Oklahoma’s 21-13 loss to No. 15 Kentucky on Saturday wasn’t the result the Sooners wanted, but Norman still turned into a recruiting stop packed with major names.
Among the visitors was 2027 tight end commit Seneca Driver, the 6-foot-7, 250-pound standout from Danville, Ky. Driver is a 5-star prospect and the No. 14 overall player in the Class of 2027, according to Rivals. The Kentucky native had been a big target for the Wildcats before he committed to Oklahoma on March 7 during the Sooners’ “Future Freaks” junior day event.
Driver got a firsthand look at both teams using their tight ends. Oklahoma’s lone touchdown came on a second-quarter catch by Rocky Beers, while Kentucky tight end Willie Rodriguez made his presence felt with five catches for 38 yards and two scores.
Driver wasn’t the only Oklahoma pledge on hand. Offensive lineman Isaac Coughran of Katy, Texas, was in the building and snapped a picture with fellow OU offensive line commits Cooper Hackett and Kaeden Penny.
Those three are part of a loaded 2027 offensive line group for the Sooners. Coughran, Hackett and Penny are three of Oklahoma’s six committed offensive linemen in the class.
Hackett and Penny are both 5-star recruits, while Coughran is rated a 3-star prospect. The other three committed linemen are Luke Wilson, Tyson Ross and Jaxon Lawler.
Oklahoma also had athlete Greydon Howell of Broken Bow, Okla., in attendance. Howell is a 4-star recruit in 247Sports’ composite rankings, and he’s been putting up huge numbers early this season. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound athlete has totaled 20 touchdowns through his first five games for Broken Bow High School, with eight passing, 11 rushing and one receiving.
The Sooners even hosted a highly regarded uncommitted prospect in 4-star athlete Gideon Gash on an official visit. Gash, a consensus top-60 player, is ranked No. 53 overall and No. 4 at athlete in the 2027 class by 247Sports. The Novi, Mich., native committed to Texas Tech on June 6 and also took official visits to Oklahoma and Alabama over the summer.
Linebacker commit Jaylen Scott of Mobile, Ala., shared a video of Gash’s official visit photoshoot on X, writing, “Let’s gooo !!! @gideongash pic.twitter.com/JS8XmfVjY2”
Gash’s production at Detroit Central Catholic High School was just as eye-catching as his recruiting profile. As a junior, he played both cornerback and wide receiver, finishing with 74 tackles, nine pass breakups, three tackles for loss, an interception, a forced fumble and a scoop-and-score touchdown on defense. On offense, he added 19 catches for 540 yards and eight touchdowns.
In Other News...
Brent Venables Sends Clear Message After Oklahomas Costly Loss
Brent Venables spent much of the postgame conversation trying to keep Oklahomas loss to Kentucky in perspective, even with the frustration of a 21-13 finish hanging over the program. John Mateers three second-half interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown late, made the defeat feel especially costly, but Venables still defended his quarterbacks overall performance and pointed to signs of growth in the way Mateer managed the offense.
The larger concern for Oklahoma is how quickly it can turn the page. Venables also credited the offensive line for battling through injuries and said the staff made some of its own choices with the game flow in mind, but the Sooners now have to answer with a cleaner showing in their next outing. After a loss like this, the message around the program is less about dwelling on mistakes and more about proving they can respond without letting one rough night linger. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahomas Offensive Line Issues Now Raise One Uncomfortable Question
Ryan Fodjes willingness to play through injury in the loss to Kentucky said plenty about where Oklahomas offensive line is right now. The Sooners have spent much of the season trying to piece together a group that has been hit by injuries and uneven play, and the latest setback only sharpened the concern around a unit that has not found a steady rhythm. Brent Venables, Bill Bedenbaugh and Ben Arbuckle have all acknowledged the issues, and the lines struggles have become one of the most obvious reasons the offense keeps fighting uphill.
What makes it more uncomfortable is that this is no longer just a depth problem. Oklahomas staff is still sorting through how much of the unevenness comes from personnel availability and how much comes from the group not meeting the standard it needs to meet. There is accountability on both sides of that equation, which is why the coming review matters so much for a team trying to stabilize the offense before the season gets any harder. [Read more 🡒]
Brent Venables Defends Costly Oklahoma Call Fans Wont Forget
Oklahomas fake field goal against Kentucky was one of those calls that immediately lived on in the memory of fans, and not for the right reason. On a key special teams snap, punter Jacob Ulrich tried a jump pass to tight end Rocky Beers, but the ball was intercepted and taken back for a touchback, wiping out a chance to steal points and turning a bold gamble into a momentum swing.
Brent Venables later stood by the decision, saying the target had been open and the execution simply missed. The bigger issue, though, was how the Sooners offense sputtered in the second half, leaving the failed trick play to loom even larger as one of the games defining moments. [Read more 🡒]