Oklahoma
Oklahoma QB Casey Thompson ‘Has Been Good’ Since Returning From Knee Injury
NORMAN — More good news for Oklahoma on the quarterback front:
Casey Thompson is back.
A sixth year senior who transferred to OU from Florida Atlantic after a knee injury ended his 2023 season, Thompson missed all of spring practice while rehabbing the knee.
Thompson might never play at OU — Jackson Arnold is the starter, and freshman Michael Hawkins seems to be the leader as his backup — or he might use his advantage as the Sooners’ most experienced quarterback (by far) and fill in for Arnold and play well enough to keep the job all season. That can’t be known beyond a preseason prediction or forecast.
But if he’s called on, Thompson has the savvy to step into just about any situation — he saw it all during his time at Texas and Nebraska — and now it seems he’ll be ready.
“Yeah he’s done good,” head coach Brent Venables said on Saturday. “He had a good couple of series, some third downs yesterday. Some of our first-down plays, second-down scenarios and getting the drive started off the right way.”
That’s probably more than good news for the Sooners and offensive coordinator Seth Littrell’s quarterback room. Arnold is a former 5-star prospect, but he got all of 181 offensive snaps as a true freshman last season. The future seems bright with Arnold as the so-called “face of the program,” but he’s still young and inexperienced. Hawkins comes from OU DNA, but he’s yet to take a college snap.
Thompson, a 6-foot, 192-pound senior from Moore, could become an x-factor for Venables’ third OU team as the program transitions into the Southeastern Conference.
Stranger things have happened.
Another reason Thompson might be more important than a normal third-team QB: he’s been emotionally and mentally ready for this moment for years.
Thompson also has OU DNA. His dad is wishbone whiz Charles Thompson, and growing up in Norman and being around the program as a child was something deep in Casey’s blood.
In March, he proudly said so.
“I grew up here, so no one has to sell me on the OU brand,” Thompson said. “No one has to sell me on the importance of Oklahoma football or what it means to this community and this fanbase.”
After spending two months at his dream school — even though he was just rehabbing his knee, attending meetings and watching workouts — he refused to temper his admiration for the place.
“This is one of the best cultures and the best teams I’ve been on my whole life,” he said.
There’s still plenty of work to do, whether he stays third team or starts to move up the depth chart. For instance, star wideout Nic Anderson said he’s “gotten a couple of balls from him just outside the facility” but hasn’t really worked with him yet at practice.
And new center Branson Hickman, who’s gotten plenty of starter reps since the Sooners opened practice last Wednesday, said “all the centers work with everyone” in the QB room and “it’s pretty standard, but all the quarterbacks do a great job of communicating. There’s no lapse between guys. Everyone’s pretty much on the same page.”
His opportunities with the 1s may have been limited during the opening week, but Venables sounds impressed so far — especially considering Thompson hasn’t truly played the position for 11 months.
“Showed some of his experience, making decisions quickly,” Venables said. “He’s been doing good.”
Oklahoma
Woman hospitalized after house fire in northeast Oklahoma City
OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Authorities say one woman was taken to the hospital following an early morning house fire in northeast Oklahoma City.
Around 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Oklahoma City firefighters were called to a house fire near N.E. 13th St. and Missouri.
When crews arrived, they found the victim on the front porch of the home.
“When they got off the rig and initiated offensive fire attack, found one victim on the front porch. Appeared she was maybe suffering from smoke inhalation. The fire was relatively small. It was contained to one bedroom in the back. The patient was transported, was treated here, and then transported to OU,” said Batt. Chief Brad Smith, with the Oklahoma City Fire Department.
Officials said the fire originated in the back of the house, in a back bedroom near the closet.
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However, the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Oklahoma
Bode Sparrow commits Friday: why BYU is Oklahoma’s biggest threat for the Davis star
Kaysville (Utah) Davis athlete Bode Sparrow cut his list to four back in May and has now locked in his commitment date.
Sparrow is a tremendous player on both sides of the ball and checks in as the No. 77 player nationally in the Rivals Industry Ranking, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services.
He will make his long awaited college choice this Friday, May 25 from a final four of BYU, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah.
In handicapping this race, two schools jump out for us. The first is Oklahoma. I put a commit prediction in for the Sooners back in March and there was some buzz that he could commit around that time.
Sparrow decided to hold off making an early decision in order to take his official visits. Oklahoma was the first visit locked in and for awhile, the only visit that was set, giving even more credence to the Sooners being the team to beat.
“They really believe in me and have a vision for me there,” Sparrow told us after his official visit. “They show me so much love and I have such great relationships with the coaches there.
“I also really like the town of Norman and the plan in place for me from a safety/scheme standpoint. They really have everything I’m looking for in a school. Brent Venables is great, a defensive minded head coach and I just love the all around fit.”
Sparrow followed up his visit to OU with trips to Oregon, Utah and BYU. The Ducks made a big impression and should be considered a dark horse. They are easily one of the toughest schools to recruit against and it would surprise no one if Sparrow ends in Eugene.
Saying that, the school that is gaining a lot of momentum and looks to be Oklahoma’s biggest challenger is BYU. For months we talked to some close to Sparrow, college coaches and trainers who all said the same thing, ‘don’t rule out BYU in the end.’
No one has recruited Sparrow longer than the Cougs. He has been on campus more than any other school, he’s strong in his LDS faith and he has a great connection with the BYU staff including head coach Kalani Sitake.
BYU was able to get the final visit over the weekend and there is some quiet confidence in Provo as well as from a few other recruits/commits who were also on the visit. With the church connection, we’ve long said in a head to head battle, BYU is very tough to beat, especially for an in-state player.
Saying that, there are still Sooner commits we’ve talked to convinced Sparrow is still headed to Norman. That’s why this recruitment has become one of the more fascinating ones to follow this cycle, it’s one of those rare instances where days away from a decision, it could still go in multiple directions.
For now, my commit prediction remains on Oklahoma but BYU is closing fast and this one close to a toss up with a decision quickly approaching.
Oklahoma
OHP remembers K-9 for protecting countless lives during career
OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Officials with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are remembering a dedicated K-9 officer who passed away earlier this month.
K-9 Dak was born in 2014 and began serving with the OHP in 2015.
Throughout his distinguished career, officials say Dak’s exceptional instincts made a significant impact on public safety across the state.
During his career, Dak was instrumental in the seizure of over 2,000 pounds of marijuana, 46 pounds of cocaine, 151 pounds of methamphetamine, and 99 pounds of fentanyl.
“These remarkable accomplishments represent countless lives protected and communities made safer through Dak’s service,” OHP wrote.
Dak worked his final shift on June 3 before peacefully passing away from natural causes on June 7.
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“More than his statistics and accomplishments, Dak was a loyal partner, trusted teammate, and beloved member of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. His legacy will live on through the work he accomplished, the bond he shared with his handler, and the many lives he touched throughout his career,” OHP said.
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