Editor’s Notice: That is Half 7 of a 14-part collection on Oklahoma’s early enrollees within the 2023 recruiting class.

Many instances, graduating highschool early and launching one’s school soccer profession pays off. Many instances, it doesn’t.

Whereas early enrollees are navigating new realms of ache and dedication, quite a lot of their associates are again house — taking part in basketball, working monitor or simply hanging out and taking full benefit of the affliction referred to as “senioritis.”

In Oklahoma’s case, 14 newcomers have chosen to make that sudden transition from boys to males. Jerry Schmidt’s winter exercises might sound unattainable at first, after which the summer time grind is even tougher. In between, the teaching employees takes over, and spring soccer follow places them forward of their summer time counterparts.

On this collection, AllSooners examines every of the 14 newcomers and initiatives their impression on Brent Venables’ soccer staff in 2023.

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One would possibly suppose Daylan Smothers simply couldn’t wait to place highschool behind him.

The central determine of a residency snafu that led one college to forfeit a whole season and value one other college his senior yr of eligibility, Smothers has left prep soccer in North Carolina for the trials of big-time school soccer at Oklahoma.

However that’s not why the proficient working again enrolled early at OU. He’s not hiding from his previous, however reasonably striding towards a brighter future.

“I don’t essentially suppose it’s placing highschool behind him,” mentioned Sam Greiner, who was nearly Smothers’ highschool coach final yr earlier than the state declared him ineligible. “As a result of he’s a relationships man. He’s very dedicated to the individuals he’s been round and touched. He desires them to do in addition to himself. In order that facet, he’ll all the time keep shut and grounded to the place he got here from. That’s what makes him particular.

RB Daylan Smothers

• 5-11, 182
• Charlotte, NC
• 247 Sports activities: 4-star, No. 306 total, No. 19 RB
• Rivals: 4-star, unranked total, No. 11 RB
• On3: 3-star, unranked total, No. 44 RB
• ESPN: 4-star, No. 232 total, No. 12 RB

Background: The speedy Smothers gained North Carolina’s Mr. Soccer Award when he rushed for 1,206 yards and scored 12 touchdowns in 10 video games — as a sophomore. He then outdid these numbers with 1,581 yards, 28 touchdowns and a visit to the state championship sport his junior season. Nonetheless, Smothers didn’t play soccer as a senior in 2022 as a result of he switched faculties and was declared ineligible on account of a state residency challenge (he couldn’t return to his old style as a result of they self-reported the issue and forfeited all their video games in 2021). Smothers selected OU over Florida State, North Carolina State and others.

2023 Projection: The opposite aspect of Smothers not taking part in soccer final yr is that he’s the freshest of the Sooners’ younger quartet of working backs. Jovantae Barnes was second on the staff in carries and yards final yr, and he and Gavin Sawchuk exploded for greater than 100 yards within the Cheez-It Bowl towards a great Florida State protection. However don’t count on Smothers or fellow freshman Kalib Hicks to sit down quietly behind them. Smothers’ velocity rivals that of Sawchuk, and Jeff Lebby’s historical past as an offensive coordinator signifies he’ll use a handful of backs once more this season. Each freshman are early enrollees, in order that they’ll have to double their efforts this offseason on selecting up move protections and catching the soccer.

“Now, his dream and his ardour of what he desires to turn into, sure, that’s sooner or later and that’s what he’s centered on. However he gained’t transfer previous the rear view mirror. He’ll all the time have a look at the place he got here from to recollect, you realize, this isn’t only a mission for himself, however to indicate the place he got here out of and what the can do.”

The small print are now not vital. However like most highschool athletes who’re declared ineligible, Smothers wasn’t the one accountable when he transferred from Chambers Excessive throughout city to West Charlotte Excessive.

Smothers could have moved on to larger and higher issues in Norman, however wanting again to final Could, the unhealthy  information was troublesome to take.

“We had been going by way of spring exercises,” Greiner instructed AllSooners.

It was as shut as Greiner got here to teaching Smothers. He hasn’t performed since. Nonetheless, Smothers made an impression on his new teammates and within the college group.

“The best factor about him is his management qualities,” Greiner mentioned. “Very hardly ever in my life do I see extraordinarily nice leaders at that age. One in every of ‘em was my ‘son,’ Braheam Murphy. He’s at West Level now. (Murphy got here out of a troublesome household scenario and lived with Greiner and his household whereas successful the 2017 state championship and graduating from Harding College Excessive College to a scholarship at Military.)

“Daylan Smothers might be the next-best chief I’ve ever seen, and I’ve solely gotten to witness it firsthand for a short while. However he makes everybody else higher round him. What meaning, mainly, his work ethic in drills, the issues he does, makes everybody need to carry out at the next stage.”

Oklahoma’s 2023 early enrollees

Greiner described a scene that unfolded not too long ago at Ranson Center College — a West Charlotte feeder the place Smothers attended — that illustrates Smothers‘ persona and attraction.

At some point, then-Carolina Panthers star working again Christian McCaffrey dropped by to speak to the youngsters.

“And everyone’s like, ‘Oh, that’s Christian McCaffrey! That’s cool.’ When Daylan ‘Hollywood’ Smothers would stroll into the center college, the entire center college would mainly simply shut down. That’s how particular he’s to that group. I’m not simply saying that. I’m telling you the legit reality.

“He’s a job mannequin.”

Smothers went from anticipating a giant senior yr at West Charlotte to basically turning his full consideration to recruiting. OU dropped a scholarship supply on March 20, earlier than he was dominated ineligible, and he spent June on the street visiting his prime faculties. He visited OU on June 3, North Carolina State on June 17, and Florida State on June 24.

On July 14, he dedicated to the Sooners — thanks largely to the persistence and dedication of working backs coach DeMarco Murray.

“It was the connection I constructed with coach Murray and on my go to,” Smothers instructed On3. “It simply felt like house for me. … DeMarco Murray did an awesome job with recruiting me and my household.”

“He’s a sport changer,” Greiner mentioned. “He’s completely different. That’s why DeMarco Murray closely recruited him. It wasn’t that he wasn’t this prime man on the Rivals and all that stuff. Lots of people didn’t see his attributes as a result of they’re unknown except you get to fulfill him and you realize him personally. That’s what makes him elite.”

Murray — himself a bodily working again who carried the soccer lots in highschool, school and the NFL — noticed a proficient athlete with contemporary legs.

“He’s mainly bought no put on and tear on the tires from his senior yr,” Greiner mentioned.

So he’s a job mannequin, an inspiration, a resolute younger man, and he’s contemporary.

He’s additionally a fairly particular soccer participant, having obtained North Carolina’s Mr. Soccer Award as a sophomore at Vance Excessive College (now Chambers Excessive College; Greiner is among the many electors for the consideration introduced yearly by the Charlotte Observer) and compiled 2,787 speeding yards and 40 touchdowns in his two seasons because the starter.

OU coach Brent Venables admires the dedication it took for Smothers to persevere final yr. He additionally likes how Murray remained dedicated to recruiting Smothers. Venables additionally applauded Smothers’ versatility, suggesting he could possibly be a “monster security” on the defensive aspect of the ball.

“He is one of many additional guys away from Norman, however he by no means flinched as nicely,” Venables mentioned. “If you realize something about North Carolina and North Carolina State, in that state it isn’t a straightforward factor to compete with. Belief me.

“He’s going to be an awesome working again for us. However Daylan Smothers, I really like his versatility.”

“He’s gonna be actually quick,” Greiner mentioned. “He’s in all probability the quickest working again they’ve on the roster proper now. And he has, I believe, a novel capacity to play the sport.

“However that’s not the intangibles that make him nice.”

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