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USA Today
17 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
ESPN's biggest area of concern for the Sooners isn't really an issue
The Oklahoma Sooners' offense needed a refresh after a 2024 football season that left a lot to be desired. It was a unit that finished 98th in the nation in scoring offense. They brought in a new offensive coordinator, a new quarterback, several new offensive linemen, wide receivers, and tight ends, as well as a former 1,300-yard running back. While Oklahoma added immediate impact players like John Mateer and Jaydn Ott to give the Sooners' offense a boost, there's still a question about the offensive line and tight end. ESPN's Chris Low believes tight end could be the one position that trips up the Oklahoma Sooners in 2025. More: Oklahoma Sooners 2025 preview: Who will start at tight end for the OU in 2025? While who starts at tight end may still be a mystery, even if it's just average, it won't impact Oklahoma's season that much. Tight end wasn't great last year, but it was far from the biggest problem. Offensive line play, wide receiver health, and quarterback were far bigger issues. Bauer Sharp was relied upon in a greater capacity than what everyone intended, with the Sooners' top five wide receivers out for large portions of the season. In 2023, tight end wasn't great when Austin Stogner returned for his last hurrah in college football. However, the Sooners' offense was still really good, finishing in the top five in the nation in scoring offense. Tight end matters. But if everything else on the offense is functioning well, in particular offensive line and quarterback, it won't matter as much what's happening at tight end. The Sooners haven't needed great tight end play over the years to have success on offense but it can't be a negative. The trio of Will Howard, John Locke, and Carson Kent should be able to provide passable tight end play with upside if they're not the focal point in the passing game. Jaren Kanak has a lot of upside athletically, but he's new to the position. Oklahoma threw numbers at the position, hoping that the competition throughout the offseason would answer the question. Time will tell what OU has at tight end in the fall, but given the improvements they've made on the roster elsewhere, Huggins, Kent, and Locke won't be the reason Oklahoma fails to achieve its goals in 2025. The biggest area of concern for the Sooners is actually along the offensive line. They've added talent in Derek Simmons, Jake Maikkula, Luke Baklenko, Michael Fasusi, and Ryan Fodje while retaining all of their key linemen from 2024. There were numerous issues in 2024. If the offensive line had been better, those issues wouldn't have been as magnified. If Oklahoma fixes its line, the Sooners will be a problem in the SEC. If it's more of the same, it could be another long year for the Sooners. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Oklahoma Sooners boast plethora of Preseason All-SEC players in latest prediction piece from major publication
Oklahoma Sooners boast plethora of Preseason All-SEC players in latest prediction piece from major publication originally appeared on A to Z Sports. In their first year in the SEC last year, the Oklahoma Sooners had just four players finish their inaugural season on the All-SEC team, and only one on the First-Team All-SEC. Advertisement However, optimism is much higher heading into 2025, and that's evidenced by this latest prediction piece from Athlon Sports. The Sooners double their first count, sending eight total players onto the All-SEC team, according to Athlon's All-SEC prediction piece. Three players earned First-Team All-SEC nominations: running back Jaydn Ott, wide receiver Deion Burks, and pass rusher R Mason Thomas. Thomas would be Oklahoma's first pass rusher to earn an All-Conference nomination since Obo Okoronkwo in 2017, while Ott would be the first Sooners' rusher since Joe Mixon in 2016. Defensive tackle Gracen Halton finished on the Second-Team All-SEC, joining Florida's duo of Tyreak Sapp and Caleb Banks. Halton tied with Banks in pressures and sacks last season at 29 and four, respectively. Three more Sooners finished on the Third-Team All-SEC: defensive tackle Damonic Williams, linebacker Kip Lewis, and cornerback Eli Bowen. Bowen proved to be a shutdown cornerback for the Sooners as a freshman last season, while Lewis is set to be the leader of the defense in his WILL linebacker role. Advertisement Rounding out Oklahoma's nominations is Eli Bowen's older brother, Peyton, who was named a Fourth-Team nod. Peyton Bowen has yet to step fully into a starting role while behind Billy Bowman Jr. and Robert Spears-Jennings, but is set to be the starter opposite of RSJ and let his talent shine through. It's a bit jarring to not see John Mateer on this list, who lost out on any spot to Arch Manning, Garrett Nussmeier, LaNorris Sellers, and DJ Lagway. Did they get it right? Should any more Sooners have been nominated? For my money, I expect David Stone, Derek Simmons, and PJ Adebawore to put themselves in these talks by the time the season ends. Related: Oklahoma Sooners general manager Jim Nagy's dismissal of star rankings in recruiting is a risky gamble View the original article to see embedded media. This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
08-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Where does Jaydn Ott land in ESPN's spring portal player rankings?
Where does Jaydn Ott land in ESPN's spring portal player rankings? With spring football practice and the NCAA spring transfer portal window in the rearview mirror, we've reached a (mostly) quiet part of the college football offseason. Teams will return after their post-spring ball break for summer workouts, and then fall camp and media days will be here before we know it. The spring was a very busy time for the Oklahoma Sooners, as they wrapped up spring ball on April 12th with the first-ever "Crimson Combine". But, most of the news came via the spring portal window, and OU's movement within. It was new general manager Jim Nagy's first crack at player acquisition and roster management, and he seemed to be up to the challenge. The Sooners faced some drama with defensive tackle David Stone entering the portal, but Nagy, head coach Brent Venables and assistant coaches like Todd Bates convinced him to withdraw a few days later. While retaining Stone was arguably the biggest move of the spring portal window for the Sooners, the acquisition of former Cal running back Jaydn Ott would have to be a close second. In their ranking of transfers from the spring portal window, ESPN ranked Ott third overall on the list. He came in behind only former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who transferred to UCLA, and former Stanford outside linebacker David Bailey, who transferred to Texas Tech. "Cal fought hard to keep Ott in the fold for 2025, but one of the top returning backs in college football is hitting the open market. Ott got off to a spectacular start to his career with the Bears, earning Freshman All-America honors as a true freshman starter in 2022 after putting up 1,218 all-purpose yards and 11 touchdowns in his debut season. He was even better as a sophomore, leading the Pac-12 with 1,315 rushing yards and 12 TDs on his way to first-team all-conference honors. Last year, though, an ankle injury suffered in the season opener made it tough for Ott to play up to his potential. He still managed to play in 10 games but finished the year with 385 rushing yards on 3.3 yards per carry and five total scores. After receiving significant SEC interest this offseason, Ott is ready to get back to playing at a high level but is now looking to do so elsewhere for his senior season." - Max Olson, ESPN. Ott's potential is obvious, and his production from when he was healthy has Sooner fans salivating. His health will be a major key in 205, but he's got a chance to be a star in Norman. "Ott could be at the top of NFL draft boards if there wasn't a drop-off in production last season. While he lacked a formidable offensive line and played on an injured ankle, he still lacked the explosive runs we saw as an underclassman. He'll still be highly coveted in the spring portal market as an instant-impact weapon with his dynamic traits. Ott possesses exceptional feet and lateral agility. He's a verified 4.5 laser in the 40-yard dash with impressive explosive metrics, but his best asset is his vision and ability to pick and slide gap to gap with quick-twitch elusiveness. Ott doesn't give defenders a clean shot in the hole and can stretch and bounce to the perimeter just as effectively. He breaks tackles with balance more than power and is a productive pass-catching weapon out of the backfield, which raises his value and ability to fit into most schemes. Given the wear on the tires, he might not be able to carry the whole load in the backfield." - Billy Tucker, ESPN. Ott steps into the lead back role for the Sooners, and he should be the first option in a room with a lot of good players. His ability could take the Oklahoma offense to another level, lining up next to John Mateer. "The Sooners got solid production from Jovantae Barnes and some encouraging play from Xavier Robinson last season, but they couldn't pass up the opportunity to add a true No. 1 back. He'll team up with quarterback John Mateer in Norman in what should be one of the SEC's most improved offenses this fall." - Olson, ESPN. Ott could have a huge impact this fall, especially if he can stay healthy in a Sooner uniform. While that was the biggest acquisition that Nagy made this spring, Oklahoma wasn't done. They have also added depth at defensive tackle, center, wide receiver, kicker and quarterback. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @Aaron_Gelvin.
San Francisco Chronicle
28-04-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Cal, Stanford football both hit hard by spring transfer portal losses
The transfer portal affords college athletes an unprecedented level of freedom to find a better fit, particularly in football. The sport's primary transfer window takes place during bowl season in December, followed by another 10-day football-only portal period in April that facilitates a second wave of player movement after spring practices conclude. It's common for a program to work through spring ball with two-deep talent that won't be around by preseason camp in August. Even cornerstone pieces can be lost to this cycle, as Cal experienced first-hand earlier this month when former All-Pac-12 first-team running back Jaydn Ott and his backup, Jaivian Thomas – who rushed for 626 yards and seven touchdowns on an impressive 6.3 yards per carry in an elevated role last season – entered the transfer portal with days of one another once the spring portal opened on April 16. Stanford's 10-day window effectively tripled after the school fired head coach Troy Taylor for alleged mistreatment of staffers in late March. After any head-coaching change, a team's players have up to 30 days to enter the transfer portal. Per 247Sports, a recruiting service that invests in a network of websites dedicated to coverage of major college athletics programs, four-star edge rusher David Bailey was among the seven Cardinal players who entered the transfer portal after Taylor's dismissal. 'You can't name a team right now that doesn't have a player that they wish didn't go into this,' Cal general manager Ron Rivera said in a virtual press conference on April 21. With the transfer portal now closed, how did Cal and Stanford do with roster turnover? Cal Bears Cal has received 25 verbal transfer commitments – which among Atlantic Coast Conference schools trails Wake Forest (31), North Carolina (30), Virginia (26) and Louisville (26) in terms of total pledges. The group was ranked eighth in 247Sports' transfer class rankings for the 17-team ACC. Transfers, unlike high school and junior college recruits who sign a national letter of intent (NLI), are not bound to a given school until they enroll in their first class, so a few transfers the Bears welcomed during the December cycle have since re-entered the portal. Of their 25 incoming transfers, 13 are offensive players. An exodus of 23 outgoing transfers on that side of the ball comes in the wake of significant changes to the offensive coaching staff following a fourth consecutive season with a record under .500. Starting quarterback Fernando Mendoza headlined Cal's departures along with Ott and wide receiver Nyziah Hunter. The abrupt loss of five running backs to the portal, including Ott and Thomas, was an unexpected development this offseason. Rivera had relished the promise of an Ott-Thomas one-two punch in the Cal backfield less than a week before they emptied their lockers. In an offense likely to be led by four-star freshman quarterback transfer Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele, they weren't going to be easily replaced. NC State junior transfer Raphael Kendrick, who received the fourth-most carries among Wolfpack running backs last season, and UTSA junior transfer Brandon High Jr., who averaged 7.8 yards per carry with a team-high eight rushing touchdowns as a backup back, are set to join a room that returns only two scholarship players from its spring roster: sophomore Jamaal Wiley and three-star incoming freshman Anthony League. 'Did we give Jaydn Ott a great shot?' Rivera said of the staff's efforts to keep the three-year starter. 'I believe we did. … Sometimes an athlete just thinks, 'I've accomplished all I can here, and it's potentially time to move on.'' Four star: QB Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), RB Jaydn Ott (Oklahoma), WR Nyziah Hunter (Nebraska), WR Tobias Merriweather (uncommitted), RB Byron Cardwell Jr. (uncommitted), WR Mavin Anderson (Texas State). Three-star: RB Jaivian Thomas (UCLA), TE Jack Endries (Texas), WR Mikey Matthews (UCLA), IOL Matthew Wykoff (Houston), WR Josiah Martin (Oklahoma), TE J.T. Byrne (Georgia Tech), EDGE David Reese (Syracuse), S Ryan Yaites (uncommitted), WR Jonathan Brady (uncommitted), TE Camden Jones (uncommitted), EDGE Myles Williams (uncommitted), QB Andrew Maushardt (uncommitted), IOL Dylan Jemtegaard (uncommitted), WR Mason Sterling (San Jose State), OT Trent Ramsey (uncommitted), RB Justin Williams-Thomas (uncommitted), P Bobby Engstler (Arkansas State), S Brooklyn Cheek (Wyoming), TE Nate Rutchena (UC Davis). Two-star: EDGE John Gayer (uncommitted), K Kyle Cunanan (uncommitted). Unranked: TE Simon Mapa (uncommitted), RB Kadarius Calloway (uncommitted), QB Chandler Rogers (uncommitted), K Derek Morris (UMass), LS Caleb Johnston (uncommitted). Four star: QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (Oregon). Three-star: QB Devin Brown (Ohio State), RB Kendrick Raphael (NC State), WR Quaron Adams (South Dakota), EDGE TJ Bush (Liberty), RB Brandon High Jr. (UTSA), EDGE Chris Victor (Chattanooga), CB Quimari Shemwell (Utah), S Dru Polidore Jr. (Montana State), EDGE Jayden Wayne (Washington), WR Dazmin Jones (Arkansas), WR Jacob De Jesus (UNLV), TE Mason Mini (Idaho), IOL Tyson Ruffins (Nevada), LB Buom Jock (Colorado State), S Tristan Dunn (Washington), OT Leon Bell (Mississippi State), IOL Lamar Robinson (Georgia State), IOL Lajuan Owens (New Mexico), CB Hezekiah Masses (FIU), IOL Jordan Spasojevic-Moko (Charlotte), DL Tyson Ford (Notre Dame). Unranked: P Brook Honore (Arkansas State). Stanford Cardinal From a transfer portal standpoint, the firing of Taylor was less of a catalyst than it was confirmation that Stanford was not prepared to field a winning football program. Eighteen of its 25 outgoing transfers entered the portal before Taylor was relieved of his duties. The Cardinal finished 3–9 in both seasons under Taylor, extending its streak of 3-9 records to four. Long gone are the glory days of the David Shaw-led teams in the 2010s. Then a high-profile player also decided it was time to go. Bailey led the Cardinal in sacks back-to-back seasons with seven in 2024 and five in 2023, and left for Texas Tech as a four-star transfer. Stanford's 15 incoming transfers include no four-stars, unless you count Texas Tech sophomore interior offensive lineman transfer Nick Fattig, who was a four-star high school recruit in the 2023 class but has yet to be re-evaluated as a transfer after appearing in four games as a redshirt freshman backup left guard last season. The Cardinal ranks 11th on 247Sports' ACC transfer class rankings. It will most likely take more than one offseason with an interim head coach (Frank Reich) for first-year general manager Andrew Luck to renew Stanford football to what it was when he led the program to an Orange Bowl and a Fiesta Bowl as a two-time Heisman runner-up in 2010 and 2011. Four-star: EDGE David Bailey (Texas Tech), CB Julian Neal (Arkansas). Three-star: QB Bear Bachmeier (uncommitted), WR Emmett Mosley V (Texas), IOL Jake Maikkula (Oklahoma), WR Mudia Reuben (USF), RB Brendon Barrow (uncommitted), WR Ismael Cisse (Arkansas), WR Ahmari Borden (uncommitted), CB Brandon Jones (uncommitted), WR Chase Ferrell (Northwestern), EDGE Aaron Armitage (FIU), S Jaden Siocum (uncommitted), WR Jackson Harris (Hawaii), S Jshawn Frausto-Ramos (Arizona), QB Ashton Daniels (Auburn), IOL Austin Uke (Maryland), WR Jayson Raines (NAU), IOL Trevor Mayberry (Mississippi State), OT Connor McLaughlin (USF), OT Luke Baklenko (Oklahoma), QB Justin Lamson (Montana State). Unranked: CB Evan Jackson (uncommitted), RB Ryan Butler (uncommitted). Incoming transfers Four-star: IOL Nick Fattig (Texas Tech). Three-star: CB Breylan Thompson (Yale), CB Sam Neely (Wake Forest), QB Dylan Rizk (UCF), LB Zach Johnson (Idaho), RB Tuna Altahir (Eastern Washington), OT Kai Greer (Georgia Tech), TE Brendan Doyle (Memphis), WR Caden High (South Carolina State), WR C.J. Williams (Wisconsin), IOL Nathan Mejia (Sacramento State), OT Niki Prongos (UCLA), WR Jordan Onovughe (Colorado), CB Jordan Washington (Dartmouth), WR David Pantelis (Yale). Recruiting stars reflect the latest 247Sports rating assigned to each player, which for some is a new re-evaluated transfer grade while others may have only their old high school ranking. Note that as-yet uncommitted players may not ultimately transfer out, though most do.
New York Times
24-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Which Power 4 programs lost the most talent in the spring transfer portal window?
The 10-day spring transfer portal window traditionally is not as loaded with talent as the winter window. Most Power 4 rosters have had position needs met by now, and NIL budgets are usually tapped out by the time April rolls around. Yet, we've continued to see movement as players look for a boost in pay or a fresh start on a depth chart elsewhere. It's hard to call any P4 program a winner or loser at this point in the process (the portal window closes end of day Friday for both graduates and undergraduates), but it's fair to say some programs have been hit harder by departures than others. Advertisement Yes, Tennessee lost quarterback Nico Iamaleava to essentially a contract dispute, but the SEC, for the most part, was unscathed by losses during the spring window. Here's a look at eight programs that lost notable players. The Cougars have had 10 players enter the portal during the spring window, and two stand out as notable losses. Linebacker Harrison Taggart had 69 tackles, one sack and one interception over 12 starts in 2024. Receiver Keelan Marion, an electric return specialist, ranked third on the team with 24 catches for 346 yards, and he returned two kickoffs for touchdowns last season as well. Of Cal's 17 departures this spring, three were full-time starters on offense. Tight end Jack Endries (Texas) led the team in receiving (56 catches, 623 yards). Receiver Jonathan Brady (36 catches, 386 yards) started 12 games. Running back Jaydn Ott (Oklahoma) was a 1,300-yard rusher in 2023. Three other departures started at least one game in 2024 — receiver Mavin Anderson (11 career starts), leading rusher Jaivian Thomas and safety Ryan Yaites. Cal GM Ron Rivera spoke on the situation with running back Jaydn Ott who left the Bears for Oklahoma after spring ball came to a close. "Did we give Jaydn Ott a great shot? I believe we did." — Cal Rivals (@CalRivals) April 21, 2025 Mike Norvell has not stopped reshaping his roster following a 2-10 season. Four of the nine players who left this spring started games for the Seminoles in 2024, including the only five-star recruit in the Norvell era — receiver Hykeem Williams, who started eight games and caught 21 passes in his two-year career in Tallahassee. Former LSU receiver Jalen Brown, who started two games in 2024, was reportedly dismissed from the team last weekend following an arrest. Terrence Ferguson, a 2024 transfer from Alabama and former top-100 recruit, entered the portal after starting seven games for FSU at left guard this past fall. Jaylen Earl, another former blue-chipper who started six games on the offensive line in 2024, entered the portal on April 14. Advertisement Willie Fritz has had some solid transfer portal victories since taking over the Cougars, including landing tight end Tanner Koziol this spring after he left Wisconsin. But it's not often that a first-team All-Big 12 selection like safety A.J. Haulcy hits the market this time of year. Haulcy, who signed with New Mexico out of high school, led the Cougars with five interceptions and ranked second with 74 tackles last season. He's made 33 career starts. The Cougars also lost cornerback Jeremiah Wilson, who started eight games in 2024 and was second on the team with four interceptions. The Terrapins have lost eight players to the portal this spring, including four to Big Ten and SEC schools. The most notable were starting linebackers Caleb Wheatland (Auburn) and Kellan Wyatt (Indiana). Wyatt started 28 games in his career at Maryland and led the team with 7.5 tackles for loss last season. Wheatland started 11 games and led the Terrapins with four sacks in 2024. Two of Maryland's best young linemen also left for new homes. Terez Davis, a freshman who started two games at left tackle, was picked up by Ole Miss. Defensive lineman Lavon Johnson, a second-year player, was signed by Texas. You knew coach Bill Belichick was going to tinker with the Tar Heels roster quite a bit, and that's continued this spring. North Carolina has had an ACC-high 25 departures this spring, but nine are former walk-ons and all but five were reserves for the Tar Heels last season. The notable losses are Ohio State-bound edge rusher Beau Atkinson, the team leader in tackles for loss (12) and sacks (7.5), and linebacker Amare Campbell, who started 12 games in 2024. Redshirt freshman receiver Christian Hamilton, a four-game starter in 2024, left for West Virginia. When coach Troy Taylor was fired on March 25, it opened the door for other teams to grab key pieces from the Cardinal's roster. Five players have left Palo Alto since, including edge rusher David Bailey (Texas Tech), center Jake Maikkula (Oklahoma), receiver Emmett Mosley V (Texas) and safety Julian Neal (Arkansas). Neal was around for only a few months after transferring from Fresno State during the winter window. Advertisement Bailey led the team with seven sacks, and Mosley was the top returning receiver (48 catches, 525 yards, six TDs). There was speculation that Bear Bachmeier, a four-star QB signee in the Class of 2025, was heading to the portal, but he was reportedly practicing with the team earlier this week. The Orange might have found their next starting quarterback, signing Notre Dame transfer Steve Angeli on Wednesday, but they suffered some significant personnel losses this spring. Ten players departed, including four who have Power 4 starting experience. The most notable are receiver Trebor Pena, who led the ACC with 84 catches for 941 yards and nine touchdowns last fall, and freshman defensive tackle Maraad Watson, who transferred to Texas after starting 11 games in 2024. Enrique Cruz Jr., who started 13 games at left tackle in 2023 for Syracuse, and David Wohlabaugh Jr., who started three games at left tackle in 2024, are the others. (Photo of Justin Wilcox: Darren Yamashita / Imagn Images)
