Oklahoma
Oklahoma State football film review shows Kendal Daniels as ‘Predator’ in hybrid LB role
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy talks about first spring practice
Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy talks about Cowboys’ first spring practice
OSU ATHLETICS
STILLWATER — Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy has spoken on multiple occasions this spring about the hybrid players on his defense, and two of the most important are Collin Oliver and Kendal Daniels.
Oliver was a traditional defensive end his first two seasons, but was used in a dual role as a linebacker and edge rusher last season. So far this spring, Oliver says he’s been working primarily on the defensive line, though his role will still contain some linebacker-style elements.
While neither of those aspects is entirely new to Oliver, Daniels has been working with the linebackers in addition to his usual role as the middle safety in the five-man secondary.
As Oliver has watched practice tape, seeing Daniels’ performance at linebacker has been exciting.
“I’ve watched plenty of film on the practices we’ve had, and I’ll tell you right now, he’s gonna be scary,” Oliver said. “Every time I watch it, he’s a huge dude with dreads, looking like a Predator. He’s gonna be real scary back there.”
For Oliver, adding some extra pass-rush opportunities gives him the best of both worlds. The 6-foot-2, 245-pound senior likely doesn’t project as a traditional defensive end in the NFL, yet rushing off the edge is his most dangerous weapon with the Cowboys.
And the inconsistency of the pass rush last season left room for improvement, which Oliver’s presence should help with.
“I love it,” he said. “With the teams we play, pass rushing is gonna be very important. That’s what a four-man front brings to the table.”
More: Why is Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy selling his $8 million home? Here’s what he said
Physicality of Nnodim, Ford standing out early
With only seven spring practices behind them, the true freshman early enrollees have had little opportunity to show off their football skills.
But Gundy noted a couple of the newcomers who have stood up to the physical test of transitioning to college ball.
Defensive lineman Armstrong Nnodim and tight end Josh Ford arrived in January prepared for the increase in physicality that they’d see at OSU.
“Armstrong, I would say, is able to hold his own on the physical side of it,” Gundy said. “And then offensively, Ford can hold his own in there. Now, their heads are spinning and they might go the wrong direction. But they’re further along physically, so they can battle and fight through things that some other high school players wouldn’t.”
Both are at positions of need, which could lend itself to early playing time if they stay on track into the fall.
Nnodim is listed at 6-foot-2 and 270 pounds and could work his way into the rotation, while Ford, who is 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds, will have an easier path to playing time at tight end, which has limited returning experience.
More: Why Korie Black’s decision to stay with Oklahoma State football was hugely valuable
Kobe Hylton is ‘what we thought’
Because of the unknown element of players coming in via the transfer portal, the early portion of spring is important for them to show their ability to fit in with their new program.
So far, so good, for UTEP transfer Kobe Hylton. A 6-foot, 210-pound safety who is in his super-senior year, Hylton brings a veteran presence to a secondary that relied on multiple first-year starters last season.
“You can tell he’s experienced,” Gundy said. “He’s gonna be mature and physical enough. He’s fast enough. Now he’s learning new terminology, new schemes, new concepts. But he’s what we thought when we brought him in here.
“He gives us that extra experience to help several of the young guys at that position get through another year. Because those guys, as we develop them, can compete and play sparingly, but hopefully, Kobe can carry more of the load.”
NORMAN — Cord Rager’s return comes at a pivotal time for Skip Johnson’s Oklahoma Sooners. Not only do they get their day three starter back in time for big road matchups against Auburn and Arkansas on the horizon, but the Sooners pitching strength, their rotational depth, is primed and ready for the test.
The freshman lefty finished with eight strikeouts and only gave up one hit in only 65 pitches before his day ended in the sixth.
No. 14 Oklahoma earn its first conference sweep of the season, defeating Missouri 8-4. It was OU’s fourth conference series win.
Oklahoma (27-12, 10-8) put their best foot forward as they turn the page to the meat of their schedule where they will do battle against No. 13, No. 20 and No. 16 over the next three weeks — two of those series’ on the road.
Four runs in five hits in the second got things rolling for the Sooners.
Camden Johnson continued his brilliant play of late with a triple in the second. This came after a Brenden Brock solo home run to put OU up 1-0. Deiten LaChance grounded out to short but scored Johnson. Dasan Harris and and Nolan Stevens each found home before the inning ended.
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OU found fortune from the plate again in the fourth. Four runs off of four hits highlighted by a three-run home run by Johnson put Oklahoma up 8-0. It was Johnson’s seventh home run of the season, second on the team behind Brock’s nine.
Trent Collier got the nod in the sixth to relieve Rager.
In the seventh, Missouri finally got on the board for the first time since the ninth inning of Friday night’s Sooner victory. Cam Durnin hit a solo shot — his fourht of the season — to make the score 8-1 in favor of the home team.
The Tigers got their third hit of the game shortly after. From there, Collier’s short day was done. Gavyn Jones came on to relieve
LaChance missed a home run by inches when Tiger center fielder Kaden Peer made a leaping catch, jumping into the fence.
In the eighth, the Tigers continued to chip away. With bases loaded, Blaze Ward hit a basehit to score two Missouri base runners. OU led 8-3 heading into the final inning.
Harris led the Sooners with three hits. His day was accented by an RBI, stolen base and a run.
Oklahoma will travel to Auburn to take on the No. 13 Tigers for a three game series starting on Friday. Before that, they will host Oral Roberts for a midweek game at Kimrey Family Stadium in Norman. The Sooners won 4-0 against ORU earlier this season.
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New Iowa State wrestling coach Brent Metcalf outlines vision for team
New Iowa State wrestling coach Brent Metcalf outlines vision for team
Iowa State wrestling’s first commitment of the Brent Metcalf era will be a transfer portal addition.
The Cyclones added Oklahoma State transfer Brayden Thompson, who announced his commitment on April 18 via Instagram. Thompson is a one-time NCAA qualifier at the 2024 NCAA Championships, doing so as a true freshman. He redshirted in 2024-25, but competed in open tournaments at 184 pounds and was 9-0. He did not wrestle a match in 2025-26 and will have at least two years of eligibility remaining.
Out of high school, Thompson was ranked the No. 3 pound-for-pound wrestler and No. 1 at 182 pounds in the 2023 recruiting class by Flowrestling. He also won Powerade and Ironman titles, two of the more prestigious high school tournaments in the nation. Assuming Thompson returns to 184 pounds where he last wrestled, he should fill in nicely as a potential replacement for Isaac Dean after his graduation.
Thompson is Iowa State’s first transfer portal addition after several departures, including Anthony Echemendia and Christian Castillo, who also entered the portal.
Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.
NORMAN — The Oklahoma Sooners liked their wide receiver room a year ago. They want 2026 to be even better.
Isaiah Sategna’s return helps that desire. Earning experienced pass catchers Trell Harris and Parker Livingstone via the transfer portal gives you added play makers. But after the Sooners Spring Game on Saturday, an unlikely hero emerged.
When Jahsiear Rogers flipped from Penn State to Oklahoma last December, he drew the usual excitement that comes with a new commitment. But few expected him to climb the depth chart this quickly, even with the injuries that hit Emmett Jones’ room.
Rogers did just that and more on Saturday. He led all pass catchers with five receptions for 70 yards in Oklahoma’s annual Red/White game.
“I knew it was time to showcase,” Rogers said after the game. “It was amazing to see the fans and get used to the OU way. I’m a playmaker. They really want to put the ball in playmakers hands. I pretty much knew I had to lead the white team.”
Rogers got the ball rolling early. On the second offensive play for the white team, backup quarterback Whitt Newbauer rolled to his right wide, then stopped and looked towards the middle of the field where he saw Rogers running open. Newbauer connected with Rogers for a 39-yard gain.
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With Rogers on the white team, he is running against (most of) Oklahoma’s starting defense. As fate would have it, on that 39-yard reception, Rogers beat his favorite teammate to compete against — Reggie Powers.
“He is just a leader, good guy,” Rogers said of Powers. “Me and him go after it every day in practice. Reggie is strong. When I come at him, I have to really come at him.”
Rogers’ big play over Powers was the second-longest catch of the spring game — Sategna’s 50-yard reception that appeared to be a touchdown before coaches pulled it back to set up a red-zone rep. The other four catches weren’t flashy, but they were important in their own way, and Rogers looked like he belonged on the field.
“I love it. As long as I can get the ball, I can be me. I love it,” Rogers said. “When I am on the field, I am ready to go. I am ready to be a playmaker.”
The season is still months away, and Rogers hasn’t earned a spot high on the depth chart yet. A strong spring and an encouraging Red/White Game can only lead to early playing time if he carries that momentum into summer and fall camp.
More experienced players will return from injury and receivers who’ve been in the program for a few years will have an extra leg-up.
But Rogers is taking everything in stride and leaving no stone unturned in his development.
“Just learning from the older guys,” Rogers said. “Manny Choice, Isaiah Sategna, Trell Harris, Mackenzie Alleyne. Really all of them. We lean on each other, learn from each other. That is kind of how our room is.”
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