Happy Hump Day, friends and fans!

In late December, former Oklahoma Sooners QB Chandler Morris announced his decision to transfer. Soon thereafter, he revealed his choice to join TCU. On Monday, Horned Frogs head coach Gary Patterson told reporters that the incoming signal caller had not yet been released by OU.

On the surface, there are a number of similarities between this situation and the situation with Austin Kendall back in 2019. Both ex-Sooner QBs decided to transfer to other Big 12 programs, and both were met with resistance that prohibited their initial transitions. In Kendall’s case, his quest for immediate eligibility at West Virginia was originally blocked before continued pressure finally opened the door for him.

In Morris’ case, his decision to transfer after one season in Norman came as a bit more of a surprise. On Wednesday, Riley addressed the matter.

Additionally, the Athletic’s Jason Kersey noted how several TCU players are spreading the hashtag #FreeCM4 across social media.

With so much growing publicity surrounding this story, it’s hard to imagine OU not granting Morris a full release before long. Hopefully this is all water under the bridge soon so he can resume his collegiate career down in Ft. Worth.

Now onto today’s Hot Links! The Sooners are making up for lost time this spring, a young OU DB is making a lot of noise, the Rockets finally win and more!

OU Links

• Lincoln Riley and his 2021 Oklahoma squad are on the short list for teams who could not only reach the College Football Playoff, but also for those that can potentially win the whole thing. That quest for the championship officially begins this week.

• In case you missed it, check out these photos from OU’s first day of spring practice (click on this link for the entire gallery). Last year, the pandemic shut down spring ball for good after Day One of the Sooners’ spring camp. We’ve sure come a long way since then.

• Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch understands how important having spring practice is for the growth and development of a football team. Not having that crucial period last year stunted much of that for Oklahoma and other programs around college football, so returning things to normal this time around is a welcomed sight. SI Sooners’ John Hoover has more.
• Redshirt sophomore DB Jeremiah Criddell came to OU with a healthy amount of expectations. Since he became a Sooner in 2019, the California kid has drawn steady praise from both his coaches and his teammates during practice. Now it’s all about putting it together on the field. The Norman Transcript’s Joe Buettner has more.
• With the return of DL Jalen Redmond following his decision to opt out of the 2020 season, the Sooners are excited for the prospects of this year’s defensive front. Last season, that unit was one of the most dominant groups on the team, and there’s a chance their play will only improve to new heights this fall. SI Sooners’ John Hoover has more.
• On Tuesday, AD Joe Castiglione happily announced that Michael F. Price and the Price Family Foundation have pledged to make a $2.5 million donation to the University of Oklahoma Athletics Department that is intended to go toward a state-of-the-art wellness system as well as further supplement the scholarships for OU’s student-athletes. Boomer!

Around the Sports World

• Just two months after his hiring, Alabama Crimson Tide special teams coach Jay Graham has reportedly resigned just days into spring practice. So far, no official explanation has been given and a replacement has yet to be named.
• Texas Longhorns junior WR Jake Smith has reportedly suffered a broken foot just days into the team’s spring practice period and will be sidelined indefinitely. Smith was been one of UT’s top pass-catchers over the last two seasons and was expected to contribute heavily in Steve Sarkisian’s offense this fall.
• The North Carolina Tar Heels have extended the contracts of head coach Mack Brown and his staff, keeping the College Football Hall of Fame coach in Chapel Hill through the 2025 season. Since re-joining UNC in 2019, Brown has led the Tar Heels to an overall record of 15-10 with back-to-back bowl appearances.
• The Atlanta Falcons have signed veteran RB Mike Davis to a two-year, $5.5 million contract with $3 million guaranteed in the first year.
• On Monday night, the Houston Rockets put an end to their franchise-record losing streak of 20 games by defeating the Toronto Raptors, 117-99. In the win, point guard John Wall dropped a triple-double with 19 points/11 rebounds/10 assists.

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