Oklahoma Sooners Football: Oklahoma’s Christmas List

Writing a Christmas list is a holiday tradition for millions of Americans. Whether you’re mailing it to the North Pole, texting it to Mom or just handing it to your significant other, lists are a great way to make sure you get what you’re after.

I like to imagine that Bob Stoops, fresh off a long trip to recruit some promising talents in distant states, likes to kick back by the fire with some hot cocoa and write a letter, too. Not for himself, of course—what else does Bob actually need? (*Cough* another title *cough*.) But for the entire Sooners program. What do the Sooners want for Christmas?

If Santa’s listening, here’s what I think he should leave under the OU tree:

For the offense: Dede’s replacement

Last year, as Oklahoma fans lamented the final days of Sterling Shepard’s college career, Bob’s Christmas list surely had to include a new go-to receiver. And boy, did Santa deliver.

I mean, maybe he didn’t love the cookies OU left out for him, because Dede Westbrook didn’t start the year healthy. But when he finally got right for Big 12 play, that man was maybe the biggest reason that the offense stepped up and became one of America’s best. Suddenly, no one was worried about replacing Shepard—Westbrook outdid him.

But alas, Westbrook’s college time has almost run its course now, too. When Bob meets the Ghost of Christmas Future, will he find his national title hopes in a graveyard next to the Oklahoma passing game? Or will Santa come through with yet another answer next year?

Personally, if I was Santa, Mykel Jones and Jeffery Mead seem like the most logical candidates.

For the defense: Marvin Wilson

I almost put “depth and health” on OU’s list here. But no, there’s a much simpler solution to all this, right? Why hope that eight average talents have better, healthier years when you could just recruit one of the nation’s three best players to campus?

Wilson would do a lot for the Sooners. OU had major issues with its D-line depth this season, especially at tackle. It’s also their biggest position of need need for #SoonerSquad17. Recruiting Wilson would be a huge benefit to the inside linebackers behind him, like Emmanuel Beal and Arthur McGinnis. And the secondary could play with greater confidence behind an improved front seven.

This would be a tough but certainly not impossible job for Saint Nick. Please, slide Marvin Wilson down the chimney.

For the basketball team: A power forward

If Santa could settle the whole Kristian Doolittle/Matt Freeman/Dante Buford fiasco for the Sooners, that’d be great. OU started the year with Doolittle, but decided to give Freeman a chance when he showed a hot three-point stroke off the bench. But that experiment ended after two games. Lon Kruger gave Buford a couple of starts at the four, but he was horrible. So against Memphis, Kruger went back to Doolittle—who proceeded to shoot 0-for-6 from the floor. I mean, really.

At this point, I think it might be worth a shot to slide Khadeem Lattin to the four and let Freeman or Jamuni McNeace start at center. McNeace has been taking Lattin’s playing time lately, anyway, but Khadeem’s a better player and shooter than any of the PF options as we’ve seen so far.

If Santa could leave the team some fans to attend its home games, that would be a nice stocking-stuffer, too.

What do you think the Sooners need for Christmas?