NORMAN — The spring transfer portal is here.
OU football prepares for its annual spring game on Saturday, with fans watching new starting quarterback Jackson Arnold, former Purdue wide receiver Deion Burks and former five-star defensive lineman David -For the first time we get a look at the possibility of impactful transfers like Stone and other freshmen. . However, roster retention and recruiting have become a 24/7 concern, and the Sooners are likely to be major players again during the spring portal window.
More than 2,600 players have entered the transfer portal since August, and that number is expected to grow this spring. College football players across the country have until April 30 to enter their names into the portal. Players can still choose a destination after that date or return to school. All you have to do is enter your name into our database within the next 15 days.
OU head coach Brent Venables didn't shy away from that reality.
“Well, you have to be ready. I think that's the most important thing,” Venables said. “If that means you're certainly constantly assessing your team and the situation you're in and you'd like everyone to stay, but in this environment that's unlikely. So adjust, be prepared, be ready to adjust when it happens, think ahead of time what it's going to be like, where our needs are, and who's in terms of availability. We prepare based on what we can handle.”
more:OU's Jacob Lacy makes medical decision to retire from football: 'I'm glad he's alive'
OU's main priorities from a recruiting standpoint heading into the spring are clear. The Sooners lack depth on the offensive line, with early enrollees Daniel Akinkunmi and Troy Everett, and even more so during spring practice following recent injuries while Washington transfer Gaillian Hatchett is recovering from injuries. This is an obvious weakness.
At Friday's practice, the first-team offensive line unit featured USC transfer Michael Tarquin at left tackle, Jacob Sexton at left guard, Joshua Bates at center, Febechi Nwaiu at right guard and Jake Taylor at right tackle. It was configured. It was a surprise to see Sexton move from playing tackle to inside, but given the lack of depth and injury situation, offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh may try a different style. do not have.
After losing most of their starters from a year ago and adding several players over the winter period, Oklahoma should have a standout offensive lineman at the front of the portal over the next 15 days. The No. 1 available offensive tackle in 247Sports' transfer portal rankings is SMU's Marcus Bryant, who visited Washington and gained a following from Biedenbaugh on social media, but the Sooners are not pushing hard to sign him. Apparently not.
Several offensive linemen who have already announced plans to join Portal OU could include SMU's Branson Hickman and UNLV's Alani Makihere. Hickman started all 14 games as a center for the 2023 Mustangs, while McIhere was UNLV's starting left guard. SEC rules limit intraconference football transfer moves to players who entered during the NCAA's winter transfer portal period, and those rules also apply to OU and Texas State in the spring. Center and right guard appear to be two positions where Biedenbaugh could get some help.
“Well, obviously we have to do that on the offensive line,” Venables said last month when asked about which positions need more depth.
What other positions will OU target in the portal? Defensive linemen are always nationally desired. Indiana transfer defensive lineman Phillip Bridy, who has visited LSU and Washington, is scheduled to visit the Sooners for the spring game. Louisville transfer defensive lineman Jermaine Rolle could be a player to watch.
more:OU football recruiting: 4-star DE Trent Wilson commits to Sooners' 2025 class
Although the offensive line is thin, there are plenty of players in Venables' group who are expected to leave other position groups as well. Wide receiver is a room that could potentially see some movement.
It's no secret that there will be some shake-up on the roster before the University of Oklahoma begins its first season in the SEC, but the question is: How much of that shake-up? If they want to acquire a few more offensive linemen, can they win a bidding war with another program in need like Ohio State?
With OU's concentrated clusters of Crimson and Cream, the program's NIL has improved and should continue to evolve within the SEC. In March, the collective completed his $2 million challenge, expanding its membership base with 791 new members and securing a total of $750,000 in donations to OU student-athletes.
Stone is just the latest to announce a deal with NIL to promote the collective. Venables' tactic of essentially using the NIL as an additional scholarship is also a unique way for the Sooners coach to navigate an evolving landscape.
But Venables and his staff know the situation is ever-changing. A little more than four months ago, during Sooners Bowl practice when several coaches were absent due to recruiting, talented freshman offensive lineman Kayden Green, who was slated to start at Oklahoma in 2024, entered the portal. He told On3 that he plans to do so. Teammate McQuaid Mettauer first learned the news when asked about it by the media after practice.
Some early enrollees from the 2024 Sign Language Class from around the country have announced their intention to transfer.
more:How Purdue transfer wide receiver Deion Burks adapted to life in OU football
“You don't know,” Mr. Venables said. “If it were the NFL, you'd know who's getting ready to become a free agent. You could have something like a real board that says, 'Okay, this is free agency.' You have to always try to stay aware in college football because the window is small. ”
While there probably won't be as many moves as there were in the winter window, the spring transfer portal provides teams like OU with an opportunity to improve their roster for next season.
A plus for Venables and the Sooners is that they will be able to evaluate their roster in the spring game Saturday at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium starting at 1 p.m.
“The key has always been to find and meet the needs of the 130 people on this team and address them first. In many ways, it's kind of simple,” Venables said. “But it takes some preparation. We have a staff that is always ready. They understand the college football landscape and who's doing what.”
