Football question

[hoopsaustin]

We haven't a single starter to the portal yet. Job well done and is good as could be done. This is because we put our money on kids that are going to start. We spend whatever it takes to get our best kids to stay. Then, the budget issues come into play. Particularly on defense, we have recruited well and have really good and talented kids that we anticipate or project as backups next year. Examples are Strong, Devan Jordan, Jaden Hardy, Howland, Sammy O and Gentry Williams. We love those kids and absolutely want to keep them, but only at what a backup makes. In each of those kids cases, they simply found universities that will pay them starter money (which isn't in our budget to pay as, for us, they are backups). OU doesn't want to lose them, and most don't want to go, it is just a wise financial decision for them and something we can't prevent. Georgia, Alabama and other blue bloods are experiencing the same thing. Can't pay everyone like a starter, and so you will be vulnerable to losing kids that are projected as depth pieces.

As for Gentry, if we didn't have 3 fairly elite corners, in Eli, Courtney and Jacobe, we would have gambled Gentry would stay healthy and kept him. Georgia, doesn't have 2 elite corners, and is willing to gamble on Gentry. We are already paying 3, and just aren't in a position to pay Gentry what the open market will pay. Pretty easy to understand. But, like some of you, I really hate to lose that kid. I think he will play in the the NFL if he can stay healthy. OU has a lot of money and is spending a lot of money but it isn't unlimited.

Have to quibble with you on jacobe being labeled elite.. he hasn't done anything yet

 

[cbertus6]

Well, if that’s the theory, should we be worried about losing a guy to Georgia? Or will that just be dismissed since he has had injury issues? Most of the guys we have lost have landed at P4 schools, including some very good ones, while many of the guys we are bringing in over the past few days are G5 guys who weren’t exactly at the top of the portal rankings.

To be fair, we haven't lost a single player who would be starting next season outside of MAYBE Jaydan Hardy. That's not to say that losing the depth sucks. It does. But this is happening EVERYWHERE and to much more important pieces of other teams than it struck here. I would've absolutely loved to keep some of these guys leaving. Strong, Hardy, Javonnie, Sammy O, and others. But we added two guys that are upgrades at WR, kept two big pieces who were surefire draft picks, made a massive upgrade to the TE room, added two power 5 OL (one with many years of eligibility), brought in a young corner from Oregon, and added a starting LB from Michigan. I'm not going to pretend we had the best class in the country, but we did what we needed to do and we trimmed a lot of the fat in the process.

 

[WichitaSooner]

To be fair, we haven't lost a single player who would be starting next season outside of MAYBE Jaydan Hardy. That's not to say that losing the depth sucks. It does. But this is happening EVERYWHERE and to much more important pieces of other teams than it struck here. I would've absolutely loved to keep some of these guys leaving. Strong, Hardy, Javonnie, Sammy O, and others. But we added two guys that are upgrades at WR, kept two big pieces who were surefire draft picks, made a massive upgrade to the TE room, added two power 5 OL (one with many years of eligibility), brought in a young corner from Oregon, and added a starting LB from Michigan. I'm not going to pretend we had the best class in the country, but we did what we needed to do and we trimmed a lot of the fat in the process.

Like I have said, I like the upgrades at TE and the first couple WRs. I am in wait and see mode with the OLs because we have struggled so badly there for three years. I like Sullivan. The Oregon DB has barely seen the field. I would rather keep Williams than bring in someone like that, but I know money is a factor. My only big complaint is RB. We have gone round and round on it so I won't go in depth on it again and waste people's time, it can just be summed up by saying that I think that room is still really, really bad, and I think it will really hurt us next season due to lack of high-end talent and/or injuries.

 

[cbertus6]

Like I have said, I like the upgrades at TE and the first couple WRs. I am in wait and see mode with the OLs because we have struggled so badly there for three years. I like Sullivan. The Oregon DB has barely seen the field. I would rather keep Williams than bring in someone like that, but I know money is a factor. My only big complaint is RB. We have gone round and round on it so I won't go in depth on it again and waste people's time, it can just be summed up by saying that I think that room is still really, really bad, and I think it will really hurt us next season due to lack of high-end talent and/or injuries.

I get it on the RB room. Point blank, it has not been good since Gray left. That is unacceptable. You will not catch me defending Murray, because I don't believe he has done a good job and would not be sad to see him gone. That said, I'm in wait and see mode. Maybe I'm being optimisitc, but I do think that with 4 returning starters on the OL (3 of whom were Freshman last season) and an upgraded TE room that we may see a better run game. Plus, we will hopefully get a chance to see Blaylock and X back healthy. It's no given that they will remain healthy, but all of that is leading me to at least pause on raising any red flags just yet.

 

[Eielson]

To be fair, we haven't lost a single player who would be starting next season outside of MAYBE Jaydan Hardy.

Gentry would have started if healthy. He was our best corner, but ultimately he was probably only on the field 30-40% of the time during his 4 years here. Pretty straightforward why we prioritized guys like Eli and Guillory, who have made more of an impact the last two years.

 

[BoulderSooner]

Gentry would have started if healthy. He was our best corner, but ultimately he was probably only on the field 30-40% of the time during his 4 years here. Pretty straightforward why we prioritized guys like Eli and Guillory, who have made more of an impact the last two years.

maybe .. but i don't think so ... and Hardy had 0 chance to be a starter (unless guys were hurt)

 

[cbertus6]

maybe .. but i don't think so ... and Hardy had 0 chance to be a starter (unless guys were hurt)

0 change? I beg to differ. I'm not claiming he was a sure thing to start, but he certainly had a chance of beating out Boganowski for the spot opposite of P Bowen. And I agree with you re: Gentry. I don't believe he starts over Eli and Courtland given the way things have played out. Hell, Jacobe showed some flashes this year and would've pushed him next year should he continue to develop.

 

[BoulderSooner]

0 change? I beg to differ. I'm not claiming he was a sure thing to start, but he certainly had a chance of beating out Boganowski for the spot opposite of P Bowen. And I agree with you re: Gentry. I don't believe he starts over Eli and Courtland given the way things have played out. Hell, Jacobe showed some flashes this year and would've pushed him next year should he continue to develop.

the reason hardy left and boganowski is still at OU is because those players and the coaches (via how much they were offered for next year) and how much they were playing at the end of this year agree with my take ..

 

[cbertus6]

the reason hardy left and boganowski is still at OU is because those players and the coaches (via how much they were offered for next year) and how much they were playing at the end of this year agree with my take ..

I'm not saying all of what you said is incorrect, all I'm pointing out is that Hardy and Bog were fairly close in production. Enough so that it wasn't outside of the realm of possibilities that he challenged him for a spot next season. Bog only took 80 more snaps than Hardy which sounds like a lot, but breaks down to about 6 more per game. And as for what they're being paid, it wouldn't be the first time someone was paid more to ride the pine (looking at you Ott). Again, I believe Bog would and will start, but I just don't think it was a sure thing.

 

[BoulderSooner]

I'm not saying all of what you said is incorrect, all I'm pointing out is that Hardy and Bog were fairly close in production. Enough so that it wasn't outside of the realm of possibilities that he challenged him for a spot next season. Bog only took 80 more snaps than Hardy which sounds like a lot, but breaks down to about 6 more per game. And as for what they're being paid, it wouldn't be the first time someone was paid more to ride the pine (looking at you Ott). Again, I believe Bog would and will start, but I just don't think it was a sure thing.

but by the end of the year the snaps per game were way way different ..

in the playoffs .. Hardy 3 Bog 18 ..

 

[Eielson]

Bog has the potential to be a star. Hardy was a great depth piece that could be a starter elsewhere, but he was going to have to wait a while here.