OU Football, Women’s Basketball showing grit, resolve in face of adversity

Happy Friday, Sooners friends and fans!

We start today’s post with the unfortunate news that Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Jeremiah Criddell is retiring from football due to health concerns. However, Criddell will stay with the program in a student coaching role while he continues to pursue his undergraduate degree.

I’ll always fondly remember Criddell throwing the horns down as he announced his commitment live on ESPN back in December of 2018. You knew he was a true Sooner at that point, and his decision to continue his commitment to this program illustrates that point further. Oklahoma Football is better with guys like him putting in the work every day, he certainly gets a tip of the cap from yours truly.

• With the 2022 class wrapped up, the focus fully shifts to 2023. Jeff Lebby and Cale Gundy had a solid day at the office, as four star WR Ashton Cozart announced his commitment to the Sooners this evening. The Flower Mound, Texas native — who picked OU over Alabama, Ole Miss, Texas and plenty of others — should fit nicely into the new offensive scheme.

• It was a crazy week with National Signing Day being much more active than in recent years for Oklahoma Sooners Football. As of now OU is the 8th ranked class by both Rivals.com and 247sports.com. Interestingly enough, Oklahoma hadn’t had a Top-10 class in either 2021, or 2020. Pretty impressive what the new staff has been able to hold together and build in just the last couple months. Our Allen Kennedy touches on how both this staff, as well as Bob Stoops, kept this signing class together. In addition, the OU Daily’s Mason Young wrote about Brent Venables and Lincoln Riley discussing the transfer portal, strap in for that one. Brian Davis takes a look at all of the Big 12 classes, while Barry Tramel shows us why Jeff Lebby jumped at the chance to return to Oklahoma. Also, the Oklahoman explores how OU did landing in-state recruits this cycle.

OU Basketball

• Oklahoma Sooners Men’s Basketball has pretty much a must win on their hands this weekend. After losing six of their last seven games it’s Bedlam Round 1, in Stillwater. Both OU and OSU sit at 3-6 on the season, tied for 6th, but also only one win ahead of West Virginia for last in the Big 12. The next five game are against teams currently ranked in the Top 25, including at No. 14 Texas Tech Red Raiders and at No. 10 Kansas Jayhawks next week. Tip-off for this important matchup is at 11 a.m. Saturday, on ESPN 2.
• The Oklahoma Sooners Women’s Basketball team is sitting really good, 19-3 overall, 8-2 in Big 12 play. OU just got their second straight win over the No. 9 team in the country, this time at Baylor, 78-77, despite showing up just minutes before tip-off. Next up, the Sooners are back at home hosting West Virginia (11-8 overall, 4-5 Big 12) at 3 p.m. on Saturday, on Bally Sports Oklahoma. It’s also the annual Play4Kay Pink Game to raise money and awareness for cancer research.

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