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Oklahoma Football: How Oklahoma became a dominant recruiting force

By Christopher Dukes

ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 02: The Oklahoma Sooners pose for a team photo after winning the Big 12 Championship against the TCU Horned Frogs 41-17 at AT&T Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 02: The Oklahoma Sooners pose for a team photo after winning the Big 12 Championship against the TCU Horned Frogs 41-17 at AT&T Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TX – DECEMBER 02: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners raises the Big 12 Championship trophy after defeating the TCU Horned Frogs 41-17 at AT
ARLINGTON, TX – DECEMBER 02: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners raises the Big 12 Championship trophy after defeating the TCU Horned Frogs 41-17 at AT /

A change in attitude

Before Riley there was a saying at Oklahoma when it came to recruiting: “We’ll win with you or without you”. Oklahoma often relied on past success and track record to sell its program to potential players.

While statues around the stadium are nice, many younger players couldn’t pick Jason White or Barry Switzer out of a lineup, much less Bud Wilkinson. Sadly, there are no current high school football players who were alive the last time Oklahoma won a national title.

While Oklahoma hasn’t completely abandoned tradition, they have embraced the future as much as the past. Take the recent Jordan Brand partnership. It might have created a few grumblings among the older fanbase with complaints about a basketball brand representing a school so heavily steeped in football lore, but it also brought some new eyeballs to Oklahoma football. In most places Oklahoma Jordan Brand gear is selling out as fast as it can be stocked. That’s certainly something kids notice.

Alternate uniforms are all the rage all over the country. Places like Baylor and Oregon have drawn players in with new jerseys for every single game. While Oklahoma didn’t set tradition completely aside and change one of the most iconic uniforms in college football, they do break out the alternates at least once a year now in an attempt to keep up with the national trend.

The Sooners also changed their policy on early commitments. Oklahoma often used to tell players to wait until they were 100 percent sure on their decision before giving a verbal pledge. This sometimes allowed other schools to close the gap and overtake them in bidding for a player’s services.

The new policy has led to some decomittments, but that has been far outweighed by the benefits. Besides oftentimes those kids – like CeeDee Lamb and Theo Wease for example – end recommitting after further evaluation.

Having early commitments also allows the Sooners to get players working for them on the recruiting trail. Between social media (which we will get to) and the camp circuit, a lot of elite athletes know each other long before they make their college choice. Having early commitments is like having an army of recruiters pitching your program.

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