Happy Friday, friends and fans!

The worst kept secret in college football right now is that Spencer Rattler will be the next starting quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners. Although Lincoln Riley has yet to officially make the announcement, everyone and their dog knows it’s all but a foregone conclusion. That said, it is intriguing to break down the reasons why the redshirt freshman from Phoenix, Ariz. is in the position he’s in.

Among many things, Rattler is talented, intelligent, and perhaps above all else, he’s not lacking in confidence whatsoever. OU Daily’s Caleb McCourry caught up with a former coach of this soon-to-be QB1, and of all the player comparisons he could have made, he went with the reigning Super Bowl MVP — Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs.

First of all, this was an excellent piece from McCourry, and certainly not the last of its kind that Sooner fans will get to see over the next year or two. Knowing about the amount of confidence he plays with is one thing, but hearing about how it manifests itself from those who know him best presents a whole new dimension. As Rattler finally takes control of the offense, plays the games and earns the wins, his legend will undoubtedly grow.

Even after watching Rattler make a few appearances on the field in 2019, the true picture of the shape of his career at Oklahoma largely remains a mystery. He has the arm talent to make the kinds of throws Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray made on a weekly basis, and his belief in his abilities allows him to trust his own creativity. Better yet, his teammates gravitate toward him, and at his position, there is perhaps no greater quality than that.

Now onto this week’s Friday edition of Hot Links! More Sooners are named to a preseason watch list, Oklahoma’s o/u is adjusted for the shortened schedule, TCU loses its starting QB indefinitely and more!

OU Links

• According to Sports Betting Dime, OU’s updated 2020 season win total has been set with an over/under of 8.5 due in large part to the reduction in games played. Personally, I’d go with the over. I like the Sooners’ odds of winning at least nine games this fall, but the schedule won’t be very forgiving from the start.
• On Thursday, CB Tre Brown, RB Rhamondre Stevenson and DE LaRon Stokes were each named to the Reese’s Senior Bowl watch list.

• NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah expects former Oklahoma WR CeeDee Lamb to have a monster rookie season for the Dallas Cowboys, and projects the first-rounder to rack up 65 catches for 680 yards and six touchdowns. I sure do like the sound of that.
• Yes, the Big 12 Conference can technically claim five Heisman Trophy finalists over the last five seasons, but everyone who’s been paying attention knows that those numbers all really belong OU. Shout out to Baker Mayfield (twice), Dede Westbrook, Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts.

• Don’t forget to check out Allen’s latest write-up on why 2020 could be Lincoln Riley’s most challenging season as head coach at Oklahoma to date. With the world going through a pandemic and the team’s mounting depth concerns, it’s no guarantee the Sooners will repeat as Big 12 champs.
• In case you missed it, Nike’s latest OU-themed shoe is finally here! I will say, I think this is one of the better designs I’ve seen for a Sooner-specific shoe in some time. Very clean. If you agree, I highly recommend that you check out the new Air Zoom Pegasus 37 as soon as possible so you don’t miss out on these exclusive kicks!

Around the Sports World

• TCU Horned Frogs sophomore QB Max Duggan may have to miss the entire 2020 college football season after a recent medical exam revealed a pre-existing health condition. The second-year starter was expected to lead Gary Patterson’s squad back into the upper echelon of the Big 12 this fall.
• On Thursday, Portland Trail Blazers star point guard Damian Lillard suffered a dislocated left index finger (non-shooting hand) during a 111-88 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Fortunately, Dame’s X-ray results came back negative.
• In other news around the association, the annual NBA Lottery was held on Thursday night, and the Minnesota Timberwolves claimed the prize of winning the No. 1 overall pick.
• At least one player and one staff member for the New York Mets have tested positive for COVID-19, and as a result the team’s next two games versus the Miami Marlins and New York Yankees have been postponed.
• Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera has been diagnosed with an early stage of Squamous Cell Carcinoma — a form of cancer located in the lymph nodes. So far, both he and the organization plan to continue moving forward with business as usual, but a backup plan is reportedly in place should Rivera need to step away for a period.

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