Porter Moser’s team will face three SEC squads.

Happy Thursday, friends and fans!

The Oklahoma Sooners men’s basketball unveiled its completed non-conference schedule on Thursday morning. Officially, OU’s 2021-22 season will tip-off on Tuesday, Nov. 9 against Northwestern State.

The marquee matchups for this year’s non-conference slate include home meetings versus the Florida Gators (Dec. 1) and Butler Bulldogs (Dec. 7), plus contests against the UCF Knights (Nov. 27), Arkansas Razorbacks (Dec. 11 in Tulsa) and Auburn Tigers (Jan. 29).

The schedule also includes a trip to Conway, South Carolina for the Myrtle Beach Invitational from Nov. 18-21. In addition to the Sooners, the early-season, eight-team tournament will also feature Davidson, East Carolina, Indiana State, New Mexico State, Old Dominion, Penn and Utah State.

It’s a respectably strong slate for Porter Moser’s first season at Oklahoma, but one that’s doable for a team comprised of so many new parts. One way or another, a lot will be learned about this year’s Sooners by the time conference play rolls around.

Now for today’s Hot Links! More soundbites from Big 12 Media Days, Austin Reaves revs up for the draft, Nebraska names its new AD and more!

OU Links

• Lincoln Riley has emphasized one of his team’s primary goals is to strive toward becoming the best version of themselves. If they accomplish that, they can reach the heights they’ve been aiming for.

• At Big 12 Media Days, redshirt senior H-back Jeremiah Hall talked about what defines ‘OUDNA’ and how that mindset has created tradition and a winning culture at Oklahoma.

• Junior EDGE Nik Bonitto also represented the Sooners in Arlington on Wednesday, and he spoke about how the team handles preparation throughout the season.

• This whole ‘Horns Down’ penalty stuff is already ridiculous, but now it’s highly subjective. I know how to make it easy for officials — just stop penalizing against it altogether. Good grief, y’all.

• Former OU men’s basketball star Austin Reaves recently sat down with Bryan Kalbrosky of Hoops Hype to discuss his journey from humble beginnings in Arkansas to declaring for the 2021 NBA Draft. His story is unique, and one that he has fully embraced as he embarks on a potential career as a professional basketball player.

Around the Sports World

• On Wednesday night, the Milwaukee Bucks rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat the Phoenix Suns, 109-103, effectively tying up the series at 2-2. Game Five is set to tip-off on Saturday at 8 p.m. CT on ABC.
• The Oklahoma State Cowboys men’s basketball program have added former Memphis Tigers center Moussa Cisse via the transfer portal.
• The Clemson Tigers have extended defensive coordinator Brent Venables with a $2.5 million contract through 2026. This deal officially makes the renowned DC the highest paid assistant in college football.
• The third installment between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, originally set for July 24, has been rescheduled for Saturday, Oct. 9 after Fury tested positive for COVID-19 last week.
• On Wednesday, former Nebraska Cornhuskers LB Trev Alberts was officially introduced as his alma mater’s next Athletic Director.

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OU’s Lincoln Riley headlined Day One of Big 12 Media Days inside AT&T Stadium.

On Wednesday, Lincoln Riley fielded questions during the Oklahoma Sooners’ presser portion of the 2021 Big 12 Media Days. Below are highlights of some of the fifth year head coach’s answers from today’s address. In case you missed it, you can check out the full press conference through this link.

Riley on getting over the hump in the postseason

It’s no secret that OU has had its share of struggles on the stage of the College Football Playoff, going 0-4 in such games. Better than anyone, Lincoln Riley understands the importance of flipping the script after being part of each of the aforementioned contests (one as a coordinator, three as a head coach).

“You know, this is Oklahoma. Every year is the year to do that. It takes a lot to get it done, there’s no question about it. I think for us and our team right now, I think we have a genuine excitement and confidence about the people in the room right now. We have enough ability in the room, and we have people who are invested wholly in what we can be as a team. Then for us, I think our focus kind of zeroes back in on getting to the best version of ourselves. If we do that, then things will happen the way they’re supposed to happen.”

Riley on what Eric Gray brings to the team

It’s been a bit of a tumultuous offseason for backs in Norman, losing one RB to the draft and two more would-be ball carriers to dismissals. Yet, since arriving to the team in January, former Tennessee transfer running back Eric Gray has thoroughly impressed both his teammates and his coaches at Oklahoma with his abilities as a dynamic playmaker at a position of sudden need. Riley touched on his impression of Gray.

“I can’t say enough about (Gray). Walking in here, day one, he’s a true professional. I told somebody earlier, it feels like he’s been in our program for months or years already. It literally felt like that the day he walked in the door. Just a very business-like attitude. He’s done and exceeded honestly everything that we’ve put in front of him. He learned the offense quickly. He really got acclimated with his teammates and with the university quickly. He does everything right. You can see why the guy’s had some success early on in his career. You combine that with some good experience, and we’re thrilled to have him.”

Riley on the proposal for playoff expansion

Last month, a sub-group from the CFP management committee presented a proposal that would increase the number of playoff qualifying teams from four to 12. It should be noted that an official change cannot be made until after the 2025-26 season, but the topic has generated differing opinions that are either for or against the proposal. Riley was asked for his thoughts on the polarizing subject.

“I think the expansion that’s been proposed is a great start. I commend the committee that put it together because you gotta put yourself out there. You gotta start somewhere. I think their proposal was really good in a lot of ways. I think it addressed maintaining the bowls which are so important to the history of our game. I think it addressed getting the conference champions in the playoff, which needed to happen. I think it addressed a pathway for a Group of Five member to be able to get into the playoffs which honestly hasn’t been realistic under the current system. In my mind all of those are great things.”

Riley on the moment the defense took the next step

Not long after Alex Grinch was hired to take over Oklahoma’s defensive coordinator duties in 2018 did that side of the ball begin to show dramatic improvement. Fast-forward three years, and the Sooners are now believed to have one of the top defensive units in the nation going into the 2021 season. Riley was asked about if there was a moment he and his staff recognized a significant turn for the better, defensively.

“Defensively, yeah I don’t know that there was the eureka, Hollywood moment. I think it felt like, just kind of constant improvement from day one. We’ve made some big, big plays in big games, especially to close out games over the last few years, and I think those in particular do something for the psyche and confidence of an individual player or side of the ball that are hard to duplicate. I think it’s just been a real consistent process. I really point to the defensive line becoming a strength of this team and one of the best defensive lines in college football. That really stands out to me.”

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What has changed for Steve Sarkisian? Why does OU struggle with leads? And more.

Ah, conference media days – that special time of year when college football coaches and players talk more than ever and yet manage to say very little.

The chances that Oklahoma Sooners head Lincoln Riley or player representatives Jeremiah Hall and Nik Bonitto will set off any fireworks with their comments at the Big 12’s annual shindig in Arlington this week are about nil. So instead of previewing a likely non-event for the Sooners, let’s talk about questions. Specifically, let’s delve into one question for every coach that we’d like to hear asked (and answered) when they’re talking to reporters this week.

Going in alphabetical order…

Baylor’s Dave Aranda: Have you faced any challenges at this job that were tougher than you expected?

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Aranda is one of the more engaging thinkers in the sport, so inquiring minds may want to know the ex-LSU defensive coordinator’s thoughts on the current upheaval at his previous place of employment. He would never answer that. After more than a year on the job, however, Baylor’s head coach probably would give an interesting response to a question about the surprises that came with taking the gig in Waco.

Iowa State’s Matt Campbell: How does your team avoid penalties so well?

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The Cyclones’ ascendance means someone will invariably ask some version of the “hunter-versus-hunted” question. Boring. Let’s amp up the excitement with a topic that is sure to get the juices flowing: penalties. Specifically, ISU’s lack thereof.

The Clones have averaged fewer penalty yards per game than any other team in the Big 12 in three of the last four years. That speaks to team discipline instilled by Campbell and his staff. What’s their secret?

Kansas’ Lance Leipold: Is it really that bad?

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The Jayhawks have amassed a record of 18-99 in the last 10 years. The shocking part: That is even better than would be expected, given KU’s long-running futility.

Leipold now gets the chance to undo the damage caused by predecessor Les Miles, who somehow managed to put the program in an even deeper hole. A report over the weekend about a purported whistleblower painted a picture of a rudderless program plagued by infighting.

So… how would Leipold sum up the situation?

Kansas State’s Chris Klieman: Are you skittish about your quarterback room?

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The Wildcats held together initially after veteran QB Skylar Thompson was lost for the year early on in 2020. They closed with five straight losses once teams caught up to the limitations of backup Will Howard, though the freshman was far from K-State’s only problem down the stretch.

Thompson will presumably reclaim the job in what seems like his eighth season in Manhattan. His injury history raises questions about his ability to finish out the year, however. If Klieman has to turn to the bench again to play substantial snaps behind center, are the Wildcats looking at another lost season?

Oklahoma’s Lincoln Riley: How do you help your team hold a lead?

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OU had leads in the fourth quarter of its two losses last year versus ISU and KSU. The Sooners blew a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter of the Red River Shootout before beating Texas in overtime. OU barely held on when the Cyclones came storming back from a 17-point deficit in the Big 12 title game.

Nebulous platitudes about maturity and killer instinct doesn’t offer satisfying explanations for why the Sooners struggled to put teams away. So let’s hear what Riley thinks the issue is. More importantly, what can he do to fix it?

Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy: How strong is Spencer Sanders’ grip on the QB spot?

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Sanders’ erratic career with the Cowboys has seen flashes of brilliance combined with backbreaking mistakes. Notably, he has tossed 19 interceptions in the 20 games in which he has played at OSU, and that’s despite the Pokes throwing about 10 fewer passes per game than usual in the last two seasons.

Shane Illingworth wasn’t dazzling when called upon to fill in for Sanders last year, but he did keep the Cowboys out of trouble. That reliability may eventually win out over Sanders’ athleticism if the upperclassman can’t clean up his mistakes.

TCU’s Gary Patterson: Is this the end of the line?

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Patterson is an institution at TCU, but 2021 will be his 22nd season as head coach of the Horned Frogs. His team is 18-17 overall in the last three seasons. At some point, the end comes for us all. Has that time come for Patterson?

TCU again looks like a potential dark horse in the Big 12 race. A strong season would give the head coach a chance to leave on a high note.

Texas’ Steve Sarkisian: What makes you a better head coach now than at your previous stops?

Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

If we were to judge this hire just on Sark’s record as a head coach, it would seem fair to ask Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte if he has lost control of his faculties. Sarkisian put together an unspectacular run of five seasons at Washington that ended with a 34-29 overall record. He coached just 18 games at USC before issues with substance abuse resulted in the loss of his job there.

Sark did get the benefit of a two-year stint as offensive coordinator at Nick Saban’s reform school for wayward coaches, which obviously played a major role in landing his new job. Did that opportunity to watch the master in action give him anything to build on for his new gig? And did he learn anything about mistakes he made in his two previous stops?

Texas Tech’s Matt Wells: If David Yost was the problem, are you sure Sonny Cumbie is the solution?

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Wells received a reprieve from athletic director Kirby Hocutt after a disappointing 2020 campaign, but it required a blood sacrifice. The Red Raiders opted to can Yost, their offensive coordinator, in a bid to pump some new life into the program.

That makes sense, but replacing Yost with Cumbie is a questionable response. Sure, Cumbie is a hero around Tech from his playing days under Mike Leach. But did anyone in Lubbock see what happened at TCU when Cumbie was calling the shots?

West Virginia’s Neal Brown: There’s good attrition and bad – which kind is this?

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The transfer bug hit WVU harder than any other team in the country this offseason. With key players on both sides of the ball departing from Morgantown via the portal, it raises questions about unrest around the program as Neal Brown enters his third year as head coach of the Mountaineers.

Of course, cutting loose of any dead weight holding the program back would be a plus. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Brown’s team is gaining by subtraction.