Oklahoma

Oklahoma Kicker Tyler Keltner Has a Big Personality and Bigger Confidence

Published

2 hours ago

September 4, 2024

Oklahoma Kicker Tyler Keltner Has a Big Personality and Bigger Confidence

NORMAN — Oklahoma kicker Tyler Keltner has a boyish face and a slight frame.

But his personality belies his appearance, projecting through and overpowering any preconceived notions that he looks “young” or “small.”

And yet, his confidence, his humility and his right leg are even bigger than any of that.

That became evident on Friday night, when Brent Venables called on Keltner to kick a 50-yard field goal in the first quarter, and Keltner calmly stepped up and drove it right down Main Street. It was the Sooners’ first 50-yarder in three years, but for Keltner, it was no big deal.

“You might not believe me,” Keltner said after practice Monday, “but I get more nervous watching kickers on TV than me when I’m kicking by myself. When it’s me out there in a game, there’s a certain calmness that comes through.

“I think it’s just everybody practicing. I’m just so confident in everybody and confident in what I do. I go out there and it’s just like, pure bliss watching people on TV kick. … I’m like, ‘What are they going to do? How’s their operation? And they’ve been practicing? What are they doing?’ But when it’s us and when it’s me, it’s just the best feeling in the world.”

The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Keltner is OU’s first-ever SEC Player of the Week, landing the league’s special teams accolades a perfect night with three field goals and six PATs.

Friday night in front of 80,000 citizens of Sooner Nation was a big, big step for Keltner, who beat out two-year starter Zach Schmit for the job. In four years as the starting kicker at East Tennessee State, he never saw a crowd like the one that watched OU beat Temple 51-3. Even last year, when he kicked one just PAT for Florida State — late in a November home victory over North Alabama — the announced attendance at Doak Campbell Stadium was 79,560, and most of them had cleared out by the time he lined up for the extra point.

“It’s just nice to be playing again through all the waiting, then all the work in the last two years,” Keltner said. “I truly feel like I’ve gotten a little bit better over the last two years. It’s just fun to go out there and just have fun with it again.”

He left a four-time All-Southern Conference career at ETSU to join his hometown Seminoles, but he couldn’t beat out Ryan Fitzgerald. So he hit the transfer portal one more time, landing in Norman with all the confidence in the world.

That confidence only grew once he got to OU. Keltner said a preseason training camp visit from Sooners linebacker legend Teddy Lehman gave everyone a fresh perspective, specifically how all the work they’ve put in starting in January means the 2024 season is already halfway over.

“When I think about how much work we’ve put in, how much running, kicking, all this and that, why wouldn’t I come out and feel some sort of confidence in all of that?” Keltner said. “It’d be disrespectful to the team and the university if I didn’t.”

Keltner was similarly grateful to get to play last year for the Seminoles. He grew up in Tallahassee rooting for FSU, and as the ‘Noles went undefeated last year, he got great joy out of it.

“That was a great team to wait on kicking for,” he said. “So I had a good time. I learned a lot about myself and my routine. I just really learned about my love for the game again. So just to get back and show all that again is such an unreal experience.”

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WATCH: Oklahoma K Tyler Keltner Spring Media Day Interview

To listen to Keltner talk about college football, and OU football in particular, is to hear a young man who is is humbled by his good fortune in life.

“Just hearing guys talk about this field has been here for 100 years,” he said. “Seriously, that gives me goosebumps right now because I can’t fathom that. That was when my great-grandparents were being born. Like, come on.

“When you think about how many people stepped on this field and put their best foot forward and represented OU, that humbles me almost instantly. So I can walk out here and feel comfortable knowing that I’m representing them and I’ve got to put my best forward to honor that.”

Keltner beat out Schmit in a competition that was “as close as it can be,” he said. “I think me coming in here helped him and I think seeing how good he was, it helped me out. It really was an iron sharpening iron situation.”

“Just, there’s a body of work, and not just the training camp,” Venables said after the game Friday. “There’s the summer, there’s the spring, it’s a body of work, and he’s shown with his career he’s getting in the games, he made most of them, and so he had a good track record that way. But Zach had a great camp too, and as I said it, we went in, just made a decision, ‘This is what we were going to do.’ And, you know, glad for Tyler stepping up and executing. Really nice job in his debut.”

Keltner also gained an appreciation for Schmit’s ball-striking consistency and the power in Schmit’s right leg, which produced seven touchbacks among his 10 kickoffs.

“I was just telling somebody earlier that I’m not sure if I would have had the night I had if Zach Schmit didn’t have the night that he had,” Keltner said. “I mean talk about 10 kickoffs — we scored 10 times. That doesn’t happen too often. … When you have 10 kickoffs, that’s going to destroy anybody’s leg, especially if you’re doing both. So props to him. He’s such a massive, massive support beam for this team. We’re both just doing what we can to help this team out.”

While Keltner’s 50-yard missile was probably the most fun kick he had last week, the most stressful was a PAT on which the snap was inside and the hold was dropped. But holder Josh Plaster still gathered the ball and got it down just enough for Keltner to slap it through.

“Let’s thank soccer for that one,” Keltner said. “I’ve played soccer for a long time, and in those moments, when you walk out under these lights, your natural instincts coming out. The lights are on, there are fans in the crowd and everybody kinda blacks out a little bit.

“Soccer in my background, that has a lot to do with it.”

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Oklahoma

Southern Tech partners with Work Ready Oklahoma

Published

8 hours ago

September 4, 2024

Press Room

Southern Tech partners with Work Ready Oklahoma

ARDMORE, Oklahoma (KXII) – Ardmore’s Southern Tech is partnering with Work Ready Oklahoma to boost the workforce in Southern Oklahoma.

Work Ready opened a new location in Southern Tech’s business center on Tuesday evening.

The first workshop will take place on Monday, September 16, at 9 a.m.

Work Ready Oklahoma helps people get the skills and support they need to find and hold the job they want.

Southern Tech Superintendent Dr. Eric Ward said the partnership was only natural.

“With our full time programs, we’ll train you to weld, we’ll train you to be a nurse, we’ll train all of those things we do with our typical full time programs,” Dr. Ward said. “Programs like this will benefit people that those don’t work for, they don’t have time to be in a full time program, this is something that you can come in for a few weeks, get training, and get connected with an employers that’s ready to hire you.”

The new Work Ready center in Ardmore is one of nearly two dozen spread across Oklahoma.

More information about how to get involved is available on the Work Ready website.

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Oklahoma

Vote: Who should be Oklahoma high school Athlete of the Week? (9/3/2024)

Published

13 hours ago

September 3, 2024

Press Room

Vote: Who should be Oklahoma high school Athlete of the Week? (9/3/2024)

A new school year is upon us in Oklahoma, and with that commences the many achievements athletes will be providing in 2024-25.

Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Oklahoma high school athlete of the week for August 26-Sept. 1. Read through the nominees and cast your vote.

Voting will conclude Sunday at 11:59 p.m. If you would like to make a nomination in a future week, email athleteoftheweek@scorebooklive.com.

Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll are intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes who receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.

OKLAHOMA ATHLETE OF THE WEEK NOMINEES

Tahkari Bethel, Owasso football

A junior wide receiver, Bethel had a big night against defending 6AI champion Bixby. He caught five passes for 146 yards and two TDs and also returned a kickoff 99 yards for another score in the Rams’ dominant 40-21 win against the Spartans.

Jaseir Posey, Pocola football

Posey completed 13-of-16 passes for 278 yards and five TDs while adding 54 yards rushing on seven carries in the Indians’ 54-28 win against Antlers.

Colby Shannon, Comanche football

A quarterback, Shannon passed for 105 yards, but had a much greater night running the ball, carrying it 24 times for 234 yards and scoring five TDs in Comanche’s 31-15 win against S&S Consolidated (Texas).

KD Jones, Jenks football

The junior standout tailback carried the ball 23 times for 187 yards and had three TDs in the Trojans’ 48-3 win against Edmond Santa Fe.

Gavin Salt, Oologah football

A linebacker, Salt was instrumental for a Mustang defense that held Vinita to just 34 yards of total offense in a 27-0 win. He finished with six tackles, two tackles for loss and two sacks.

Jackson Harris, Sallisaw football

The Black Diamonds’ quarterback completed 15-of-20 passes for 127 yards and a TD while adding 178 yards rushing on 22 carries with two TDs in their 31-14 win against Pryor.

Brodie Grace, North Rock Creek football

A sophomore linebacker, Grace finished with 10 tackles and also intercepted a pass, forced a fumble and recovered another in his team’s 17-7 win against Marlow.

Nolan Yates, Prague football

Yates rushed for 152 yards on nine carries and scored four TDs in the Red Devils’ 60-7 win against Classen SAS.

Grady Adamson, Edmond Deer Creek football

The Antlers’ star quarterback had an impressive season debut. He was 12-of-19 passing for 220 yards and four TDs and also added 59 yards rushing on seven carries with a TD in Deer Creek’s 53-17 win against Bishop McGuinness.

Josiah Woods, OKC Southeast football

Woods rushed for three touchdowns and passed for three more touchdowns in the Spartans’ 68-18 win against the OKC Patriots.

Wyatt Geissler, Bethany football

Geissler caught eight passes for 140 yards and three TDs in the Bronchos’ 40-21 win against Noble.

Brady McAdoo, Tuttle football

McAdoo caught four passes for 45 yards and two TDs, including the game-winning 27-yard reception with less than a minute left in the Tigers’ 31-24 win against Guthrie. He also had 12 tackles and an interception on defense.

Destry Lujan, Yukon football

A junior running back/linebacker, Lujan was active in the Millers’ 26-16 win against Del City. He rushed for 59 yards and a TD, while on defense, recorded eight tackles, three tackles for loss, forced two fumbles and recovered another fumble.

Caden Knighten, Pauls Valley football

Making his debut with the Panthers after transferring from Wynnewood, Knighten rushed for 221 yards on 21 carries and had three TDs as Pauls Valley downed Lindsay, 28-6.

Wyatt Fitzgerald, Oklahoma Christian School football

Fitzgerald threw three TD passes, including a 37-yard Hail Mary to Elijah Winter as time expired in the Saints’ come-from-behind 19-13 win against Christian Heritage Academy. He also passed for 222 yards – 186 of those coming in the second half.

Malikai Miller, Moore football

The Lions’ quarterback completed 71 percent of his passes for 192 yards and two TDs as Moore won the “Moore War” against rival Westmoore, 35-3. He also broke up three passes at defensive back.

Kaeden Goodman, Metro Christian football

Goodman caught six passes for 54 yards and also registered seven tackles in the Patriots’ 21-12 win against Chisholm.

Cleveland Williamson, McAlester football

Williamson intercepted two passes, running one back for a TD, and also had a receiving TD as the Buffaloes began 2024 with a bang, beating Broken Bow, 37-26.

Alex Nathman, Cascia Hall football

Nathman caught five passes for 110 yards and scored three TDs as the Commandos edged Holland Hall, 29-28.

Jackson Still, Colcord football

The Hornets’ quarterback had 272 yards of total offense and was responsible for six TDs in their 40-7 win against Oklahoma Union.

Jason Powders, Henryetta football

Powders, a senior running back, carried the ball just six times but had 213 yards and four TDs as the Knights downed Kellyville, 58-0.

Tayveon Parry-Speight, Tulsa Union football

Parry-Speight rushed for 144 yards on 17 carries and also caught five passes for 58 yards while scoring two total touchdowns as the Redhawks outlasted Bentonville (Ark.) in overtime, 42-35.

Chase Eaves, Pawhuska football

A senior receiver, Eaves had eight receptions for 128 yards, added 21 more yards rushing and scored two total TDs in his team’s 50-6 win against Nowata.

Landen Griffith, Talihina football

The quarterback passed for 282 yards and five TDs and added 175 yards on 20 carries with three TDs as the Golden Tigers defeated Summit Christian, 62-28.

Jeramiah Ssettimba, Broken Arrow football

Ssettimba completed 21-of-30 passes for 292 yards and three TDs and added 39 yards rushing in the Tigers’ 42-21 win against Springdale (Ark.) Har-Ber.

Whelan Carson, Perry football

A receiver/linebacker, Carson hauled in six passes for 132 yards and four TDs, while on defense, he had 10 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and a sack in the Maroons’ 52-12 win against Mannford.

– Buck Ringgold | @SBLiveOK

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Oklahoma

COLUMN: How Oklahoma’s Young Coaching Staff Uses New Sideline Tech to Its Advantage

Published

19 hours ago

September 3, 2024

Press Room

COLUMN: How Oklahoma’s Young Coaching Staff Uses New Sideline Tech to Its Advantage

NORMAN — A half-dozen times or so in Friday’s season-opener with Temple, the Oklahoma quarterbacks were presented during the ESPN broadcast huddled on the sideline around graduate assistant Ty Hatcher — and his new iPad.

Sophomore starter Jackson Arnold sat to Hatcher’s left, freshman backup Michael Hawkins sat to his right, and behind them, standing up behind the bench, was senior third-team QB Casey Thompson. Hatcher was usually talking, or eliciting a response from Arnold, as they all leaned in to peek at the screen.

They were not scrolling cat videos on YouTube or Instagram shorts, and they were not playing NCAA25.

The tablets are now ubiquitous in college football. Every position group has them, watching plays from the last series and trying to gain an edge for the next series. (In the SEC, teams have an exclusive contract with Apple to use iPads, other conferences have cut other deals.)

For quarterbacks, it would seem an extremely helpful tool to quickly review pass coverages in real time, to make sure protection calls were correct, so see exactly who did what and where, and then communicate any corrections for upcoming drives.

The system is brand new this year, with the NCAA allowing teams up to 18 tablets on game days. So although anyone not on the sideline probably won’t notice it, the whole process should continue to evolve throughout the season.

OU head coach Brent Venables said he likes how the logistics of Friday’s game went.

“I didn’t think there was any issues,” he said Tuesday during his weekly press conference. “I didn’t look at a whole lot. I watched (the game) in person. I saw what just happened. Somebody gave up penetration in the A gap, the quarterback had to throw it early, or whatever. But it is, it’s an excellent resource that everybody has now.“

On the sideline between series, Hatcher gathers up the QBs and opens a line to offensive coordinator Seth Littrell, who’s upstairs in the coaches box with assistant QB coach and offensive analyst Jack Lowary. Littrell tells Hatcher what plays to queue up on the iPad, and they’ll communicate what the play call was, what the defense was doing, and what was good — or what should have happened.

Lowary, Venables said, is “really smart. He’s got some great communication skills.”

“And then Ty’s a good young coach, and he’s helping in all kinds of ways. He’s also facilitating a conversation that’s taking place, making sure they’re on the same play and what have you and the read progression, things like that.”

Lowary and Hatcher are both new to the Oklahoma staff and have both been great assets so far, Venables said. They’ll take the next step on Saturday night when the No. 15-ranked Sooners host Houston.

Lowary, from Huntington Beach, CA, was a backup quarterback at Missouri under Barry Odom. His offensive coordinator at the time was Josh Heupel. Lowary also worked at Tennessee for Heupel and Vols offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Joey Halzle — which should come in quite handy when the Sooners host Tennessee on Sept. 21.

Hatcher, from Hueytown, AL, was a quarterback at Samford and worked for Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M last season.

“Great young minds,” Venables said.

On his weekly coaches show Monday night, Venables called it “a player’s worst nightmare” because they no longer have to wait until Sunday film review to get chewed out for a bust.

“You can make it big,” he laughed. “Really zoom in.”

Still, Venables isn’t actually a fan yet of having tablets on the sideline. Venables is old-school to the core, and he thinks giving both teams equal technological assets can somewhat “neutralize” any advantage a talented coaching staff might have.

In other words, one staff puts in overtime on game prep, such as recognizing formations or anticipating pre-snap tendencies — but that mountain of extra work is suddenly leveled because the other sideline can see things in real time on a tablet. Or a school pours financial resources into a salary budget to compensate a top-shelf staff — but any edge in actual coaching skill is taken down a peg because the opponent gets the exact same look.

“Like anything, more isn’t always better,” he added. “If somebody said, ‘Would you vote for everybody to have them or not have them,’ I would say no. Because I like figuring stuff out and seeing it on the field. I think that can be an advantage. Some people can’t see it.

“It still comes down the players out there executing and being physical.”

On Tuesday, he reiterated that stance.

“If you analyzed the iPads as opposed to no iPads, if you asked me, I’d rather not have them. The reason is because I think if you’ve got a good eye for just what happened — who’s in what spot, who wasn’t in the right spot — it gives you a potential competitive advantage on figuring it out. Doesn’t mean you’re gonna win or all of a sudden all of the bad things are gonna go away. But I do think it can be a competitive advantage without the iPads.

“I think it neutralizes a lot of things. I think what you’ve gotta be careful is not overloading information. Most of the time, I think it’s affirmation. ‘Well, that’s what I thought. You’re too wide.’ Or, ‘That’s what I thought. You didn’t block the backside backer.’

“I think it’s a good thing, when it’s all said and done. I think it’s good. … Kind of like the transfer portal has created more parity, I think this will be another thing.”

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