Happy Snow Day, friends and fans!

Four-star DE Reggie Grimes was officially announced as part of the Oklahoma Sooners’ 2020 signing class on Wednesday. At 6’3.5” and 242 pounds, Grimes’ frame and film grabbed the attention of college football’s premier programs. Throughout his recruitment, he picked up offers from the likes of Alabama, Clemson, LSU, Ohio State among several other Power Five schools. Fortunately for Lincoln Riley and company, he chose to become a Sooner. Recently, he opened up about why he made the decision.

Right away, Grimes’ elite athleticism stands out on tape. He can rush the passer from inside or out, and his pursuit is relentless. He has good quickness for a player his size, but it was his superior strength at the point of attack that most often helped him defeat would-be blocks in high school. He also plays with above-average awareness, resulting in occasional pass breakups and takeaways.

Below are senior year highlights of the talented pass rusher showcasing what he’s bringing to the future of OU’s defense.

In addition to Grimes, Oklahoma officially announced the signing of four-star CB Joshua Eaton. Eaton was already a know signee, but Oklahoma decided to hold off on making the announcement until he was able to have his ceremony. The Houston native is expected to arrive in Norman following the spring semester.

Now on to today’s Hot Links! A pair of former Sooners are competing in the Three-Point Contest during NBA All-Star weekend, Spencer Rattler works on his gains, an intense car chase makes for an even more interesting parade in Kansas City and more!

OU Links

• This is a great capture of the Palace on the Prairie by the OU Daily’s Caitlyn Epes. Have a great day, Oklahoma!

• On Tuesday, the participants for this year’s Three Point Contest during NBA All-Star weekend were announced, and two former Oklahoma Sooners are officially in the mix between the Sacramento Kings’ Buddy Hield and the Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young. This is the first time Young — a starter in the 2020 NBA All-Star Game — is participating in the Three Point Contest. Meanwhile this will be Hield’s second go-around the arc after finishing as the third place finalist behind winner Joe Harris and runner-up Steph Curry in 2019. The night of competition is scheduled to tip-off Saturday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. CT on TNT.

• This has been a great week for Kansas City Chiefs RB Damien Williams, but he’s been balling out on a level unlike most have ever accomplished. Through six career playoff games, he’s tied with Terrell Davis with 11 total touchdowns scored for the all-time lead in league history. Oh yeah, D.D. definitely has that OUDNA.

• Speaking of Williams, any question as to whether or not he loves his former school should be thrown out the window after this moment at the Super Bowl parade (as if that wasn’t already the case).

• Former OU LB Levi Draper formally announces his intent to transfer to SEC country where he’ll play for the Arkansas Razorbacks. Good luck over the rest of your playing career and beyond, Levi! Once a Sooner, always a Sooner.

• Zach Hanson, who was OU’s offensive analyst in 2019, has reportedly been named the offensive line coach at Tulsa.

• The 2020 OU Softball season officially begins tomorrow at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge south of the U.S. border. From Thursday through Saturday, OU is set to play Nevada, Long Beach, George Washington and BYU. Good luck, ladies! Boomer!

• Like the rest of the team, Spencer Rattler is using this winter conditioning period to build up his strength and endurance. Check him out tossing up a respectable 285 on the bench. Keep up the good work, Spencer!

Around the Sports World

• Things became quite dangerous at the Chiefs’ Super Bowl Celebration Parade on Wednesday morning. A police chase broke out, but fortunately law enforcement was able to execute a successful pit maneuver on the driver’s car without any of the thousands of on-lookers being harmed.

• On Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Dodgers landed outfielder Mookie Betts and pitcher David Price from the Boston Red Sox in arguably the defining blockbuster trade of the MLB offseason.
• The Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks and Denver Nuggets finalized a four-team, 12-player mega trade late on Tuesday night that is officially the most expansive multi-team trade in the last 20 years. Wow.
• Michigan State Spartans coach Mark Dantonio announced he is retiring after 13 seasons in East Lansing. It’s a major development for the landscape of college football, and while he achieved his share of success at MSU and then some, his lasting legacy looks a bit more complicated than once expected.

• Auburn Tigers two-year starting RB JaTarvious ‘Boobee’ Whitlow has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal as a non-graduate, so if he ends up at another FBS program he will have to sit out the 2020 college football season.

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