Oklahoma
Brent Venables said Oklahoma Will ‘Take Responsibility’ for Recruiting Violations
On Wednesday Oklahoma coach Brent Venables spoke publicly for the first time since the NCAA announced the Sooners had self reported recruiting violations.
“In situations like these despite the nuances and the particulars we have to take responsibility and move on,” Venables said on the weekly SEC Coaches Teleconference. “And that’s exactly what we’re doing.”
OU running backs coach DeMarco Murray was suspended for a game after he had impermissible contact with 17 recruits over a 16-month period.
“I won’t really comment on whether or not this is the week or not,” Venables said of the timing of the suspension on Wednesday, though a source told Sooners on SI that Murray would serve his suspension this Friday in Oklahoma’s 2024 season opener against the Temple Owls.
The contact included 65 impermissible phone calls and 36 impermissible text messages, the NCAA said in a press release, and that Murray indicated he was “unaware that a COVID-19 waiver of recruiting rules had expired”.
Per the release, Oklahoma maintained that there was proper training that the COVID-19 waiver had expired.
Despite the Sooners putting the coaching staff through the training, Venables said the entire program can still learn from the situation.
“It’s affirmation for despite all the education that you do, the constant monitoring and reinforcement of, ‘Hey man just follow the rules. These are what they are.’ People can still make mistakes,” Venables said. “And there’s no doubt that I’m incredibly disappointed in what took place. And I do know our staff works to be mindful of the rules and we have perimeters, very clear and strong perimeters that are in place.”
The program’s acceptance of the violation extended to Murray, as the running back coach accepted full responsibility for the mistake.
“DeMarco knows,” Venables said. “He knows all of that and he’s accepted responsibility like I said. I know who he is but you’ve got to continue — things will still happen despite strong measures in place that try to protect you.”
The Sooners have already served a large portion of the penalties for the mistake after self-reporting and self-imposing violations.
In addition to Murray’s one-game suspension, Oklahoma will be unable to host recruits on unofficial visits for the Temple contest and there will be a three-week ban on “recruiting phone and electronic correspondence for the football program from Dec. 8, 2024 to March 31, 2025,” the NCAA said in the release.
There will be plenty of change for OU’s offense on full display come Friday.
The No. 16-ranked Sooners will have an entirely new offensive line, it will mark the first home start for quarterback Jackson Arnold and it will be just the second game with co-offensive coordinators Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley at the helm, but there are known quantities to help smooth over the adversity at running back.
Gavin Sawchuk and Jovantae Barnes were listed as co-starters on Oklahoma’s first depth chart of the year.
Sawchuk took over down the stretch last year, closing the 2023 season with five straight games where he rushed for more than 100 yards, and by all accounts Barnes is ready to bounce back after injuries hampered him last year.
Barnes and Sawchuk both rushed for 100 yards in the 2022 Cheez-It Bowl against Florida State, and have enough experience to keep the running game churning even without Murray on the sideline against Temple.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma judge allows former death row prisoner to be released on bond while awaiting retrial
An Oklahoma judge on Thursday allowed former death row prisoner Richard Glossip to be released on bond while awaiting retrial over a 1997 killing that put him on the brink of execution three separate times.
The decision clears the way for Glossip, 63, to leave a lockup for the first time since his arrest nearly 30 years ago. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court threw out his conviction, and his longstanding claims of innocence have drawn support from Kim Kardashian and other prominent figures.
READ MORE: Supreme Court throws out Oklahoma man Richard Glossip’s murder conviction and death sentence
Judge Natalie Mai issued an order setting bond at $500,000. Glossip must wear an electronic monitoring device and will not be allowed to travel outside Oklahoma. He also must not contact any witnesses in the case, or consume any drugs or alcohol.
It was unclear Thursday when Glossip would be released. He will have to post only 10%, or $50,000, and the process could take two or three days, said his attorney Donald Knight.
Knight also suggested Glossip is counting on contributions to raise the money.
“Mr. Glossip has many supporters and we are hopeful those supporters can afford the bail,” Knight said.
Protestors and family members embrace after hearing the news of Governor Mary Fallin issuing a stay for death row inmate Richard Glossip outside the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, Oklahoma, September 30, 2015. Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin on Wednesday granted inmate Richard Glossip a 37-day stay of execution to give the state time to address whether its execution protocols comply with procedures approved by the federal court. Glossip, 52, was found guilty of arranging the 1997 murder of Barry Van Treese, the owner of an Oklahoma City motel that Glossip was managing. Photo by Nick Oxford/Reuters.
Glossip had been sentenced to death over the 1997 killing in Oklahoma City of his former boss, motel owner Barry Van Treese, in what prosecutors have alleged was a murder-for-hire scheme.
The Supreme Court ruled last year that prosecutors’ decision to allow a key witness to give testimony they knew to be false violated Glossip’s constitutional right to a fair trial.
Glossip has remained behind bars after Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced the state would seek to retry him on a murder charge but not pursue the death penalty again.
“The court fully expects that the state will rigorously prosecute its case going forward and the defense will provide robust representation for Glossip,” the judge wrote in the order. “The court hopes that a new trial, free of error, will provided all interested parties and the citizens of Oklahoma, the closure they deserve.”
During his time on death row, courts in Oklahoma set nine different execution dates for Glossip, and he came so close to being put to death that he ate three separate last meals. In 2015, he was even held in a cell next to Oklahoma’s execution chamber, waiting to be strapped to a gurney and die by lethal injection.
But the scheduled time for his execution came and went. Behind the walls of the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, prison officials were scrambling after learning one of the lethal drugs they received to carry out the procedure didn’t match the execution protocols. The drug mix-up ultimately led to a nearly seven-year moratorium on executions in Oklahoma.
“Mr. Glossip now has the chance to taste freedom while his defense team continues to pursue justice on his behalf against a system that the United States Supreme Court has found to be guilty of serious misconduct by state prosecutors,” Knight said.
Glossip’s case attracted international attention after actress Susan Sarandon — who won an Academy Award for her portrayal of death penalty opponent Sister Helen Prejean’s fight to save a man on Louisiana’s death row in the 1995 movie “Dead Man Walking” — took up his cause in real life. Glossip’s case also was featured in the 2017 documentary film titled “Killing Richard Glossip.”
“Both Richard and I are grateful for the court’s decision,” Glossip’s wife, Lea, said in a text to The Associated Press. “We have been praying for this day.”
A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy.
Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma teacher turns PB&J’s into a lifeline for students
Teaching is easily one of the most challenging and rewarding professions anywhere. And while most deserve to be recognized, when we heard about Deanne Strothers, we had to come meet her.
The Harding Charter Prep teacher has been teaching life through math for 30 years.
“My goal is to make them understand that they can get through tough stuff,” said Strothers.
But seven years ago, there was some tough stuff put on her plate that was really tough to swallow.
“I had kids that would come in, and they didn’t have any. They didn’t have a lunch card, so they couldn’t eat,” said Strothers.
She recalls one student in particular, at a previous school.
“She came in, and she’s like, I’m hungry,” said Strothers.
After giving the student the peanut butter and jelly sandwich she had brought for lunch, Strothers made a decision: as long as she was teaching, no child would go hungry.
“And so, I’m like, I’ve got to get something that is universal, and we landed on peanut butter and jelly,” said Strothers.
So, for the past seven years, each night she and her husband have prepared peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, totaling over 30,000 sandwiches.
It’s always grape jelly, you don’t have to be in any of her classes and the sandwiches are typically gone before 9 a.m.
“I would rather have a well-fed child than a child sitting here, not having the capability to really pay attention because they are hungry,” said Strothers.
As word spread of her personal feeding program, it prompted a visit from Oklahoma’s Secretary of Education, Dan Hamlin, who didn’t come empty-handed.
“Well, we wanted to give you a check for supplies,” said Hamlin.
“I think it’s incredibly important that we recognize the great work that our teachers are doing across the state,” said Hamlin.
“I’ll keep doing this as long as I am teaching,” said Strothers.
As expected, Mrs. Strothers says she will use the check for more peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The $250.00 donation will paY for about one semester of sandwiches.
Oklahoma
Sponsored Content: The Spotlight – Winter Park
Today on the Spotlight, our crew explored why Winter Park Resort is so much more than a snowy winter destination. Nestled in Colorado’s breathtaking Fraser Valley along the Continental Divide, this mountain escape transforms into an outdoor paradise once the snow melts—offering cool temperatures, endless sunshine, and adventures for every kind of traveler.
Just 70 minutes from Denver and one of the closest major mountain resorts to Denver International Airport, Winter Park makes it easy to trade city life for alpine views. Surrounded by towering 13,000 and 14,000-foot peaks, the resort delivers postcard-worthy scenery with summer temperatures that rarely climb above 80 degrees. Add in more than 300 days of sunshine each year, and it’s easy to see why so many visitors are discovering Winter Park as a perfect warm-weather getaway.
The resort village itself offers plenty of charm, with lodging, dining, shopping, and activities all conveniently located in one walkable area. Whether you’re looking for high-energy thrills or a laid-back mountain retreat, there’s no shortage of ways to enjoy the outdoors.
One of the most popular summer attractions is the scenic gondola ride, which carries guests up to 10,700 feet for unforgettable panoramic views of the Continental Divide, colorful wildflowers, and towering aspen groves. Adventure seekers can race down Colorado’s longest alpine slide or hit the trails to explore more than 3,000 acres of scenic hiking terrain. For those wanting to relax, Sunspot Mountain Lodge offers mountaintop dining with incredible views.
As the sun begins to set, the mountain comes alive with happy hour gatherings and live music on Friday and Saturday evenings, creating the perfect atmosphere to unwind after a day of adventure.
Winter Park is also home to the legendary Trestle Bike Park, one of the top downhill mountain biking destinations in the country. Opening Memorial Weekend, the park features more than 40 miles of gravity-fed downhill trails designed for riders of all skill levels. Advanced bikers can tackle technical terrain, while beginners can ease into the sport with mellow trails, rental gear, and lessons available onsite. Visitors who prefer a more relaxed ride can explore the area with e-bike rentals and guided mountain tours.
Beyond the resort, Winter Park serves as an ideal base camp for exploring some of Colorado’s most iconic outdoor destinations. The quieter west entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park is only about 35 minutes away, offering fewer crowds and incredible opportunities to spot wildlife like moose and elk.
And for travelers wanting to spend time on the water, Grand Lake, Lake Granby, and Shadow Mountain Lake are all within about an hour of the resort, offering boating, fishing, paddling, and even more mountain recreation opportunities.
From scenic gondola rides and alpine slides to mountain biking, hiking, lakeside escapes, and national park adventures, Winter Park truly lives up to its reputation as Colorado’s gateway to summer fun. Visitors looking to plan their next mountain getaway can find lodging deals, trailside stays, and a full calendar of summer events at Winter Park Resort.
-
New Jersey1 minute agoNew Jersey swim team left without pool after Wayne Community Center abruptly ends agreement
-
New Mexico7 minutes agoThe most popular baby names in New Mexico for 2025
-
North Carolina13 minutes agoBusinesses worry of potential impacts as Marion tightens water restrictions amid drought
-
North Dakota19 minutes agoHighway Patrol: Blowing dirt cuts visibility in northwest North Dakota
-
Ohio25 minutes agoWarren man sentenced for Niles police chase
-
Oklahoma31 minutes agoOklahoma judge allows former death row prisoner to be released on bond while awaiting retrial
-
Oregon37 minutes agoPeaceHealth says Oregon CEO Jim McGovern out, Heather Wall to continue as interim leader
-
Pennsylvania43 minutes agoMan arrested for allegedly posting hit list, threatening more than a dozen Pennsylvania lawmakers