Oklahoma
Ambiguity Swirls Oklahoma Kicker Battle Inside 10 Days From Season-Opener
NORMAN — Do you know who’s starting at kicker for the Oklahoma Sooners next Friday? If so, pass that information along to Brent Venables’ office.
By Tuesday night, the competition pitting incumbent Zach Schmit against Florida State transfer Tyler Keltner had yielded no more clarity than it did when Keltner arrived in Norman during the spring. All Venables revealed Tuesday was that it had trimmed to the two — no mention of freshman sensation Liam Evans, who was a Kohl’s Kicking 5-star.
“[I] love where we’re at in the kicking game right now,” Venables told media near Memorial Stadium’s south end zone. “Still have a battle there with our placekickers. That’ll go through the end of this week and then we’ll make a decision. Really feel like we would need both guys potentially this season. Zach’s got a really big leg, and he’s really good at the kickoffs. . . Liam Evans has done some good things there.”
SoonerScoop’s George Stoia reported that Venables called Keltner the “odds on favorite” to win the job four weeks ago. It isn’t clear if that has changed.
Schmit hit 15-of-21 field goals last year (71.4 percent), good for sixth best in the Big 12, and hit a long of 46 yards. Fifty of his 93 kickoffs resulted touchbacks. His running streak of 124 made extra point attempts ranks fifth in program history. But — his struggles to connect on crucial kicks prompted the Sooners’ staff to bring on Keltner, a fifth-year senior who cut his teeth at the FCS level for four years, earned first team All-SoCon nods at East Tennessee State each of his last two seasons, then moved home to Tallahassee to back up Ryan Fitzgerald at Florida State.
“The competition will help bring out the best in everybody is my expectation, so Tyler Keltner and Liam Evans will have a chance to come in here and make us better that way,” Venables said in March.
The Sooners open the season Friday, Aug. 30 against Temple. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. If the Sooners kick first, it will likely be by Schmit’s leg. Keltner could be the field goal guy. Oklahoma fans could see a different specialist starting at kickoff, field goal and punt for the first time since Nick Hodgson, Michael Hunnicut and Jed Barnett split duties in 2014. Luke Elzinga appears to be Venables’ Week 1 starter.
In the April 20 Spring Game, Keltner missed his lone attempt from 44 and Schmit hit his only try from 29. All three kickers were 2-of-2 on touchbacks and 2-of-2 on PATs.
Special teams analyst Doug Deakin will be able to coach both at practice and from the sideline under the NCAA’s new rules. Should either kicker struggle — or both — Deakin will be able to consult players directly and make a switch should it become necessary.
“It gives you a chance to really make some improvement in the areas that you need to,” Venables said. “But that’s been a lot of fun. Doug’s incredibly passionate, high energy, really smart, great teacher, inspires and motivates as good as any coach as I’ve been around. The players have tremendous respect for him and he’s just a really effective communicator. So I expect us to improve from where we were.”
RANDALL SWEET
Randall is a recruiting analyst and staff writer at AllSooners focusing primarily on OU Football and the recruiting trail.
Working as a journalist, Randall has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and high school sports across the state.
A 2022 University of Oklahoma graduate, Randall hails from Lubbock, TX. While in college, Sweet wrote for the OU Daily in addition to working with Sooner Sports Pad and OU Nightly. Following his time at OU, Sweet served as the Communications Coordinator at Visit Oklahoma City before leaving to join the team at AllSooners. The West Texas native has bylines in the Norman Transcript and is a Staff Writer for Inside the Thunder.
Randall holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, OK.
Last week, Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy told players to stop asking for more NIL money.
On Tuesday, he endorsed a program asking fans to provide more NIL money.
Oklahoma State announced on Tuesday that players’ football helmets this fall will have QR codes that link to a campaign for name, image and likeness fundraising. The codes will be 1.5 square inches and placed on the back of players’ helmets.
The codes will link to a web page organized by “Pokes With A Purpose,” the program’s NIL fundraising arm. There, fans will be presented with multiple donation options ranging from $100 to $5,000 to “other.” They’ll also have the option of making their donation one-time or monthly. At the bottom of the page, fans can “credit a team member” by choosing from a list of players’ names.
It’s not clear from Oklahoma State’s announcement if crediting a player means that all of the funds designated will go directly to the player selected.
“This is a revolutionary step forward to help keep Oklahoma State football ahead of the game,” Gundy said, via the announcement. “It gives a chance for everyday fans across the world to have a real impact when it comes to supporting the NIL efforts for Cowboy football. I’m thrilled about this opportunity for our players.”
So how exactly are fans supposed to access 1.5-square inch QR codes on the backs of players’ helmets? OSU is counting on shots from game broadcasts and posts on social media to increase exposure of the QR codes to fans interested in making donations.
“Although the QR codes aren’t expected to be visible from the stands on game day, close shots during broadcasts, as well as postgame photos posted to social media are expected to raise the team’s NIL value throughout the year,” OSU’s release reads.
The codes won’t be limited to helmets. They’ll be visible on players’ bags that they carry to the stadium on gamedays. They’ll also be placed on coasters in premium seating sections and on signage throughout Boone Pickens Stadium.
OSU announced the program days after Gundy called for a moratorium on NIL negotiations during the season.
“I told the players there’s no negotiating now,” Gundy said last week, per The Associated Press. “Portal’s over. All negotiation’s history. Now we’re playing football. Just coaching and playing football.
“The business side of what we do now is, we have to have those conversations with them. Tell your agent to quit calling us and asking for more money. It’s non-negotiable now. Start again in December.”
Elections 2020: Mail-in voting could decide next president
Many states are planning on drastically different elections this year and mail-in ballots could be a big game changer.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Early voting begins Thursday for the Aug. 27 primary runoff.
Early voting at county election boards will be 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
On Saturday, it will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Voters will pick legislative candidates who failed to get 50% plus one vote in the June 18 primary.
Some races will be decided in the runoff.
More: Ron Lynch, Mike Kelley forced into runoff for Oklahoma House District 60
House Budget and Appropriations Chairman Kevin Wallace, R-Wellston, faces Republican Jim Shaw of Chandler in the race for House District 32.
The two were the top vote-getters in the June 18 primary. No independent or Libertarian filed for the post.
Wellston residents will also vote on a $10 million bond issue to improve schools.
Sen. Blake Cowboy Stephens, R-Tahlequah, faces Julie McIntosh, a Republican from Porter. The winner will face Margaret Cook, an independent from Tahlequah, in the November general election for the Senate District 3 seat.
Norman Republicans Lisa Standridge and Robert C. Keyes will face one another for the Senate District 15 seat.
More: Jason Blair, Nick Pokorny forced into runoff for Oklahoma House District 53
The seat is currently held by Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, who is term limited.
The winner will face Norman Democrat Elizabeth Foreman.
GOP candidate to run for Sen. Greg Treat’s seat will be decided in Aug. 27 runoff
Residents of Senate District 47 will pick a replacement for Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, who is term limited.
Republican Kelly E. Hines of Edmond faces Jenny Schmitt, a Republican from Oklahoma City.
The winner will face Democrat Erin Brewer of Edmond.
Several other races, issues and school propositions will also be on the ballot.
Oklahoma City residents will go to the polls to decide whether or not to raise the hotel tax to 9.25% from 5.5% to promote tourism. The increase is expected to generate $11.6 million.
In Tulsa, seven people are vying to succeed Mayor G.T. Bynum, but only five are actively campaigning. A Nov. 5 runoff is set if necessary.
Nine city council seats are also on the ballot.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 27.
Oklahoma requires proof of identity to vote.
Democrats have opened their primaries to independents, but Republicans have closed primaries.
To view a sample ballot or locate a polling location, go to oklahoma.gov/elections/voters/ok-voter-portal.html.
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