April 23, 2022 Issue, Page 4 of 10

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ry April 23, 2022 Elk City High School senior Nike Cloud attempting a header on a goal. Courtesy photo. 2022 NFL mock draft: Four-round projections OU baseball: Sooners show the big picture seize control with huge Eddie Brown, The San Di- NEL and help improve some ego Union-Tribune script, but he needs to work on fixable accuracy issues. Pro- his anticipation throws and his jected: Rounds 1-2 sixth inning against captain with NFL-caliber size and arm talent, who will need comfort within the pocket. His his mechanics coached up at Welcome to draft season! This is the fourth of 11 posi- tional breakdowns leading up — 3. Sam Howell (Jr., North Carolina, 6-0, 218) small hands (8 1/2 inches) — he wears gloves on both hands Howell is the best down- Wichita State the next level. Projected: PFA — 9. Bailey Zappe (Sr., — have led to ball security to the NFL draft (April 28-30). field passer in this group and issues (38 career fumbles in Western Kentucky, 6-0, 215) Jesse Crittenden, The Norman Transcript Here are my top 10 quarter- he proved to be a legitimate 52 games at Pitt). Projected: Zappe rewrote the FBS backs: threat as a runner last season Rounds 1-2 record book this past season ‘Through five and a half innings, Oklahoma just couldn't get — 1, Matt Corral (Jr., Ole despite failing to meet big ex- — 6. Cole Kelley (Sr., SE much going offensively. Miss, 6-foot-1, 212 pounds) pectations. He needs to im- Louisiana, 6-7, 249) with an absurd 5,967 yards, ‘The Sooners registered just one hit until the bottom of the Corral is slightly under- prove his patience within the After three seasons at Ar- and 62 touchdowns against fourth inning and Wichita State took advantage, taking an sized, but he’s an NFL-caliber pocket and dig deeper in his kansas, Kelley transferred to only 11 interceptions in 686 early 2-0 lead. Blake Robertson hit a double to score Peyton playmaker with genuine arm progressions on early downs FCS-level Southeastern Louisi- pass attempts in his only sea- Graham before Robertson was brought home on a sacrifice fly talent, and features the quick- — his production on third ana. He won the Walter Payton from Diego Muniz to tie the game at 2-2 heading into the fifth. est release in this class. The down in 2021 reveals he’s ca- Award (FCS Heisman) in 2020 son for the Hilltoppers. Not But the Shockers sent home three runs in the top of the dual-threat QB was the only pable of leveling up. Projected: and was the runner-up in 2021. bad for a no-star recruit who sixth inning to take a 5-2 lead, and the Sooners were in trouble. EBS player with at least 3,300 Rounds 1-2 after finishing with 5,615 received only one scholarship ‘That was until the Sooners’ offense exploded in the bottom of passing yards and 500 rushing — 4, Malik Willis (Sr., Lib- yards of total offense, the third offer (Houston Baptist). Pro- the seventh inning. yards in each of the past two erty, 6-0, 219) most in FCS history (184 yards Muniz got things started with a single to left field that seasons. There have been ma- Willis spent two seasons behind Steve McNair’s record). jected: Rounds 4-7 scored Graham and Tanner Tredaway. Jimmy Crooks then turity concerns throughout his as Jarrett Stidham’s backup at Kelley has legit arm talent —10. Jack Coan (Sr., Notre brought in Robertson as the tying run with a single to right career, but they seem to have Auburn before transferring to and is surprisingly mobile for Dame, 6-3, 218) field. subsided this past year. His Liberty. His dynamic mobil- his size, but ball security (15 Abroken foot got him Wal- Norman native Cade Horton gave the Sooners the lead with smallish frame will raise ques- ity, strong arm and intangibles fumbles last season), age (he a ground out RBI that scored Muniz, and Crooks followed it by tions about his durability, but have taken center stage during turns 25 this year) and level ly Pipped at Wisconsin. He led scoring on a wild pitch. By the time Tredaway brought in John he’s held up well against the the draft process, but there of competition is concerning. the Irish to 11 wins in his only Spikerman with a single to shortstop, the Sooners had com- toughest competition college are serious accuracy/consis- Projected: Rounds 7/PEA. season at South Bend. He’s an pletely flipped momentum with a seven-run inning. football has to offer. Projected: tency issues that will need to — 7. Carson Strong (Jr., efficient, accurate passer with ‘The Sooners rode that momentum to a 9-5 win over the Rounds 1-2 beironed out in the NEL, likely Nevada, 6-3, 226) athletic limitations who is ca- Shockers at L. Dale Mitchell Park. — 2. Desmond Ridder (Sr., requiring him to carry a clip- Strong features good height After that crucial sixth inning, the Sooners’ defense just Cincinnati, 6-3, 211) board for at least one season. and size for the position (espe- pable enough to compete for needed to limit the Shockers’ offense. They did just that, hold- Ridder is the most pro- Projected: Rounds 1-2 cially for this draft class), with an NEL backup spot initially. ing the Shockers to just one hit over the final three innings. ready signal-caller in the draft. — 5. Kenny Pickett (Sr., accuracy at all three levels and Projected: Rounds 4-7 OU coach Skip Johnson went to his bullpen early and often, He's a field general with solid Pittsburgh, 6-3, 217) the arm talent to consistently as nine different pitchers saw action. It was Jaret Godman who. — BONUS. EJ Perry (Sr., anticipation, a good arm and is The Heisman finalist took attack outside the numbers. recorded the win, though Braden Carmichael led the way with athletic enough to make plays a major step forward in his He wins with his arm, not his Brown, 6-1, 211) three strikeouts, surrendering four hits and two runs in two outside of the pocket while fourth season as a starter. legs (he’s a statue in the pock- Perry was chosen offensive innings. also being a weapon in the run Pickett is a three-time team et) and problems with his right MVP at the East-West Shrine Muniz led the way offensively with three RBIs, one hit and game. He was 43-6 as a starter captain who passed Dan Ma- knee stretch all the way back to Bowl. His athleticism and in- one run. Tredaway recorded two hits, one run and one RBI. for the Bearcats, never losing a rino in all of the school’s major 2017. Projected: Rounds 3-5 ‘The win gives the Sooners (22-13, 4-5 Big 12) its fourth in start at home (26-0). statistical passing categories. — 8. Ageel Glass (Sr., Ala- tangibles make him a solid five outings. They'll look to build on that momentum with a Coaching should be able to He's most dangerous outside bama A&M, 6-3, 231) late-round _ flier. Projected: three-game conference series at Kansas this weekend, begin- help refine his technique in the of the pocket when he goes off Glass is a three-time team Rounds 6-7 ning at 6 p.m. Friday. OSSAA approves changes to structure in four football classes Mike Kays, Muskogee Phoenix, Okla. playoffs. some SAs up with the rest of 6A. I think in time Bixby, Owasso, “You go from five weeks of playoffs to 6A where it was three, Jenks, Broken Arrow, one of these days those will all split. Even- Ever since the split of Class 6A into two divisions based on en- that’s been a big discrepancy,” said Gore coach Brandon Tyler, tually 6A would take care of expansion within itself.” rollment, there’s been a widened discrepancy between the num- whose team is in Class A. ber of postseason games along classification lines. Haskell’s Phil McWilliams, whose football team will play the Had the change been in effect this past fall, Ponca City and Starting in part with the 2022 season, that will change. next two-year cycle as the highest enrollment school in Class A Muskogee would have been the other 6A playoff teams from the As approved by the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities after dropping from 2A for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, thinks Roughers’ district. Muskogee would have opened up against the Association at its monthly Board of Directors meeting, the three the relief to those classifications is overdue. third-place team from the west side, Edmond Deer Creek, which eight-district classes — 2A, A and eight-man B — will be split “There's so many teams in there and I think splitting 3A a few eventually made it to the finals where it lost to Bixby. into two divisions, similar to what already is happening in 6A. years ago just caused more ofa divide than they realized because ‘This measure will not take place until the next two-year cycle of the 2A bracket was just unbelievable the last couple years,” he This year, Muskogee is in a district with Stillwater, Tulsa realignment in 2024 and 2025. said, Washington, Sand Springs, Tahlequah, Bartlesville, U.S. Grant But starting with the latest realignment for 2022 and 2023, Even while dropping a class, McWilliams said the impact of and Putnam West. 6A will add two more teams to the playoffs per district, leaving all “Our goal is nothing more than it was yesterday,” Hill said. the eight-district classes will be felt for two more years — but for but the bottom two teams out of the picture. now, in a way that advantages his team. “We want to be one of the top four teams in our district.” No changes will occur with 5A, 4A and 3A, all currently with “We'll have close to a 40-man roster because our numbers in four districts. football are going up,” he said. “On the other end of Class A you One measure that will be effective for all classes in 2022 will ‘The decision came after a proposal originating from the Okla- have those borderline 8-man teams that may have 18 kids. We'll be neutral sites for third-round games. Whaley said there was homa Football Coaches Association and the Oklahoma Interscho- play some this year that will have that many.” the possibility of a stipend being added as incentives for hosts lastic Athletic Administrators Association was tabled in March. ‘Not everyone in 6A is enthused about the playoff expansion. of neutral site games. The OSSAA currently receives all playoff ‘The OSAAA staff wanted to go from six to all eight 6A teams per Muskogee’s Travis Hill spoke about a recent text conversation ticket sales. Schools keep concession revenue. district in the postseason. he had with some other 6A coaches and said most wanted to stay “We don’t do anything by six,” Mike Whaley, the OSSAA’s di- with four playoff teams. “There was some discussion regarding that for Thanksgiving rector over football, said later Wednesday. Every football playoff “If there was truly a fifth- or sixth-place team that had a com- weekend games and whether it’s time to add that stipend,” he bracket has consisted of either 16 or 32 teams, which aren't divis- petitive opportunity to win a championship — and you could say said. ible by six. it might open that up to some teams who peak at the right time ‘That, along with the format for championship weekend start- After some discussion, the board went with the recommenda- — maybe there’s a case for it there,” he said. “But in my opinion, ing in 2024, will be addressed in due time, Whaley said. Currently tion of six. it really didn’t need to be bigger. only the eight-man title games are not held at UCO’s Wantland ‘The splitting of 2A, A and B will create 12 state championship “This whole thing started with people having to have the 6A games, nine in 11-man football. split. If you'd asked me, I'd say there would be a better way to Stadium. Smaller schools will welcome the relief of one less week of do that. Put the top 16 in 6A and 32 for everyone else, bringing “We'll have to see what their thought process is,” Whaley said.