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WATCH: Oklahoma WR Deion Burks Shocks Brent Venables With Some Needed Good News

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WATCH: Oklahoma WR Deion Burks Shocks Brent Venables With Some Needed Good News


If Oklahoma wide receiver Deion Burks’ football career doesn’t pan out, he might have a future in dramatic theater.

Burks shocked head coach Brent Venables, offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and receivers coach Emmett Jones on Saturday when he met them in Venables’ office and — in dramatic fashion — informed them he would be returning for his senior year in 2025. He posted a video of the interaction on Twitter/X.

Burks, a transfer from Purdue and one of the Sooners’ most promising playmakers in last spring’s Red/White Game, sat out almost the entire season with a soft-tissue injury. Burks has eligibility left after missing all but five games this season. Venables had hinted that he expected Burks to leave for the NFL.

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In the video, Burks greets the coaches in Venables’ office, then presents his head coach with his crimson No. 6 jersey. Venables humbly took it and said nobody wore it better — Burks interjected Baker Mayfield — and then extolled Burks’ many virtues and explained why he was such an asset to the program.

As they stood up to apparently part, Burks hugged Venables, smiled and said “I got one more thing though, man,” and unzipped his jacket, revealing a different OU jersey. “I ain’t gone yet. I’m switching that No. 4.”

As Venables, Arbuckle and Jones celebrated with high fives, Burks said, “I gotta do it one more time, man!”

After catching 63 passes for 804 yards and seven touchdowns in his first three years with the Boilermakers, Burks was expected to be a key playmaker for the Sooners’ rebuilt offense in 2024.

Instead, he played just four games, suffered an injury against Tennessee and sat out the next five games. He returned against Missouri, but suffered a concussion to end that loss.

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For the season, Burks caught just 31 passes for 245 yards — just 7.9 yards per reception — and scored three touchdowns (all in the season opener against Temple).

In his college career, Burks has 1,049 yards on 94 receptions and has 10 touchdowns.

If healthy, his return next year could be huge for the Oklahoma offense as the Sooners rebuild again in Arbuckle’s first season as offensive coordinator. With Jalil Farooq, Nic Anderson, Andrel Anthony, Brenen Thompson, J.J. Hester and Jaquaize Pettaway all currently in the transfer portal, Jones’ OU receiver room has been stripped to the foundation. But Burks’ return would be a big step in the rebuild, especially if redshirt junior Jayden Gibson comes back next year.

The Sooners have lost 23 players this week to the transfer portal, so as players start transferring in, Burks’ return could give the Sooners some needed momentum.





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The Spring adds immersive walkthrough to annual Encounter Hope gala in Sand Springs, Oklahoma

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The Spring adds immersive walkthrough to annual Encounter Hope gala in Sand Springs, Oklahoma


A Tulsa-based nonprofit is adding an immersive, walkthrough experience to its annual fundraising gala, aiming to give attendees a closer look at what survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking face — and how support services can help.

The Spring, which provides services to people impacted by domestic violence and human trafficking, will feature the walkthrough as part of Encounter Hope, its annual gala set for April 9 at the Arvest Convention Center.

The experience is designed to guide guests through the story of an abuse survivor across four stages of interaction with The Spring: the inciting incident, the crisis call, time at the emergency crisis shelter, and moving into safety.

“The idea is really to put you in the shoes of the people that we serve every day,” Allison Wells,

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The Spring’s events and environments coordinator, said. “It’s easy to throw out stats about violence and trafficking in Oklahoma, throw out our service numbers each year, but these are really peoples’ lives. We want to put our attendees in the mindset of one person, one story. What would you do if you were facing this?”

After the walkthrough, attendees will have the opportunity to assemble move-in kits for The Spring’s shelter guests and write personal notes of encouragement.

The program portion of the evening will include a panel discussion hosted by Karen Larsen, an Emmy Award-winning journalist who anchored Tulsa’s Channel 2 for almost 30 years.

“Tulsa is an incredibly charitable city, and we know that these kinds of gala events aren’t rare here,” Leslie Clingenpeel, The Spring’s CEO, said. “Our goal is to go beyond the model of these fundraising-only type events. More than anything, we want people to understand what we do, to know that we’re here, to know what our frontline advocates are doing every single day. Domestic violence and trafficking are hard to look away from once you’re aware of them. We want to build that awareness to the people of this city.”

Individual tickets and table packages are available for purchase.

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Attendees are encouraged to register before April 1 because space is limited.

More details and purchasing information are available at www.thespringok.org/encounterhope.

The Spring is a Tulsa-based nonprofit offering services to those affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking.

The organization provides emergency crisis shelter, transitional living, and non-residential services.

More information is available at www.thespringok.org.

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Oklahoma State outlasts UCF in overtime, Houston next

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Oklahoma State outlasts UCF in overtime, Houston next


ORLANDO, Fla. –

The Oklahoma State Cowboys men’s basketball bounced back in a big way Tuesday night.

Anthony Roy scored 27 points and Kanye Clary added 23, including seven in overtime, as Oklahoma State defeated the UCF Knights men’s basketball 111-104 in Orlando.

The Cowboys controlled the extra period, finishing overtime on an 11-4 run and outscoring UCF 17-10.

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Clary played a major role in closing it out. He hit a key 3-pointer and went 4-for-4 from the free throw line in overtime to help seal the win.

The victory moves Oklahoma State to 18-12 overall and 6-11 in the Big 12, and gives the Cowboys two wins in their last three games after snapping a five-game losing streak. UCF, now 20-9 (9-8 Big 12), has dropped two straight.

Roy and Clary led a balanced offensive effort. Jaylen Curry and Christian Coleman each added 16 points, while the Cowboys shot 49% from the field (35-of-72) and 80% from the free throw line (32-of-40).

Themus Fulks led UCF with 22 points, while Riley Kugel added 18.

Late-game drama forces overtime

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The final seconds of regulation were chaotic.

With 24 seconds remaining, Isaiah Coleman threw down a dunk to give Oklahoma State a 94-91 lead.

But UCF answered quickly when Chris Johnson hit a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left, tying the game at 94-94.

Oklahoma State had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but Jaylen Curry missed a shot, and John Bol blocked Roy’s attempt, sending the game to overtime.

Cowboys respond after tough loss

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The Cowboys showed resilience after Saturday’s lopsided loss to Cincinnati.

The team traveled directly to Orlando following that defeat and was pushed through two intense practices by head coach Steve Lutz and the coaching staff.

The response was clear.

Led by Roy’s scoring and Clary’s clutch overtime performance, Oklahoma State delivered a gritty win and swept the season series against UCF

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Oklahoma City police are investigating after a man was shot near Yukon

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Oklahoma City police are investigating after a man was shot near Yukon


Oklahoma City Police are investigating after a man was shot near Yukon Monday night.

The shooting happened near Northwest 10th Street and South Yukon Parkway near the border of Yukon and Oklahoma City.

Police are on the scene, and officials said the victim was transported to the hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the hip.

OKCPD said they have at least one person in custody.

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This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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