Oklahoma’s future looks bright. Less than a day ago, they received news of their first slate of SEC opponents when they begin play in their new conference in 2024. It’s a compelling slate and something that gets the competitive energy flowing.
If they plan to make an impact when they get there, the class of 2024 will have a profound hand in that. This class will be the first class that hits the ground and is immediately thrown into the fire that is the SEC. They’ll spend their whole careers being molded by the best football conference in the country. For the Sooners to compete for the top, this 2024 class must be unique.
It’s only fitting that Oklahoma has its premier recruiting event, the ChampU BBQ this weekend, right after the SEC opponents were revealed.
“We have 28 monsters on campus this weekend.” – #OU HC Brent Venables talking #ChampUBBQ & using 2024 SEC schedule to recruiting advantage
— Bob Przybylo (@BPrzybylo) June 14, 2023
The Sooners can use the SEC to their advantage, selling the appeal of playing in an elite conference to any athlete unafraid of competing against the best in the country.
Last year’s ChampU BBQ had attendees signing with the Sooners and are now on campus with the current roster. Here’s a running count:
In short, a nice chunk of OU’s 2023 class came to the event. Arnold was already committed before the BBQ, but having him there helped Oklahoma recruit and, ultimately, the remaining players committed in the months after.
The visitor list for the event is long, with well over 20 official visitors already confirmed.
This weekend in Norman will be jam-packed with an extensive amount of talent. David Stone, a consensus top-10 recruit, is the headliner. He’s a hometown kid who grew up a Sooner fan. A commitment from him would be massive. He’s at the top of the Sooners’ recruiting board and a must-have in this cycle.
Caden Durham and Taylor Tatum are two talented four-star running backs Oklahoma would be delighted to have.
Oklahoma has four 2024 commits in the building this weekend, and aside from them enjoying their officials, they can and will likely be used to recruit some of their uncommitted counterparts. K.J. Daniels, Zion Kearney, Isaiah Autry, and Jaydan Hardy are the four commits who will enjoy their officials as Oklahoma Sooners.
Joseph Jonah-Ajonye, Nigel Smith, and Dominick McKinley join David Stone as highly touted defensive linemen in Norman this weekend. Aside from landing Stone, can Oklahoma at least snag two of the remaining three? This weekend of visits could go a long way in determining that.
This weekend will have ripple effects for the 2024 cycle and help lay the foundation for Oklahoma’s future in the SEC. Last year’s event netted Oklahoma seven commits in the weeks and months after. The Sooners will be thrilled if the same happens this year.
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