Oklahoma signee Ashton Sanders made up his thoughts when he was only a sophomore in highschool. Greatness awaited, and he would meet it head on.
Eighty kilos lighter.
Sanders was a 350-pound defensive sort out his first 12 months of varsity soccer at Cathedral Excessive College in Los Angeles. By his junior 12 months, he had dropped to 340 – however that wasn’t near the place he wished to be.
Advertisement
“My foremost factor,” Sanders mentioned, “was I didn’t need to go to school weighing 340 kilos.”
So Sanders lower sugar fully out of his weight loss plan. Now he’s round 275. When he strikes, he strikes with expediency, and he arrives with objective.
What Sanders did – make a life-changing resolution, possibly even a life-saving resolution – at 17 years outdated will not be frequent in highschool soccer.
“I don’t suppose it’s frequent in America,” mentioned OU defensive coordinator Ted Roof. “Take a look at our nation. I believe it’s very unusual. To me, that’s what I believe separates him … that’s why I’ve a whole lot of respect for him as a result of he did make that call as a result of he wasn’t joyful the place he was. As an alternative of speaking about it, he did one thing about it. That’s a beautiful factor.
“At one level, I believe he was 350 kilos. He determined that wasn’t a superb weight for him and he wanted to do one thing about it as a result of he wasn’t enjoying like he wished to. And he did. You discuss some respect for a man who can decide like that. It’s robust. Take into consideration what number of sizes of garments that’s, proper? He in all probability had to purchase him a complete new set of garments 80 kilos later. That claims a complete lot about his dedication to me.”
Advertisement
That call, that sacrifice, that dedication has paid off. Sanders bought a scholarship to Oklahoma, turned ESPN’s No. 25-rated defensive lineman within the nation, helped his workforce to a 10-3 file in 2022, graduated highschool a semester early, earned a spot within the U.S. Military All-American Sport final week in Frisco, TX, and is already training with the Sooners in Orlando, FL, forward of their Cheez-It Bowl showdown with Florida State.
Ashton Sanders
Ashton Sanders through Twitter
“Ashton Sanders,” mentioned OU coach Brent Venables, “has bought an ideal story.”
Sanders had been recruited by Wisconsin, Washington, Cal, Arizona State and others however mentioned he by no means believed a real blueblood like Oklahoma would ever attain out.
Advertisement
“I didn’t suppose I used to be gonna get one in every of my dream colleges,” Sanders informed AllSooners this week. “Nor did I believe I used to be gonna get a legit provide from a college that performed big-time soccer and to be coached by an ideal coach.”
Sanders mentioned he wasn’t burdened over recruiting. Relatively, he was simply centered on being the very best participant he could possibly be, on being the very best teammate he could possibly be, and on profitable a championship. Cathedral fell brief, however whereas he was taking good care of his enterprise, soccer took a flip.
OU line of defense coach Todd Bates reached out, and Sanders’ perspective on school soccer modified.
“It was a blessing, truthfully,” he mentioned. “I’d say they got here on the proper time. … As soon as they referred to as, that was my signal from God telling me to at all times imagine and at all times maintain pushing.”
Bates supplied a scholarship on Oct. 31, and Sanders took his official go to to Norman on Nov. 19 – for the Oklahoma State sport. He dedicated to the Sooners that Sunday, with out hesitation.
Advertisement
“My expertise was chill – actually and mentally,” Sanders mentioned. “As a result of it was chilly. That was my first time ever to take an official go to and ever being at a school sport and seeing followers like that. It actually was an ideal expertise. To know that each sport, for a house sport, is like that – it wowed me. As a result of it was precisely what I wished. I wished the massive scenes. I wished to be part of it.”
Sanders’ recruiting host that weekend was junior defensive finish Reggie Grimes. That helped. Grimes has develop into fairly the host.
“I like it,” Grimes mentioned. “It’s time to attach with a bunch of fellows that you simply need to come right here. I had Ashton Sanders, and he dedicated right here, so it’s an opportunity to attach with among the guys who had been going to be in our locker room subsequent 12 months. I had Taylor Wein a couple of weeks in the past – he’s a child from Nashville, from my space. So that you’ve bought guys who you’re reconnecting with so far as it’s involved for me. I like it.
“I’ll inform them how it’s. I’ve nothing to cover from anybody, what I imply? We wish you right here. In the event that they’re placing you with me, which means we would like you right here. So, take you out, have a superb time, and kinda going to indicate you why Oklahoma is Oklahoma, why we’re the way in which that we’re.”
Grimes shall be a senior when Sanders is a freshman, however Sanders mentioned he appears like he has a buddy for all times.
Advertisement
Ashton Sanders
Ashton Sanders through Twitter
Scroll to Proceed
“He’s one individual I do know I can name if I’m ever not understanding the scheme,” Sanders mentioned. “Like, I texted him and mentioned, ‘Assist me with the scheme a little bit bit,’ and he was like, ‘For positive’ – as soon as I signed, he would assist me out and we’d sit down and discuss it, and he would additionally ship me the stuff. So he’s an ideal man.”
However the single strongest connection Sanders made was together with his new place coach.
It appears Sanders and Todd Bates share a love of poetry.
Advertisement
“That’s one factor that I related with him with, as a result of I write poems,” Sanders mentioned.
Sanders’ poetry writing started when he took a summer season English class. His instructor, Ms. Pennington, rapidly bought his consideration.
“I used to hate English,” Sanders mentioned. “However once I had her in summer season college to get forward, she taught me a complete bunch of it and I actually simply bought hooked in. I imply, I used to be already writing poems, and I used to be at all times top-of-the-line writers at school, and he or she informed me I used to be horrible. However me being the form of individual I’m, I used to be like, ‘Oh, I’m horrible? No I’m not. OK, now I’m fixin’ to be taught.’ ”
Sanders mentioned he writes poetry “primarily to get by, or typically I write down my emotions. It’s simply my private remedy. … Additionally, I wish to problem myself. The toughest factor for me to write down proper now’s a sonnet. I nonetheless haven’t understood the rhyme scheme.”
When he and Bates met, the dialog turned to poetry.
Advertisement
“I’m studying his poetry,” Sanders mentioned. “I informed him he ought to be a printed author, and he mentioned he’s, he wrote his personal ebook at one level. And that’s simply stuff you don’t hear from each coach. Like, being recruited, you hear a whole lot of the identical issues from each coach.”
Within the temporary time they’ve recognized one another, their relationship has deepened profoundly.
“I can say that not as soon as has coach Bates lied to me,” Sanders mentioned. “Each single factor has been true. I do know that due to the way in which his spouse holds him and talks about him. And likewise, one evening my mother overheard Coach Bates praying for me. That touched me. Like, very deep. As a result of I don’t know of one other coach that has completed that for me.
“Only a nice man, an ideal individual, an ideal disciple. He’s an ideal father, too. He’s somebody that I do know, after my NCAA profession is over and I get married, he’ll formally be at my marriage ceremony. That’s the kind of man he’s.”
Sanders shall be in Orlando subsequent week training with the workforce. He gained’t get to play within the sport itself per NCAA guidelines, however he’ll be flashing his expertise – and his 275-pound body – for his new coaches.
Advertisement
“Actually glorious athlete,” Venables mentioned. “”He is a much bigger man … tremendously agile with nice toes.”
“He’s so versatile,” mentioned Roof. “You have a look at what occurred together with his play on tape, he’s actually, actually explosive so far as getting off the ball. He can play a whole lot of totally different methods for us. The primary factor we need to do is assault and get vertical off the ball from the line of defense. He can try this. He’s actually, actually twitchy and explosive.”
All that from reducing out sugar.
It’s simply actually, all I did was no added sugar,” Sanders mentioned. “ … Mine was sugar. Each single second of the day, I’m asking for sweet, and that’s what weighed me down.
“It’s not simply decide a weight loss plan, it’s delete one thing that you simply’ve been having all of your life a whole lot of servings of. And when you delete it, you’ll see a dramatic change.”
Advertisement
Now that he’s misplaced the load, he’s wanting ahead to stepping into Jerry Schmidt’s notorious winter exercises and placing on the nice weight – the muscle.
“Oh, I’m gonna placed on some weight. Yeah,” Sanders mentioned. “I wished to go in as a younger pup and have them construct me up.”
Need to be part of the dialogue? Click on right here to develop into a member of the AllSooners message board group at this time!
Enroll to your premium membership to AllSooners.com at this time, and get entry to your entire Fan Nation premium community!
NORMAN, Okla. — Freshman Jeremiah Fears finished with 20 points, Duke Miles scored 19 and Oklahoma cruised to an 84-56 victory over East Texas A&M on Thursday night.
Fears used 7-for-10 shooting to turn in his best scoring effort thus far for the Sooners (4-0). He was 1 for 4 from 3-point range and 5 of 6 at the free-throw line, adding five assists and four rebounds. Miles hit 7 of 13 shots with three 3-pointers.
Glenn Taylor Jr. came off the bench to sink four 3-pointers and scored 16 for Oklahoma.
Scooter Williams Jr., Josh Taylor and reserve TJ Thomas all scored nine to pace the Lions (1-5).
Advertisement
Sports Roundup
Get the latest D-FW sports news, analysis, scores and more.
Miles had 14 points in the first half and Fears scored 11 to guide the Sooners to a 38-33 lead at intermission.
Taylor buried all four of his shots from distance and scored 14 in the second half to help Oklahoma double up East Texas A&M 46-23 after the break.
The Sooners shot 47.5% overall and made 10 of 32 from beyond the arc (31.3%). The went 18 for 22 at the foul line.
Advertisement
The Lions shot 37.7% from the floor, hit 7 of 32 from distance (21.9%) and 9 of 17 foul shots.
Oklahoma heads to the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis, playing three games in three days. The Sooners open the event on Wednesday against Providence.
Denton Guyer four-star quarterback Kevin Sperry flips from Oklahoma to Florida State
No. 7 Alabama looks to strengthen case for College Football Playoff spot vs. Oklahoma
Find more college sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
Find more Oklahoma coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
OKLAHOMA CITY – A proposal to open Oklahoma primaries is drawing criticism.
Earlier this week, supporters announced State Question 835 that seeks to obtain 172,993 signatures to get the issue on the November 2026 ballot.
Under the proposal, Oklahoma primaries would be open to all voters with the top two vote getters advancing to the general election.
Supporters said they expect a challenge to the measure.
Advertisement
Gov. Kevin Stitt on social media voiced his opposition.
“Oklahomans made decisions at the polls that these third party groups don’t like – so now they want to upend the way we run our elections,” Stitt said. “Open primaries are a hard no in Oklahoma.”
Likewise, Lt. Gov Matt Pinnell, former Oklahoma Republican Party chairman, opposes the proposal.
“At best, the push to mandate open primaries is a solution in search of a problem, and at worst, it is a thinly veiled attempt to weaken Republican voters in choosing the nominees to represent our party,” Pinnell said. “Oklahoma is a conservative state, and Republicans hold all the statewide and federally elected positions and super majorities in the Legislature for a simple reason: our values and principles represent the will of our state voters.”
But not all Republicans have panned the idea.
Advertisement
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, a former Republican state senator, embraced it.
He said the system in which a mayor is elected allows all residents to vote.
“Our voters get to see all the candidates and our candidates have to face all voters,” Holt said. “As a result, our leadership delivers unity and consensus outcomes that are clearly moving us forward.”
The state question is being backed by Oklahoma United, a nonpartisan organization that says the change will increase voter participation, reduce polarization and force candidates to be responsive to all voters. It will also benefit independent voters, who can’t vote in Republican or Libertarian primaries. Democrats currently allow independents to vote in their primaries.
The idea is not new.
Advertisement
In 2017, the Oklahoma Academy recommended a top-two election system. Its report said a top-two system could increase turnout, reduce partisanship and “eliminate fringe special interest involvement in campaigns because candidates would be forced to respond to more moderate, general voters rather than play to the extremes of either party.”
The Oklahoma Academy is a nonpartisan group that works to educate Oklahomans about public policy.
Republican political consultant Fount Holland said he doubted Oklahoma voters would approve the proposal should it make the ballot.
“At the end of the day, it is about moderating the Republican primary,” Holland said.
He said the Republican Party takes things to the extreme, which is not the best way to govern.
Advertisement
Holland said no one enters the Republican primary as a moderate or very few can survive campaigning as a moderate.
“They might be moderate, but they don’t campaign that way,” Holland said.
He said he tells his clients to run to win.
If approved, the measure would be advantageous to Democrats or people who want a more moderate group of elected officials, Holland said.
Republican Superintendent Ryan Walters is considered by many to be ultra-conservative, while his predecessor Joy Hofmeister was considered a moderate member of the GOP, said Holland, who worked on her two successful races for superintendent.
Advertisement
Walters has focussed on putting Bibles in the classroom and removing some books from schools, while Hofmeister prioritized across-the-board teacher pay increases and boosting counseling services in schools.
Hofmeister ultimately switched parties and made an unsuccessful run as a Democrat for governor.
“If you hate politics the way they are, then you need to be on our team, because we want to change it and we want to make it better,” said Margaret Kobos, Oklahoma United CEO and Founder.
She was asked about the partisan reaction to the proposal.
She said it misses the point because the issue is about people and not political parties.
Advertisement
Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Del City, supports the measure, saying it takes power away from the political parties and gives it to the people.
“Every voter. Every election,” he said. “That is the way democracy is supposed to work.”
Americans now have telehealth as an option and they like it! Buzz60’s Keri Lumm shares the results of a new study conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Kaiser Permanente.
Buzz60
Oklahomans living in areas with limited internet access soon will be able to receive help with virtual doctor’s appointments at their local library.
Advertisement
An initiative from Arkansas-based Heartland Forward, a “policy think-and-do tank,” and a grant from the James M. Cox Foundation is making this possible.
Here’s what we know.
Librarians receiving training on supporting telehealth visits
With the help of a $25,000 grant from the James M. Cox Foundation, the nonprofit and philanthropic arm of Cox Enterprises, Oklahoma librarians will be trained on accessing and preparing for a telehealth appointment using the Telehealth DigitalLearn module, according to a news release.
Librarians can then use the module, which was funded by the Ford Foundation, to help community members learn more about telehealth.
Advertisement
Why Heartland Forward is targeting Oklahoma, Arkansas for telehealth access
According to the latest benchmark from the Federal Communications Commission, broadband or high-speed internet is defined as receiving 100/20 mbps download and upload speeds.
The latest FCC broadband map shows just over 91% of Oklahoma homes and businesses are covered by broadband, not including satellite technology, which Engagement Director Nicholas Camper, with the Oklahoma Broadband Office, said amounts to about 450,000 Oklahomans without high-speed internet access.
According to the Oklahoma Broadband Office’s interactive map, there are more than 100,000 locations in Oklahoma that could receive broadband that have not, and more than 80,000 locations that are underserved.
Advertisement
In addition, a Heartland Forward study found that 25% of counties surveyed in the region had a population-to-primary care physician ratio more than double the U.S. average. Telehealth can help bridge this gap, but only for those with access to the internet.
The new initiative will allow libraries to connect Oklahomans to “critical health services,” Education Secretary Nellie Sanders said in the news release.
“Libraries are often the first place community members turn to for resources and support, especially in areas where healthcare access can be limited,” Natalie Currie, director of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, said in the release. “By training librarians to help Oklahomans navigate telehealth technology, we’re opening doors to essential healthcare services and enhancing the well-being of our communities.”
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25739950/247386_Elon_Musk_Open_AI_CVirginia.jpg "Inside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI")
