Happy Monday, friends and fans! It was a great recruiting weekend for the Oklahoma Sooners. Saturday’s Champ U BBQ brought together some of the nation’s best prospects, many of whom are already committed to signing with Oklahoma. One of those players in attendance was Spencer Rattler, the five-star QB out of Arizona.

While Rattler’s celebrity is skyrocketing around Norman, months before he’s expected to enroll, he understands that he’s still a kid with some high school left to complete before he makes his mark on Owen Field.

Rattler’s senior season starts in less than a month, and he’s currently rated as the top high school QB in the nation. His family and coaches are doing a good job of helping him stay grounded, and it also helps that Spencer prefers to maintain a level of normalcy on his own.

This recruiting class has the potential to go down as one of the best signing hauls in program history, and if it does, Spencer Rattler will likely be a major reason why.

Now onto this week’s Monday edition of Hot Links! OU president James Gallogly gets in on some water balloon action, Erick Wren signs with the Chargers, class is in session at LeBron James’ Akron school and more!

OU Links

• At this weekend’s Champ U BBQ, an epic water balloon fight broke out. In the beginning of the video, you can even see new OU president James Gallogly getting in on the action. Seems like this year’s event was another success (as usual), and it certainly looks like it was a ton of fun.

• Speaking of the BBQ — although new commits haven’t flooded in just yet, the event was a clear success. If for nothing else, it bolstered the relationships between current commits and between the coaches and the recruits. Strengthening those bonds is an essential part of keeping a recruiting class intact. Still, it appears to have produced at least one new commit, since Lincoln tweeted out the famous eyes emoji. WE’RE ON BOOM WATCH, Y’ALL!

• In case you missed it, elite 2019 RB recruit Noah Cain has included Oklahoma on his list of remaining contenders. It’s been a while since OU has been considered a major player for his signature, but the Sooners just keep hanging around. If OU can get him to Norman for an official visit this fall, perhaps it will be in a decent position once again.
• Even with all signs pointing to Kyler Murray being named the starter for the season opener, Austin Kendall still believes Lincoln Riley whenever he reiterates that it’s an ongoing competition. That’s good for the strength of the position. Oklahoma’s top two QBs should be among the best as a duo in the conference, if not the nation.
• Former starting center Erick Wren has been signed by the Los Angeles Chargers. Wren began his college playing career at the JUCO level, then became a walk-on at Oklahoma, before earning a scholarship. What a journey it’s been for the young man, and hopefully it doesn’t end soon. Congratulations, Erick. Now go out there and make that roster!
• Cleveland Browns’ head coach Hue Jackson said Baker Mayfield had his best day of training camp on Sunday. Mayfield is looking as comfortable as ever taking snaps under center, and he’s building a solid rapport with his second-team receivers. So far, so good!
• Former Sooner golfer Abraham Ancer recorded his second top five finish in the last month on the PGA Tour. Looks like Ancer is representing his alma mater quite well. Boomer!

• Speaking of former Sooner golfers, Kendall Dye just won the 2018 Fuccillo Kia Classic of New York. She’s definitely rocking that OUDNA. Champions across the board!

Around the Sports World

• Approximately $165,000 worth of memorabilia was burglarized from Nebraska head coach Scott Frost’s home in Lincoln. Among the stolen property were several championship rings from Frost’s previous stops in Oregon and UCF.

• Fans were thrilled when Paul George was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder last summer. However, for fairly obvious reasons, they sometimes didn’t allow themselves to celebrate it. Now that George has committed to playing in OKC for at least three more seasons, the level of reception he figures to receive in OKC is going to be off the charts.
• Former top 50 recruit Kareem Walker has transferred from Michigan to Fort Scott Community College, a junior college in Kansas.
• LeBron James used his resources to open a public school for at-risk youth in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, and today is the first day of school for the students. James may have his haters on the court, but nobody should find a problem with his efforts towards providing education for the next generation. More stories like this would not be a bad thing at all.

• Check out this video of soccer superstar Lionel Messi playing keep-away with this giant good boy. If I tried that with my dog, she’d probably just tackle me, unless I rolled my ankle first. Messi is one fly dude, and I’m actually not sure if that’s a dog or a bear. Can somebody make sure Messi is still okay?

Stick to Sports!

• ‘Jeopardy!’ host Alex Trebek announces he plans to retire as soon as 2020. Trebek has served as the host of the popular game show since 1984. Interestingly enough, Trebek also named two people who he believes would be solid choices for his successor: 28 year-old LA Kings announcer Alex Faust and CNN legal analyst Laura Coates.

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