Happy Game Day, friends and fans!

On Wednesday morning, Oklahoma Sooners freshman TE Jalin Conyers announced his intention to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal. The former four-star recruit out of Gruver, Texas did not record any official stats on offense in his lone season at OU.

This fall, Conyers found himself in one of Oklahoma’s deepest and most talented groups inside the tight end/H-backs room. Sophomore Austin Stogner, redshirt junior Jeremiah Hall, junior Brayden Willis and freshman Mikey Henderson were all given a healthy share of the offensive reps when they were available. Each offer something uniquely valuable to the Sooners’ versatile attack, and they’re presumably all set to return in 2021. Without knowing the whole story behind this decision, it’s understandable if Conyers feels that a greater opportunity for playing time exists outside of Norman.

Wherever your collegiate journey takes you next, the OU family is rooting for you all the way, Jalin!

Now onto a special Game Day edition of Hot Links! OU schedules a future out-of-conference game with a member of the Sun Belt, Oklahoma’s defense has learned a valuable lesson in the face of regrettable losses, Johnny Football is (kind of) back and more!

OU Links

• Oklahoma has set up a non-conference meeting with Arkansas State scheduled for Sept. 2, 2023. The Red Wolves are in line to receive a $1.35 million payment from the Sooners for the contest, and not a buck thirty-five like the tweet says. That would be hilarious though.

• Toby Rowland may not be calling the Cotton Bowl tonight, but that won’t stop him from setting the scene in the way only he knows how to. If you’re not ready to run through a brick wall after watching this, I suggest you check your pulse.

• There is perhaps no team in the FBS that is more familiar with playing big games inside AT&T Stadium than Oklahoma. All-time, the Sooners are 5-2 at JerryWorld, with all five wins coming with a championship on the line. At this point, Arlington is beginning to feel a lot like South Norman.

• Although the OU defense was able to turn around the season following back-to-back conference losses at the start of the year, the end result has been remarkable to watch unfold. The Norman Transcript’s Joe Buettner has more.
• According to Pro Football Focus, Oklahoma currently boasts the Big 12’s top graded QB, WR and RB in Spencer Rattler, Marvin Mims and Rhamondre Stevenson, respectively. Not bad.

• It’s almost that time, Sooner Nation! Boomer!

Around the Sports World

• On Tuesday, Texas Longhorns senior QB Sam Ehlinger suffered an apparent shoulder injury in the first half of his team’s 55-23 win over the Colorado Buffaloes. The veteran signal caller has yet to make an official decision on whether or not he plans to return to UT in 2021 or if he’ll enter the upcoming NFL Draft instead.
• Minnesota Vikings RB Dalvin Cook is expected to miss this Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions while mourning the sudden passing of his father.
• Reportedly, a series of potential dates in the month of January have been set aside in case COVID-19 causes any of the four College Football Playoff participants to reschedule.
• Coastal Carolina head coach Jamey Chadwell has been named the 2020 AP College Football Coach of the Year. Chadwell led the Chanticleers to an 11-1 overall record and a No. 12 ranking in the final CFP poll.
• Former Texas A&M Aggies Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel has agreed to join a startup league called Fan Controlled Football. The premise for the interactive 7-on-7 league is to have fans come together and make decisions on how rosters are formed and what plays are called. I probably won’t watch a single live snap of this, but it’s an interesting concept.

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