Happy Friday, friends and fans!

On Thursday, Oklahoma Sooners WR CeeDee Lamb and TE Grant Calcaterra were both announced as players on the 2019 Biletnikoff Award watch list. The two juniors are expected to do much of the heavy lifting this fall for OU’s passing game.

Typically, the Biletnikoff Award is given to a more conventional receiver like Lamb as opposed to a tight end like Calcaterra, so I wouldn’t expect to see No. 80 as a finalist for this award. I could, however, envision him making a real run at the Mackey Award, which is specifically intended for TE’s ala winner Mark Andrews in 2017. Speaking of which...

Lamb has a real chance to have a special season, and in doing so could make a strong case as the nation’s top receiver. In 2016, Dede Westbrook became the first Sooner to win the Biletnikoff. As long as Lamb remains healthy, the sky’s the limit for this potential first round draft pick.

On Friday, redshirt sophomore C Creed Humphrey was named to the Rimington Trophy watch list, awarded to the nation’s top center.

As the lone returning starter from the 2018 Joe Moore Award winning offensive line, Humphrey will be relied upon to set the tone up front on offense this season. If he can continue on his rapid trajectory as one of the best linemen in the FBS, the Shawnee product should have plenty to say about who takes home the Rimington.

Now onto this week’s Friday edition of Hot Links! Lincoln Riley hauls in fish like he hauls in recruits, Joel Klatt says Texas is tougher than Oklahoma, ‘Last Chance U’ is back and more!

OU Links

• More on CeeDee Lamb, he’s been focused on improving the little things in his game this offseason in order to refine his overall performance. Every step of the way, his work ethic has been nothing short of impressive. The Norman Transcript’s Tyler Palmateer has more.
• When Lincoln Riley isn’t carrying the entire Big 12 Conference on his back, he’s hoisting a big ol’ marlin atop the deep blue. That’s my quarterback coach!

• Joel Klatt is one of the more revered college football analysts on television these days, and I’d say his takes are fair for the most part. Earlier this week he joined Dusty Dvoracek to discuss all things Big 12, and while he feels like Oklahoma will win the league for a fifth consecutive year, he’s not as sold on the Sooners’ toughness in the trenches as he is with the Texas Longhorns.

• The folks over at College Football News unveiled their annual AP rankings of the greatest programs of all-time, and once again, Oklahoma tops the list. The Alabama Crimson Tide check in right behind the Sooners.
• In case you missed it, check out this week’s episode of the Oklahoma Breakdown Podcast with Jack and Kamiar. Down at Big 12 Media Days, our C&C Machinists were joined by Sooners Wire’s Kegan Reneau and Brayden Conover to chat about recent OU news and other Big 12 related tidbits coming from the media festivities.

• If you haven’t had a chance to listen to Allen Kenney’s latest Blatant Homerism Podcast episode, you won’t want to miss it. This week he caught up with George Schroeder from USA Today to discuss all things Big 12 Media Days, and if you’ve kept up with any of the nuggets, there are a number of intriguing talking points that they cover.

• Also, if you have yet to read or hear about SB Nation’s new FanPulse Top 25, you should absolutely check it out, especially if you consider yourself a well-informed fan of OU Football and college football in general. If that’s you, and you’re interested in being part of a weekly survey that gives you the ability to share your thoughts on how the polls should shake out, I recommend signing up while there’s still time!

Around the Sports World

• After the NFL conducted an investigation on Kansas City Chiefs’ Tyreek Hill, the All-Pro receiver has been cleared and is now able to return to the team for all practices and activities.

• The fourth season of Netflix’s ‘Last Chance U’ is finally here! The show returns to Independence C.C. in Kansas to follow along the latest journey through life as a powerhouse JUCO football team. I’m sure it will be filled with even more drama and plenty of F-bombs. Can’t wait!

• Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh basically spoke the truth about former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer. Yes, the man was highly successful everywhere he coached, but at the same time, one would have to be in complete denial not to see the amount of controversy that followed him in each of his last couple stops.

• The Tour de France is one of the most grueling races in sports, and it can take its toll on even the most skilled and experienced cyclists. Even with all that in mind, when Rohan Dennis inexplicably quit in the middle of the tour, everyone around him was left puzzled.
• Speaking of racing, 96-year-old Roy Englert set a new world-record for running a 5K in 42 minutes. Honestly, that might be faster than me, and I’m almost 70 years his junior. Don’t laugh, my arches aren’t doing me any favors.

Stick to Sports!

• The trailer for the upcoming ‘Cats’ film was released on Thursday, and now many people are asking themselves: “What did I just watch?” If you have never seen the stage musical (by Andrew Lloyd Webber and T. S. Eliot), or aren’t familiar with the term ‘Jellicle’, then I recommend reading up on this rundown of ‘Cats’ and all its constituents right meow. Okay, I apologize for that last bit.

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