While many college football fans are counting down the days until the crowning of a new national champion on January 20th, lurking in the shadows is a date that's not drawing nearly enough attention. Players across the land have until December 28th to officially enter the transfer portal. There has been a lot of movement within the program recently. So far, the results for OU have been mixed. On one hand, new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle has secured his quarterback of the future in Jett Niu. Niu is a consensus three-star prospect from Lehi, Utah, which is just outside of Salt Lake City. Adding him to the mix, along with Michael Hawkins Jr., who is remaining with the program and wishes to continue, creates a strong combination. However, Arbuckle's offense faced a minor setback when Cortez Mills, who committed on July 1st, decided to leave for the cornfields of Lincoln, Nebraska, to play under Matt Rhule. This decision is puzzling, considering that Rhule currently has a subpar record of 11-13 as the head coach of the Cornhuskers. Despite this, he earns an annual salary of $9.25 million and finds himself on the proverbial hot seat.
Oklahoma Sooners fans are anxiously hoping that Deion Burks, one of last year's standout acquisitions from the transfer portal, will choose to stay with a receiving corps that is currently lacking depth. Head Coach Brent Venables addressed Burks' situation briefly yesterday, stating, "Everybody has to figure out what's best for them. He has a lot to consider, but we've had several conversations, and [his return] is still certainly on the table."
Receiver Brenen Thompson is reuniting with Jeff Lebby at Mississippi State, and the news just keeps getting better. Do you recall the excitement surrounding Jackson Arnold's three touchdowns in the Alamo Bowl last December? One of those was a spectacular throw to Brenen, while another went to Nic Anderson. It feels like ages ago, but it has only been 50 weeks.
A significant issue for OU during the 2024 campaign was the lack of explosive plays. A potential solution to this problem could be the addition of Tory Blaylock. I've had the opportunity to see him play in person when Atascocita High School competed locally here in Katy, Texas, where I live. My impression of him is that he is an intense runner with a strong demeanor, and he doesn't shy away from physical contact despite his 190-pound frame. This is encouraging, especially considering that the flashes of talent shown by Kalib Hicks during the spring game never fully translated into meaningful production. Hicks has since entered the transfer portal after his promise remained unfulfilled.
Mark your calendars for December 28th, just 24 hours after the conclusion of OU's appearance in the Armed Forces Bowl. By then, we should have some clarity regarding the team's situation. That will be the starting point for the important work of building the roster for the next round of the SEC gauntlet.