ever seen as far as just consistently accurate, throwing such a catchable ball, and it’s so easy for him.”

Despite the allure, Yost never offered Rattler a scholarship. After Kelley decommitted from Oregon in May, Yost spent his remaining Ducks tenure chasing a replacement 2017 quarterback before he was fired that November.

After landing at Utah State, Yost bumped into Rattler a fourth time during his junior season while scouting a Pinnacle offensive lineman. “Yo, I don’t hear from you anymore,” the quarterback quipped. “You thinking about coming to Utah State?”

Yost joked. Both knew the answer, but they’d meet again nonetheless.

Following two seasons with the Aggies, Yost arrived at Texas Tech in 2019, and the Red Raiders traveled to Norman that September. He reunited with Rattler on the sideline before the Sooners’ backup relieved Hurts for one series in the twilight of a blowout win. By the teams’ 2020 meeting Rattler was the starter, and Texas Tech’s defensive plan was little more than hoping he would keep struggling like he had sporadically against Kansas State, Iowa State and Texas beforehand. OU had barely held on against the Longhorns after losses to the Wildcats and Cyclones — games in which turnovers and missed tackles were plentiful.

Instead, a rejuvenated Rattler coming off two-

6

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

• August 2021

Rattler warms up before a game last season before largely empty stands due to COVID restrictions in Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

straight wins played possessed that evening, having told his teammates the night before, “It’s time for us to go out and embarrass somebody.” Bolstered by a strong running game, he deftly dotted 21-of-30 passes for 288 yards and two touch-

downs, and OU blasted the Red Raiders 62-28.

“The bad thing was that it looked like that practice I was at that night where he threw all completions all the time to everybody,” said Yost, who was fired by Texas Tech in December. “By the time

we played (OU) where he kind of got rolling, he wasn’t making any bad decisions at all. He was attacking and we looked like a scout team that night against them.”

Rattler could’ve added two more scores had receivers not dropped a pair of

precision throws. Nevertheless, one touchdown pass he completed stood out. Early in the second quarter, Rattler faked the handoff, feigned a throw to his left and rolled back to his right. Spying H-back Austin Stogner downfield, he didn’t bother

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

to set his feet before uncorking a spiraling 27-yard strike through heavy endzone traffic.

Former Oklahoma running back Spencer Tillman, the color analyst on that night’s broadcast, quickly recognized the off-balance

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

August 2021 •

Rattler eludes Missouri State defenders last season. He had four carries for one yard in the game while throwing for 290 yards.

feat. “Most quarterbacks have to get set,” he said.

“Patrick Mahomes is the only other guy I know that can do this from a standing position.”

It’s fitting Tillman compared Rattler to the former Texas Tech gunslinger who

on the same turf five years prior threw for 734 yards and five touchdowns while dueling Mayfield. Now an NFL MVP with Kansas City, Mahomes is still the Rattler blueprint to many, including former Firebirds coach Bill Phaturos.

“He looks like him, he walks like him (and) he throws like him,” Phaturos said. “Obviously, Patrick’s the highest paid player (in the NFL). He has a lot to go to live up to Patrick, but he has the ability. It’s hard to compare anybody to Patrick

Mahomes in college. You’ve gotta make your way and earn that. But I think his arm’s just as good.”

Phaturos noticed Rattler’s throws just sounded different, emitting a faint pssss or whoosh upon release in eighth grade. It

7

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

was then, during his final youth season, that Rattler easily discharged a 60-yard touchdown pass in the state championship game, hitting his receiver in the back of the end zone from beyond the 50-yard-line. Such plays weren’t uncommon for

8

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

• August 2021

Rattler, whose natural arm talent, like Mahomes’, creates new pages in his team’s playbook.

‘This kid is a workhorse’ When Rattler was in upper elementary, Phaturos alerted his best friend Mike Giovando to the child’s innate gifts.

Giovando, who Firebirds coaches call “the quarterback whisperer,” has been instructing quarterbacks for over 20 years, even venturing to India and Switzerland to teach. Frazier calls him “the best quarterback coach in the country” and refers all Firebirds passers to his Elev8 QB Academy. Giovando is largely responsible for Arizona’s hotbed of quarterback talent, and Rattler is among his most accomplished disciples.

All the while, Giovando has maintained a penchant for drills some consider unorthodox. This summer, he briefly trained incoming Minnesota freshman Athan Kaliakmanis, who during workouts told Giovando, “I’ve never done any of this stuff.” He wasn’t the first to say that.

Rattler worked out with Giovando two to three days a week this summer, reinforcing old tricks and learning new ones. First and foremost, Rattler rarely trains with his longtime coach alone. Some quarterback instructors prefer private lessons, but this summer Rattler threw next to Purdue’s Jack Plummer, Cal’s Kai Millner and San Diego State’s William Haskell, among others, as Giovando recorded and gave feedback.

Rattler also spent a 100-degree day throwing with OU teammate Tanner Schafer to former Sooners tight end Mark Andrews, a

Scottsdale native now with the Baltimore Ravens. Rattler previously trained with NFL veterans Colin Kaepernick and Tyrod Taylor as a youth.

“We don’t come out here and do private workouts because that’s not going to help him,” said Giovando, who pushed Rattler to throw with varsity passers in seventh grade. “He’s got to get around the other guys, plus the energy’s better when there’s more guys and there’s that competitive feeling. …

We’ve always done it this way, and I just think it just creates a better vibe and it creates a competitive atmosphere.”

Rattler practices deep throws to sharpen his touch in each session. While that’s typical of quarterback workouts, Giovando teaches other manifestations that aren’t.

He puts his quarterbacks in uncomfortable positions, throwing off balance, to the receiver’s back shoulder or on the run from different arm angles. It all enhances Rattler’s escapability — which some say makes him the perfect hybrid of Mayfield and Murray — and ability to tuck the ball and run when needed.

In one drill, Giovando forces his quarterbacks to keep their non-throwing hand on their chest as they pass, increasing ball control and downfield accuracy. In another, he puts the player behind a soccer goal and has them throw over the top to emulate a high release that won’t be tipped. Then they work underneath the goal, simulating intermediate throws to shallow crossing receivers.

Some throwing begins with the receiver’s back turned. When the quarterback rolls out, a call is given to the receiver and he must

come out of his break and find the ball. While it benefits the pass catcher, it also teaches the passer to anticipate where to hit his man without making eye contact with his target.

In addition, Giovando teaches how to read defenses quickly, while shooting minuscule throwing windows most other quarterbacks can’t hit. Since Rattler was in seventh grade, his coach has repeatedly preached one principle: “They can’t defend what they can’t see.”

Rattler has a special knack for timing throws to when defenders turn their heads.

When Texas Tech broke down Rattler’s game film before their matchup, Yost noticed Rattler’s able to throw the ball over the defense better than anyone.

Combined, Rattler’s strengths help him stand out among other college quarterbacks. Even so, he’s always looking for an additional edge. In the weight room at Elite U Training in Scottsdale, he worked tirelessly over the summer with Rube Oliver, his fitness trainer since high school.

Oliver communicates regularly with OU strength coach Bennie Wylie to keep Rattler on track for everything he hopes to accomplish in Norman. Their workouts are proprietary and paired specifically to Rattler’s strengths and limitations. Oliver also provides consistent mental coaching, approaching every rep like it’s third-and-14.

“This kid is a workhorse,” Oliver said. “He’ll work his tail off, and then he’ll do extra reps. It’s just a testimony to his willingness, and his effort and his focus to just be a dominant level athlete.”

In throwing with Giovando, Rattler focused on his

lower body mechanics.

Critiques of his delivery are few and far between, but he does occasionally minimize his power by lifting his back foot off the ground early.

Giovando’s main instruction this summer was for Rattler to fire his hips more before releasing the ball, uncoiling more full-body strength and creating better arm efficiency.

“He has such a good arm talent that sometimes he can forget about the lower half and just throw it since he’s got such good control of the ball,” Giovando said.

“But he’s always wanting to get better … he’s just focused on winning games, trying to get that national championship for Oklahoma, and we always say, if you take care of that stuff on the field, then the Heisman stuff, that’s gonna take care of itself.”

‘A more mature Spencer on the field’ Rattler has come a long way since accepting the high school Heisman while telling OU assistant coach Cale Gundy he’d see him at practice soon. Gundy has long kept an eye on Rattler, examining tapes of his training with Giovando since his high school sophomore year.

After Rattler’s senior year at Pinnacle, Gundy introduced him at the 2019 National Quarterback Club Awards in Scottsdale, where he was named co-High School Quarterback of the Year.

Oklahoma’s co-offensive coordinator and inside receivers coach, Gundy is a former Sooners quarterback himself. A team captain his junior and senior years at OU and a coach for 27 years, he knows plenty about leadership and maturity. While, according to Riley, Rattler

didn’t attend Big 12 Media Days this summer because of his youth, he’s undoubtedly expected to be a crucial voice for OU this fall.

“He’s going to be one of the leaders of this team because he’s a quarterback at the University of Oklahoma,” Gundy said during spring practice, slipping as he spoke and hinting Rattler could be a team captain.

“There’s great responsibilities there. … I can see some of the change in him from last fall to this spring where he’s trying to step up and take more responsibility.”

When Rattler received the top high school quarterback award from Gundy, he expected to compete for OU’s starting job in wake of Murray’s NFL departure. Instead, Rattler spent his first college season sidelined, learning from someone else who saw him receive his national accolade. Hurts was also at the National Quarterback Club that day, splitting the college award with Alabama teammate Tagovailoa, although he’d declared his transfer to OU three days before the ceremony.

While playing in three games as a freshman, Rattler saw Hurts, the former Crimson Tide national champion, become a Heisman finalist and lead the Sooners to their fourth College Football Playoff berth in five years.

That peer-to-peer mentorship was something Rattler lacked in high school, where he was forced into starting as a freshman after Pinnacle’s junior quarterback quit the team.

“I think that sitting behind Jalen was definitely a positive for him,” said Michael Rattler, who’s in banking while his wife Susan is a teacher. “He got to see a kid who was a little older,

things are

heating up with El Huevo’s new menu

the student financial center Visit OU’s one-stop shop to get all your questions answered about financial aid, bursar payments, and scholarships! Cross-trained experts can assist with questions about your FAFSA, student scholarship opportunities, bill payments, account charges, and much more.

Buchanan Hall, Room 105

sfc@ou.edu

ou.edu/sfc

ou Moneycoaches

3ANDWICHES AND "URGERS ARE BACKÕ

"OWL 'AME 3TRONGÕ

"REAKFAST PEEPS

LISTEN UPÕ

sink your teeth into old-time favorites like the AMERICANO BURGER or POLLO LOCO SANDWICH

try our FA JITA RICE BOWL or CABO RICE BOWL if you like a little bit of every thing

our BIONICO is revamped and renamed meet the SWEET CRE AM PARFAIT available daily until 2pm

Contact an OU MoneyCoach to start creating a financial plan for college.

NACHOS AND APPETIZERS ARE 1/2 PRICE DURING HAPPY HOURS

In addition to one-to-one coaching, the MidFirst Bank MoneyCoach Program offers financial education workshops across campus throughout the academic year.

Couch Center, Second Floor

WED - SAT

moneycoach@ou.edu

ou.edu/moneycoach

2 PM - 6 PM

3 5 2 2 2 4 T H AV E . N W, N O R M A N , O K 7 3 0 6 9 | E L H U E V O M E X I D I N E R . C O M

STUDENT FINANCIAL CENTER UNIVERSITY of OKLAHOMA

)XOO 6L]H :DVKHU 'U\HU _ )XOO 6L]H .LWFKHQ $SSOLDQFHV (QHUJ\ (ƱFLHQW &RQVWUXFWLRQ )RU /RZHU 8WLOLWLHV &DUSHWHG %HGURRP DQG /LYLQJ $UHDV _ *ROI &RXUVH 9LHZV $YDLODEOH 2Q $ %HDXWLIXO +ROH &KDPSLRQVKLS *ROI &RXUVH *ROI 0HPEHUVKLS 1R *UHHQ )HHV _ 8QOLPLWHG *ROI IRU 5HVLGHQWV &OXEKRXVH _ )LWQHVV &HQWHU _ 7DQQLQJ %HG _ %XVLQHVV &HQWHU 5HVRUW 6W\OH 6ZLPPLQJ 3RRO _ :KLUOSRRO DQG 6DXQD &RQYHQLHQW 7R $UHD &ROOHJHV 8QLYHUVLWLHV 2Q 6LWH 0DQDJHPHQW DQG 0DLQWHQDQFH _ 3HW )ULHQGO\

at Norman

at Norman

)LQG \RXU SHUIHFW DSDUWPHQW WRGD\ DW ZZZ JUHHQVDWQRUPDQ DSDUWPHQWV

$ƬRUGDEOH %HGURRP $SDUWPHQWV ZLWK ,QFOXGHG $PHQLWLHV

WK $YH 6( 1RUPDQ 2. $OO 3URSHUWLHV 3URIHVVLRQDOO\ 0DQDJHG E\ /LQGVH\ 0DQDJHPHQW &R ,QF

10

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

• August 2021

who’s probably a little more mature, and just watch how he conducted his business. … I think that he and Jalen formed a friendship that they’ll have for a lifetime, and he’ll have a mentor that he can call on, hopefully, at any time.”

Hurts’ departure for the NFL gave Rattler the keys to Riley’s offense last fall, and he looked ready after throwing four touchdown passes in the first half of his first start. He unloaded for 300 yards or more each of the next two games, but he lacked the polish of Mayfield and Murray, and his mistakes proved costly.

Rattler tossed three interceptions during Oklahoma’s 38-35 loss to Kansas State as the Sooners’ defense folded in the second half. One week later, frustration boiled over when he delivered the game-sealing pick in OU’s 37-30 loss at Iowa State, handing the Sooners their worst conference play start since 1998.

TV cameras caught Rattler after his final throw was intercepted amid questions of a missed holding call. A prodigy become a workin-progress, Rattler’s anger toward recent struggles exacerbated into three words of rage-fueled self-questioning: “What the f---?”

Even then, Rattler hadn’t reached his lowest point.

One week later came the Red River Showdown, the rivalry legendary OU quarterbacks must win consistently, where Texas induced a Rattler interception and fumble on consecutive possessions in the second quarter. Riley benched his starter for three offensive series, favoring backup Tanner Mordecai, who has since transferred to SMU. In the second half, Rattler returned hungrier,

sharper and more composed and led the Sooners to a classic four-overtime victory against their chief rival. An off-platform touchdown pass to Drake Stoops and a well-placed two-point ball to Theo Wease sealed Rattler’s comeback.

Riley revealed nothing particular when asked what he told Rattler on the sideline, while Rattler said his coach told him to take a break and he’d be back out. Most concur it was a clear-your-head breather and not a punishing timeout, although Pinnacle coach Dana Zupke said he has his suspicions about the conversation. Rattler’s current and former coaches all consider the benching and comeback a pivotal moment in his season.

His father sees it differently, having watched him in similar situations. As a high school sophomore against border rival Horizon High, Rattler threw an interception and struggled through a scoreless third quarter before rallying to win 43-42 on the road in overtime.

“I think people have made a big deal out of that, and I just think that I didn’t even bat an eyelash because I knew that he would be able to rebound from whatever,” Michael said. “That’s what he’s done his whole career since he was a kid, so I didn’t worry about him being able to perform, and then I wasn’t surprised when we came out and came back and battled and did overtime and the whole nine. He’s always been best in overtime so I knew if we got to overtime, we’d win.”

Regardless of how the Texas benching is perceived, Rattler was different afterward. Following six turnovers in his first four games,

he made only three in the next seven contests while leading Oklahoma on an eight-game winning streak to finish the season.

“Spencer’s got, as we all know, some of the most incredible moxie. It’s part of what makes him so good, but it also can be a flaw at times where he thinks he can make every throw at any time,” Zupke said. “I think Coach Riley’s done a fantastic job of kind of reeling that in and getting him to know when it’s appropriate and when it’s not. Last year after that Texas game, I just saw a different Spencer, a more mature Spencer on the field.”

‘Do you elevate the people around you?’

Malik Zaire has seen Rattler at some of his highest highs.

When Rattler was fresh off a junior performance of 45 touchdowns and around 4,000 passing yards, Zaire arrived in Phoenix for winter training with Giovando ahead of the 2018 NFL Draft.

The former Notre Dame and Florida quarterback quickly bonded with the younger Oklahoma commit.

Their friendship led to exploits beyond quarterback training like trick shots and viral videos. During his time near Rattler, Zaire was also a host for multiplatform sports show Overtime, which featured him and Rattler in a couple episodes.

In one, Rattler navigated an obstacle course, answered questions about his personal life and recruitment and threw footballs into trash cans blindfolded, among other tasks. But the peak of his and Zaire’s Overtime exploits occurred months before he came to Oklahoma on a literal moun-

taintop — Tempe Butte at Arizona State’s main campus — where Rattler attempted to throw footballs into a trashcan 1,495 feet below.

For comparison, the highest perch at OU’s Gaylord Family Oklahoma-Memorial Stadium is slightly less, measuring 1,165 feet.

Rattler and Zaire expected they’d need four or five hours to accomplish their goal and hired help to retrieve footballs from the ground below. Instead, Rattler needed just 10 minutes, splashing the difficult shot on his eighth attempt.

“He’s a Hollywood quarterback, it’s just what it is,” said Zaire, who now coaches high school football in Los Angeles between appearances as a college football analyst for CBS Sports. “He’s got Johnny Manziel charisma, so he’s gonna toe the line. But that’s why people fall in love with him just like they did (Baker Mayfield), just like they do all the edgy quarterbacks.”

The mountain video has over 400,000 views on Overtime’s Instagram and over 400,000 more on Rattler’s Instagram and Twitter combined. Zaire still watches it often and said he thinks it should’ve blown up more.

Regardless, the moment and the months that surrounded it showed the growth Rattler needed to make mentally to keep pace with his physical prowess.

Ahead of Rattler’s senior year, the Netflix series “QB1: Beyond the Lights” went to Phoenix, following the Pioneers’ star for 10 episodes.

It didn’t air until Rattler had already arrived at Oklahoma, but some content captured during his last high school slate wasn’t flattering.

In episode four, Rattler, a team captain, blamed

backup and former Michigan commit JD Johnson’s lack of mental toughness after they lost a competition to the defense in practice. Rattler then missed two weeks with an ankle injury before returning against California’s JSerra Catholic, a national powerhouse, in episode six.

Rattler proceeded to trash talk his JSerra opponents throughout the game before struggling in the fourth quarter of a loss. He quickly brushed it off, telling his teammates, “We’re still winning state,” afterward, but the season took a turn for the worse.

Zupke informed his team Rattler wouldn’t play against Chaparral in an ESPNU-televised game, with Rattler later blaming an MCL sprain for his inactivity. After the Chaparral game, news broke that Rattler was suspended for the remainder of the season for an unspecified violation of the school district’s code of conduct. His family has preferred to keep it a private matter, other than his father acknowledging it wouldn’t appear on his record. Rattler himself called it “a childish, dumb mistake.”

“When I first had my conversation with Spencer, he was devastated,” Zupke said.

“We all were and it was really unfortunate. I’m really big on teachable moments, and at the end of the day, that’s what it ended up being. … We get so caught up on chasing championships and trophies, and there’s nothing wrong with striving for those things. But we’re also supposed to be learning things about life and that was a big life lesson for Spencer in particular, but it was also a life lesson for our program and for our kids.”

Sidelined for the season’s remaining four games, Rat-

11

• August 2021

tler supported Johnson and his teammates. The Pioneers finished the season 11-2, losing in the state semifinals to a team they’d previously beaten. The coveted championship eluded the grasp of the player who once told his coach, “I got this.”

While Rattler’s punishment is his lowest low, Zaire said the response is his favorite story in the young quarterback’s journey.

“I just think that situation showed that he’s got enough edge and he’s got enough talent where he could shake off adversity and still be able to go in and do his business,” Zaire said. “I mean, he’s a kid that doesn’t waver too often. … He rubs some people the wrong way, but when you’re playing quarterback at a high level, (confidence), in my opinion, is what you need. I always knew Spencer was going to be good based on attitude alone.”

Ask anyone in Rattler’s inner circle and they’ll admit his confidence can be mistaken for arrogance, but none have ever questioned his character. All his coaches say he’s respectful, Phaturos particularly appreciating how his former pupil kindly treated his son Zak, the Pioneers’ third-string quarterback during Rattler’s senior season.

Frazier believes Rattler doesn’t have “an ounce of arrogance in him.” That’s why it has been an easy choice to bring Rattler back to camps regularly, and to retire his jersey number this summer.

“We wouldn’t have done that on accomplishments alone,” Frazier said. “My litmus test for an athlete is not touchdowns scored or thrown (or) how many games you win. My litmus test is, do you elevate the people around you? And

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

Rattler and teammates check out highlights on Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium’s video board last season. He figures to be prominently featured there again frequently throughout this season.

12

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

• August 2021

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

Rattler walks off the field last season after a victory. He’s looking to take OU to the national title game at the end of the 2021 season, a place the Sooners have been close to but not reached in years.

that’s what Spencer does.”

‘He’s always had a big heart’ His retirement ceremony over, a shocked Rattler lingered at Scottsdale Ranch for over an hour, taking pictures and autographing anything from water bottles and shoes to even baby carriages.

“That’s where I know the maturity level is — he’s not thinking about himself,” Giovando said. “He’s thinking about others and the other people that are there who want to at least shake his hand, or get a picture or maybe ask him a question, so there’s good growth.

He’s always been like that, though, but that was pretty impressive, just the way he interacts with everybody.

I think he’s got a very level head.”

In the early offseason, Rattler enjoyed considerable luxury and relaxation. He spent a few days in California with his girlfriend and also bought a dog. For a short time, his Instagram story became a search bar for material wants.

But once he returned from California, it was back to business. He called Giovando the night before he arrived in Phoenix. “See you tomorrow,” he told the coach who used to see him every Sunday, even after youth games on Saturdays.

New name, image and likeness powers took effect for NCAA athletes on July 1, and Rattler capitalized immediately. He swiftly joined Cameo, a platform that allows fans to buy personalized video messages from celebrities, and began charging $125 per shoutout,

having since raised his price to $177.

A sharp social media manager, Rattler was valued at $769,300 in potential yearly NIL earnings from Twitter, Instagram and other apps by Opendorse, a company that helps athletes with their digital brands. That was in May 2020, before he had even started a game at Oklahoma, much less become the 2021 Heisman favorite and a national championship contender.

Also on July 1, Rattler announced an agreement with Chris Cabott of Leigh Steinberg Sports and Entertainment for NIL representation.

The agency also represents Mahomes, whose massive 10-year, $450 million extension signed in July 2020 was negotiated by Cabott.

On July 2, Rattler unveiled an endorsement deal with

Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers and released his own merchandise line. And on July 31 he appeared at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago where he charged $150 for photographs and signatures, plus $60 for inscriptions, becoming the first college athlete to profit from a big money public signing.

“But the focus remains the focus, and that’s ball,” Rattler said. “That’s what’s gonna take care of everything else.”

Zupke said he knew Rattler would be a savvy businessman based on his $15 to $25 “NappyHeadz” visors and shirts — a small personal clothing line he used to sell to teammates and fans in high school. However, the announcement Rattler made before securing any NIL money, that he will donate a portion of all earnings to underserved communities, is something few college athletes have publicly declared in this new era.

“I think it’s fantastic to see him immediately address his platform to do something positive like giving money to charity, and when I saw that, it just warmed my heart,” Zupke said. “But I wasn’t surprised by that either. I think four years ago, maybe that wouldn’t have been a thought, but with Spencer Rattler now, I think it’s not a question. He’s always had a big heart, but I think he’s kind of grown to see a bigger world than just himself.”

With greater perspective comes grander ambitions, and none is larger for Rattler than bringing home the Sooners’ first NCAA title in 21 years. Rattler has focused on that goal all offseason, not buying into the awards hype on social media. “It’s a lot of rat poison,” Michael Rattler said of preseason

Heisman projections, quoting one of Hurts’ more memorable lines during the season in which Rattler was his understudy.

A championship would be well-timed on multiple levels for the Sooners. It would end their College Football Playoff shortcomings, elevate Riley to the OU coaching Mount Rushmore of Bud Wilkinson, Barry Switzer and Bob Stoops before him and begin his team’s surge from Big 12 conquerors to would-be SEC giantslayers in the near future. A ring would also cement Rattler’s place as one of OU’s greatest quarterbacks.

Rattler’s face might be the most visible in college football this fall, whether through social media highlights, his merchandise line, endorsements or posters on fans’ walls. But when he goes home and closes his door to the world, to the noise, to the hype that surrounds him, it’s another great — the greatest of all time — that’s pinned above his bedroom television.

“Confidence has no competition,” reads the picture Rattler once shared on social media of heavyweight legend Muhammad Ali — robed in white, boxing gloves readied, lips pursed and prepared for battle — adorning Rattler’s inner sanctum in Norman.

The next four months will tell whether Rattler will stand among Oklahoma’s greatest. If he’s to do so, he’ll need his trademark moxie, but also the physical and mental maturity he’s been honing since telling his old playcaller long ago four simple words: “I got this, coach.” masyoung@ou.edu

Sunday Worship:

We are in person for 8:40 and 10:45 a.m. & livestreaming on Facebook and YouTube for 10:45 a.m.

fccnorman.org FCC Norman College Ministry

A community joined together in a reverent, thoughtful, loving quest for faith.

FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES FULL-TIME & PART-TIME 401(K) MATCHING HEALTH INSURANCE

RIVERWIND CASINO STOCK CLERKS BARTENDERS BARBACKS BEVERAGE SERVERS

RIVERWIND HOTEL HOUSEKEEPERS

CHIPS N’ ALES LOCATED INSIDE RIVERWIND CASINO

ASSISTANT MANAGER LINE COOKS • $15 - $ 18 DOE DISHWASHERS HOST BARTENDERS ROOM SERVICE

KITCHEN 44 LOCATED INSIDE NEWCASTLE CASINO

COOKS CASHIERS

DENTAL INSURANCE VISION INSURANCE LIFE INSURANCE DISABILITY INSURANCE TRAINING PROGRAMS ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM EMPLOYEE DISCOUNTS PAID TIME OFF EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION PROGRAMS ANNIVERSARY & BIRTHDAY PROGRAMS AWARD CO.

Please apply online at www.traditionsspirits.com

405-392-4550

14

• August 2021

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

Spencer Rattler strikes a familiar pose last season.

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

August 2021 •

15

Simmons making himself a catch Assistant’s dedication exemplifies potential for future as head coach CHANDLER ENGELBRECHT @ctengelbrecht

Dennis Simmons was exhausted.

Simmons, then the outside receivers coach for Washington State, had just returned to his office after meeting with a recruit from American Samoa. The Cougars held strong recruiting ties to the territory during Simmons’ stint there from 2012-14, and he wanted the prospect to play in Pullman.

After collecting himself, Simmons left his office and entered that of David Yost, then Washington State’s inside receivers coach.

“I don’t know if he speaks any English,” Yost recalled Simmons, whom he shared a bond with beyond being office neighbors, saying of the recruit. “I just kept talking, and he just kept smiling and shaking his head while saying, ‘Yes.’ I don’t know if he understood one word I said.”

That response drew a chuckle from Yost, Texas Tech’s offensive coordinator in 2020, but it was short lived. His nonchalant demeanor turned to one of surprise after realizing Simmons’ meeting with the recruit lasted over 45 minutes. When Yost pointed that out, Simmons brushed it off.

Ultimately, it reinforced one of Simmons’ core traits: He doesn’t care what barriers stand in front of him, he’s all in whether in recruiting people or coaching up those he’s persuaded to join him.

Such perseverance led Simmons to the job he holds today as OU’s assistant head coach, a promotion he earned in February.

Hired as Oklahoma’s outside

receivers coach in February 2015, Simmons has overseen the development of CeeDee Lamb, Marquise Brown and Dede Westbrook, the Sooners’ only Biletnikoff Award winner, during his tenure. He was ranked as Rivals’ No. 22 best recruiter in 2019, and Oklahoma’s offense ranks first nationally in scoring per game and yards per pass attempt since Simmons’ arrival. Based on his accolades alone, all signs point to Simmons one day becoming a head coach himself — just like his close friend and confidant, Lincoln Riley.

However, Simmons’ current focus is sustained success in Norman.

“Right now, my aspiration is just to be the best receiver coach at the University of Oklahoma that I possibly can,” Simmons said on Feb. 3 at OU’s first press conference of the year. “In doing that, I’m a firm believer that God puts opportunities in your life at a particular time for a particular reason when you’re ready. … I feel like when (a head coaching) opportunity presents itself that I will be ready for it.”

Simmons wouldn’t be the first to become the face of his own program after working under Riley. South Carolina hired Shane Beamer as head coach in December after he served as the Sooners’ assistant head coach and tight ends coach for two seasons.

Those who know Simmons best think it’s just a matter of time before such an opportunity comes along. After all, his resume increasingly checks all the boxes programs should want in their head football coach, on and off the field.

‘Makes guys excited to play’ When Simmons began his coaching career, he was more focused on the administrative side of football. After obtaining his

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

Assistant coach Dennis Simmons walks the sideline during a game last season in Norman.

master’s degree in educational leadership at BYU — where he played linebacker for three seasons — in 1999, Simmons was hired as the assistant athletic director at Cornell that year.

Simmons also coached running backs for the Big Red but primarily worked in administration. In 2000, he was hired by then-Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach to work in the Red Raiders’ front office — a job Leach personally sought him out for. Simmons also worked in a quality control role and became Leach’s chief of staff in 2005.

But, a few years later, Simmons’ focus shifted more toward coaching. This led him to discuss finding a spot on Texas Tech’s coaching staff with Leach, who was more than happy to find a place for him.

Simmons was hired as the Red Raiders’ receivers coach in 2008.

That job first paired Simmons,

35, with a 25-year-old Riley, the then-inside wide receivers coach at Texas Tech. In their first year together, the duo helped star receiver Michael Crabtree earn AllAmerica honors and his second consecutive Biletnikoff Award as Texas Tech finished with an 11-2 record.

Helping to further develop Crabtree, the No. 10 selection in the 2009 NFL Draft by San Francisco, was the first sign of Simmons’ ability to elevate players’ skills. Crabtree had 231 catches for 3,127 yards and 41 touchdowns in two seasons with the Red Raiders before going on to play 11 seasons in the NFL. “He’s good at commanding his room,” said Leach, now the head coach at Mississippi State. “He makes guys excited to play, and to lift and go to school, all the things that come along with (playing

college football). … He’s just a great, solid human being and I think that’s where it starts. And then from there, once the course is set, he’s really good at working with his guys to execute.”

Simmons left Texas Tech to become East Carolina’s outside receivers coach in 2010, reuniting with Riley, who’d left just a month earlier to become the Pirates’ offensive coordinator. In two seasons at ECU, Simmons helped the Pirates secure Lance Lewis, who would become just their third 1,000 yard receiver. The day Simmons joined East Carolina was also when Justin Hardy signed with the Pirates. Hardy’s 387 career receptions in four seasons rank second all-time in NCAA history.

Getting the most out of his personnel is what led Simmons to be hired by Hall of Fame coach Bob

16

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

• August 2021

Stoops at OU, where he’s since made the Sooners’ receiving core among the country’s best. His hire came weeks after Stoops brought in Riley.

“Dennis, day in and day out, is always working with (his receivers),” Yost said. “He’s putting them on the tennis ball machine.

Throwing them balls. He’s working on the techniques, the fundamentals. And you see that now at Oklahoma. ... Now, he’s able to consistently get the four and five stars, the best of the best. He’s able to get them to come there, and he gets them to become the player that they’re capable of being.”

Simmons’ coaching success could’ve been foreseen during his playing career. As he helped anchor BYU’s defense in his final season, the Cougars’ offense was boosted by new quarterback Steve Sarkisian.

Sarkisian was hired as Texas’ 31st head coach on Jan. 2, and the former BYU teammates will be on opposing sidelines when the Sooners and Longhorns meet Oct. 9. It won’t be the first time Simmons and Sarkisian face off — they regularly met when Simmons was at Washington State and Sarkisian was the head coach at Washington and then USC — but it might be one of the last times the meeting isn’t between two head coaches.

“Dennis is a great coach,” Sarkisian said at Big 12 Media Days on July 14. “He was a great teammate, an awesome family man. I know he and Lincoln have a great relationship. Dennis is a tremendous recruiter. I’m happy for him and his career and where it’s headed. I know he started off with Coach Leach and worked his way up the profession. I wouldn’t be surprised if he (became) a head coach in the short term.”

‘One of the best people’ When Crabtree and the 49ers made it to Super Bowl XLVIII in 2012, he gave tickets to Simmons and his wife, Tosha. The tickets went to the Simmonses because,

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

Assistant coach Dennis Simmons (right) leads the Sooners in prayer in the Unity Garden on the South Oval during the march for unity on Aug. 28, 2020.

as Yost came to know during his time with Simmons, Crabtree views Dennis as more than a coach. He’s a life mentor, or even part of the family. In fact, that’s how many of his players view Simmons. The 47-year-old makes it a point of emphasis to help his players however he can.

“That’s the relationship he builds with his guys,” Yost said.

“They’re a forever kind of tight.”

Simmons led by example while working in the athletic department at Texas Tech, overseeing player personnel issues and community service initiatives. At OU, he does the same as head of the Sooners’ social justice task force and organizes leadership events for the team.

It’s a job Riley believes fits Simmons well. At OU’s final spring press conference on May 6, Riley said he and Simmons have built a relationship where R i l e y ca n l e a n o n h i m f o r

anything. The responsibilities OU holds, Riley said, go “far beyond just coaching receivers” and Simmons makes the Sooners better by upholding those obligations. Simmons has also joined Riley, along with select other members of the team’s coaching staff, on offseason vacations. This summer, the group visited Cabo for a fishing trip.

The bond Simmons creates with those around him is a key reason why Leach brought him to Washington State in 2012, the year he took over as the Cougars’ head coach.

“He’s got a tremendous personality,” Leach said. “With the guys on campus, (he’ll help) them work through and iron out any problems they may have. Everything from academics to dorms, the whole thing. …

There’s all the ups and downs you go through while coaching, and he’s just a happy, optimistic

guy (which makes) him great to work through all the things like that.”

Yost found himself amid a downside of coaching when he took his job at WSU in February 2013. He accepted the school’s offer after coaching at Missouri for over 10 seasons, and moving his family to the West Coast proved challenging.

Yost ’s w ife and children couldn’t join him in Washington until that summer due to work and school commitments. Yost opted to live in a hotel by himself for the first month and a half at Washington State, but that eventually became too much of a nuisance. Now looking for a new place to stay near campus, Yost started talking with WSU about moving into its graduate student housing — until he got a call from Simmons.

“I picked up the phone and Dennis was like, ‘What are you

gonna do?’” Yost said. “I go, ‘Well, I’m trying to stay at these graduate housing things,’ and he said, ‘No you’re not. You’re staying in my basement.’

“I said I didn’t want to impose on him and his wife, and he said, ‘Nope. You don’t have an option.’”

Yost moved into Simmons’ basement, which he said had all he needed, a few days later and lived there for almost five months until his family moved to Pullman. While staying with the Simmonses, Yost fondly remembers watching TV in the basement with Dennis and Tosha, as the couple made the room a good place to unwind.

He’d also care for Simmons’ two dogs when he needed to. On top of that, Simmons and Yost often carpooled, and their connection in the workplace only benefited from the time spent away from it.

Yost believes Simmons’ success is a direct result of his unbridled selflessness.

“He’s one of the best people you’re ever going to meet in this profession,” Yost said. “As far as (being) genuine and real. He cares about the kids. He does all the stuff the right way. … He was going to be successful in life no matter what he did.”

‘It’s who he is’ Simmons’ mind raced as he walked off a team flight in spring 2019. Earlier that offseason, Oklahoma landed three five-star wide receiver commits in Jadon Haselwood, Theo Wease and Trejan Bridges. It was Simmons’ deepest signing class yet, even topping when the Sooners landed four-stars Charleston Rambo, Brown and Lamb in 2017.

Interest in Simmons from other programs was growing.

Some reached out to him with offensive coordinator openings, others wanted him as a wide receiver coach. With options on the table, Simmons reached out to Margin Hooks, his former

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

August 2021 •

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

Assistant coach Dennis Simmons talks with wide receiver Charleston Rambo during the Sooners’ season opener last season.

BYU teammate and current CEO of the Sky’s The Limit training camp.

Hooks, who views Simmons as a big brother, worked with Rambo, Brown and Lamb at Sky’s The Limit and trains current and future OU receivers at the camp. Because of the two’s history, Simmons wanted to get Hooks’ opinion on his decision — which was to stay at Oklahoma. “(Simmons) said, ‘I got these kids that I just brought here with me,’” Hooks said. “‘I told their parents I’m going to be here to take care of them. I’m

not leaving them.’ … When he told me that, I thought, ‘Man, he’s different.’ Any other person would jump on (another job).

But that’s not him.”

When Hooks went on his first visit to BYU, Simmons helped give him a tour of the Cougars’ campus and facilities. Hooks later committed and was redshirted as Simmons played in his final season in 1996.

Simmons then became a graduate assistant for a season before returning to school.

During their time together in college, Hooks took note of Simmons’ intelligence. Hooks

remembers him being the calm voice of reason in the locker room, always making sure the right things were being done.

Hooks believes it’s that same reason that Simmons is able to recruit at a high level.

“He’s smart enough to know (he) better go get some kids that know what they’re doing already,” Hooks said. “That’s what college football is. It’s changed to where (coaches) don’t go get the kid they have to recruit and develop — if that was the case I wouldn’t have the business I have. … And he gets the recruits he has because of the

type of person he is. Parents and kids trust him in recruiting. …

He’s there to help guide them, (make) them accountable and responsible.”

Hooks knows Simmons wants to one day be a head coach. It’s a conversation they’ve had before, and he believes it won’t be too long before Simmons finds himself in that role. When that chance comes, it’ll be one that breaks barriers.

Heading into the 2021 season, only 12 of 130 FBS Division I programs have Black head coaches. There are zero Black head coaches in the Big 12 and

17

SEC. If Simmons gets his shot and those numbers go up, he wants it awarded to him because of his resume and talent.

“I don’t want to just get that opportunity because of my skin color,” Simmons said on Feb. 3.

“I want to get it because someone feels like that I deserve that opportunity and that I’m worthy of it.

“When I do happen to get that opportunity, if it’s meant for me, I want to make the best of that opportunity and not just be known as a good minority coach but, much like (Riley and Stoops), considered one of the best to have ever done it in the business.”

Nonetheless, Simmons is ecstatic for this upcoming season, and his position group appears primed for another solid outing.

OU returns Haselwood, Wease, sophomore Marvin Mims and redshirt junior Drake Stoops.

The Sooners also add freshman Mario Williams, a five-star prospect and Rivals’ No. 15 overall recruit in 2020, and Arkansas graduate transfer Mike Woods.

Time will tell how Simmons’ current receiving core stacks up to his previous ones. It’ll also tell how his current recruiting classes compare to those that housed five-stars and future NFL targets.

And of course, only Simmons knows how much longer he’ll be coaching those in an Oklahoma uniform.

But, Hooks believes if a top job doesn’t come along, Simmons’ end product of molding recruits into better players and people won’t change.

“Wherever he goes,” Hooks said, “people are going to come to him. They’re going to flock to him. … I believe, with Simmons, it’s not where he is. It’s who he is that’s attractive. Does it help to be at OU? Yes. “But he gets attention because of who he is.” chandler.engelbrecht@ou.edu

18

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

• August 2021

No hoot, holler: Mims just a baller Wide receiver quietly determined to win Biletnikoff AUSTIN CURTRIGHT @austincurtright

Marvin Mims and his father reached out to OU inside receivers coach Cale Gundy. The duo wanted to let Gundy know Mims was considering Oklahoma again, after committing to Stanford in August 2019.

“Can he come early?” Gundy asked Mims Sr., whose son holds the national high school record for single-season receiving yards with 2,626 his senior year. The call came as Oklahoma would go on to lose CeeDee Lamb to the NFL, Mykel Jones to Tulane, tight end Grant Calcaterra to retirement, and Lee Morris, Nick Basquine and A.D. Miller to graduation.

Mims Sr. agreed, and Gundy said it would help the then-incoming freshman receiver improve his body, learn OU’s playbook and give him a chance to make an instant impact in the 2020 season.

T h re e m o nt h s l at e r, t h e National Honor Society student who’d earned a full-ride offer from a 4 percent acceptance rate university in Stanford, decommitted from the Cardinal and committed to the Sooners.

The commitment came a day after OU’s school record 25point come-from-behind win at Baylor on Nov. 13, 2019.

During a conversation between former BYU standout and Mims’ Dallas-area trainer Margin Hooks and OU outside receivers coach Dennis Simmons — teammates and friends at BYU — Hooks persuaded Simmons that Mims was

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

Wide receiver Marvin Mims nears the end zone on a play in which he scored a touchdown during the Sooners’ season opener last year.

“special.”

Hooks personally drove Mims to a workout with Simmons during his recruitment.

Afterward, Simmons, Hooks and Mims returned to Hooks’ car where they talked about the day. Mims looked down at his phone and didn’t say much, in typical fashion.

“Marvin was just laid back and chill at the camp and he’s still that same way,” Hooks said before recalling Simmons’ thoughts. “‘I guess you don’t

have to hoot and holler to still be a baller.’” He’s different, he’s special.”

The Frisco, Texas, native’s quiet nature fuels his fire. When he’s overlooked, it motivates him, and he improves while staying calm. When the speedy weapon burst onto the scene last season, he proved he belonged at OU with 610 yards and a school-record nine touchdowns en route to being the first receiver to earn FWAA Freshman All-American status in program

history. His demeanor, along with his intelligence, epitomizes what the Sooners value, according to OU head coach Lincoln Riley.

But he’s not done yet. Behind his reserved personality is a fiery competitor who aims to win the Biletnikoff, awarded to the best pass-catcher in the country.

And in a season with national championship expectations for OU, Mims’ silent identity paired with his loud game might be just what the Sooners need.

‘Throw the go route’ Mims wanted revenge.

As a fourth grader, he lost a little league semifinal game against rival Billy Bowman, his longtime opponent and current freshman teammate at OU, after Mims muffed a punt that cost his team.

A year later, Mims’ Frisco Packers found themselves trailing the same foe with two minutes left in the fourth quarter and a championship appearance on

12: /($6,1* )25 )$//

6&(1,& :22'/$1' 6(77,1*6 :,7+ $0$=,1* 5$7(6

+WNNMM d *ISML /WWL[ d .WWL

*)3-, ?1<0 47>-

AW]Z WVM [\WX [PWX WV +IUX][ +WZVMZ KWUM PIVO W]\ _Q\P ][ 7ZLMZ 7VTQVM

___ [PMTTJMTTM[JISMZa KWU

;PMTT *MTTM¼[ *ISMZa +INM ?PQ\M ;\ZMM\ 6WZUIV 73 !

apply now

$6. +2: <28 &$1 6$9( %,* 21 <285 1(: +20( 72'$<

studentmedia.ou.edu

sept. 20

You’ve never lived like this.

)6@+ :;

,34 (=,

Bizzell Memorial Library

Just 15 steps to campus

: 1,5205: (=,

THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA

Private bedrooms and bathrooms 24-hour, state-of-the-art fitness center

, )9662: :;

15 Steps to campus

Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium E LINDSEY ST

CALL AWAYHOUSENORMAN.COM Amenities are subject to change. See office for details.

24-hour Academic Success Center with iMacs and free printing Individual liability leases Self-service roommate matching powered by RoomSync

FOOTBALL PREVIEW the line.

“I don’t know what else to do,” Mims Sr., the offensive coach, recalled saying. “Throw the go route to Marvin.”

Mims sprinted forward, saw the ball in the air, jumped and caught it over four defenders, racing to the end zone and punching the Packers’ ticket to the championship. After defeating Bowman’s Dawgs, Mims led his team to an undefeated season to win its little league championship.

Mims and Bowman always had a mutual respect for each other, according to Mims Sr. The pair played against each other in youth before competing in high school twice. Bowman won both games with Denton Ryan during Mims’ sophomore and senior seasons.

“They’ve always had a good relationship,” Mims Sr. said.

“Marvin knows when Billy’s on the field and Billy knows the same thing about Marvin.

(Marvin) is going to give it his all and vice versa.”

But Mims focused more on basketball in his youth, and he didn’t quit until after his junior year of high school. That’s when he received a football offer from Illinois, which was scouting Lone Star High School quarterback MJ Rivers but noticed Mims instead.

Mims burst onto the scene his sophomore year with 1,290 yards and 14 touchdowns as well as an average of 14.7 points per game in basketball. He followed up with 912 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior but played three fewer games. After football season, Mims continued basketball from December to July to no avail, before he quit heading into his senior year.

“Dad, I’m spending all this time playing basketball, but no one’s really saying anything about me in basketball,” Mims Sr. recalled his son saying after his junior year. He later said Mims came to him and said,

August 2021 •

“I’m going to focus on football.”

‘Best high school receiver’ Mims walked into Lone Star High School head coach Jeff Rayburn’s office before his freshman season.

“I’m going to be the best receiver to ever come through here,” Mims told his coach.

The now 5-foot-11, 177pound receiver was the hardest worker in the entire program, according to Rayburn.

“The intangibles, the skill set he has is obviously off the charts,” Rayburn said. “He’s not the tallest guy... He’s obviously fast, but his intangibles, his ball skills, his intelligence and his elite competitiveness is what sets him apart.”

According to Rayburn, Mims accomplished more than he could’ve ever imagined. The Lone Star standout eclipsed 5,485 career receiving yards, which ranks first in Texas history and No. 8 nationally, per MaxPreps.

“He’s the best high school receiver to ever play the game of football,” Rayburn said. “And I think the numbers speak for themselves. It’d be one thing too if we were playing at a low-level school, but we play some of the best football in the country in (our division).”

Mims was instrumental in his illustrious senior season with the Rangers. The team finished 14-1 in 2019 with its lone loss in the state semifinals to Denton Ryan, Bowman’s team. Lone Star even handed Highland Park — former OU and current TCU quarterback Chandler Morris’ team — its first home loss since 1998 behind Mims’ 219 yards and two touchdowns. Lone Star quarterback and Oklahoma State commit Garret Rangel had just 34 passing yards that didn’t go to Mims.

Mims’ second battle with Highland Park came in the state playoffs, and Rayburn said the Scots gave Mims a ton of

attention after his first performance. But Mims came up big when Lone Star needed him with a pair of touchdown catches while double-teamed.

“When it was crunch time, it didn’t matter how many guys were covering him,” Rayburn said. “We were going to throw him the ball because we knew he could make a play, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Rayburn saw Mims’ maturation throughout high school and how it drove Lone Star’s 2019 season. He helped set the standard for the future of the program.

“Being around Marvin, you sense the maturity (he has),” Rayburn said. “It’s just his ability to affect other people. Marvin is not a man of a bunch of words, but he’s always willing to help others. He’s always willing to show them the way.”

‘He’s not a flashy guy’ To those closest to him, Mims was overlooked during recruitment. The summer before his senior year, Mims attended Nike Football’s The Opening — a showcase for the top high school prospects in the country.

Fresh off basketball games the two previous days, Mims Sr. knew his son was tired. But Mims decided to compete in the event anyway, clocking a lackluster 4.67-second 40-yard dash. His uneventful showing later dropped him from four stars to three on Rivals, although his stock reascended after his record-breaking senior year.

The next spring, when the Frisco native was fresh and enrolled at OU, Gundy watched Mims clock a 4.39 40-yard time, showcasing his true blazing speed.

“We’re kind of used to it,” Mims Sr. said. “He’s always, for whatever reason, been underrated and flies under the radar until he gets on the football field.

Part of that’s because he’s not a flashy guy, he doesn’t do a lot of

talking about himself. His focus is more of letting his play do the talking.”

Hooks also knew the initial uncharacteristic time was a fluke. He and Simmons have a respectful relationship laden with trust. Hooks typically finds himself referring recruits he trains to Simmons and recalls him sometimes saying he doesn’t fit his system, or vice-versa, with Hooks suggesting his player shouldn’t attend Oklahoma.

Oklahoma offered Mims, but Hooks said he wasn’t sure Simmons was committed to him. He recalled Simmons telling him Mims didn’t have fire, but Hooks knew that was just his personality.

Mims’ college decision came to OU and TCU. Horned Frogs wide receivers coach Malcolm Kelly, a former OU wide receiver, also has a strong relationship with Hooks.

The Frisco native was nervous about joining the Sooners with the talent they had at receiver, which included five-stars Trejan Bridges, Theo Wease and Jadon Haselwood, fellow 2020 classmates Trevon West and Brian Darby, and transfers Theo Howard and Obi Obialo.

But Hooks wasn’t worried, feeling Mims was ready for the challenge.

Hooks was right, as his pupil and Simmons’ receiver broke out as a freshman, leading the Sooners in receiving yards and touchdowns.

“Stars are forgotten, but those numbers are gonna stick,” Hooks said. “To me, he’s the most decorated and accomplished receiver that’s ever stepped foot at OU as a freshman. Name me somebody else who had national records to step in there.”

Mims’ eruption and new name, image and likeness powers gave him the opportunity to do something he has always wanted.

The new ruling adopted for

23

college athletes on July 1 allowed Mims to give back to his community rather than profit from exposure. The standout held a football camp for 6-12-year-olds on Aug. 1 at the Sports Academy in his hometown of Frisco just under three hours from Norman.

Mims was focused on showing that his accomplishments were possible for younger kids growing up with similar backgrounds in the area. He even donated a portion of the camp’s proceeds to the Boys and Girls Club of Collin County.

Mims’ Twitter profile is mostly retweets of his teammates or those in his inner circle but hardly any of himself. In a tweet from Fox College Football, fans voted Rattler and Mims the top returning tandem in the nation.

Mims’ response was to tag his fellow pass catchers instead of taking the glory.

“He’s not a huge social media guy,” Mims Sr. said. “He’s not a flashy guy, he’s not a ‘I want to be in front of the camera’ type of guy, and this was more his speed to be honest. Working with kids and being able to help and give back to his community was more of his focus.”

There were no reporters or cameras present at his camp, either — just Mims and his willingness to help Frisco find its next big-time athlete like himself. Among the attendees was Rayburn’s third grade son, who plays on a little league team named the Sooners and dons Mims’ No. 17 on the field.

Mims wasn’t interested in just making an appearance, either, as he laced up his cleats and worked out alongside the campers. Hooks, who also taught former OU receivers Trejan Bridges and Charleston Rambo, believes his pupil is among the first college athletes to engage with campers like that. Hooks thinks Mims is special not just for his accolades on the field, but also for how he carries himself off it.

24

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

• August 2021

His quiet persona fuels him.

It’s why he’s focused on making those around him better — like the campers — instead of profiting off his success with the Sooners.

Mims is the highest-graded returning wide receiver in the country at 88.9 according to Pro Football Focus and caught eight touchdowns over 20 yards or more — the same as 2020 Heisman Trophy winner Devonta Smith — despite receiving just 49 targets last season.

OU returned Haselwood from injury and added fivestar freshman Mario Williams and healthy versions of H-back Austin Stogner and Wease in its room of pass catchers. But there lies Mims, a quiet, under-the-radar and versatile receiver who couldn’t care less about the bright lights.

But each time Mims is overlooked, he doesn’t worry about it. He becomes motivated and moves on to later prove himself on the field. “ He’ l l p ro m o t e Sp e n c e r Rattler before he promotes himself,” Hooks said. “I don’t even get upset with him, that’s who he is. To me, that’s special in this day and time. And it wouldn’t shock me if he ends up being OU’s all-time leading receiver.

“And he’s going to do it quietly, and no one’s going to ever talk about it. And that’s probably how he wants it.”

‘Take that next level’ Mims has taken it upon himself to become a better leader this season. During the middle of his freshman season, Mims and Simmons conversed about the former becoming one that other receivers gravitated toward due to his performance.

Mims’ new role is drastically different, especially since he’s just a sophomore.

“It’s a whole (other) mindset,” Mims said early in fall camp.

Sophomore wide receiver Marvin Mims during fall camp this August at the practice fields.

“I’ve done it for a year now. Now, I’m coming in, ready to build into the leader role. I’m talking up my other teammates. There’s just more excitement (coming) into this year, knowing it’s a mentality thing, knowing what to expect versus last year, going in with unexpected thoughts.”

Riley believes Mims’ leadership development will take time to process. But he and Simmons have noticed a change in his approach around the team.

“Marvin is more of a reserved guy by nature,” Simmons said during fall camp. “So when he does speak and when he does decide to say something, I think it carries more weight because

guys are like, ‘Woah, okay. If he’s talking to you, something really must be up, and we really gotta take heed to what you’re saying.’”

Mims also knew he needed to improve this offseason, as he’s now a known threat to the college football world.

“We had to add a few wrinkles to his game,” Hooks said about Mims’ offseason. “You’re not gonna be just wide open. Now, you might have to cut across the field and spin off somebody because someone’s going to be there because now you’re that guy.”

Mims is expected to move to the slot after playing the majority

of snaps outside last season. The move came this offseason after a meeting with Riley. Riley and Mims watched his biggest plays from last season, and Riley noticed most came from the inside.

He completely embraced the move. Mims was excited about what it could do for the offense — opening looks for his teammates — with no one worried about his growing pains of playing a new position.

“It’s easy for Marvin to make those changes,” Hooks said.

“I mean, he was a kid that was committed to Stanford. You gotta have somebody that can flip from one side to the other.

That’s him.”

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

In Mims’ usual fashion, he didn’t say much. He got to work with Hooks, and he expects to build upon his freshman season. Despite OU’s talented offensive additions and Mims’ quiet nature resulting in the college football world overlooking him, Mims just goes on about his business.

“I think he’ll be the quiet leader,” Hooks said. “But not the vocal one. He’ll be there quietly when (OU) needs a play. I think Coach Riley will look at the offense like, ‘Where’s No. 17 at?’ austincurtright@ou.edu

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

August 2021 •

25

Playoff breakthrough or bust The pieces line up for Lincoln Riley better than in prior years

At Tulane, Sept. 4: Oklahoma starts its 2021 season on the road in New Orleans against Tulane, whom the Sooners have only met once before. In the schools’ first meeting in 2017, OU won 56-14 in Norman.

Tulane finished the 2020 season 6-6 overall and with a 38-27 loss to Nevada, in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Head coach Willie Fritz is entering his sixth year at the helm of the Green Wave and is bringing in a new offensive coordinator in Chip Long.

Long was previously the offensive coordinator at Memphis in 2016 and Notre Dame from 201719. He was a finalist for the Broyles Award in 2018, which is awarded to the nation’s best assistant coach, after leading the Fighting Irish offense to the College Football Playoff. Even with Long’s new look offense, OU should have no problem with Tulane.

Western Carolina, Sept. 11: The Sooners welcome the Western Carolina Catamounts to Norman for their home opener on Sept. 11.

This marks the third straight season OU has faced off against an FCS team. Previously, Okahoma faced South Dakota in 2019 and Missouri State in 2020. The Catamounts finished their 2020 season 1-8 with their lone victory coming against The Citadel.

Western Carolina was bad on both sides of the ball in 2020, putting up only 16.3 points per game and allowing 37.2 points per game.

The Catamounts haven’t had a winning record since 2017 but they’ll have a chance to flip the script under new head coach Kerwin Bell.

While this game won’t be competitive, it should offer Sooner fans yet another chance to get an early look at the 2021 recruiting class.

Nebraska, Sept. 18: One of the

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

Lincoln Riley opens this season, all around, better positioned to contend for a national title than any other year so far he’s been OU’s head coach.

oldest traditions and greatest rivalries in college football history is back in 2021. The Sooners and the Cornhuskers will face off for the 87th time on Sept. 18 in Norman.

The rare non-conference matchup between the two schools will represent the 50th anniversary of the “Game of the Century” in 1971 in which the No. 1 Huskers scored a late touchdown in the final minutes of the game to defeat the No. 2 Sooners, 35-31.

Nebraska is a long way from where it was when it last faced OU in the 2010 Big 12 Championship

Game. Head coach Scott Frost is entering his fourth season with his alma mater and has yet to produce a winning season or a bowl game appearance. Overall, he holds a 12-20 record in his first three years.

One bright spot for the Huskers is the return of three-year starting quarterback Adrian Martinez.

Nebraska will be replacing its leading rusher from a season ago, as Dedrick Mills left the Huskers for the NFL. Frost brought in USC transfer and former four-star recruit Markese Stepp to aid Martinez and the offense.

The Sooners and Cornhuskers will also meet in Lincoln for the second game of their home-and-home series in 2022.

West Virginia, Sept. 25: The Sooners begin conference play by taking on West Virginia for the first time in 707 days.

O U ’s g a m e a g a i n s t t h e Mountaineers was the only one it had canceled due to COVID19 during the 2020 season.

After a COVID-19 pause within Oklahoma’s program postponed the game from Nov. 28 to Dec. 12,

West Virginia shut down its football activities for a week just two days before the game due to COVID-19.

Head coach Neal Brown is in his third season at West Virginia. Last season, the Mountaineers went 6-4, winning every game at home and losing every true road game before ending their season with a 24-21 win over Army in the Liberty Bowl.

The Mountaineers return the vast majority of their offensive production from 2020. Starting quarterback Jarret Doege threw for 2,587 yards with 14 touchdowns. He’ll have five of his top

26

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

• August 2021

six receivers back and leading rusher Leddie Brown, who ran for 1,010 yards and nine touchdowns last fall. Oklahoma routed West Virginia 52-14 in Brown’s first trip to Norman.

At Kansas State, Oct. 2: Lincoln Riley’s teams haven’t struggled much in his time as head coach, except against Kansas State. Coach Chris Kleiman and the Wildcats became the first team to beat a Rileycoached team in back-to-back years with a 38-35 comeback upset win in Norman last September.

They’ve narrowly won their last two games against Oklahma by a combined 10 points.

Quarterback Skylar Thompson will return for a final season after suffering an injury against Texas Tech last year. Backup Will Howard helped the Wildcats to wins against the Red Raiders, TCU and Kansas, but K-State ended the season on a five-game losing streak.

Sophomore running back Deuce Vaughn emerged for the Wildcats as a freshman in 2020. He was the team’s leading rusher and receiver, totaling 1,076 combined yards. The Wildcats will try to win three straight when OU takes the road for the first time in conference play.

Texas (at Dallas), Oct. 9: One of the most anticipated rivalry games in college football will feature a new look on the Texas sideline this October. Head coach Tom Herman was fired after the Longhorns finished at an underwhelming 7-3 last fall. Former Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian was hired to replace Herman.

Since Sarkisian’s last season as a head coach at USC in 2014, he’s spent time with the Crimson Tide in varying roles, as well as one year as the Atlanta Falcons’ offensive coordinator. He was the offensive coordinator for Alabama’s 2020 national championship team before taking the job at Texas.

Additionally, Texas will feature a new quarterback for the first time in four years, as Oklahoma-native Casey Thompson is projected to replace Sam Ehlingher, who was taken by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Running back Bijan Robinson will provide continuity for the

Longhorns. The duo combined for 1,121 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 2020. Leading receiver Joshua Moore will return and looks to improve on his 472 yard and nine touchdown season.

Oklahoma looks to win its fourth straight Red River Showdown and 50th overall. OU is 9-3 against Texas since 2010 and 4-1 under Riley.

TCU, Oct. 16: Head coach Gary Patterson has faced OU 10 times since TCU joined the Big 12 in 2012.

In that time, he’s only defeated the Sooners once, which came in 2014 when the Horned Frogs beat thenNo. 4 ranked OU 37-33. TCU ended its 2020 season by winning five of its last six games, catapulting the Horned Frogs to a 6-4 record.

Against Oklahoma, however, TCU was run out of its own building last fall, losing 33-14. Spencer Rattler’s 332 passing yards and two touchdowns helped OU handily beat the Horned Frogs en route to its second win of an eventual eightgame streak.

This season, junior Max Duggan will enter TCU’s training camp as the undisputed starting quarterback.

Duggan was named to the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award Great 8 list after completing 20 out of 30 passes for 231 yards, alongside two rushing touchdowns and a team-high 79 yards rushing.

TCU returns senior Emari Demercado, sophomores Zach Evans and Kendre Miller to its backfield. Alongside Duggan, Evans and Miller both had 100-yard rushing games last season, auguring well for TCU’s upcoming season.

Patterson also gained much needed offensive line help this offseason. TCU collectively gave up 23 sacks last fall. But, with three returning starters and Memphis transfer Obinna Eze — who has started 25 games in his career — joining the team, the Horned Frogs look to improve on their blocking from last season.

At Kansas, Oct. 23: The Jayhawks ended the 2020 season with an 0-9 record for the program’s second-ever winless season. After three years with Kansas, former head coach Les Miles parted ways with the Jayhawks following sexual assault allegations that dated back to his time at LSU. After a three-week

coaching search, Kansas hired Buffalo’s Lance Leipold to rebuild the Jayhawks, who have lost 115 of their last 136 games.

In 2020, the Sooners torched Kansas 62-9 in Norman. Its loss to Oklahoma was the team’s largest last season. This season, Kansas will have some help in the backfield.

Devin Neal, the top high school running back in Kansas last fall, will look to make an immediate impact alongside leading rushers Daniel Hishaw Jr. and Velton Gardner.

Texas Tech, Oct. 30: The Red Raiders lost to the Sooners 62-28 in Lubbock last season. Despite that, third-year head coach Matt Wells will look to power up his offense with Oregon graduate transfer quarterback Tyler Shough, who led the Ducks to the Pac-12 title in 2020.

Texas Tech will also have some returning players to help Shough.

Junior running back SaRodorick Thompson was the Red Raiders’ leading receiver last season. His presence alongside that of 6-foot-3 junior receiver Erik Ezukanma could be a pivotal key to the rise of Texas Tech’s offense in 2021.

Wells, in his three seasons with the Red Raiders, has lost twostraight matchups against the Sooners. While 2021 looks to be another season of rebuilding, Texas Tech’s offense will be much improved, which could wreak havoc on the Big 12’s top programs.

At Baylor, Nov. 13: Baylor took a downturn in 2020, following a Big 12 Championship Game appearance in 2019 with a 2-7 season under first-year head coach Dave Aranda. That included a 27-14 loss to the Sooners in Norman in a game highlighted by an impressive defensive performance by the Bears.

Despite its poor record, Baylor was highly competitive throughout last season, with four of the Bears’ losses coming by 10 points or less.

With Charlie Brewer’s offseason transfer to Utah, the starting quarterback position is up for grabs in Waco. Gerry Bohanon, Jacob Zeno and Blake Shapen are all battling for the job. Bohanon and Zeno have faced the Sooners before, as they combined for 215 passing yards and two touchdowns in the Bears’ 30-23 loss to OU in the 2019 Big 12 Championship Game.

Whoever starts at quarterback will have an experienced wide receiver core to throw to, led by R.J. Sneed and Tyquan Thornton, who combined for 655 yards and five touchdowns in 2020. Ben Sims, who caught three touchdowns last season, will return to start at tight end. Trestan Ebner, who scored four times in 2020, returns to start at running back in his fifth season.

The Baylor defense revolves around a strong linebacker group of Terrel Bernard, Abram Smith and Dillon Doyle, who combined for 159 tackles last season. Baylor’s secondary allowed just 203 passing yards per game last fall, ranking second in the Big 12. All five starters return, including safety Jalen Pitre, who was the Bears’ leading tackler in 2020.

Iowa State, Nov. 20: Berths in the Big 12 Championship Game and College Football Playoff could be on the line when Iowa State comes to Norman for OU’s senior day.

In 2020, the Cyclones earned their first win against OU at home since 1960, defeating the Sooners 37-30 thanks to two late rushing touchdowns from quarterback Brock Purdy and running back Breece Hall. Later in the season, the Sooners got their revenge when they beat the Cyclones 27-21 in the 2020 Big 12 Championship Game.

Iowa State earned its first ninewin season since 2000 last year and defeated No. 25 Oregon 34-17 in the Fiesta Bowl. The Cyclones finished the season ranked No. 9 in the AP Poll for their first top-10 finish in program history.

Iowa State returns 20 starters, including Purdy, reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year Hall and linebacker Mike Rose, the reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.

Iowa State also brings back wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson, who won Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year last season.

Two All-Big 12 offensive linemen, Colin Newell and Derek Schweiger, also return, as well as defensive end Will McDonald, who had 10.5 sacks in 2020. McDonald bolsters an Iowa State front that had the Big 12’s top rushing defense last season.

Matt Campbell enters his sixth season as Iowa State’s head coach and is one of three active Big 12

coaches with a win over Oklahoma.

His squad ranked third in the Big 12 in total offense and second in total defense last season.

At Oklahoma State, Nov. 27: The Bedlam game often ends the regular season for Oklahoma, but in 2020 it was a midseason matchup.

That game saw the Sooners earn a dominant 41-13 win for their 90th overall victory against the Cowboys.

This season, however, Bedlam returns to its traditional spot as OU’s regular season finale.

Oklahoma State went 8-3 in 2020, defeating No. 18 Miami 37-24 in the Cheez-It Bowl for its fourth bowl win in the past five seasons. Quarterback Spencer Sanders returns, having thrown 30 touchdowns and 19 interceptions in two seasons as OSU’s starter.

The Cowboys will replace running back Chuba Hubbard and wide receiver Tylan Wallace with familiar faces. Oklahoma State’s backfield contains Dezmon Jackson, LD Brown and Dominic Richardson, who combined for 1,207 rushing yards last season. At wide receiver, OSU will lean on Brennan Presley and Braydon Johnson, who combined for 373 yards and four touchdowns last fall.

Despite the loss of All-Big 12 selection Rodarius Williams, OSU boasts an experienced secondary. Starting cornerback Jarrick Bernard-Converse returns, as well as senior safeties Tre Sterling, Tanner McAllister and Kolby Harvey-Peel, all of whom finished top five on the team in tackles.

The Cowboys are coached by Mike Gundy, who enters his 17th season at the helm. Despite his long tenure, he’s only beaten Oklahoma twice, with his last win coming in 2014. The Sooners haven’t lost in Stillwater since 2011 and will look to earn their seventh-straight victory over their in-state rival while the Cowboys look to spoil OU’s College Football Playoff hopes.

– Compiled by Colton Sulley, Grayson Blalock, Jason Batacao and Nick Coppola

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

August 2021 •

27

Horning: 5 reasons to hope CLAY HORNING @clayhorning

Now’s the time.

This is the year.

It’s got to be.

Right?

Maybe Oklahoma’s not a great defensive team, but the Sooners are no longer horrendous and that’s more than you can say about pretty much every one of its defenses that reached the College Football Playoff nonetheless.

OU has the Heisman Trophy favorite and Big 12 preseason offensive player of the year at quarterback in Spencer Rattler and, after losing two games it shouldn’t have a year ago, to Iowa State and Kansas State, the latter one it shouldn’t have lost in a million years, the Sooners are bound not to make those same mistakes again.

It just makes sense.

Maybe that’s right.

If that’s where you’re at — it just makes sense — this ought to help.

Because while there are reasons why it’s not OU’s year, too — like returning no running game nor a receiver who caught more than 37 passes last season — it still feels like it is.

For crying out loud, the Sooners are No. 2 in the preseason AP Top 25, a spot from which they’ve never began so high since opening No. 1 way back in 2011.

So we’re going with it’s their year, because it just makes sense and here are five reasons it does.

1. Defense: Just maybe, it really is a great Sooner defense thirdyear coordinator Alex Grinch is about to put on the field. If it’s better than last season, that may be the only way to describe it.

A year ago, only five teams total

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

Lincoln Riley hoists the Big 12 championship trophy, the sixth consecutive that OU has won, last season in Arlington, Texas, as players look on.

and two Power 5 teams held opponents to less than 300 yards of total offense per game. Here’s what the Sooners did to close last season.

Allowed 351 to TCU, though the Horned Frogs scored just 14 points; allowed 400 to Texas Tech, but almost all of it after taking a 42-7 lead 6:28 before the half; allowed 246, 246 and 288 to Kansas,

Oklahoma State and Baylor; allowed 392 and 521 to Iowa State and Florida, which is not 300, but the Sooners picked off three passes in each of those games, finally getting the turnovers Grinch had been demanding for two seasons.

In previous playoff appearances OU allowed 37, 58, 45 and 63 points to Clemson, Georgia,

Alabama and LSU. Those days are over.

2. Year 2 QB mojo: Don’t think of Spencer Rattler as Spencer Rattler. Try to think of him, instead, as a second-year starting quarterback.

In 2000, Josh Heupel was a second-year starting quarterback. OU

won the national championship.

In 2008, Sam Bradford was a second-year starting quarterback. OU played for the national championship.

In 2010, Landry Jones was a second-year starting quarterback. It was by far his best season and OU finished the season No. 3 and Jones finished with so much

28

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

• August 2021

OU head coach Lincoln Riley drills with his quarterbacks during fall camp.

TREY YOUNG/ THE DAILY

promise, OU was preseason No. 1 the next season.

In 2016, Baker Mayfield was a second-year starting quarterback and set a college football record for passing efficiency of 196.4. He’d beat it the next season, but still.

Maybe Rattler can follow suit.

3. No more shockers: OU cannot keep doing what it seems to do at least once most seasons, and that’s lose a game it should never lose.

A year ago it was unranked Kansas State. The year before that it was unranked Kansas State. The year before that it was No. 19 Texas.

The year before that it was unranked Iowa State. The year before that it was No. 15 Houston, which wound up losing four games and falling out of the polls.

OU always seems to be finding itself in November. The Sooners are due a season they build from start to finish.

4. It’s Lincoln Riley’s turn: All right, all right, Alabama’s Nick Saban’s a college coaching god.

We know, we get it, we stipulate to it. But is Clemson’s Dabo Swinney a better coach than Lincoln Riley?

Is LSU’s Ed Orgeron?

Most would pencil Riley No. 2

or 3 on the list of best active coaches. Swinney’s national championships should make him No. 2 behind Saban, but how he does it is kind of a mystery. Riley’s no mystery. Just an offensive genius. And in Grinch, he found the right Robin to his Batman. So it’s time for him to get his national championship.

5. It’s OU’s turn, too: The Sooners’ post Barry Switzer national championship chasing history is kind of wild.

In 2000, the last time OU won it all, it began the season No. 19 in the AP media poll and No. 20 on

the coaches’ list.

It began the next three seasons No. 1 or No. 2, but couldn’t quite finish. No. 1 to begin the 2011 season, the Sooners went 9-3.

In 2015, they began No. 19, reached No. 3 and led Clemson 17-16 going into the half in the national semifinal.

In 2017, they were No. 7 to begin the season and reached No. 2, yet somehow allowed the biggest second-half comeback in Rose Bowl history to Georgia in the national semifinal.

Here we are.

OU is a preseason No. 2.

Since 2000, the Sooners have

suffered three four- or five-loss seasons. Every other, they’ve lived in the top 10 or finished in it, yet it’s somehow been 20 seasons without a national championship. The 14-season drought between 1985 and 2000 seemed longer even though it wasn’t.

Now’s the time.

This is the year.

It’s got to be.

Right? cfhorning@normantranscript.com

2 4 / 7 Y E A R - R OUN D A V A I L A B I L I T Y

OU

P olice D epar tm en t WE L C OME

S T UDE N T S !

OU P OL I C E DE P A R T M E N T 2775 S. MON I T OR AV E NUE N OR MA N , OK 730 72 E ME R G E N C Y : 9 11 N ON E ME R G E N C Y : 4 0 5 - 3 2 5 - 17 17

E NS UR I NG Y OUR S AF E T Y I S OUR P R I OR I T Y .

T H E OU P OL I C E DE P A R T ME N T I S A N A C C R E DI T E D L A W E N F OR C E ME N T A G E N C Y R E S P ON S I B L E F OR C OOR DI N A T I N G A N D P R OV I DI N G E ME R G E N C Y A N D P UB L I C S A F E T Y S E R V I C E S T O T H E N OR MA N C A MP US .

O U . E DU / P O L I C E @ O U P DN O R M A N U N I V E R S I T Y O F O K L A H O M A P O L I C E DE P A R T M E N T : OUP D N OR MA N U N I V E R S I T Y O F O K L A H O M A P O L I C E DE P A R T M E N T

The Honors College welcomes you to OU!

Top Reasons to Join the

Honors College

REQUIREMENTS

Requirements for Admittance:

Courses

From High School: • 3.75 GPA or Top 10% of graduating class • 30 ACT or 13 0 SAT • Honors College application and essay

Diversity

With College Credit: • 15 college credit hours with at least a 3.4 GPA • Honors College application and essay

Small classes with outstanding faculty

Every undergraduate college is represented in the Honors College

Research

Requirements for Graduation:

Reading Groups, Discussion Groups, Outdoor Adventure, Film Club

• 18 total hours of Honors credit including: HON 2973 (Perspectives) – 3 hrs HON 3993 (Colloquium) – 3 hrs )0/ 3FTFBSDI 3 hrs • $PNQMFUJPO PG BO )POPST UIFTJT • ‘C’ or higher in all Honors courses • 3.4 GPA or higher

Recognition

CONTACT US

Various programs for undergraduate research opportunities

Extracurriculars Earn cum lade, magna cum lade, summa cum laude at graduation and on your diploma

ou.edu/honors (405) 325-5291 honors@ou.edu

30

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

• August 2021

Bonitto back and ready to eat Linebacker makes up for calm demeanor with on-field ferocity JESSE CRITTENDEN @JCritt31

On the field, Nik Bonitto is one of the more ferocious pass rushers in college football.

But off the field, the redshirt junior’s demeanor is much different.

He developed an evenkeeled attitude from his father, who always taught him to work hard and to stay committed to his passion for football. “(My dad’s) more of a grounded person. Don’t really talk too much, just kinda to himself,” Bonitto said during the first week of fall camp. “As for my mom, she can talk all day to anybody. She can meet a stranger and just talk all day to them but I’d probably say I get it from my dad for sure.”

It’s a mindset that kept the outside linebacker in Norman, even as he struggled when he first arrived on campus in 2018. His coach, Lincoln Riley, said Bonitto had a tough time with his transition to college, and was at times difficult to reach.

Riley admitted he wasn’t sure if Bonitto would finish his college career with the Sooners.

“He had to really turn it around, and I give the kid a lot of credit,” Riley said during Big 12 Media Days. “He’s really, in every part of his life, has really taken a dramatic shift. … His turnaround has been fantastic. It’s a great story to

see where he was. And I think it’s great for a lot of young athletes out there. They ought to read his story.”

It’s a good thing for the Sooners that he stayed.

His ascension to one of the top defensive players in the country began last year, where he stood out as an elite pass rusher. According to Pro Football Focus, Bonitto ranked first among 257 pass rushers in pass-rush grade and push-rush win rate.

He finished second on the team with 8 sacks and, 10.5 tackles for loss and led the team in quarterback hurries with 10. He was named to the All-America Second Team by the Associated Press and to the PFF All-America First Team.

The expectations are higher for him this season. In July, he and teammate Perrion Winfrey were named to the preseason All-Big 12 list, and Bonitto was also named to the watch lists for the Butkus, Bednarik and Nagurski awards.

But for Bonitto, all of the preseason expectations can’t serve as distractions. “(My dad) just wants me to stay with that same hunger when I didn’t have all those accolades because I remember I was really hungry, I got mad, (when) I didn’t see my name on those watch lists (last season),” Bonitto said. “I feel like I’ve just gotta carry it the same way as it is now. All that stuff doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, I’ve gotta do my job and do the things I need to do to help this team win.”

Bonitto wasn’t the only

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

Outside linebacker Nik Bonitto makes a tackle during the game against Kansas in Lawrence last season.

Sooner that improved last season. The defense as a whole took a step forward in Alex Grinch’s second season as defensive coordinator, and the team returns several veterans on that side of the ball.

His roommate, linebacker DaShaun White, has noticed Bonitto’s growth as a leader for the younger players on the team.

“He’s definitely come a long way,” White said.

“Honestly, just watching from afar, we’re roommates now, so watching him close, it’s a good thing to see from him. I think it’s the reason he’s the player that he is, just because

he’s matured so much. He’s got a schedule. I don’t know if I know anybody that watches football, just the game, more than Nik. I think that shows up for him. He’s definitely matured quite a bit.”

And just like expectations are high for Bonitto, he has high expectations for the rest of his teammates.

“Every time we step on the field during fall camp, during any game, we’re always going to have that mentality because I feel like since we’ve gotten on campus, we’ve gotten better every day,” Bonitto said. “And last year we started to prove like, ‘OK, we

can really be one of the best D-lines in college football.

And now the expectation is this year that we (have) to be dominant.”

Bonitto’s breakout season last year was fueled by perseverance and belief that he could help change the narrative surrounding his defense.

And he believes he can be even better this season.

“I feel like even though I did have a good year last year, it wasn’t to my standard and what I think I can do,” Bonitto said. “I still have a lot to grow on my game.” jesse@normantranscript.com

THE

IS NOW HIRING! apply: studentmedia.ou.edu/ apply- to-work-at-student-media

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

August 2021 •

33

Winfrey a matchup nightmare Journey started in junior college looks NFL bound CHANDLER ENGELBRECHT @ctengelbrecht

Opposing players stared at Perrion Winfrey as he trotted onto the field.

His 6-foot-4, near 300-pound frame towered over his teammates as Iowa Western’s defense lined up for the start of the second half of its 2019 season opener. Tied 7-7 against Coffeyville Community College, Winfrey was entering the contest for the first time.

Held out of the first half due to missing an offseason team activity, Winfrey served as his team’s hype man while sidelined. His hollering drew the opposition’s attention long before his first snap.

The opposing offensive linemen called attention to Winfrey as he shifted into his three-point stance, but their warnings were to no avail.

Winfrey slammed into the ball carrier for a six-yard loss on his second play. That drive ended in a punt, and after the Reivers forced a fumble during their next outing, Winfrey burst into Coffeyville’s backfield again for a six-yard sack.

Iowa Western allowed only 53 yards after halftime en route to a 36-14 win.

“As he matures and plays more football, he’s only going to get better,” Reivers head coach Scott Strohmeier said of Winfrey, thinking back to two seasons ago. “I’ve always said, Perrion’s got all the tools. If he continues to work fundamentally and become a complete player, which he can be, all while trusting the process, he’ll play at the next level.”

Winfrey’s immediate impact

Nose guard Perrion Winfrey extends to complicate a passing attempt against Baylor in Norman last season.

perfectly jumpstarted a season where he solidified himself as one of the nation’s top junior college prospects. The four-star defensive tackle was ranked as ESPN’s No. 1 JUCO recruit in the 2020 class and chose OU over Alabama, LSU and Texas. Winfrey totaled 19 tackles, six for loss and six pass deflections in 11 games for the Sooners last season. Now, with an increased leadership role, the nose guard is expected to help Oklahoma’s defensive line become one of the

country’s best during his senior season.

D e f e n si ve t a ck l e Ja l e n Redmond and end Isaiah Thomas join the Maywood, Illinois, native in the unit. Even with the room’s loss of Ronnie Perkins to the NFL, the Sooners’ depth at defensive line stays strong with the return of Josh Ellison, Jordan Kelley, Kori Roberson and LaRon Stokes.

OU also added four-star Kelvin Gilliam and three-star Isaiah Coe — another Iowa Western transfer

— this offseason.

Winfrey’s physique and personality make him stand out in his position group, which he believes has limitless potential. To achieve that, however, Winfrey must make the same significant strides he’s made in previous seasons. He’s gone from fighting to obtain a Division I offer to helping change the narrative of Oklahoma’s defense, which ranked No. 114 in total defense in 2018. The jump to become a first-round NFL draftee

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

will be another challenge, but it’s one those in Winfrey’s circle say he’s ready for.

“When (Winfrey) got here, he wasn’t all there yet,” senior linebacker DaShaun White said during fall camp. “But he matures really, really fast. And I think it’s just a testament to honestly how bad he wants it. I think he got here and kind of got punched in the mouth a little bit (and) sort of had to settle down, reset. Like, ‘OK, what is it that I want?’ I think that

34

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

• August 2021

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

Perrion Winfrey, who has an affinity for horror films and wears character’s faces in his pads, leads OU’s defense during fall camp in August.

once he circled that, it was easy for him (to say), ‘OK, now I gotta step up as a leader.’

“The way that he adjusted that fast and was able to overcome (his struggles). ... It’s different, and it’s something that stands out.”

‘That kid can do whatever’ Strohmeier’s first impression of Winfrey was simple.

“He’s going to be tough to block,” Strohmeier, who began coaching in 1998, remembers thinking when meeting Winfrey.

Coming out of Lake Park High School in Chicago, Winfrey didn’t qualify academically for DI schools. He was directed to Iowa Western, which has a population of under 6,000, during his recruitment due to the community college’s tendency to help its players reach the DI level.

The Reivers’ football program launched in 2009, and Strohmeier has been its head

coach since. Iowa Western won the NJCAA national championship in 2012 and was fresh off sending wide receiver Nick Easley and running back Mekhi Sargent to Iowa when Winfrey arrived in 2018.

“Kids come to junior college to get a Division I offer,” Strohmeier said. “Kids don’t wake up in the morning and say, ‘My dream school’s Iowa Western Community College.’ I mean, there’s a pretty good situation here, but that’s not their dream.”

Winfrey bought in instantly. Strohmeier and company helped him harness his natural talents and better understand the game’s fundamentals. In turn, he found himself going from the Reivers’ backup nose guard to holding offers from 17 DI programs in five months.

Each offer served as another motivational talking point for Strohmeier, who believed

Winfrey was more than capable of earning the grades necessary to qualify at the Division I level. After two seasons at Iowa Western, in which he had 55 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks and one forced fumble, Winfrey committed to OU just three days after his first visit to Norman in June 2019. He enrolled at OU in January 2020, shortly after the Sooners finished their season 12-2 with a 63-28 loss to LSU in the Peach Bowl.

Strohmeier said Winfrey quickly bonded with defensive line coach Calvin Thibodeaux thanks to the coach’s junior college experience. Thibodeaux coached Navarro College’s defensive line in 2010, where he helped the Bulldogs to an 11-1 record and an NJCAA national championship. The Sooners’ new look defense, implemented by defensive coordinator Alex Grinch when he arrived

in January 2019, also piqued Winfrey’s interest. His arrival last season brought a different feel to OU’s defense. ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit noted that during ESPN’s broadcast of Oklahoma’s 41-13 win over Oklahoma State.

“They haven’t had guys like that,” Herbstreit said as Winfrey flexed after bringing down running back Dezmon Jackson at OSU’s line of scrimmage.

“They’ve had some good players, but Winfrey can win. (And) they’ve got guys that can win one-on-one across the entire defensive line.”

With Winfrey, the OU defensive line looks like one the Sooners’ haven’t had in decades.

In fact, some of the school’s best to play the position have taken notice.

Tommie Harris, who played defensive tackle at Oklahoma from 2001 to 2003 before playing eight seasons in the NFL, believes Winfrey is “one of the top

guys to watch” in college football. Like Winfrey, Harris’ stature made him easy to spot. Harris stood 6-foot-3 and weighed approximately 290 pounds while at OU. Harris’ play matched his intimidating frame, making him a consensus first team AllAmerican in 2002 and a unanimous selection in 2003. He appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s season preview in August 2002, titled “So Good It’s Scary.” Though that capitalized on his reputation, Harris preferred to let his game speak for himself.

“I just wanted to make noise,” Harris said. “I just knew when I put my hand down, I didn’t have to talk. I don’t have to growl. I’m going to say nothing and just put my hands on ‘em. … You don’t have to do all of that talking. Put your feet to work, make some noise and get off the field on third downs.

“If Perrion can lock in, focus, go all in and cut out all the other stuff for this one year, (his) last year in college, the sky’s the limit for his potential. He has such an upside. I think he just has to keep being Perrion. … If he starts working on the professional level of his game, he’s going somewhere. That kid can do whatever he puts his mind to.

It’s his future to decide.”

‘Everyone just loves Perrion’ Winfrey uses every on-field advantage he can get.

To get his opponents even more on edge, he’ll showcase his favorite pastime within his game attire. Winfrey inserted imprinted portraits of Michael Myers — the main character of the “Halloween” slasher films — in his thigh pads during OU’s Big 12 championship game against Iowa State. Though his statline for the contest came up empty, he still kept quarterback Brock Purdy uncomfortable as the Sooners won 27-21.

FOOTBALL PREVIEW Winfrey used a similar tactic at Iowa Western. Strohmeier remembers Winfrey often wearing a skull-themed neck gaiter while watching from the sidelines.

“We weren’t even in COVID yet and he was just wearing this stupid mask,” Strohmeier said with a laugh. “But hey, that’s who he is. … Everyone just loves Perrion.”

OU head coach Lincoln Riley isn’t a horror movie buff like Winfrey, but he’s an advocate for his locker room endeavors. Riley said Winfrey has become one of the team’s most vocal competitors and, by extension, leaders.

“He’s probably, within the locker room, one of the more beloved members on the team,” Riley said during camp. “He’s just so for everybody in that room and the guys see that.

He’s got a passion for playing the game and works really, really hard at it. He’s a fun guy to be around off the field (and) always got a smile on his face. … A lot of people have really taken to him.”

R ile y b elie ves Winfre y’s leadership sets a tone for the Sooners. Leaders can come from any position, Riley said, but leaders like Winfrey can create a culture that’s rarely matched.

Strohmeier saw that effect first hand. After growing more acquainted with the Reivers’ program, Strohmeier said Winfrey made Council Bluffs a more welcoming and fun atmosphere for his teammates. He also began to foster long-lasting relationships.

Winfrey visited Strohmeier’s office regularly, where the two would either discuss ways to improve Winfrey’s academics or just talk about life.

Winfrey and Strohmeier still keep in touch. When Oklahoma defeated Texas last year, Winfrey texted Strohmeier pictures of the Sooners’ post-game celebrations with the Golden Hat. Winfrey blocked a go-ahead Longhorn field goal in the game’s third overtime period before a 53-45 victory.

August 2021 •

35

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

Defensive lineman Perrion Winfrey rushes quarterback Brock Purdy during OU’s Big 12 Championship Game against No. 6 Iowa State at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, last December.

“He feels like he’s forever indebted. ... He’s just so appreciative (of ) what others have done for him,” Strohmeier said. “To get sent pictures of him holding trophies ... that tells me that he enjoys the experience he had here.”

Winfrey’s success at OU is a direct result of his maturation, Strohmeier believes. And that’s molded Winfrey into one of Riley’s top leaders.

“We know where we’re trying to go and the standard that needs to be held to get there,” Winfrey said at Oklahoma’s local media day in early August. “So, we’re constantly pushing each other. ... We just know when somebody’s doing something that they don’t need to do, and we just get with them immediately because we don’t want any of that cancer on the team.

So, we’re constantly, constantly looking at ways to make the

team better and just improve.

“We just know what is expected of us, so that’s what we do.”

‘He’s a beast’ With a shot at a seventh straight conference championship, a College Football Playoff berth and a possible NFL Draft selection looming, Harris’ best advice for Winfrey and the Sooners is to take the 2021 season one day at a time.

Harris visited with OU’s defense this summer and believes Thibodeaux has crafted one of his best units yet. With outside expectations rising, Harris believes Winfrey’s down-to-earth demeanor will benefit his team in the long haul.

“He’s a 21-year-old who’s doing the best with what he’s got,” Harris said. “He’s growing in the eyes of the public. He’s becoming a grown man. ... He’s a beast, but he’s growing into his

manhood. We all have our troubles, our ups and downs, but I think this is the year he locks in and handles what he needs to do.”

Winfrey taking that final step to becoming an NFL-level nightmare for offensive lines is exactly what Thibodeaux wants.

“He needs to be a dude,” Thibodeaux said. “He needs to play how he looks. He’s a guy who can do it and do it at a high level. We’re expecting big things from him. If he plays the way he’s capable of, he’s an NFL guy.”

The Sooners’ offense appears primed for another record-shatter ing season behind redshirt sophomore quarterback and Heisman Trophy favorite Spencer Rattler. A stout defense with pro-level talent could finally end the team’s playoff win drought and position the Sooners to capture their eighth national title.

Furthermore, with a move to the SEC on the horizon, Winfrey knows a strong performance from the Sooners’ entire defense would establish a new narrative for the program going forward. But, like Harris advised, Winfrey’s current focus is game-by-game. “(The SEC move) doesn’t pertain to our season or what we’ve got going on,” Winfrey said. “But, when I saw that it happened, I was honestly excited because I can’t stand the noise saying that we’re in the Big 12 and we can’t handle the SEC. “We’re just really ready to put (ourselves) on display and show the rest of the world what we’re capable of.” chandler.engelbrecht@ou.edu

36

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

• August 2021

He puts ‘back’ in linebacker

Sixth-year Caleb Kelly overcomes another injury MASON YOUNG @Mason_Young_0

Caleb Kelly tried to pick up his helmet to no avail.

Playing for Kastner Intermediate School in its eighth grade championship game, Kelly had unhappily come off the field for medical attention. He wanted to be back on the turf with his Fresno teammates fighting for a title, and picking up that helmet was the only thing standing in his way.

Kelly’s elbow was broken, but he refused to admit defeat. He didn’t want to seem weak. He wouldn’t leave the stadium to see a doctor and wouldn’t obey the team athletic trainer’s commands to rest. So the trainer told him if he could pick up his helmet with the mangled arm, he could go back in.

“He couldn’t,” his mother Valerie said. “And so that was pretty devastating for him.”

It left him resolved to never feel that devastation again. So as he talked with head coach Lincoln Riley following a fall camp practice last August and learned the Sooners would preserve his scholarship for the 2021 season, he knew he was coming back for a sixth year. Earlier that day, he’d torn his ACL for the second time at Oklahoma following the same injury in 2019 spring camp. He’d be out the entire 2020 season after missing all but four games in 2019. Both times, driven by that eighth-grade experience, he knew he wanted to return and earn his keep.

During that August practice,

Redshirt senior linebacker pauses for a moment during fall camp this August.

Kelly had made a hard cut right before wrapping up a teammate and feeling his knee pop. Though he jogged off on his own power, a follow-up test revealed the injury would require surgery. Yet, later that day, inside linebackers coach Brian Odom was unsurprised when he watched Kelly enter the position meeting, ready to take notes and keep learning.

“He’s a guy of very, very deep faith, and add to that his maturity level,” Odom said. “You know if there is one guy that’s going to come back from two injuries like that, it’s going to be Caleb.”

Once a highly touted five-star prospect from Fresno’s Clovis West High School, Kelly said Tuesday — speaking to reporters for the first time since his second

injury — he’s never considered leaving football behind or giving in to doubts and those who questioned why he keeps playing.

Valerie said he’d expected to reach the NFL after three seasons at OU. Though it’ll take him six years to reach the pros now, that’s a dream he still hasn’t given up on.

“When I see myself making plays and having fun and enjoying

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

it still, there’s really that fear in ‘Oh my god, am I gonna get hurt again’ ... but that’s weakness to me when I see other people give in to it,” Kelly said. “And everybody has their own opportunities, their own decisions to make, it’s their lives. But when I see people give in to the hurt, give in and don’t work as hard, don’t want to do the little things that you did before, It’s just

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

August 2021 •

Caleb Kelly (foreground) and Brendan Radley-Hiles point to the crowd before the Bedlam game against Oklahoma State in November 2019.

kind of like a weakness to me. And so that’s what drives me. I don’t want to be weak.”

In his darkest times, Kelly’s faith, family and friendships helped him persevere. Now, Kelly will compete in a game for the first time in 616 days in the Sooners’ Sept.

4 opener at Tulane. Beyond that matchup, the 23-year-old veteran,

who’s the only current OU player to appear in retired coach Bob Stoops’ final game, remains hungry. He’ll be looking to maximize his extra year of eligibility provided by COVID-19 to regain a starting spot and make the NFL jump in 2021.

“I don’t want to be somebody who gave in to something that

was hard just because it was hard,” Kelly said. “And I don’t want to stop playing football because I love it and I’m still good at it.”

‘He’s the guy that you have to drag off the field’ Bryan Wilcots, Kelly’s best friend since fourth grade, was there when he broke his elbow.

Wilcots watched Kelly walk around with a makeshift sling, coaching his teammates from the sideline. He was also there to see Kelly, who didn’t meet his father until junior high, care for his younger brother, Jeremiah, while his mother, a customer service representative for a utility company, worked to provide.

37

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

Even then, Kelly’s dream was to play in the NFL, and it was all he and Wilcots talked about. In all pursuits, football or personal, Kelly was relentless and viewed giving up as a sign of weakness.

“He’s the guy that you have to drag off the field,” said Wilcots, who still talks to Kelly almost daily.

“He’s going to give everything he

38

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

• August 2021

has and the only way he’s going to stop playing is because he physically can’t. There’s nothing else.”

Kelly hanging up his helmet wouldn’t exemplify what he learned from his late mentor Tony Perry, after teaching him at his DB Guru camps during high school.

Players he competed alongside in those camps wouldn’t have relented either. Perry always had his pupils competing to win. Kelly was often one of the youngest players, looking to test his mettle against older athletes.

His determination persisted as he became a highly recruited star for Clovis West. While he was never injured beyond eighth grade until coming to OU, Kelly was always pushing to be the best and realize his potential.

That same resiliency compelled Kelly to play 11 games with a torn labrum while helping OU to a College Football Playoff semifinal in 2017. Now it’s carried him again through two torn ACLs back to helping his team chase its first championship since 2000.

Instead of hanging up his helmet, Kelly has once again picked it up.

‘Find something that you believe in’ During his senior year at Clovis West, a coach recruiting Kelly had one piece of advice. “‘I don’t know if you believe in Jesus, but you better find something that you believe in,’” Valerie recalled the coach telling her son. “‘Because when you do get injured, or when your coaches aren’t playing you, you better have something else that you can go to.’”

Kelly has taken that advice to heart. He’s known as much for his leadership off the field as his leadership on it. He’s the president of OU’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter and is involved at nearby Victory Family Church.

Jeremy Tims, the FCA area director, has seen Kelly at his worst and his best. He counted as Kelly spoke at meetings, sharing his testimony with over 3,000 people

in his first two years at OU, then over 5,000 people after his fourth year in Norman. On his 21st birthday, his faith even compelled him to seek out and call his biological father, telling his dad he forgave him for not being part of his upbringing.

“He was able to balance his schedule and still make time to go out and use his influence that he had as an OU athlete to show people and tell people what he’s all about,” Tims said. “And then of course through the bad times, the valleys he’s had to face … that’s exactly where people found out just really who Caleb Kelly was.”

In 2018, Kelly was named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team for his charitable work in Norman, Haiti and beyond. And the same day news of his first ACL injury broke, he was a panelist for a talk about mental health in sports the Sooners hosted at Gaylord FamilyOklahoma Memorial Stadium.

Amid his times recovering from injuries, teammates have referred to him as “Coach Kelly,” for his ability to motivate them, just like he did at Kastner Intermediate with his arm in a sling. Leading into the 2020 season, he headed the team’s racial justice task force. Riley created the squad as tensions flared around the nation after the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others at the hands of police.

Kelly completed his bachelor’s degree in communications in 2019 and earned his master’s in organizational leadership in 2020.

In 2021, he’ll graduate with a second master’s in business administration and management.

“You think when you get four games under your belt at the end of the season, that it’s not going to happen again,” Valerie said, referencing the days before his second injury. “And then when it does, you have to find purpose in everything else that you do, and you have to remember why we’re here. We’re here for school, we’re here for education, we’re here for everything else that adds up to

who we are as a person. And then yes, (football) is something we do, but it’s not everything we are. It was pretty rough, but Caleb is resilient, and he’s just optimistic and very positive, and I think that helps a lot.”

Kelly admitted his return wasn’t easy, even characterizing it as depressing. He found it difficult to attend practice and watch film without being on the field or in the videos. Occasionally, twice-daily rehab stints kept him out of meetings and huddles. Some teammates joked he was “joining the outcast group” by being injured.

He wasn’t able to travel to every game, especially during a 2020 season plagued by COVID-19. He became the forgotten man in a few group texts, too.

In those times, he leaned on his mother and Adriana Maldonado, his girlfriend of five years. Inside the program, he leaned on other injured Sooners. Ties with former teammates Kenneth Mann, Tre Norwood and Jon-Michael Terry and current teammates Jordan Kelley and Justin Harrington helped carry him through rehabs.

Kelly is also close with safety and team captain Pat Fields, who will be in his shoes for most of the spring after undergoing a minor procedure. Fellow linebackers DaShaun White and Bryan Mead have been in his corner, too, the latter being a fellow sixth-year senior.

“When you do get the opportunity to come back, it’s such a relief,” Kelly said. “If you give up in that moment of sadness and pain, that could be your last memory of football. And now that I’m back, I wake up every day and I walk in and … these are my guys again. And so they welcome you back in just like how a freshman would come back in, but it’s even more because they all know you and remember you, and then you start making plays again. … If you give up in that moment, you’re missing out on that opportunity that you have coming up.”

After living alone during the

2020 season, Kelly now shares residence with Kelley. Their third roommate is Kelly’s dog, Koa. The Australian Shepherd’s name means “brave,” which is exactly what Kelly has become, putting aside his fear — or his self-proclaimed weakness — of being reinjured to come back for another season.

‘This is what he wanted’ Once Kelly declared he’d return for 2021 via Twitter after OU’s Dec. 19 Big 12 Championship win, one question became his fit on the Sooners’ roster.

Kelly played outside linebacker during his first two seasons in Norman, starting 19 games. In 2018, he moved to inside linebacker but lost his starting job to senior Curtis Bolton before moving back outside to start the last five games.

Now, Oklahoma boasts more depth at linebacker than in Kelly’s previous seasons.

Redshirt junior Brian Asamoah emerged at weakside linebacker in 2020 with a team-leading 66 tackles, and he’s backed up by a promising sophomore in Shane Whitter. White was consistent at the middle spot in 10 starts last season, and junior David Ugwoegbu had a breakout year as his alternate. Outside, redshirt junior Nik Bonitto has become one of the best pass rushers in college football, while five-star freshman Clayton Smith awaits.

Kelly admits he’s still getting up to speed, saying “my mind is moving faster than my knee” so far in spring camp. Tuesday was one of the first practices where he said his body “caught up.”

“His charge right now is giving himself a chance to go play this fall,” Odom said. “Do the things to get better every day to go play this fall.”

Still, Kelly was expected to start over Asamoah at the weakside position before his second injury.

And it’s difficult to forget some of the plays he’s made when healthy.

There’s his 12-tackle breakout against Auburn in the 2017 Sugar

Bowl — Stoops’ final game before retiring. Then there are his 14 tackles and a fumble recovered for a touchdown against West Virginia in a 2018 win that clinched the Sooners’ Big 12 Championship Game berth. He also has snaps in three College Football Playoff games, having appeared in the 2017 Rose Bowl, 2018 Orange Bowl and 2019 Peach Bowl.

“You can’t discount this guy’s experience, the games played in and the big plays he’s made,” Riley said. “We certainly won’t take it for granted, so he’s gonna have the same opportunity as every linebacker in that room does. … The best guys are gonna play the most, so Caleb’s gonna have a great opportunity and it certainly wouldn’t surprise anybody here to see him take advantage of it.”

When Kelly does return to game action, his coaches, friends and family will be watching intensely.

Valerie may scrutinize more than others, making sure he’s all right emotionally and physically, but she’ll be excited nonetheless.

Regardless of what position he plays, Kelly has what Valerie called a greater testimony to show others how to rely on God. That testimony could increase again if he stars for the Sooners in 2021 and realizes his NFL aspirations.

“I think that when you have a dream, and you’re doing everything you can do to live that dream and fulfill it, you just keep pushing,” Valerie said. “And I know that this is what he wanted. It’s also the feeling when you’re out on the field, being with your brothers, that feeling of showing off God’s talent that he’s given you. All of those things are just part of him and who he is, and so he just wants to push forward and show what he can do as best as he can.” masyoung@ou.edu

Q

SOONER STAT

6 out of 10 NCAA athletes do NOT binge drink

How do I keep my drinking under control when I’m tailgating?

A.

&ŽŽƚďĂůů ƐĞĂƐŽŶ ŝƐ ďĂĐŬ͕ ĂŶĚ EK K z ĚŽĞƐ ĨŽŽƚďĂůů ůŝŬĞ Kh Žƌ ŝƚƐ ĨĂŶƐ͘ Kh ŚŽůĚƐ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ŝŐ ϭϮ ĐŽŶĨĞƌͲ ĞŶĐĞ ĐŚĂŵƉŝŽŶƐŚŝƉƐ͕ Ă ƚĞĂŵ ƚŚĂƚ ƌĞƉĞĂƚĞĚůLJ ĚŽĞƐ ǁŚĂƚ ŝƚ ƚĂŬĞƐ ƚŽ ďĞ ƚŚĞ ďĞƐƚ ŽŶ ĂŶĚ Žī ƚŚĞ ĮĞůĚ͘ ŶĚ Kh ĨŽŽƚďĂůů ŝƐŶ͛ƚ ũƵƐƚ ĂďŽƵƚ ŐĂŵĞƟŵĞ͕ ďƵƚ ĂďŽƵƚ Ăůů ƚŚĞ ĨƵŶ ďĞĨŽƌĞ͕ ĚƵƌŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ĂŌĞƌ ƚŚĞ ŐĂŵĞ͘

^ĂǀǀLJ ĚƌŝŶŬĞƌƐ ŬŶŽǁ ŚŽǁ ƚŽ ŐĞƚ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ŽƵƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƚĂŝůͲ ŐĂƟŶŐ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ǁŝƚŚŽƵƚ ƐĂĐƌŝĮĐŝŶŐ ǁĂƚĐŚŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ŐĂŵĞ Žƌ ĞŶũŽLJŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƌĞƐƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞŝƌ ǁĞĞŬĞŶĚ͘ /Ĩ LJŽƵ͛ƌĞ ƐƚĂƌƟŶŐ LJŽƵƌ ƚĂŝůŐĂƚĞ ĞĂƌůLJ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĚĂLJ͕ LJŽƵ͛ůů ǁĂŶƚ ƚŽ ƉĂLJ ĂƩĞŶƟŽŶ ƚŽ ƚŚĞƐĞ ƟƉƐ͕ ƐŽ LJŽƵ ŐĞƚ ƚŽ ǁĂƚĐŚ ƚŚĞ ŐĂŵĞ͕ ŝŶƐƚĞĂĚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ďŽƩŽŵ ŽĨ Ă ƚŽŝůĞƚ͗ KE͛d ' d Z /> ͗ WƌĞͲŐĂŵŝŶŐ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ ďĞŐŝŶŶŝŶŐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĚĂLJ ĐĂŶ ƌƵŶ LJŽƵ Žī ƚŚĞ ƚƌĂĐŬƐ ďĞĨŽƌĞ ƚŚĞ ƉĂƌƚLJ ƚƌĂŝŶ ĞǀĞŶ ŐĞƚƐ ƐƚĂƌƚĞĚ͘ ǀŽŝĚ ƐŚŽƚƐ ĂŶĚ ŚĂŶĚůĞ ƉƵůůƐ͕ ŵLJ ĨƌŝĞŶĚƐ͘

,ĞƌĞ ĂƌĞ ŵŽƌĞ ƟƉƐ ƚŽ ŬĞĞƉ LJŽƵƌ ĚƌŝŶŬŝŶŐ ƵŶĚĞƌ ĐŽŶƚƌŽů͗

Eat. Ăƚ ďĞĨŽƌĞ͕ ĚƵƌŝŶŐ͕ ĂŶĚ ĂŌĞƌ ĐŽŶƐƵŵŝŶŐ ĂůĐŽŚŽů͘

&ŽŽĚ ŚĞůƉƐ ƚŽ ĚŝůƵƚĞ ĂůĐŽŚŽů ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƐƚŽŵĂĐŚ ĂŶĚ ƐůŽǁƐ ƚŚĞ ĂďƐŽƌƉƟŽŶ ŽĨ ĂůĐŽŚŽů ŝŶƚŽ ƚŚĞ ƐŵĂůů ŝŶƚĞƐƟŶĞƐ͕ ŵĞĂŶŝŶŐ LJŽƵ ŚĂǀĞ Ă ďĞƩĞƌ ĐŚĂŶĐĞ ŽĨ ƐƚĂLJŝŶŐ ŝŶ LJŽƵƌ njŽŶĞ ;ƵƐƵĂůůLJ Ă ŽĨ Ϭ͘Ϭϱ Žƌ ƵŶĚĞƌͿ͘

Drink water.

ůĐŽŚŽů ŝƐ Ă ĚŝƵƌĞƟĐ͕ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŝƐ ǁŚLJ ǁŚĞŶ LJŽƵ͛ƌĞ ĚƌŝŶŬŝŶŐ LJŽƵ ŵĂLJ ŚĂǀĞ ƚŽ ƉĞĞ ŽŌĞŶ͘ dŚŝƐ ĐĂŶ ĐĂƵƐĞ ĚĞŚLJĚƌĂƟŽŶ͕ Ă ĐŽŵŵŽŶ ĐĂƵƐĞ ŽĨ ŚĞĂĚĂĐŚĞƐ ĂŶĚ ŚĂŶŐŽǀĞƌƐ͘

Pace yourself. ƌŝŶŬŝŶŐ

ƚŽŽ ŵƵĐŚ ĂůĐŽŚŽů͕ ƚŽŽ ĨĂƐƚ͕ ĐĂŶ Ŭŝůů LJŽƵ͘ /ƚ ĐĂŶ ĂůƐŽ ůĞĂĚ ƚŽ ďůĂĐŬŽƵƚƐ͕ ǁŚŝĐŚ ƉƌĞǀĞŶƚ LJŽƵ ĨƌŽŵ ƌĞŵĞŵďĞƌŝŶŐ LJŽƵƌ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ͘

Choose beer not liquor. ĞĞƌ ŚĂƐ ůĞƐƐ ĂůĐŽŚŽů ďLJ ǀŽůͲ

&K h^ KE d, W KW> ͗ zŽƵ͛ƌĞ ƚĂŝůŐĂƟŶŐ ƚŽ ŚĂǀĞ ĨƵŶ͕ ŵĂŬĞ ĐŽŶŶĞĐƟŽŶƐ ĂŶĚ ƉƌĞĚŝĐƚ ǁŚĂƚ ǁŝůů ŚĂƉƉĞŶ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŐĂŵĞ͘ ůĐŽŚŽů ŵŝŐŚƚ ďĞ Ă ƐŽĐŝĂů ůƵďƌŝĐĂŶƚ͕ ďƵƚ ŝŶ ƉĂƌƟĞƐ͕ ĂƐ ŝŶ ůŝĨĞ͕ ŝƚ͛Ɛ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŶŶĞĐƟŽŶƐ ǁŝƚŚ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ƚŚĂƚ ĐŽƵŶƚ͘

ƵŵĞ͕ ǁŚŝĐŚ ĞŶĐŽƵƌĂŐĞƐ ƉĂĐŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ŚĞůƉƐ LJŽƵ ĞŶũŽLJ ĞǀĞƌLJ

^d z /E zKhZ KE ͗ 'Ğƚ Ă ;ďůŽŽĚ ĂůĐŽŚŽů ĐŽŶƚĞŶƚͿ ĂƉƉ ĂŶĚ ĮŐƵƌĞ ŽƵƚ ŚŽǁ ŵĂŶLJ ĚƌŝŶŬƐ ǁŝůů ŬĞĞƉ LJŽƵ Ăƚ Žƌ ďĞůŽǁ Ϭ͘Ϭϱ͘ hƐĞ ƚŚĂƚ ĂƐ LJŽƵƌ ůŝŵŝƚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ĚĂLJ͘ ŽǀĞƌ Ϭ͘Ϭϱ ƉƵƚƐ LJŽƵ Ăƚ ƌŝƐŬ ĨŽƌ Ă t/͕ ƐŽ ďĞ ƐƵƌĞ ƚŽ ĂůǁĂLJƐ ƐƚĂLJ ŝŶ LJŽƵƌ njŽŶĞ͊

ŐĞƚ LJŽƵ ŚŽŵĞ ĂŌĞƌ ĐĞůĞďƌĂƟŶŐ ^ŽŽŶĞƌ ǁŝŶƐ͊

͞z ,͕ /͛D 'KK ͗͟ /Ĩ LJŽƵ͛ƌĞ ƐƚĂƌƟŶŐ ĞĂƌůLJ͕ LJŽƵ͛ůů ƉƌŽďĂͲ ďůLJ ŚĂǀĞ ƚŽ ƉĂƐƐ ŽŶ ƐŽŵĞ ĚƌŝŶŬƐ ƚŽ ŵĂŬĞ ŝƚ ƚŽ ŐĂŵĞ ƟŵĞ͘ WĂƐƐ ŽŶ Ă ĚƌŝŶŬ ďLJ ĐŽŵďŝŶŝŶŐ ĞƋƵĂů ƉĂƌƚƐ ŚƵŵŽƌ ĂŶĚ ƐĞůĨͲĐŽŶĮĚĞŶĐĞ͘ ZĞƉĞĂƚ ĂƐ ŶĞĞĚĞĚ͘

ĂƐƉĞĐƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƚĂŝůŐĂƚĞ ĂŶĚ ŐĂŵĞ͘

Designate a driver. Ğ ƐƵƌĞ ƚŽ ŚĂǀĞ Ă ƐŽďĞƌ ĚƌŝǀĞƌ ƚŽ Wear sunscreen.

tĞ Ăůů ŬŶŽǁ ƚŚĞ ƐƵŶ ĐĂŶ ďĞ ďƌƵƚĂů͊ ^ƵŶƐĐƌĞĞŶ ĐĂŶ ŚĞůƉ ƉƌĞǀĞŶƚ ƐƵŶďƵƌŶ͕ ĂŶĚ ĞǀĞŶ ŚĞĂƚ ĞdžŚĂƵƐƟŽŶ͘ tĞĂƌŝŶŐ LJŽƵƌ ĨĂǀŽƌŝƚĞ Kh ŚĂƚ ĐĂŶ ĂůƐŽ ŚĞůƉ ƉƌŽƚĞĐƚ LJŽƵ ĨƌŽŵ ŚĂƌŵĨƵů ƌĂLJƐ ĂŶĚ ŚĞůƉ ŬĞĞƉ LJŽƵ ĐŽŽů͘ dŚĞ ^ŽŽŶĞƌƐ ĂƌĞ ĂŶ ƵŶƉƌĞĐĞĚĞŶƚĞĚ ƚĞĂŵ͕ ĂŶĚ ǁĞ ǁĂŶƚ ƚŽ ŚĞůƉ LJŽƵ ďĞ ƚŚĞ ďĞƐƚ ĨĂŶƐ LJŽƵ ĐĂŶ ďĞ ͘ &ŽůůŽǁ ƚŚĞƐĞ ƟƉƐ ƚŽ ŵĂŬĞ ƐƵƌĞ Ğ ĞǀĞƌLJ ƟƉƐ ƚŽ ŵĂŬĞ ƐƵƌĞ ĞǀĞƌLJ ŐĂŵĞĚĂLJ ŝƐ ŵĞŵŽƌĂďůĞ͊

dŚŝƐ ZĞĚ ƵƉ YΘ ŝƐ ǁƌŝƩĞŶ ďLJ ŚĂƌůĞŶĞ ^ŚƌĞĚĞƌ͕ DW^͕ / W^͕ ŚůŽĞ ^ĂŶĚĞƌƐ͕ > ^t͕ ĂŶĚ DĂĐŬĞĞ ^ůĂƩĞƌLJ͕ ^t ĨƌŽŵ Kh KhƚƌĞĂĐŚ ^ŽƵƚŚǁĞƐƚ WƌĞǀĞŶƟŽŶ ĞŶͲ ƚĞƌ͘ ^ŽŵĞ ĐŽŶƚĞŶƚ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞĚ ďLJ hŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ ŽĨ ƌŝnjŽŶĂ ,ĞĂůƚŚ WƌŽŵŽƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ WƌĞǀĞŶƚĂƟǀĞ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞ ĚĞƉĂƌƚͲ ŵĞŶƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ h ĂŵƉƵƐ ,ĞĂůƚŚ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞ͘ ZĞĚ ƵƉ YΘ ŝƐ ƉĂŝĚ ĨŽƌ ďLJ ^ D,^ ^W&ͲW&^͘

Got a question about alcohol?

Scan the QR code or email it to redcup@ou.edu