Oklahoma Sooners Football

Oklahoma Sooner football coaches do not expect quarterback Kyler Murray to return to school for the 2019 season, according to Ryan Aber of The Oklahoman:

Not that this is a surprise to anyone at this point but I’m told #Sooners coaches do not expect Kyler Murray to return.

— Ryan Aber (@ryaber) January 11, 2019

Jason Kersey of The Athletic confirmed the report:

https://twitter.com/jasonkersey/status/1083858844734947329

Murray accounted for 54 touchdowns (42 passing, 12 rushing) in a Heisman Trophy-winning season that saw him lead OU to the College Football Playoff, where the Sooners lost to Alabama in the semifinals. He also rushed for 1,001 yards on a Sooners team that averaged a Division I FBS-leading 48.4 points per game.

A baseball star as well, Murray was drafted by the Oakland Athletics ninth overall in the 2018 MLB draft. Last season, he slashed .296/.398/.556 and had 10 home runs and 47 RBI for OU. The outfielder also stole 10 bases.

As Aber and Kersey noted, Murray's likely decision to leave OU isn't surprising. In an interview with Tim Tebow of ESPN that aired December 1, Murray said "no" in response to a question asking whether he'd consider returning to Norman. Murray then clarified that his next stop would be professional baseball or football.

An exclusive report from Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle on Wednesday also showed signs that Murray wouldn't head back, as "multiple sources" told her that the Oakland Athletics expect the 21-year-old "to declare for the NFL draft on Sunday."

Much will be said (and has already been said) about Murray's 5'10", 195-pound size potentially prohibiting him from NFL success should he officially give pro football a shot.

However, he has blazing speed and just finished one of the more impressive seasons by a collegiate quarterback in recent memory. One anonymous NFL general manager told Adam Schefter of ESPN that he thinks Murray will be a late first-round pick:

An NFL general manager speaking Saturday about Heisman-Trophy winner Kyler Murray: “I really believe he’s a first-round pick, a late first, I really do. And the fact that Baker (Mayfield) is having a great year will help Murray, too....He’s going to be a first-round pick.”

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 9, 2018

The fact that Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert is returning to school helps Murray's draft stock as well. Herbert was being talked about as a No. 1 pick in numerous circles, and without him in the mix, the quarterback class got a little thinner, leaving Murray some extra room to improve his standing.

We'll see if Murray follows through on a professional football career, but for now, a return to school seems out of the question.

The Oklahoma Sooners could reportedly be down to just two scholarship quarterbacks for the 2019 season.

According to Eric Bailey of the Tulsa World, signal-caller Austin Kendall entered his name in the NCAA's transfer portal to explore the option of moving to a different school. As a graduate transfer, Kendall would be eligible to play immediately for a new school and has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

While he still has the option of returning to the Big 12 powerhouse, Kendall's potential exit would leave Oklahoma with just two scholarship quarterbacks—freshman Spencer Rattler and redshirt freshman Tanner Mordecai.

Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray is expected to enter the NFL draft.

Kendall has been sidelined behind two straight Heisman Trophy winners during his time at Oklahoma in Murray and Baker Mayfield. He hasn't seen significant game action as a result and has tallied just 265 passing yards, 29 rushing yards and three total touchdowns during his career.

He arrived at Oklahoma as a 4-star prospect and the No. 9 pro-style quarterback in the 2016 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and chose the Big 12 school over the likes of Tennessee and Auburn.

The Sooners are coming off a Big 12 title and College Football Playoff appearance and will need one of their young signal-callers to continue the tradition of success if they are going to be national factors again in 2019 should Kendall ultimately leave. 

Rattler stands out as a 5-star prospect and the No. 1 pro-style quarterback in the 2019 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. Kendall's decision to enter the transfer portal could clear the way for the highly regarded prospect to take over the position as the primary playmaker in head coach Lincoln Riley's dynamic offense.

Oklahoma is getting an upgrade at wide receiver.

Jadon Haselwood, a 5-star wideout from Cedar Grove High in Georgia, committed to the Sooners on Saturday after decommitting from Georgia in early October.

"It's just that #OUDNA."

@Jadon_haselwood #NewWave19 #BoomerSooner

🌊 https://t.co/8wO9vAoW8h pic.twitter.com/QLsaYnaYBc

— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) January 5, 2019

Haselwood, who measures in at 6'2½" and 196 pounds, is considered the No. 1 player from the state of Georgia, the No. 1 wideout in the class of 2019 and the No. 6 player overall in the country, per 247Sports.

Barton Simmons of 247Sports provided a scouting report on Haselwood's game:

"Haselwood is one of the most competitive wide receivers in this cycle. He's as good as any receiver in this class in jump ball and 50-50 situations. He plays with outstanding strength and physicality and he's got the speed to run past defensive backs and track the ball downfield. He reminds me of Keenan Allen because of that physicality and because he could be an elite safety if he wanted to be. He's got a presence that will impact a game and a team even with limited offensive touches."

That made him a huge addition for Georgia originally, with the Bulldogs also boasting 5-star recruits like defensive end Nolan Smith, defensive tackle Travon Walker and wideout Dominick Blaylock. 

But Haselwood ultimately decided to re-open his recruitment:

https://twitter.com/jadon_haselwood/status/1047325993877360640

Oklahoma is certainly glad he did, especially after Marquise Brown declared for the NFL draft on Wednesday.

The Sooners rarely lack for weapons on offense, and the class of 2019 will be no different. Haselwood is the headliner, but he'll be joined by 5-star wideout Theo Wease, 5-star quarterback Spencer Rattler, 4-star wideout Trejan Bridges, 4-star tight end Austin Stogner and 4-star running back Marcus Major.

In a few years, the Sooners are going to be scary. Then again, their offense is almost always scary.

There isn't a hotter name on the coaching market than Lincoln Riley.

In only two seasons, he's racked up accolades. Oklahoma has two Big 12 championships, two appearances in the College Football Playoff and two Heisman Trophy winners.

Short of winning a national title, Riley could hardly have a more appealing resume. The 35-year-old has built an offensive juggernaut on a high-efficiency system with remarkable production.

And the NFL wants him. Oh, does it covet Riley.

During the spring, someone from nearly all 32 NFL teams approached him to discuss Oklahoma's offense. Then, they watched him turn Kyler Murray into a baseball-playing football star.

Rumors had him reuniting with former OU quarterback Baker Mayfield with the Cleveland Browns. The Green Bay Packers have a vacancy, a legend in Aaron Rodgers and a desperate need for a creative scheme. The Dallas Cowboys seemed to be a possibility until a late-season surge might've saved Jason Garrett.

Bleacher Report's own Brad Gagnon called Riley the fourth-best candidate behind star coordinators Josh McDaniels and Vic Fangio and a two-time NFL Coach of the Year in Bruce Arians.

Perhaps a better time to pursue the pros awaits, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't seize the moment right now. Success is never guaranteed, and college football has a razor-thin margin for error―especially compared to the 16-game NFL season.

Yet he's wisely not going anywhere.

Financially speaking, Oklahoma can compete with most anything the NFL will offer. Riley recently agreed to a contract extension and a second raise in two years. In 2018, per USA Today, he earned $4.8 million. According to Oregon Live data gathering, a top-10 NFL salary is $5 million. The school isn't short on resources to provide him.

Interesting when you hear the NFL rumor mill throw out big name college coaches like Harbaugh, Saban, Lincoln Riley etc..NFL fans might not realize it, but top college salaries have surpassed what many NFL coaches make..
So other than ego, what’s the incentive to come to the NFL?

— Bob Wischusen (@espnbob) January 2, 2019

Riley's end of the bargain is supplying the on-field talent, and he's done a tremendous job recruiting. The Sooners ranked eighth in 2017, ninth in 2018 and are seventh before the February signing period―even without a defensive coordinator in place.

He's adding this current class to a squad that has celebrated four straight Big 12 championships. Although the Sooners have rejoined the nation's elite, they've done so without a string of top-tier defenses. The unit is practically a rebuild, and Riley's teams are 24-4 anyway. Considering the offense's excellence, OU would become a powerhouse if the defense could match what Gary Patterson has built at TCU.

At that level, Oklahoma would boast a degree of balance only Alabama and Clemson have displayed. Given that OU ranked 15th in yards allowed per play in 2015, that upside is possible even in a Big 12 that features wide-open offenses.

However, all of these accomplishments have no bearing on NFL success.

Those are necessary to get Riley in the door, but that's all. It's not like NFL coaches leave thriving teams as Bob Stoops did at Oklahoma in 2017 after an 11-2 season and Sugar Bowl win, handing Riley the keys to a Corvette. NFL vacancies are vacancies for a reason. If he doesn't win, Riley can't fall back on an impressive college football resume. Nobody will care.

In Norman, he's already upgraded the Corvette to a Lamborghini.

Additionally, he'd be limited to one first-round pick and free agency each season. At Oklahoma, he can recruit any college-eligible prospect on the planet.

Nick Saban learned that the hard way, mustering a 15-17 record with the Miami Dolphins before returning to the college level. All he did was orchestrate the most successful decade in college football history at Alabama, dominating on the field and in recruiting.

Dabo Swinney is doing the same at Clemson, which has a national title among four straight College Football Playoff appearances. He's never coached in the NFL and over the summer said he's never put much thought into it, either.

No coach is closer to joining that duo than Riley.

From an outside perspective, the allure of the NFL could offer a guaranteed reunion with Mayfield or the realization of a dream of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. Neither one appears to carry more weight than college football's grandest stage.

Taking an NFL job is "not a burning desire of mine by any stretch right now," Riley said Sunday following Oklahoma's 45-34 loss to Alabama in the CFP semifinals, per Joe Mussatto of the Oklahoman. "Not even close. It doesn't even compare to my burning desire to win a national championship here."

Lincoln Riley says that Oklahoma is on the "doorstep" of winning a national championship; "agonizingly close" he says #Sooners

— Madeline Callaway (@madrobs_) December 30, 2018

Sure, it's possible he's simply saying the right things in public to coincide with immediate plans. Opposing coaches will take any negative rumor and use it to their recruiting advantage, and Riley cannot afford to let any doubt seep into the minds of Oklahoma's recruits.

Yes, Riley recently left the NFL door cracked, acknowledging he can't predict 10 years into the future. But 10 years ago, the college football world saw Alabama as a rising force, not a dynasty. Swinney was a first-year head coach, not a superstar football mind who returned Clemson to prominence.

Oklahoma can join them with Riley at the helm. As the Sooners thrive, the NFL will keep calling.

Riley has more than enough incentive to continue hanging up.

          

All recruiting information via 247Sports' composite. Stats from NCAA.com, cfbstats.com or B/R research. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report CFB writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.

Oklahoma receiver Marquise Brown announced his intention to declare for the 2019 NFL draft Wednesday on Twitter:

Forever a Sooner ! #CALLGOD pic.twitter.com/r704vHoARS

— Hollywood Brown (@Primetime_jet) January 2, 2019

The former junior college transfer had one more year of eligibility remaining but will instead try to move on to the next level. He led the Sooners this season with 75 catches and 1,318 receiving yards to go with his 10 touchdowns. 

The 5'10" receiver reached the 1,000-yard milestone in each of his two years at Oklahoma, finishing tied for eighth in the country in yards this season.

His production and skill as a deep threat make him one of the top prospects in the 2019 class at his position.

According to Bleacher Report's Matt Miller, Brown is the No. 3 receiver in the upcoming draft as well as the top slot receiver and best route-runner.

Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network compared him to another successful player:

OU WR Marquise Brown reminds me of Desean Jackson when he was at Cal. He is so smooth & explosive—Natural hands and he can run every route with ease.

— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) December 28, 2018

There is no denying the receiver's skills as a game-changer with the ball in his hands, finishing the year with six touchdown catches of 50 yards or more. On the other hand, he also had a tendency to disappear at times during the season.

Brown had zero catches in the loss to Alabama in the Orange Bowl and was also shutout in the overtime win over Army earlier in the year.

An NFL team will have to decide whether his playmaking ability is worth a high draft pick this April.

Amid speculation that Lincoln Riley would be headed to the NFL, Oklahoma locked down its head coach for the foreseeable future.

The team announced Tuesday that the coach agreed to a contract extension that also comes with a salary increase, although the terms are still being finalized.

Riley has a 24-4 record over his first two years as a head coach, leading the team to the College Football Playoff each season before losing in the semifinals.

Perhaps most impressively, quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray won the Heisman Trophy in consecutive years while playing for the offensive-minded coach.

While the Sooners suffered a disappointing 45-34 loss to Alabama in the Orange Bowl, it's clear the 35-year-old was worth keeping around, and Oklahoma University President James Gallogly echoed that in the statement:

"We felt it important to extend and amend Lincoln's contract at this time as we want him at the University of Oklahoma for a long time. He is a great coach and role model for our student-athletes. His record of success speaks for itself.

"Lincoln is also the right representative for our university in such a high-profile position. I am proud to work with him and anxious to support him as he takes our program into the future."

This extension could be necessary with so many NFL openings this offseason.

The Cleveland Browns are one of the teams with a vacancy, and Albert Breer of The MMQB noted in October that Riley would be a "viable" candidate. It would also be a chance to reunite with Mayfield at the professional level.

Cleveland wouldn't be the only franchise that might pursue the Oklahoma coach if he became available.

"If you're an NFL team and you're looking for a head coach and (Riley) says, 'I'm out there, call me.' ...he'll be No. 1 on their list," an NFL scout told Jake Trotter of ESPN.com.

However, he explained Sunday that he has no interest in going to the NFL:

The morning after OU's 45-34 loss to Alabama in the Orange Bowl, Lincoln Riley says he's never been hungrier to stay at Oklahoma and chase a national title with the #Sooners pic.twitter.com/B4LiJpZV4Q

— SoonerScoop.com (@SoonerScoop) December 30, 2018

The latest extension just further guarantees he will remain with the Sooners in the years ahead.