Oklahoma
A Preview of Oklahoma's Fall Training Camp
The best indicator for the Oklahoma Sooners’ first season in the SEC begins this week at the fall training camp. Head coach Brent Venables, who just received a contract extension this summer, is undoubtedly looking to see some major developments. This preseason, he’s starting with a patchwork offensive line and a defensive backfield rife with position battles. If nobody stands out, it could make creating the depth chart, let alone surviving the season, a real challenge.
A Preview of Oklahoma’s Fall Training Camp
Offense at Training Camp: The Offensive Line
Oklahoma’s Jackson Arnold remarked during the SEC Media Days that “Road games were a little difficult for us last year.” His comments were certainly true from an offensive perspective. The Sooners turned the ball over a total of 20 times in the 2023 season. A less-than-stellar offensive line allowed six of those turnovers in big losses on the road at Oklahoma State and Kansas. While Venables is working on a legendary recruiting class in the offseason, the focus right now is on maximizing the potential of his current talents.
The Sooners’ offensive line is currently undergoing a total overhaul as seniors cycle out and freshmen and transfers cycle in. This creates a major issue because the entire starting lineup has very little time to practice as a full unit. Until younger talent can develop, the obvious plan is to lean on transferring seniors, like Branson Hickman and Michael Tarquin.
Branson Hickman, a fresh transfer from SMU, is coming in as a veteran center. Hickman has been racking up accolades so far, so it’s doubtful that Venables will choose anyone else as his starter. How Hickman meshes with a group he’s only been practicing with for a couple of months, though, is a big question mark heading into the fall training camp.
Other big transfers such as Geirean Hatchett and Michael Tarquin are sure to factor into this style of play. Hatchett, as a right guard, was only able to really shine at Washington during their undefeated season last year. Tarquin, on the other hand, excelled as an offensive tackle for both the Florida Gators and USC throughout his career. Cayden Green, whose dominating performances last year surprised everyone, is likely to become a starter on the offensive line as well.
Offense at Training Camp: Wide Receivers and Running Backs
Nowhere is this fight for the starting position going to be more intense than in the running and receiving rooms.
Gavin Sawchuk is the front-runner for taking over the top spot, but he still has to compete with Jovantae Barnes and Tawee Walker. Both Barnes and Sawchuk suffered from injuries that hampered their abilities throughout last season. While Walker was able to help out, barring a miracle, he’s unlikely to overcome either for the starting job. A fully recovered Barnes and Sawchuk could become a dual threat as a truly dynamic backfield. The fall training camp will undoubtedly decide who starts for the season. Much further down the depth chart are the freshmen Sam Franklin, Taylor Tatum, and Xavier Robinson, who are also competing for a shot at third-string running back.
Last year, Nic Anderson’s star began to rise. At nearly 800 yards and 10 touchdowns, he has the potential to become one of the best pass catchers in the nation. This fall, however, Anderson is competing with Deion Burks, Jalil Farooq, and Jayden Gibson. If any position battle is going to be the one to watch both at training camp and beyond, it has to be this one.
Defensive Overview: Linemen and Cornerbacks
If anyone is able to make an impact on Coach Venables and Zac Alley’s depth chart plans, it’ll happen at the Sooners’ fall practice camps.
Damonic Williams’ time at TCU showed him to be an unmatched destructive force on the defensive line. Williams tore through the Colorado Buffaloes, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, and Kansas State in 2022. His dominance continued into the 2023 season with 33 total tackles. Williams’ starting spot on the interior defensive line, barring injury, is in no danger at the fall practice camp. Davon Terry is another safe bet for a starting job on the defensive line.
Jayden Jackson and David Stone are two of the top contenders for starting positions. Stone comes in as a Five-Star commit and the 17th-best player nationally. Currently ranked in the top ten of the nation’s defensive tackles, Jackson was also the IMG Academy’s 2023 Defensive MVP. At the Sooners’ fall training camp, they’re likely to remind everyone of exactly why they deserve those honors. They’ll have to stay healthy, though, because the drop-off behind them on the depth chart will be immense.
Another area open to position battles is unquestionably at cornerback. Gentry Williams earned his top spot during last year’s fall camp, but injuries limited his time on the field. Woodi Washington, on the other hand, was both team captain and a standout talent. However, his time at OU is coming to an end. Young guys like Jayden Row, Dez Malone, and Kendel Dolby have the opportunity to make a big impact in the fall training.
Conclusions:
This year’s fall training camp is one of the biggest make-or-break moments for the Sooners. A developmental year amid a transition to the hardest conference in college football isn’t ideal for anyone. The depth chart is nonexistent in some areas, and the battles to be number one are going to be intense this year. If Venables’ mix of veteran and rookie talents can pull it together, it all starts at the Fall training camp.
Oklahoma
How to watch LA Lakers vs Oklahoma City Thunder: TV, live stream info for tonight’s NBA playoff game
Coverage of the 2026 NBA playoffs continues tonight on NBC and Peacock with a star-studded doubleheader. The action tips off at 7:00 PM ET, when Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers take on Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons. Then, at 8:30 PM ET, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers go head-to-head with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Peacock. Live coverage begins at 6:00 PM with NBA Showtime. See below for additional information on how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
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LA Lakers vs Oklahoma City Thunder Game Preview:
The No. 4 Lakers defeated the No. 5 Rockets in six games to advance to the Western Conference Semifinals. Los Angeles opened the series with a 3-0 lead, dropped Games 4 and 5, then bounced back with a 98-78 road win in Game 6. The win marked JJ Redick’s first playoff series victory since he took over as head coach ahead of last season.
Meanwhile, the top-seeded Thunder defeated the No. 8 Phoenix Suns 4-0, completing a First Round sweep for the third straight season. The Thunder look to become the first team to win consecutive NBA titles since the Golden State Warriors (2016-2017, 2017-18).
The Lakers and Thunder will both be without key players tonight. Luka Doncic has missed the last 11 games due to a grade 2 hamstring strain sustained on April 2 against Oklahoma City, while Jalen Williams missed the last two games for the Thunder with a grade 1 hamstring strain. Both players are considered week-to-week.
NBA: Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks
2026 NBA Playoffs: Bracket, schedule, scores, matchups for conference semifinals, including 76ers vs. Knicks
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All the games — times, dates, where to watch — in one easy-to-check-out location.
How to watch LA Lakers vs Oklahoma City Thunder:
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When: Tonight, Tuesday, May 5
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Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder series preview, predictions – Do LeBron, Lakers have a chance?
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Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 1 NBA Playoffs – predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends and best bets for May 5
How to watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock:
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock
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Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?
Peacock’s NBA Playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including Round 1, the Conference Semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.
Will Peacock show both Eastern and Western Conference playoff games?
Yes. During earlier rounds such as Round 1 and the Conference Semifinals, Peacock will carry a mix of Eastern and Western Conference playoff games.
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OKLAHOMA CITY (KSWO) – African American educator F.D. Moon was born 130 years ago on May 4, 1896, in what is now Lincoln County.
He began teaching in 1921 and in 1940 moved to Oklahoma City, where he became principal of Douglass High School.
Widely known as the “Dean” of African American education, Moon was elected to the Oklahoma City Board of Education in 1972, then became its first African American president in 1974.
He served during federally mandated desegregation in Oklahoma City Public Schools and died in 1975.
Copyright 2026 KSWO. All rights reserved.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is pressing federal regulators to make clear that states — not the federal government — have authority over sports-related prediction markets, arguing the platforms function like sportsbooks without state oversight.
Drummond and 40 other state attorneys general filed a formal comment Thursday with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, urging the agency to reaffirm that it does not have jurisdiction over sports-related contracts offered through prediction markets. The coalition said prediction markets have effectively become unregulated sportsbooks.
Prediction markets, including Kalshi and Polymarket, allow users to trade contracts tied to the outcome of future events. Drummond said sports-related contracts on those platforms amount to gambling and should be regulated by states.
“This is unequivocally gambling, which means it belongs under State authority,” Drummond said. “States have long had the right and responsibility to protect their own citizens from the dangers of gambling, and that should continue to hold true whether bets take place on a prediction market or inside a traditional casino.”
In their letter, the attorneys general said users can make the same types of wagers on prediction markets as they can at traditional sportsbooks. “Any distinction between sportsbook bets and prediction-market bets is illusory,” they wrote.
The coalition said prediction market users can wager on game winners, point spreads and player statistics, while bypassing consumer protections and tax requirements mandated by state gambling laws. The attorneys general argued the contracts are entertainment-based gambling rather than tools for financial risk management, placing them outside the CFTC’s jurisdiction.
The attorneys general also warned that sports gambling poses risks to public health and financial security.
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They said states are best positioned to protect residents from those harms and asked the CFTC to confirm through rulemaking that it lacks jurisdiction over sports-related contracts, leaving states with the power to regulate or prohibit sports gambling.
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