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Brent Venables, Oklahoma Sooners breaking mold with 2025 recruiting class

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Brent Venables, Oklahoma Sooners breaking mold with 2025 recruiting class


At this point, it’s safe to say that anything’s possible with Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners on the recruiting trail. Though they still have several high-profile recruitments to lock up in the next few weeks for the 2024 cycle, the 2025 recruiting class is already beginning to take shape.

When Kevin Sperry committed back in March, the 2025 recruiting class earned its first pledge. That came 12 days before the 2024 recruiting class broke the ice. After Gracen Harris joined Sperry in May, the Sooners added a pair of commitments this week, with Ka’Mori Moore and Elijah Thomas joining the fold.

With four commitments in the class, the Sooners sit at No. 4 in the nation in the 2025 recruiting cycle.

With these four commitments, the 2025 class set a new precedent in recruiting for Brent Venables and his coaching staff.

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In prior years, the Brent Venables’ Sooners didn’t receive their first commitment until the year prior to that class’ signing day. Jackson Arnold committed the January before the December early signing period for the 2023 cycle. Joshua Bates was committed under the Lincoln Riley regime and stayed committed, but Arnold represented the first commitment in the 2023 cycle under Venables.

For 2024, it was March, just under nine months from the 2024 early signing period, for Oklahoma to earn its first commitment.

Sperry’s pledge came 21 months ahead of the 2025 early signing period. Oklahoma earned its fourth commitment 17 months out from 2025’s early signing period. When Oklahoma received its fourth commitment for the 2024 class, the Sooners were just under eight months out from the early signing period.

There’s been a lot of talk about how Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners performed on the field in 2022. There’s been a lot of talk about Venables’ visit policy and recruiting values. And while some may take exception to how he does things, you can’t dispute the recruiting acumen of Venables, his coaching staff, and the on-campus recruiting team. The results on the field will determine the final evaluation, but with a pair of top 10 recruiting classes, the early returns are quite strong for Venables and his staff.

Prior to the run of 2025 commitments, it was felt that the summer before a class’ early signing period would be Oklahoma’s most fruitful time on the recruiting trail. While the summer months will still be bountiful, the 2025 class is getting a head start on the process by pledging early and being a part of Oklahoma’s recruiting plan.

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As the Oklahoma Sooners look to finish strong in the 2024 recruiting class, they’re working to earn commitments from several blue chip prospects over the next five weeks. Brent Venables and his staff may not earn pledges from every one of their targets, but as they’ve shown in recruitments of Peyton Bowen and Jayden Jackson, never count them out. And as they continue to prove time and time again, doubt them at your own peril.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.





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Oklahoma

Oklahoma Ford Sports Blitz: December 22

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Oklahoma Ford Sports Blitz: December 22


Join News 9 Sports Director Dean Blevins, News On 6 Sports Director John Holcomb, and Toby Rowland for this week’s edition of the Oklahoma Ford Sports Blitz.

Sunday, December 22nd 2024, 11:25 pm

By:

News On 6,

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News 9

This week on the Oklahoma Ford Sports Blitz, Dean Blevins, John Holcomb, and Toby Rowland begin the show with their opening takes.

Toby’s Top 3

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OU, OSU, TU Recap

Viewer Question

Thunder Update: Caruso 4-Year Contract Extension, No Christmas Game

OU, OSU, TU, ORU Basketball Recap

OSU Wrestling Beats Virginia Tech

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Oklahoma transfer LB Dasan McCullough commits to Nebraska

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Oklahoma transfer LB Dasan McCullough commits to Nebraska


Oklahoma transfer LB Dasan McCullough commits to Nebraska

Oklahoma transfer linebacker Dasan McCullough has committed to Nebraska, he confirmed on Instagram Sunday afternoon.

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The 6-foot-5, 235-pound McCullough spent the past two seasons in Norman with the Sooners. He began his college football career in 2022 at Indiana, where he earned Freshman All-American status.

McCullough will come to Nebraska with one season of eligibility remaining.

McCullough, who played Oklahoma’s versatile hybrid linebacker/safety position called the Cheetah, suffered an injury before the start of Oklahoma’s fall camp this season and missed the first five games. He returned to the field in October and played in the final seven games, the last five of which he started. He recorded 17 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss in 2024.

In 2023 at Oklahoma, McCullough played in 10 games and started seven while making 30 tackles with 3.5 TFLs and three pass deflections.

McCullough, who was a star recruit and ranked No. 61 nationally in the 2022 class, comes from a football family. His dad, Deland McCullough, played running back in the NFL and is currently Notre Dame’s associate head coach and running backs coach.

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While Deland spent three seasons as the Kansas City Chiefs’ running backs coach from 2018-20, Dasan played his high school ball at Blue Valley North High School in Overland Park, Kansas. Deland became Indiana’s associate head coach and running backs coach in 2021, and Dasan, then an Ohio State verbal commit, flipped to Indiana not long after.

Dasan followed his father to Bloomington and made an impact right away. He played in all 12 games with four starts and racked up 51 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, four sacks and four pass deflections. He gained Freshman All-American honors and a Big Ten honorable mention selection.

— Steve Marik, Inside Nebraska staff writer,

Analysis

McCullough is a versatile backend defender that can play a variety of roles in Nebraska’s defense.

A rare blend of size and athleticism at 6-5, McCullough shows good speed and change-of-direction ability for his size. Has high-end instincts and IQ, which shows up in zone coverage and reacting against the run. Has had some intriguing flashes as a pass-rusher, but largely relies on athleticism to get into the backfield, still developing consistent pass rush moves.

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Technically sound tackler, though lean he’s got wiry body strength. Consistent aggression could improve as could hip fluidity. Athletic enough to hold his own in man coverage, technique can continue to improve, better in zone at this point in his career.

In Nebraska’s scheme, McCullough can play all three linebacker positions, rover or even safety if needed. He’s likely best at inside linebacker with a few pass-rush opportunities.

This addition provides Nebraska defensive coordinator John Butler something of a chess piece to move around his defense.

— Tim Verghese, Inside Nebraska recruiting analyst

Additional analysis

McCullough is a versatile and sizable defender who played both a traditional linebacker position and Oklahoma’s “cheetah” spot, which is roughly equivalent to the nickel. He also saw some periodic snaps as an edge rusher for the Sooners during his two years in Norman.

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McCullough at his best against the run, as he takes good pursuit angles, fills gaps responsibly and is a reliable tackler. That said, he’s intelligent and instinctive in zone coverage and can generally be trusted to hold his own in man-to-man matchups against tight ends and running backs.

McCullough ought to be quite the chess piece in John Butler’s defense, and could truly thrive in Lincoln depending on the Huskers’ specific vision for his diverse skill set.

— OUInsider writer Parker Thune

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Fears leads No. 14 Oklahoma against Central Arkansas

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Fears leads No. 14 Oklahoma against Central Arkansas


Associated Press

Central Arkansas Bears (3-8) at Oklahoma Sooners (11-0)

Norman, Oklahoma; Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

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BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Sooners -28.5; over/under is 145.5

BOTTOM LINE: No. 14 Oklahoma hosts Central Arkansas after Jeremiah Fears scored 30 points in Oklahoma’s 87-86 victory over the Michigan Wolverines.

The Sooners have gone 6-0 at home. Oklahoma has a 2-0 record in games decided by less than 4 points.

The Bears are 0-6 on the road. Central Arkansas ranks fourth in the ASUN with 23.8 defensive rebounds per game led by Brayden Fagbemi averaging 4.6.

Oklahoma averages 82.0 points, 5.2 more per game than the 76.8 Central Arkansas allows. Central Arkansas averages 9.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.5 more made shots on average than the 6.5 per game Oklahoma allows.

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TOP PERFORMERS: Fears is scoring 17.9 points per game with 3.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists for the Sooners.

Layne Taylor is scoring 17.0 points per game and averaging 4.4 rebounds for the Bears.

LAST 10 GAMES: Sooners: 10-0, averaging 80.9 points, 29.3 rebounds, 14.1 assists, 10.1 steals and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68.5 points per game.

Bears: 3-7, averaging 73.0 points, 34.3 rebounds, 14.3 assists, 8.8 steals and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting 38.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.7 points.

___

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.




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