NORMAN —
The last weekend prior to national signing day proved to be Oklahoma’s most efficient. It brought in two 2013 recruits and landed verbal commitments from both, who plan to sign with the Sooners on Wednesday.
Arizona Western Community College offensive guard Dionte Savage announced Monday that he would sign with OU. Lancaster, Texas, defensive back Dakota Austin gave his pledge to the Sooners during his visit.
The pair gives the Sooners’ 23 verbal commitments in their 2013 recruiting class. Both Savage and Austin are two-star recruits with most of the major recruiting services. Neither is going to shove OU up in the recruiting rankings.
The Sooners’ expected crop for Wednesday is currently ranked No. 13 by Rivals.com, No. 14 by Scout.com, No. 12 by 247Sports.com and No. 20 by ESPN.com. The reason it isn’t higher is it lacks the highly coveted five-star recruit.
What happens in a couple seasons will provide a far better assessment of the groups’ impact. But ESPNU analyst Tom Luginbill believes there’s the potential for at least one star in the group. Four-star running back Keith Ford from Cypress, Texas, has that kind of talent.
“I think Keith Ford is going to step on the field and be a workhorse-type back for the Sooners at a position that I think they need,” he said. “He’s a really physical down-hill guy. He’s a guy that can carry the load and a guy I think can be stronger in the fourth quarter than he his in the first.”
Luginbill also likes the addition of four-star defensive end D.J. Ward, who is already enrolled and will participate in spring practice, as well as the immediate help OU has picked up from the junior college ranks from Trinity Valley (Texas) Community College, from which offensive tackle Josiah St. John and defensive tackle Quincy Russell both hail.
“I think they’ve addressed some of the offensive line and defensive tackle needs with those two,” Luginbill said
The wild card in OU’s class is quarterback Cody Thomas. The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder from Colleyville, Texas, has immense talent and could likely be the Sooners’ starting quarterback in a few seasons.
Getting him to arrive on campus will be the question.
Thomas is also one of the best high school baseball players in the country and will likely be a high-round selection in the Major League Baseball first-year player draft in June.
“Cody Thomas, and baseball and how that plays out will ultimately determine his ceiling and development,” Luginbill said. “There’s no doubt the tools are there. There’s a high level of talent. He’s gonna have to make a choice at some point on what he commits to.”
As of Monday, the Sooners have seven players in the ESPN.com top 300 with Ford, Thomas, Tulsa Washington’s Stavon Taylor, Fresno, Calif., defensive back Hatari Byrd, San Antonio wide receiver Dannon Cavil and St. John earning that classification. Rivals has given four stars to all in the group except St. John.
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RECRUITING: Any game changers on OU's list?
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Verdigris’ Hanslovan commits to ORU
One of the biggest decisions of her upcoming senior year is finally behind Verdigris High School soccer standout Caitlyn Hanslovan.
The four-year letterwinner and three-time Class 4A state champion forward announced Tuesday that she will commit to playing NCAA Division I soccer at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa. -
RSU's Loy earns third-straight Academic All American honor
Rogers State senior outfielder Katrina Loy was named to the Capital One Academic All-America College Division Softball Third Team as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
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Area players earn All-Region baseball awards
The awards keep piling up for Verdigris High School graduate Blake Battenfield.
After being named to the Oklahoma Coaches Association All-State Large East team earlier this week, Battenfield and numerous other players from Rogers County earned OCA All-Region accolades.
Battenfield was joined by his teammate, Ryan Hurd, who was a senior outfielder/shortstop for the three-time Class 3A state champion Verdigris Cardinals. -
NEO softball season ends in Utah
Sophomore pitcher Maggie Ham struck out 12 batters to lead the No. 1 seed Butler (Kan.) Community College Grizzlies to a 5-2 victory over No. 4 seed Northeastern A&M College Friday afternoon in a loser's bracket elimination game of the NJCAA Women's Division 1 National Softball Tournament at the Canyons Complex.
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OBU sends 41 to NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships
Forty-one Oklahoma Baptist track and field athletes make the trek to Marion, Ind., next week for the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships.
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Megan Byford lands Tulsa women's basketball coaching job
Tulsa Head Women's Basketball Coach Matilda Mossman announced today the appointment of Megan Byford as an assistant coach for the Golden Hurricane. Byford comes to Tulsa from the Oklahoma State coaching staff.
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Tulsa's Manning adds walk-on from Wichita
The University of Tulsa Head Coach Danny Manning announced the addition of preferred walk-on Riley Kemmer for the 2013-14 season.
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Danny Manning Basketball Camp set for June 3-6
There is still time to register for Danny Manning Basketball Summer Day Camp and Parent-Child Camp. The Day Camp runs from June 3-6, and the Parent-Child Camp takes place June 14-15, both at the Donald W. Reynolds Center on the campus of The University of Tulsa.
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Tulsa's Teeters shatters school record in 100-meter dash
Freshman John Teeters shattered the Tulsa school record in the 100-meter dash en route to qualifying for the semifinals during the first day of the NCAA West Prelims at Mike A. Meyers Stadium.
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SLC TOURNEY: ORU's Bowen dominates Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Drew Bowen carried a no-hitter into the 7th inning and added to his storied postseason résumé as third-seeded Oral Roberts University knocked off second-seeded Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 6-1, on Thursday afternoon at the 2013 Southland Conference Baseball Tournament.
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