Happy Thursday, friends and fans!

Back in August, former Oklahoma Sooners TE Grant Calcaterra announced his decision to come out of retirement and test the NCAA Transfer Portal waters. On Wednesday afternoon, the talented playmaker made another announcement, this time formally declaring his decision to play for the SMU Mustangs in 2021. Calcaterra had initially picked Auburn, but the end of Gus Malzahn’s tenure led him to reevaluate the decision.

While it’s a bit unfortunate that Calcaterra’s extensive concussion history forced his initial medical retirement at OU, it’s heartwarming to see him continue to chase his passion for the game of football. One thing is for certain, once Grant arrives in Dallas, the Mustangs are getting themselves a heck of a player and young man.

Calcaterra will join former Oklahoma QB Tanner Mordecai as ex-Sooners transferring to Southern Methodist this year. With Lincoln Riley’s younger brother, Garrett, entering his second season as offensive coordinator for the Ponies, SMU should be a team many OU fans enjoy rooting for next fall.

Now for today’s Hot Links! Reinforcements are on the way for OU Hoops, a five-star defender has the Sooners in his top eight, Urban Meyer is headed to the NFL and more!

OU Links

• According to Pro Football Focus, Spencer Rattler will enter the 2021 college football season as the nation’s highest-graded returning QB. If he in fact takes that next step in his development, as well as the returning receiving corps around him, Oklahoma’s passing attack has a real chance to be as dominant as it has been under Lincoln Riley.

• USA Today offered grades for every college football program for the 2020 season, and OU received a B+ for its 9-2, Big 12 Championship Game winning campaign. Considering how the season began, that’s not a bad final result.
• Mark your calendars, Sooner fans, because this Saturday is Part I of Bedlam Hoops for the 2020-21 college basketball season. Can Austin Reaves and company grab another resume-building win on the Oklahoma State Cowboys’ home court? Tune in to ESPN2 at 7 p.m. CT to find out.

• Speaking of OU Basketball, sophomore forward Jalen Hill will reportedly be available this weekend after missing the last two games for COVID-19 contact tracing protocol. Unfortunately for Oklahoma, senior forward Brady Manek will most likely not be ready to return to the team by Saturday night.

• 2022 five-star LB Shawn Murphy recently narrowed his list of potential college destinations down to eight and Oklahoma made the cut. The Manassas, Virginia product is rated as the nation’s top overall inside linebacker prospect according to 247Sports’ composite score.

Around the Sports World

• Former Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer has reportedly been hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars to become the team’s next HC. Contract details are still being finalized.
• The Houston Rockets sent James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets as part of a four-team trade that also involved the Indiana Pacers and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
• The Texas Tech Red Raiders went to Austin and defeated the No. 4 Texas Longhorns, 79-77 thanks to this game-winning bucket from former Georgetown Hoyas guard Mac McClung.

• A 1952 Mickey Mantle baseball card set a new record for the highest-selling sports trading card of all-time, going for a whopping $5.2 million.
• For the first time since he’s been with the Alabama Crimson Tide, Nick Saban was named the Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant National Coach of the Year. The only other time the living legend himself has ever been recognized with this prestigious award was after his national championship winning season with the LSU Tigers in 2003.

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