Oklahoma Sooners Unofficial 40

The podcast is a big one this week because with spring sports, there is plenty to talk about. Aliyah Chavez WAS NOT the SEC Freshman of the Year! How does that happen? Cooper Witten's commitment was huge as the Sooners get ready to host a massive Future Freaks recruiting event in Norman. Josh is here with the latest on that. Spring football is just around the corner and we cannot wait to cover it. What company do you want plastered on OU's football jerseys next season? Because something is definitely coming. And Porter Moser is Hard to Kill. The SEC Basketball Tournament has started for the women and it's on the way for the men. THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW: 0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! Josh has returned from a private meeting with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis  7:00 - Spring Practice is near/Future Freaks Weekend ahead; 2027 LB Cooper Witten kicked it off with a commitment  11:30 - Sooners in great standing for 2027 QB Jamison Roberts  18:45 - Cooper Witten’s commitment is massive; Highest ranked LB recruit in 20 years  33:00 - Be prepared. Advertisement patches are coming to OU  44:30 - Aaliyah Chavez screwed by SEC coaches; Raegan Beers first team All-Conf 55:00 - Porter Moser & the Sooners keeping rolling … WILD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The on-field drills start today at the NFL Combine and Owen Heinecke is a part of things. Who could be the biggest draft surprise of this OU class? And who do we think won't get drafted? George has some interesting numbers on John Mateer's usage in the offense and what that needs to look like moving forward. Baseball is off to a pretty hot start and Eddie is here to tell us all about it. George takes a look at the women's basketball NCAA road ahead and Eddie tries to put a wrap on this OU men's basketball season, but it's tough to do. Josh is on vacation and Carey is forced to give an update on the studio's progress. 0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! Sooners in Indy at the NFL Combine 10:00 - Some numbers on John Mateer’s usage in 2025 and will the OU run game be better?  23:00 - Owen Heiencke was screwed by the NCAA. Did the NCAA make an example of him in light of the Trinidad Chambliss decision?  35:00 - Update from baseball; really good start for Skip Johnson and Co.  50:00 - Mens basketball check-in  1:01:00 - Women’s basketball check-in 1:19:00 - New studio update to close  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spring is in full swing as baseball and softball are underway, but the Sooners are still producing plenty of football news as Deland McCullough has been tabbed to take over for DeMarco Murray as OU's newest running backs coach. We talk with Josh McCuistion about what that means for recruiting at the position and we get into the running back room in general. We take some time to look at some of the coaching moves during the offseason as a lot of big name offensive and defensive coordinators have landed at Power 4 schools with aspirations for the College Football Playoffs next season. Which ones could we see working out and which ones could we see being busts? Are Zane Rowe and OU on the outs? Josh is here to tell us more. And we talk some hoops as the men are on fire! And so is Lloyd Noble! Plus stickball is off to a fast start. Lots to get into on this week's edition of the Unofficial 40 podcast. THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW: 0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! Sooners hire Deland McCullough as running backs coach 20:00 - McCullough should like his RB room  27:00 - Recruiting: 2027 DE Zane Rowe commitment date on 3/13 38:00 - What’s the feedback on new coaches on recruiting trail?  41:00 - 2028 Micah Rhodes thoughts on Deland McCullough  43:00 - Scattershooting around CFB with Carey Murdock  1:05:00 - Hoops talk; the LNC almost burned down and it was sorta awesome 1:22:00 - Diamond sports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

DeMarco Murray surprised us all by taking a job in the NFL and now the Sooners will begin the search for his replacement. Brent Venables has found his replacement for Jay Valai in Michigan's LaMar Morgan. What do we know about him? The Sooners have a ton of players selected to participate in the NFL Combine. We talk about where some of these guys might be drafted. George talks about some winter workout standouts he's hearing about and we talk about the hornet's nest the mayors of Norman and Stillwater are stirring up with this Bedlam legislation. Carey is off his death bed and ready for another edition of the Unofficial 40! THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW: 0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! Sooners are in the RB coach department. But more pressing matters from the Scoop office 10:00 - DeMarco Murray is headed to the Kansas City Chiefs  26:00 - Names included on RB Coach Hot Board 1.0  34:00 - OU set to hire LaMar Morgan as cornerbacks coach 41:00 - DeMarco Murray and how it filters down to recruiting 46:00 - Winter workout standouts 50:00 - Sooners with 10 NFL Combine invites  1:04:00 - Will Bedlam football return?  1:15:00 - Happy Valentines Day to Tiffany, Brittany and Erin the WAGs of SoonerScoop.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There has been a lot of news floating around lately, so forgive some of us if we forgot it (used to be) is the biggest day of the year. National Signing Day! Actually no one remembered because most everyone signs in the early period and then you have the portal. But the Sooners do have a notable addition in LeBron Bauer to celebrate on national signing day. The Sooners are looking for a new cornerbacks coach after Jay Valai is headed to the NFL. What insight do we have on the hire? The Oklahoma Supreme Court also paves the way for the city of Norman to build OU's next arena off campus. We've got some hoops talk as well. We highlight Jennie Baranczyk's squad more than we get depressed about Porter's squad. THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW: 0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40!  14:00 - National Signing Day … is today … huh? 2026 class Allen (Texas) CB LeBron Bauer  30:00 - Jay Valai headed to the National Football League; Sooners looking for a CB coach  46:00 - Is this the best roster (today) Brent Venables has had going into a season?  57:00 - Hoops talk  1:20:00 - Recapping the McCuistion family trip to Disney World Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There has been a massive change at the top of OU athletics as we were introduced to Roger Denny yesterday alongside President Joe Harroz and Chair of Athletics, Randall Stephenson. How will this affect fundraising? NIL? Budgets? Facilities? We have a lot of questions. And are we ready to say that Joe Castiglione was pushed out as this new era of players making money begins? We've also got a show packed with OU hoops talk as Bob Przybylo joins the Unofficial 40 for the first time in a long time. He breaks down the situation with Porter Moser right now and what the hiring of Denny could mean for his future. Get Huel's full High-Protein Starter Kit with our exclusive offer of 20% OFF online with our code SOONERSCOOP at https://www.huel.com/soonerscoop. New Customers Only. Code only valid for the bundle. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show! THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW: 0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! We met The Rog 22:00 - The MBB hoops dilemma  40:00 - Roger Denny the fundraiser  47:00 - Bob Przybyło arrives! A hoops summit with Bob, George and Eddie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

College football season is officially over now that Indiana has defeated Miami to win the National Championship. This is a good thing for everyone in college football right? So how did we get here? What did Indiana do that we can apply to the Sooners' roster? Indiana proved it's not just about who is spending the most money on players. It's about a whole lot more than just that. We dive into our thoughts on how they built this thing. And we ask ourselves how close OU is to mirroring some of their approach to being the best in the country. We take a look at the construction of OU's roster heading into the 2026 season and players from the portal who will make the biggest impact next season as we wait on spring football to get started. And what is going on with Porter Moser's squad? They look lifeless and lost. Have we made the decision already? Time to move on from the Moser era? George is on vacation this week. Josh is headed to vacation next week. But you'll always have Carey and Eddie. Especially since Eddie wasn't caught up in the PC North fraud going on in OKC. And Josh is so ready to visit the happiest place on earth next week. Orlando, Florida, and Disney's Magick Kingdom! THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW: 0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40!  10:45 - Indiana is the National Champion of College Football. I repeat. Indiana is the National Champion of College Football.  21:00 - How did the Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers do it?  29:00 - Is Oklahoma in a good position heading into 2026? 53:00 - Way-too-early guys to keep an eye on this spring?  57:00 - Men’s hoops … it feels like its over for Porter Moser Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carey and Eddie start off the pod by relaying their experience at OU basketball last night. IT WAS AWFUL! Now we're on to portal talk and evaluating OU's haul. Could OU have done better? Yes. But they don't have a $40 million roster to work with like some others. Nagy was in quick and now is out looking for a few needs at the right price. Also putting a wrap on all the talent the Sooners lost in the portal. With what the Sooners have now, what does the 2026 team look like. And when players get paid, there are consequences to be paid. Basically, if you aren't performing and if you aren't healthy, you aren't guaranteed anything in this climate. It's dog eat dog. We discuss. Jason Witten is the tight ends coach and George is going skiing for the first time. He has married into a skiing family. Don't get goaded into going down the black slopes George! THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW: 0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! Hot seat: Porter Moser & OU basketball 16:00 - OU in the Portal & Jason Witten is the tight ends coach at Oklahoma  42:00 - How the Portal commits fit into the 2026 plans 46:00 - What’s left int he Portal?  1:04:00 - George is going skiing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh was out at Navy All-American practices during today's show so Carey, Eddie and George took over the show. We're talking portal, portal, portal and giving some context on how some of OU's biggest grabs in the portal went down. What happened between OU and Indiana before Parker Livingstone chose the Sooners? And how big was Brent's dogged determination in flying out to meet with Cole Sullivan and his family in the middle of portal visits? We also talk about what's left in the portal as well as how this sets the Sooners up for next season. Men's and women's hoops are set to embark on some interesting tests as conference play has started. THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW: 0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! Oklahoma football is having a very good trip to the Transfer Portal  17:00 - Oklahoma lands Michigan LB Cole Sullivan on Wednesday  34:00 - How Oklahoma landed Texas WR Parker Livingstone 40:00 - What’s left in the Portal?  45:00 - Is Oklahoma a preseason top 10 team?  50:00 - Hoops - Big weeks ahead for both men/women Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been a fast and furious day of Oklahoma football players entering the transfer portal. As we were recording the podcast today, we got the news that Mike Hawkins was entering the portal. And even more came after that. George has updates on potential coaching changes. Josh is heading to Orlando for the Under Armour All-American week where he's anxious to catch up with Zane Rowe and other major OU projects. Rowe, the former OU commit, has long been on our radar since we first saw him as a freshman taking on Michael Fasusi in camps. And we have so many other questions about the QB room and the depth there with Hawkins' departure. Surely this means Mateer is coming back right? And some aren't in agreement about Davon Jordan and how much that hurts the Sooners heading into next season. A lot to talk about and a lot of real time processing during this edition of the Unofficial 40 THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW: 0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! Happy New Year edition. OT Luke Baklenko, CB Devon Jordan enter the transfer portal  16:00 - Portal madness/CFP quarterfinals is set to begin 23:00 - How about that Alamo Bowl? Kind of fun. Checking in on our good friend Lincoln Riley  27:30 - Josh is heading to the Under Armour game in Orlando  36:00 - What’s up with 2027 DE Zane Rowe and Oklahoma?  42:00 - Josh is excited to checkout 2027 Dallas South Oak Cliff OL Brian Swanson 44:13: - OU making a move on 2027 CB Montre Jackson?  52:00 - Breaking: OU QB Michael Hawkins in the Portal 1:02:00 - What does OU do at Quarterback?  1:13:00 - Folks in the building at the Switzer Center feel incredibly positive about the future in Norman  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The last Unofficial 40 before Christmas. So Merry Christmas everybody! It's almost that other magical time of the year, Portal Season. The guys get together and talk about exactly what is happening inside the Switzer Center as players are starting to announce their intentions to the enter the portal which opens Jan. 2. Where are the Sooners looking to fill their biggest needs? What coaches will be around to coach these guys in the spring? We've also got some John Mateer talk for you as we're still hashing over his role in this offense and as the leader of the OU offense. The linebacker position is one of those positions we're all keeping a close eye on. And the front office is working hard to bring back some players you might have just expected to either move on or enter the NFL draft. Eddie brings in a little hoops love and Josh is getting ready for a trip to a magical place for a high school All-American game. Everyone be safe and hopefully you'll get to spend quality time with your loved ones. And once again, Merry Christmas from the entire Unofficial 40 and SoonerScoop crew! THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW: 0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and the Portal SZN cometh  38:00 - John Mateer … what happens?  51:00 - Ben Arbuckle had a good gameplan vs. Alabama 55:00 - TE and LB are probably big Portal needs 1:04:00 - OU fans will want to watch HS All-American games Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Tuesday, but since the Sooners play on Friday, we're treating this like a Wednesday. And we have to get Eddie in the mood because he just wants the game to be here. Like we all do. We're talking about the matchup but we've also done most of the media stuff this week. So we have plenty to talk about. It's a challenge for both teams to have a rematch. But does OU having the best defense give them the edge? We all agree John Mateer and the OU offense has to be better. We got to see a little bit of practice yesterday. What do we think about guys like R Mason Thomas and Jake Maikkula after seeing them out there? Bedlam basketball was very good to the men and the women. We have a little hoops talk for you as well. Josh gives a preview of what to expect at some of the All-American games coming up early next month as well. It's a big one in Norman Friday night. One of the biggest ever. THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW: 0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! It’s game week in Norman, USA. OU-Bama. Friday Night Lights.  42:00 - Do we really know what this atmosphere is going to be like Friday night?  48:00 - George is writing a HIT piece. Just kidding, you’re going to want to read it!  55:00 - Recruiting Check-In 1:00:00 - Hoops 1:19:00 - QB Portal crazy  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's just Wednesday. The Sooners are still 9 days away from their first round matchup with Alabama in Norman. The All-SEC teams were announced yesterday and OU had 10 players represented. They also had the SEC Special Teams Player of the Year, Tate Sandell, announced during the show. We gush about Sandell but we had to stop. No jinxes needed here. But we're ready to see what this grimey Sooners team can do in a playoff full of great teams. Our question is this? Who has really been through the mud this season like Oklahoma? Or Georgia? Or even Alabama? Has Texas Tech been through the mud and had to have people question their offense like some of the teams in the SEC? Yes, we're officially SEC homers now. Josh is here to talk about another huge 2027 commitment, we mix in some hoops talk and George has his rants on Notre Dame and the CFP committee. Notre Dame... Leave Ivan Maisel alone! THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW: 0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! Oklahoma will participate in the College Football Playoffs!  23:00 - 2027 Elija Harmon commits to Oklahoma; class of 2027 could be special 30:00 - Sooners found an identity  54:00 - 10 Sooners on the All-SEC Team 1:01:00 - Hoops  1:10:00 - George’s rant about the CFP Committee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Nagy and Brent Venables put together their first full recruiting class together in the 2026 cycle. How do we feel the partnership is going after listening to both of them talk about the class on National Signing Day? And what about the standouts in this class? Josh McCuistion thinks he can make an argument that the offensive side of the ball has more talent than the defensive side of the ball. And what about the ones that got away? And the ones, like Jonathan Hatton, that didn't? We also hit on some College Football Playoff talk and a little bit of hoops. Always a big show week when it's signing day! THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW: 0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! Sooners wrap up NSD with 24 signees  10:00 - Did OU quietly sign good RB and TE classes? George thinks so! 17:00 - DE group is impressive  21:00 - What did OU do to flip Jonathan Hatton?  29:00 - The program is in a better place than it was 365 days ago  48:00 - How close did OU get to flipping Frisco Lone Star WR Davian Groce?  53:00 - CFP theories  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's one of the biggest games anyone has seen in Norman in a long time. OU is one win away from heading to the College Football Playoff. Speaking of that, there are a couple of teams that could really blow this thing all up if things fall the right way. We discuss OU's position in the playoff race. Are the Sooners destined to play Notre Dame in Norman? It's also going to be a MASSIVE recruiting weekend for the Sooners. A commitment happened just after we stopped taping actually. Josh with more on the big names in town. It also seems to be a weekly tradition now. We pick a room on the offensive side of the ball and just tear it to shreds. This week, it's the wide receiver room. We pour one out for the death of the green bean casserole. John Mateer may have killed it in Oklahoma. Keep Eddie away from him during pregame warmups. He isn't taking this well. THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW: 0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! Thanksgiving + OU chance to clinch in Norman. What. A. Week.  5:30 - CFP Committee did it again. Confusing everyone. Eddie thinks Heather Dinich is the star of the show.  18:00 - Why does John Mateer hate GBC 20:55 - OU offensive identity heading into the final week of the regular season 29:29 - Little 2027 QB Peyton Houston talk  32:00 - Role reversal for OU/LSU this season 42:00 - Fixing the offense — Deep dive 50:00 - Who will be back-up Cheetah on Saturday with Reggie Powers out for the first half?  53:00 - Recruiting - Sooners flip Jonathan Hatton  1:18:00 - George is ready to attack his neighbor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oklahoma is currently ranked No. 8 in the College Football Playoff Rankings. That means that as long as OU wins out, they should be good for inclusion in the playoff. It also means they are in the running for a first-round home game. Carey, Josh, Eddie and George talk about the playoff hunt and more importantly, Missouri. The Tigers head into Norman trying to play the spoiler role. And there is an issue. The Oklahoma running back room has few available bodies with Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock all banged up right now. How did this happen? We also take a deep dive into the play of John Mateer. What do we attribute his struggles to? And is he for sure the guy next year for the Sooners? What role does Ben Arbuckle play in all of this? Next we talk recruiting and the impact this season is having on potential recruits. New commitment is in! It's another edition of the Unofficial 40 podcast. THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW: 0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! Sooners No.8 in CFP rankings. OU controls its own destiny in terms of making the Tournament … but is it that easy to host?  7:00 - OU/Oregon resume comparison 18:00 - OU RB room?  25:00 - OU/Missouri  48:00- Mateer vs. DG52:00 - Mateer still the future?1:01:00 - Brent as a head coach1:05:00  - Ben Arbuckle1:08:00 - Recruiting. New commitment, CB recruiting1:10 :00 - future of portal1:20:00 - Coaching openings1:24:00 - Recruit excitement around OU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Sooners get set to head to Alabama for one of the biggest SEC games of the season. The Sooners can likely punch their ticket to the CFB Playoffs with a win. Otherwise, it's hoping other things can fall their way. We also dive into the west side stadium expansion and what that will look like in the coming years. What about stadium capacity? What about people losing their seats? And coaching changes and buyouts have us all asking ourselves what is going on in college football. Brian Kelly suing LSU? LSU saying they never fired him? We're here for all the drama. And how much could the Sooners benefit from the uncertainty at other schools that have fired their coaches. OU is already making inroads with Penn State's recruiting class. Is there more to come? Basketball us underway and we've seen the OU women and men against quality competition already. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Unofficial 40 is back for the least tense episode in a while. It's a bye week and we have plenty to talk about with the first CFP rankings released last night. We also get into a discussion about the depth of the OU defense and how uncommon this team is from that perspective. How has Venables done it? And has there ever been a great cornerback at Oklahoma that people didn't complain about at one time or another? Coaches are being fired left and right. We're living in unprecedented times. We're also wondering if Jackson Arnold has a home after struggling at Oklahoma and Auburn? Where could we see him land next? Carey isn't happy that the WR position in college isn't valued higher by the Oklahoma front office. And what can the Sooners do to improve their gameday operations that Eddie and George took away from their trip to Tennessee? That and much more on another edition of the Unofficial 40. THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW: 0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! Scoop office network talk; Eddie tries to save you the listener the time. Hero.6:00 - Bye week in Norman; CFP initial rankings on Tuesday: OU is No.1226:00 - Where does Jackson Arnold end up?32:00 - Value in developing a high school QB38:00 - More focus should be on WR portal?48:00 - Sooners have, indeed, developed DEPTH on the defensive side of the ball1:02:00 - Recruiting1:11:00 - Quick sidebar: How can OU make its gameday atmosphere comparable to Neyland Stadium? We have some thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been a full week of trying to figure out what is wrong with John Mateer and Oklahoma's offense. We started out with Saturday frustrations and worked our way through players and coaches to try and find answers as to what is really happening with Mateer and the OU passing game.  With a road battle with Tennessee looming, the Sooners have to get better. And the mistakes have to disappear quickly if this team is going to do anything in these next two road trips. Josh is here to talk about the recent commitment of Jahsiear Rogers, the former Penn State commitment, and some other nuggets out on the recruiting trail. Eddie gets a little basketball talk in and we talk a little about the madness all over the world of college football with mass firings happening all over. Could Venables be joining that list if things go a certain way down the stretch?  It's this week's edition of the Unofficial 40!  ​THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW: ​​ 0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! The gang preps for a trip to Knoxville  11:40 - Sooners get a commit from 2026 WR Jahsiear Rogers  16:00 - OU far from done in 2026?  39:00 - OU-Tennessee talk  47:00 - What’s wrong with John Mateer?  1:12:00 - CFB Roundtable  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back to big games in Norman as the Sooners have rebounded from their loss to Texas and seem to have found a running game. A big part of this being a big game is also a healthier hand from John Mateer even though we still don't think he's all the way back yet. We also talk about the weirdness surrounding Kendel Dolby and Jovantae Barnes as both have been absent from the lineups recently. And we know lots of rumors are flying about Dolby. It's also going to be an important recruiting weekend in Norman. And with coaches being fired left and right, could the Sooners find some room for some key 2026 prospects as most of the recruiting efforts have turned to 2027? Is it uncool to take your dogs to Lowe's? It's a big week. Let's go! THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW: 0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! The University of Oklahoma plays in a massive college football game this weekend against Ole Miss  10:00 - Did Oklahoma find something offensively? Can they build off it?  18:30 - John Mateer’s hand is healing. The world is healing.  24:00 - Tory Blaylock, Xavier Robinson is a nice 1-2 punch in the backfield. We’re on board 30:00 - Weird sidebar: Eddie & George haven’t been blown away by SEC stadiums (so far!, will change with trips to Knoxville/Tuscaloosa) 36:00 - Brent Venables loves the OU ‘cheetah’ position/What’s up with Kendel Dolby?  51:00 - Recruiting segment; Big recruiting weekend ahead?  55:00 - Full court press on 2027 Broken Arrow safety offer Semaj Stanford 1:05:00 - George story time Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices