Oklahoma
Oklahoma politics launched with constitutional chaos
If you haven’t been paying attention, the Oklahoma Legislature is back in session and headed for its homestretch. Look at all the cowboy hats.
The governor, the attorney general and the “education” guy are in place and doing their respective things. Here, one may say, we are going again.
Throw in negotiations with sovereign tribal nations, and we’re guaranteed snits, spats and to-dos aplenty. Sometimes I feel sorry for my son, who covers the Capitol every week and writes some sort of newsletter, among other things.
Of course, if the Oklahoma Legislature looks like chaos — well, that’s how our state got started at the turn of the last century.
A microcosm of our initial population?
First, when America furthered its frontier West into more and more Indigenous territory, the area had land runs. Chaos on the hoof. Then, the white folks started calling for statehood. Eleven years passed before there were enough people living here for the place to qualify.
Republicans were in control in Washington, and their feet dragged on the question of statehood because they feared Oklahoma would be a Democratic stronghold, and they wanted time to build Republican power here, via political appointments and whatnot.
So, we were tools before we were tools.
Anyhow, along came the Oklahoma Enabling Act of June 16, 1906, which wrote the recipe to be followed in the creation of a new state.
The so-called Twin Territories — Oklahoma and Indian — were to be joined, and each would send 55 delegates (plus two from the Osage Nation) to a constitutional convention in Guthrie, a Republican outpost that was, according to the Enabling Act, to be the state’s capital until at least 1913.
The convention first met on Nov. 20, 1906. Of the 112 delegates, 100 were Democrats, and that was it for Republicans until the first coming of Henry Bellmon.
About the delegates, we know this: Their average age was 43. Among them stood 47 farmers, 27 lawyers, 12 businessmen, six preachers, three teachers, two physicians and one student. Besides them, the wag would say, 14 other people with no visible means of support also attended.
Was that a microcosm of our initial population? Hard to say. I am told even fewer lawyers and physicians serve in the Legislature now, but the teacher and preacher numbers have climbed.
A populist fear of centralized power
The president of the 1906 constitutional convention was none other than that soon-to-be nationally known bigot, crackpot and whatnot named William H. “Alfalfa Bill” Murray.
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He began the proceedings by having the delegates join together in singing Nearer, My God to Thee, the hymn that would be played six years later on the deck of the sinking Titanic.
Perhaps Murray had a premonition, and not about a big boat.
The convention produced a 45,000-word constitution that President Theodore Roosevelt hated because Democrats had written it, but no legal reason existed for rejecting it because the document followed the stipulations of the Enabling Act to the letter. (I forbear particulars, except to note that in Oklahoma you cannot have more than one spouse at a time. Having them serially is another matter, but the Legislature works on that, from time to time.)
The Oklahoma Constitution was praised for its populist and progressive content, with many provisions limiting centralized control and empowering the Legislature as the institution most responsive to the will of the people.
Scholars wrote about it, but nit-pickers were not silent, complaining that the document was too detailed. Good grief, the thing even specified the flash point of kerosene, a provision designed to prevent corporate greed error that could result in towns burning to the ground if it were cut with cheaper fuels. Such atrocity had happened elsewhere.
A constitutional convention redo? Be careful what you wish for
From time to time, the electorate is invited to help remove outdated parts of the Oklahoma Constitution.
I recall the election in which the section requiring state payments to widows of Civil War veterans was excised. Someone had noticed that, on account of the passage of time, there were no such widows left.
Over the decades, voters have been asked to decide several questions related to the Oklahoma Constitution, which has been amended more than 200 times. In recent years, we have voted on liquor laws (twice), marijuana laws (twice, to different results), the separation of church and state, expanding Medicaid coverage, modifying school funding options, and whether to elect the governor and lieutenant governor jointly.
The results have hardly painted a straight ideological line.
I learned recently that Cherokee Nation citizens will be asked this June whether to call their own convention for revision of the tribe’s constitution. Various Oklahoma political factions sometimes float the idea of a new state constitutional convention as well.
If the state were to have a new constitutional convention, every moron in America with something to suggest would show up and try to participate, just as Carry Nation lobbied the original convention to prohibit consumption of alcohol. Ultimately, Gov. Charles Haskell successfully pushed the proposal as a separate article to be approved months later, and prohibition continued in Oklahoma for a quarter of a century after the rest of the country had reversed course.
By that measure, our path to Medicaid expansion felt relatively quick. Nonetheless, calling a new constitutional convention in Oklahoma would revive the recipe for chaos, to be sure. These days, 45,000 words would hardly do it.
In the meantime, perhaps the best we can hope for is legislators whose mothers taught them it’s impolite to wear your cowboy hat in the House — or the Senate.
Since the return of EA Sports’ iconic college football game, its release has become a summer rite of passage.
It’s not just because gamers like the game or because players like the game. Since its return post-NIL, players can be themselves in the game. They get a small cut through an NIL agreement, and they can play the game with them and their teammates in it. Plus, EA Sports has made a commitment to making its player ratings as realistic as possible.
For those reasons and a host of others, the game’s popularity has soared far beyond an initial surge over pent-up demand when the game was shelved.
But it isn’t just the stars that get player ratings. Yes, those players get plenty of attention. But now every player that agrees to be in the game is in the game and gets a player rating. For Oklahoma State, that’s more than 70 players that are in the game and have player ratings.
With the game in wide release on Thursday, let’s dive into how each player is ranked.
Every OSU Player’s CFB 27 Player Rating
EA Sports gives every player that is in the game an overall score, which is from 0 to 100. Those scores are based in part on six separate categories that also receive scores — speed, strength, agility, awareness, change of direction, injury and awareness. Those individual scores don’t add up to 100 and other factors go into the overall scores.
Going into the season just two Oklahoma State players have overall player ratings of 90 or better — running back Caleb Hawkins (91) and wide receiver Wyatt Young (90). Quarterback Drew Mestemaker is just outside that percentile at 89. Those scores can change during the season based on a variety of factors, including actual game play.
For now, here is the rating for every OSU player in the College Football 27 game:
RB Caleb Hawkins: 91
WR Wyatt Young: 90
QB Drew Mestemaker: 89
LB Ethan Wesloski: 87
CB Mo Horn: 86
EDGE James Williams: 84
WR Justin Bowick: 83
RB Ayo Adeyi: 82
WR Chris Barnes: 82
WR Miles Coleman: 82
OG Johnny Dickson III: 81
OT Braydon Nelson: 80
TE Donovan Green: 80
LB Isaiah Chisom: 80
WR Israel Polk: 80
FS Christian Bodnar: 79
OG Jacob Sexton: 79
SS Evan Jackson: 78
DT Jerry Lawson: 78
WR Rodney Harris II: 78
EDGE Braylon Rigsby: 77
DT Enai White: 77
DT Fatafehi Vailea II: 77
EDGE Jaleel Johnson: 77
TE Oscar Hammond: 77
DT Saadiq Clements: 77
OT Joseph Hanson: 76
WR Kam Powell: 76
CB LaDainian Fields: 76
EDGE Landon Dean: 76
OG Louie Canepa: 76
FS Mose Phillips III: 76
SS Cameron Epps: 75
RB KD Jones: 75
RB Tre Page III: 75
FS Vincent Holmes: 75
OT Ashton Lepo: 74
EDGE DeSean Brown: 74
DT Dominic Macon: 74
CB Kollin Lewis: 74
EDGE Malik Charles: 74
EDGE Rashod Bradley: 74
EDGE Billy Walton III: 73
EDGE Keviyan Huddleston: 73
SS Quinton Hammonds: 73
K Sam Keltner: 73
CB Trudell Berry: 73
RB William Mason: 73
LB Carl’veon Young: 72
CB Kobi Foreman: 72
LB Tate Romney: 72
LT Shaun Torgeson: 71
WR Terrence Lewis: 71
TE Bodie Boydstun: 70
LB Jack Puckett: 70
LB Trip White: 70
LB Dallas Winner-Johnson: 69
OG Desmond Magiya: 69
WR Jabarie Thornton: 69
P Lachie Pozzobon: 69
CB Marrel Davis III: 69
OG Miguel Chavez: 69
C Tyler Mercer: 69
QB Grant Jordan: 68
C Jakobe Sanders: 68
OT Kai Holec: 68
LB Taurean Davis: 68
SS Braeden Presley: 67
QB Broderick Vehrs: 66
EDGE DJ Jackson Jr.:65
TE Caden Yates: 64
LB Gunnar Wilson: 64
C Isaiah Bowman: 56
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The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. have announced the preseason watch list for the 2026 Dodd Trophy, recognizing 20 college football head coaches from across the Power Four conferences, the Pac-12 and one independent program.
The annual award honors the head coach whose program exemplifies success on the field while promoting scholarship, leadership and integrity, the three principles that defined legendary coach Bobby Dodd’s philosophy.
Oklahoma’s Brent Venables among nominees
Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables is one of six Southeastern Conference coaches included on this year’s watch list. Coaches became eligible after leading their current programs for at least two seasons and maintaining an Academic Progress Rate (APR) above the national average of 971.
The selection committee also considered each program’s Graduation Success Rate, community service efforts and projected performance during the 2026 season.
| Coach | School | Conference | APR (2024-25) |
| Bret Bielema | Illinois | Big Ten | 988 |
| Jeff Brohm | Louisville | ACC | 972 |
| Curt Cignetti | Indiana | Big Ten | 989 |
| Mario Cristobal | Miami (FL) | ACC | 993 |
| Spencer Danielson | Boise State | Pac-12 | 985 |
| Ryan Day | Ohio State | Big Ten | 1000 |
| Kalen DeBoer | Alabama | SEC | 1000 |
| Sonny Dykes | TCU | Big 12 | 987 |
| Mike Elko | Texas A&M | SEC | 1000 |
| Kirk Ferentz | Iowa | Big Ten | 997 |
| Jedd Fisch | Washington | Big Ten | 991 |
| Marcus Freeman | Notre Dame | Independent | 1000 |
| Willie Fritz | Houston | Big 12 | 989 |
| Josh Heupel | Tennessee | SEC | 993 |
| Brent Key | Georgia Tech | ACC | 997 |
| Dan Lanning | Oregon | Big Ten | 988 |
| Lincoln Riley | USC | Big Ten | 993 |
| Steve Sarkisian | Texas | SEC | 990 |
| Kirby Smart | Georgia | SEC | 981 |
| Brent Venables | Oklahoma | SEC | 997 |
Key facts
- Twenty coaches were named to the preseason watch list.
- Oklahoma’s Brent Venables included with a program APR of 997.
- The Big Ten leads all conferences with seven coaches on the list.
- Four previous Dodd Trophy winners are included.
- Watch list coaches have combined for four national championships, 31 conference titles and 1,841 career victories.
What’s next for the award?
A midseason watch list will be released this fall and could expand or narrow the field. Finalists will be selected after the 2026 regular season by a panel that includes previous winners, national media members, a member of the Dodd family and a College Football Hall of Fame representative.
The 2026 Dodd Trophy winner will be announced in Atlanta during the week of the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
We used AI tools to help with editing and formatting this story. A human journalist reviewed everything before publication.
Kip Lewis returning for his redshirt senior season with the Oklahoma Sooners was one of the biggest wins of the offseason. Lewis has built an impressive career in Norman, racking up 209 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and five sacks with two interceptions, both of which he returned for touchdowns.
Beyond his production, Lewis has become one of the emotional leaders of the Oklahoma locker room. Although the NFL was an option, Lewis believed another season learning under Brent Venables would put him in the best position for long-term success.
In a video shared by Oklahoma, Lewis explained the factors that led him to return to Norman for another season.
“I talked to a lot of people,” Lewis said. “Mostly, my family and then my dad. He was just giving me key points that he felt like I should have come back… Mostly talked to a couple of my teammates like John (Mateer) and Isaiah (Sategna), getting their thoughts on what their plan was. I asked Danny (Stutsman) for advice. Talked to him for a little bit. Advice from Danny really stood out to me.”
Getting advice from Stutsman likely played a significant role in Lewis’ decision. Stutsman was in a similar position following a strong 2023 season. Stutsman elected to return to Norman in 2024 and had another strong individual season. That resulted in him being taken in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Lewis’ decision to return gives Oklahoma one of the most experienced and talented linebackers in the country for another season. By following the same path as Stutsman, Lewis is betting on development and another opportunity to improve his draft stock.
If he continues to lead at the level he has throughout his career, his final season in Norman could be the one that cements him as one of the top defensive players in college football.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on X @jaronspor.
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