Happy Thursday, friends and fans!

Wednesday evening, The Athletic’s Jason Kersey reported that Oklahoma Sooners redshirt freshman CB Miguel Edwards had entered the NCAA Transfer Portal after appearing in one game in 2019 and four in ‘18. OU Insider was also able to confirm the news.

With this development, Edwards becomes the third OU defensive player to enter his name into the transfer portal database in-season this fall. True freshman LB Jonathan Perkins was the first to do so, followed by DB Starrland Baldwin.

Edwards likely saw the writing on the wall with the emergence of true freshman Jaden Davis, but it’s vital to remedy attrition through gains on the recruiting trail. Oklahoma has a lot of work to do to restock the cupboard and bring in the correct guys to fit the system, so the news of 2020 four-star CB prospect Ryan Watts’ de-commitment doesn’t make that any easier. Sooner Scoop’s Josh McCuistion confirmed the defection on Wednesday.

So what does this all mean? I’d tell you not to panic, but if you’re the type, you’re probably doing that already. For starters, based on which players had received ample playing time, the writing was more or less on the wall for guys like Edwards and Baldwin in terms of their place in the pecking order. Secondly, the coaches are well aware of the team’s needs and know how to solve the issue.

Keep in mind, this isn’t a totally uncommon occurrence in collegiate athletics, and with DC Alex Grinch still in his first year at OU, there was always going to be those who bought in and excelled and those who wouldn’t establish themselves on the field. This is all part of that expected process, and there is likely more to come. For now, as long as Oklahoma continues to show improvement on defense like it has, I reckon the recruiting part should take care of itself to some degree.

For now, the focus is on former commit Dontae Manning and a number of other promising prospects at the position.

Now for today’s Hot Links! Lincoln Riley can finally laugh about the crotch grab seen ‘round the world, Trejan Bridges is focused on playing on one side of the ball, Baylor’s AD signs a 10-year deal and more!

OU Links

• Speaking of the trip to Lawrence, if you recall the last time OU took on Kansas in the Sunflower State, Baker Mayfield had himself a moment on the sidelines. Two years later, Riley admits that he can look back on that moment and pretty much laugh about it now, but claims that at the time it was anything but amusing. If I had to guess, he’s probably been laughing about it — internally, at least — from the jump.

• Matt Leinart, a Heisman Trophy winner himself, updated his top five candidates for this season’s prestigious stiff arm award, and Jalen Hurts topped the list. Every week it becomes more of a possibility that Oklahoma could actually claim a third straight Heisman recipient.

• Redshirt sophomore OL Adrian Ealy started Oklahoma’s first three games at right tackle, but missed the Texas Tech game with an undisclosed injury. Lincoln Riley announced earlier this week that his status is still up in the air for the Sooners’ trip to Kansas this Saturday.

• OU Insider’s Collin Kennedy breaks down how KU’s matchup with Oklahoma this weekend is shaped now that the Jayhawks’ leading rusher Khalil Herbert has been dismissed from the team.
• True freshman Trejan Bridges continues to practice with Alex Grinch and the safeties, but Lincoln Riley will not confirm if the talented receiver has officially switched positions for competitive advantage reasons, writes Vic Reynolds of the OU Daily.
• OU students with football season tickets can attend Oklahoma men’s basketball games with the same tix! If you’re a student and you don’t have any tickets, you can purchase some through the link below. It’s a new year, and you won’t want to miss out on watching would should be a much more exciting and fast-paced team.

Around the Sports World

• Days after Baylor Bears coach Matt Rhule received a contract extension, BU vice president and AD Mack Rhoades has also signed an extension through 2029.

• Tennessee Vols AD and former coach Phillip Fulmer shot down the chances of him stepping back onto the sideline as the UT coach with rumors swirling about Jeremy Pruitt’s job status. Hmm... I’m still not sold that he isn’t up to something.
• With New England Patriots longtime kicker Stephen Gostkowski having been placed on injured reserve, the Pats tried out seven kickers and have decided to sign a 15-year veteran in Mike Nugent.
• LSU Tigers senior RB Lanard Fournette, the younger brother of Leonard Fournette, has left the team on account of wanting to move on with his life. More power to him if that’s really what he wants to do, but that had to be a tough decision to make.
• Aurora, the 23-year old mascot for the Air Force Falcons, has passed away. The white phase gyrfalcon is one of the rarest of her species in the wild, and in her life she became the longest serving live mascot in the history of the AFA.

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