Hot Links: Obo’s and Zeus’s Transformations, In Praise of Jordan Wade, and more

OU Links

Obo Okoronkwo has come a long way. If you think about it, we all did from age 18 to 22, radically so—assuming you’ve reached that age. In this story, written by Brooke Pyor, Obo’s transformation—both on and off the field—is detailed. In the infancy of his college career, Obo was struggling in the classroom and on the field. As he matured and dove into his major, though, Okoronkwo came into his own. Jordan Evans predicts Obo will ‘take flight’ next season—you know, as if you needed more reason to be excited.

Speaking of transformations: big O-lineman Orlando Brown wasn’t always so physical and fiery. In fact, his late father (an ex-pro offensive lineman) used to leave his games when he wasn’t happy with Brown’s physicality. That changed when Brown Jr. got his first personal foul. Since he joined the squad, Brown has double the amount of penalties as anyone else. Never change, Big Zeus.

It’s been a season of turmoil on defense. Already at a disadvantage due to the nature of their conference, the Sooners defense has also been afflicted by injuries, suspensions, and other circumstances. Nowhere was the revolving door more impactful than the defensive line. Luckily, as the Tulsa World’s Eric Bailey writes, Stoops had a man he could depend on: Jordan Wade. The Don Key award winner overcame dyslexia as a child, and he wants to help kids with learning disabilities if the NFL doesn’t work out for him.

Around the Country

• Check out this fake punt attempt from Hawaii. This is why bowl games rule: why not do something like this when your combined records are 15-12?
• I’m sure blog manager Jack Shields loved this one. Kansas City Chiefs nose tackle Dontari Poe is now the heaviest player ever to throw a touchdown:

• Prepare to get spooky: the St. Petersburg Bowl was downright ghastly, and it was not because both teams are now below .500. The turf resembled something out of a haunted house, and it’s been that way since 2014.
• Does Jim Harbaugh have a picture of Harambe in his office? You be the judge.
• Luckily for Harbaugh, Flipper the dolphin picked his team to win. He’s 5-5 in his predictions.
• This Jake Trotter story about K-State, the BCS, and heartbreak is pretty great. Mike Stoops is even a part of it.
• UCONN has fired head coach Bob Diaco after a 3-9 season.
• This story about Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts heavily features former OU quarterback, Jamelle Holieway. Holieway lays on the praise, and they have a connection—if ‘Bama wins, they’ll be the only two true freshman quarterbacks to win a national title.
• This isn’t ‘around the country’ per se—more like across the pond—but ohmygod this scorpion kick by Henrikh Mkhitaryan is unreal:

“Stick to Sports!”

• R.I.P. to a music legend, George Michael. I know you’re not a fool:

• Check out how they celebrated Christmas aboard the ISS.
• For those of you who are Arrested Development fans, you might enjoy this story about a, er, loose seal name Lou Seal. Or is it Lucille?