Oklahoma
Oklahoma Walk-On WR Jacob Jordan Reflects on Breakout Freshman Season
NORMAN — Jacob Jordan took a risk when he originally committed to Oklahoma, but so far, it has paid off.
The freshman wide receiver walked onto the Sooners’ football team before the 2024 season, choosing OU over a handful of FBS offers. And in his first season of college football, Jordan was one of the lone bright spots in the Sooners’ passing game.
Though he only played in seven games in the 2024 season, Jordan was Oklahoma’s fifth-leading receiver with 207 yards and also had the fourth most receptions with 22. Making his transition even more impressive, Jordan missed almost his entire senior year of high school.
Why WR Deion Burks Said it Was an ‘Easy’ Decision to Return to Oklahoma
With one game remaining in his freshman year — the Armed Forces Bowl against Navy on Dec. 27 — Jordan reflected on his debut season with gratitude.
“All I could do was look up to God and thank Him for everything he’s done for me,” Jordan said. “This is part of His plan the whole way. I just have to keep my head down and keep working. I’m really thankful for the opportunities and I have to keep pushing.”
Jordan was a 3-star recruit by On3 coming out of Southlake Carroll (TX), but wasn’t rated by 247 Sports or Rivals. He chose Oklahoma over scholarship offers from FBS schools like Texas Tech, North Texas, Tulsa and Western Kentucky in addition to a couple of offers from FCS and Division II programs.
But the 5-foot-9, 186-pound wideout believed the path to the field in Norman would be more rewarding than at any of those other places.
“I was confident in my abilities, and I knew it was going to take a lot of work, obviously, but I was confident that I was going to be able to come in here and play,” Jordan told Sooners on SI in October. “It was just something about this place that I just felt like I would regret it if I didn’t come here.”
Jordan’s first game playing on offense was his breakout performance.
Though the Sooners couldn’t keep up with South Carolina in their 35-9 loss to the Gamecocks on Oct. 19, Jordan caught six passes for 86 yards in his first non-special-teams game action.
He followed that up with a touchdown and 38 yards the next week against Ole Miss and played at least one snap in every game for the remainder of the regular season.
Due to an almost unprecedented run of injuries at the position, Jordan played a larger role in OU’s offense than most fans expected before the season. He believes his production will only increase with experience and the Sooners’ new offensive coordinator.
Oklahoma hired former Washington State offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle to the same role on Dec. 2.
Early into Arbuckle’s tenure, Jordan believes OU’s passing game will become more dynamic.
“Just that spread, high-tempo offense,” Jordan said. “(Wide receivers) coach (Emmett) Jones says it’s going to be great and going back to the kind of Texas Tech style that he loves. We’re all really excited for it.”
Of the Sooners’ receivers that haven’t entered the transfer portal, Jordan was the second-most productive in 2024, behind only Deion Burks (245 yards, three touchdowns).
With so many departures in the receiver room, it will force new pieces to step into larger roles. Jordan is no exception.
“It really is a big switch,” Jordan said. “It’s exciting.”
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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