Happy Monday, friends and fans!

FOX NFL reporter and analyst Jay Glazer confirms that Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys have found their next head football coach in Mike McCarthy. Of course ‘round these parts, that means folks can stop worrying about Lincoln Riley packing his bags and parting ways with the Oklahoma Sooners. Well, at least for this offseason.

Apparently McCarthy, the former Green Bay Packers coach, spent the night over at Jerry’s on Saturday, and that’s when the deal was sealed. Aside from all the strange ways you’ve probably already read into that, I’m just glad Riley wasn’t at this slumber party.

Yes, I’m aware that Baker Mayfield still needs a head coach in Cleveland, but let’s be real here. Dallas was really the one and only NFL gig any football folks saw Riley potentially coveting this offseason. Now we can all peacefully ride into the offseason and shift our focus squarely on where it matters most — beating Texas in everything else, starting with men’s basketball this Wednesday!

Now on to this week’s Monday edition of Hot Links! Hurts is headed to the Senior Bowl, Rattler razzles and dazzles, Tua says goodbye to Tuscaloosa and more!

OU Links

• Jalen Hurts accepted an invite to the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. The annual pre-draft event kicks off Jan. 25 at 1:30 p.m. CT on the NFL Network.

• Speaking of Hurts, the Norman Transcript’s Tyler Palmateer reflected on the grad transfer’s time at Oklahoma from the time he enrolled to the Peach Bowl. It was a season full of several highs and a few lows, but ultimately it was one that won’t be forgotten any time soon.
• Bob Stoops and Landry Jones have teamed up again, this time for the XFL’s Dallas Renegades. Check them out as camp gets underway. The inaugural season kicks off Feb. 9.

• Speaking of an OU quarterback, check out Spencer Rattler showing off his best Pat Mahomes impression. A no-look jump pass on a football field? Get out of town. Then a couple 70-yard bombs? That’s impressive arm strength. I am wildly excited about this cat.

• Mark it on your calendars, folks. Exactly one month from today, Oklahoma Softball will officially make its return in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge. Even with the loss of several key seniors, Patty Gasso figures to field another contender with this year’s group.

• The OU women’s gymnastics team are not only reigning national champions, they’re ranked No. 1 after the first week of the 2020 season. Boomer!

• In case you missed it, Allen broke down Oklahoma’s blue-chip ratio as a whole compared to other College Football Playoff contenders, and if the recruiting trends are right, the Sooners should be even closer to that magical realm where the top tier roams this fall.

Around the Sports World

• Tua Tagovailoa is perhaps the greatest QB in Alabama Crimson Tide history, and he’s played his final collegiate down as he officially declared for the 2020 NFL Draft on Monday. It’ll be interesting to see where he gets picked based on his extensive injury history.
• Chicago Bears OL Kyle Long says he’s stepping away from football to get his mind and body right. The 31-year-old never used the word ‘retire’ in his announcement, but it sure reads that way between the lines.
• The Seattle Seahawks held on to beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 17-9 in an NFC Wild Card battle, but a big reason for the end result has to be this helmet-to-helmet blow Jadeveon Clowney delivered to Carson Wentz in the first quarter. The Philly QB did return to the game after the hit.

• Alex Caruso had nothing but his Los Angeles Lakers teammates running right behind him on this play that I can only describe as the antithesis of hustle by the Detroit Pistons.

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