What’s up, friends and fans? As the 2018 college football season inches ever closer, preseason prognostications and watch lists from all over are being assembled and released.

On Monday, Rodney Anderson was named to the Maxwell Award watch list. Today, it’s been confirmed that the talented tailback is in the running for the position’s highest individual honor — the Doak Walker Award. Not much of a shock here, people. These preseason lists are kind of long, and Anderson — who was the most productive back in the FBS during the second half of the season — would be included on a short list.

The Doak Walker Award has only been around since 1990. If Anderson is able to bring home the Doak by season’s end, he would become the first Oklahoma Sooners back to ever win the award, which has been presented since 1990.

Now onto today’s Hot Links! Rodney Anderson is a big fan of heights, Vernon Turner is a Razorback, Justify is an honorary Louisville Cardinal and more!

OU Links

• Keeping on the subject of Rodney Anderson, he spent a lot of his summer thrill-seeking. Anderson is a self-proclaimed adrenaline junkie, but what do his coaches have to say about his action-packed ways?
• That Jordan Brand banner hanging up inside the Oklahoma Basketball practice facilities is looking mighty nice.

• Sooner Nation loves the Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band, but opposing fan bases are tired of hearing Oklahoma’s fight song incessantly during games. If you didn’t already know, Oklahoma actually keeps a tally of just how many times the song is played each game, and the numbers are indeed high. You can thank the prolific Sooner offense for that.
• Four-star tight end commit Austin Stogner will be competing in January’s All-American Bowl. Congratulations, Austin! Keep up the great work in representing your Sooners!

• After one season in Norman, former Oklahoma high-jumper and indoor-outdoor All-American Vernon Turner has announced his intention to transfer to Arkansas. Good luck in Fayetteville, Vernon!

• Former Oklahoma special teams quality control coach Courtney “Chip” Viney is no longer the cornerbacks coach for the Nevada Wolfpack. According to the report, Viney is “moving to another unnamed institution in an off-the-field role”. FootballScoop.com is reporting that it’s Oklahoma. Our dude RedDirtSport said as much on Twitter yesterday.

Around the Sports World

• Kawhi Leonard is headed to Toronto, and DeMar DeRozan is on his way to San Antonio in the latest colossal NBA trade.

• The MLB All-Star Game home run record was smashed last night after a total of 10 dingers left the park as the American League topped the National League for a sixth straight year.
• Pittsburgh Steelers superstar wide receiver Antonio Brown is featured on the Madden NFL 19 cover. That’s dope.

• SB Nation’s Alex Kirshner highlights three college football teams who could very feasibly start the 2018 season 4-0, but only because the first third of their schedules are garbage.
• Triple Crown winner Justify is featured prominently on Louisville Football’s media guide. I’m all for inclusion in sports, but having a literal thoroughbred on your team kind of seems like cheating.

• There are 32 NFL teams, which means there are 32 mascots that may or may not be good at actual football. SB Nation’s Adam Stites explores which NFL mascot would be better than the rest.

Stick to Sports!

• Now this is wicked cool. Video of a sign language interpreter at a death metal concert is going viral. The interpreter, Lindsay Rothschild-Cross, hopes the video brings more awareness to both the challenges as well as the capabilities of people in the deaf community. You rock, Lindsay!

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