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Oklahoma football: Facilities matter a lot in winning recruiting battles

By Chip Rouse

NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 9: The Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, home of the Oklahoma Sooners, is ready for a game against the Iowa State Cyclones on November 9, 2019 at in Norman, Oklahoma. OU held on to win 42-41. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 9: The Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, home of the Oklahoma Sooners, is ready for a game against the Iowa State Cyclones on November 9, 2019 at in Norman, Oklahoma. OU held on to win 42-41. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /
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There are a number of factors that go into a recruiting prospect’s decision process in choosing to go with a program like Oklahoma football in pursuit of their athletic dreams and love for the sport.

The relationship and trust established with the coach in primary contact with the recruit as well as alignment with the head coach’s vision and proposed usage and development of the recruit are easily the two biggest factors. but the facilities are also a big influencer in the process.

A year ago, the college football staff at 247Sports performed an analysis examining the training and player facilities at the top programs across the college football landscape and came up with a top-25 ranking of the best facilities in the sport.

If you’re not building, you’re sinking in college football,” said Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald and cited in an article by Brad Crawford of 247Sports.

“The nation’s top programs annually reap the benefits in impressive facilities, with big-time signing hauls leading to immediate success on the field,” writes Crawford. “How you train and recruit goes hand in hand with competing for Playoff spots (and conference championships) annually.”

https://twitter.com/OU_Football/status/896853900384448516?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E896853900384448516%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2F247sports.com%2FLongFormArticle%2Fcollege-football-recruiting-2021-facilities-Alabama-Clemson-Ohio-State-LSU-Texas-Georgia-Florida-160189814%2F

Oklahoma is proud of its football facilities, and rightfully so. They are highly impressive in both form and function and are among the very best in college football. Spoiler alert: As impressive as OU’s facilities are, however, they aren’t rated as the very best in the country.

According to the 247Sports analysis, Clemson and Oregon rank No. 1 and 2 for the best facilities among major college football programs. Alabama, Texas A&M and, somewhat surprisingly, South Carolina round out the top five.

Six through nine are Ohio State, LSU, another surprise in Northwestern, Texas, and then Oklahoma at No. 10.

For the curious minded, here is what 247Sports’ Crawford had to say, in part, about the OU facilities:

"“Oklahoma’s Barry Switzer Center is one of the nation’s most futuristic pads with an ambience second to none in the Big 12. There’s the Red Room — meeting room with ‘Boomer’ and ‘Sooner’ decorating the walls, a Heisman hallway and a snack bar with unlimited options.”"

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