What’s up, everybody?
It’s been a not-so-ideal offseason for the Oklahoma Sooners as far as defensive depth is concerned — specifically within the front seven. Tuesday morning, the Athletic’s Jason Kersey reported that redshirt sophomore outside linebacker K’Jakyre Daley has entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal.
Oklahoma sophomore linebacker K'Jakyre Daley has entered his name into the transfer portal. Daley, from Riviera Beach, Fla., has not appeared in any games since he arrived in Norman two years ago.
— Jason Kersey (@jasonkersey) April 16, 2019
After redshirting in 2017, the Riviera Beach, Fla. native did not see the field last season. So while potentially losing Daley (he could theoretically exit the portal, although that seems highly unlikely) would thin the overall numbers at his position, this wouldn’t be a loss of actual playing experience. Still, when added to what’s already been a rough couple of months for the depth of the front seven, this news isn’t a welcome sight. Even if someone like Daley doesn’t earn the favor of the new regime, his potential departure is a hit to the depth at his rush edge position (formerly known as the JACK).
To recap, since early February, the Sooners have lost three defensive linemen to transfer, another DL in Jordan Kelley and linebacker Caleb Kelly to injury (both indefinite), and now potentially Daley. That’s a lot of depth that won’t be in the mix when the 2019 season kicks off Aug. 31, all from positions within the first two levels of a defense that is already undergoing a drastic change in scheme and leadership.
The silver lining in all of this is timing. Since it’s happening now, not only does this give the coaches more time to prepare the others before the season starts, it also shines a light on where the emphasis needs to be during the current recruiting cycle. If recruiting defensive linemen and linebackers wasn’t already going to be at a premium for the staff, it certainly is now. Several players up front are set to graduate and move on after this year, so the cupboard needs to be re-stocked as quickly as possible.
Now for today’s Hot Links! Three softball Sooners are selected in the NPF Draft, Lane Kiffin shows Jalen Hurts some love, the Clippers shock the nation and more!
OU Links
- The 2019 National Pro Fastpitch Draft was held on Monday night. Last year, pitchers Paige Lowary and Paige Parker went first and sixth, respectively. Now, the Oklahoma Sooners can add three more to the growing list of pro softballers. Seniors Sydney Romero, Caleigh Clifton and Shay Knighten were taken with the No. 3, No. 9 and No. 20 picks, respectively. Romero and Knighten will team up with the USSSA Pride, while Clifton is headed to the Chicago Bandits. Congratulations, ladies! Boomer!
Congratulations to @syd_syd2, @caleigh_20 and @shay_1715 for being selected in the 2019 @profastpitch draft!
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) April 16, 2019
➡️ https://t.co/1Jp4a99wge pic.twitter.com/vx1aIOVjiW
- Junior pitcher Giselle Juarez and freshman utility phenom Grace Green earned Big 12 weekly honors as Pitcher and Co-Player of the Week, respectively. If you don’t already know, this team is loaded with talent and is a ton of fun to watch.
Two #Sooners earn this week's #Big12SB honors! @ggotgame45 - Pitcher of the Week
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) April 16, 2019
11 Ks in series-opening shutout
0.00 ERA & 13.0 K/7 IP@grace_10_green - Co-Player of the Week
2.143 SLG & 15 total bases
Three homers, five runs, seven RBIs
➡️https://t.co/Nyn8W4mk4X pic.twitter.com/kQuy6IU6kc
- Lane Kiffin showed some love for Jalen Hurts while simultaneously throwing a little shade towards Nick Saban/Alabama. When Kiffin tweets, we all win.
Glad to see u being u again @JalenHurts smiling and enjoying life!! Good luck this year @OU_Football 3 in a row??? @uscfootball did 3 in 4 years @HeismanTrophy https://t.co/zNjpB1ZoA7
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) April 15, 2019
- ESPN’s Todd McShay thinks quite highly of Marquise Brown, saying Hollywood has possibly the best combination of speed and quickness that he’s ever evaluated.
A different breed.@McShay13 on @Primetime_jet#NFLDraft in days. #OUDNA pic.twitter.com/O7zQSdteeR
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) April 15, 2019
- Lincoln Riley plans to be in Nashville next week for the NFL Draft along with his former players in Kyler Murray, Marquise Brown and Cody Ford. It should be a fun night! Those four make quite the quartet.
JUST IN: College coaches attending the NFL Draft:
— Allan Bell (@AllanBell247) April 15, 2019
David Cutcliffe - Duke
Larry Johnson (DL) - Ohio State
Matt Luke - Ole Miss
Joe Moorhead - MS State
Ed Orgeron - LSU
Lincoln Riley - Oklahoma
Nick Saban - Alabama
Mark Stoops - Kentucky
Dabo Swinney - Clemson
Willie Taggart - FSU
- It’s game day in Tulsa! Skip Johnson and the Sooners are taking on Oral Roberts tonight at 6 p.m. CT. You can watch all the action on the diamond live on the ESPN+ app.
Game Day in Tulsa!
— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) April 16, 2019
https://t.co/GPEM3qbrlj
6 p.m.
Tulsa, Okla.
https://t.co/mDlNXDje1S
ESPN+
https://t.co/oat4Stlw1j#Sooners pic.twitter.com/dja4m93TXE
Around the Sports World
- This one didn’t end until half the nation was already in bed, and it looked like it was over well before that when the Golden State Warriors were up by 31 points. Then all of a sudden, the Los Angeles Clippers did the impossible, coming all the way back and stealing home court advantage. Also, the 31/3-1 blown lead things are kind of poetic.
The Warriors are now the only team to blow a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals and a 31-point lead in a playoff game. #SCFacts pic.twitter.com/HKijaW3A2C
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 16, 2019
- Perhaps the biggest loss of the night came in the first quarter when DeMarcus Cousins went down with what is now being called a quad injury. For a team that has NBA Finals expectations, this is quite a blow.
DeMarcus Cousins left the floor after suffering a non-contact injury. pic.twitter.com/f2gblEK4HJ
— KNBR (@KNBR) April 16, 2019
- Prior to Monday night’s game, Clippers coach Doc Rivers shared a story about how a stranger returned to him $2,000 that fell out of his pocket. I just want to know what Doc is doing walking around with that kind of cheddar floating about in his pocket. Maybe I’m just not rich enough to understand. It’s either that or parking in the Bay Area is more of a pain than I realize.
- Russell Wilson and Seattle came to a new contract extension agreement with a four-year, $140 million deal. Not only have the Seahawks secured their QB for the foreseeable future, they just made him the highest paid player in the NFL.
Breaking: Russell Wilson and the Seahawks reached agreement on a 4-year, $140 million in new money extension that includes a $65 million signing bonus, a source tells @AdamSchefter. pic.twitter.com/sbsGHsokNa
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 16, 2019
- Carolina Hurricanes left winger Andrei Svechnikov just turned 19 less than a month ago, and he made a grave mistake by picking a fight with Ovi. That’s right, Alex Ovechkin, who possesses crazy Russian old man strength, dropped the kid to the ice in mere seconds. Ouch.
Svechnikov drops gloves with Ovechkin. Rookie mistake. #CapsCanes #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/JH4HzirTFM
— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) April 15, 2019
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