SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
Well, for Lincoln Riley this is one that got away.
Having left his role as head football coach at Oklahoma in 2020, Riley took over the same role at Southern California or if you wish also known as USC. He took the Sooners top quarterback with him, as well as one of the leading running backs.
But when recruiting commitments came out Wednesday, it was Oklahoma, which will be going from the Big 12 to the Southeastern Conference in 2024, claiming the nation’s No. 1 running back in 5-foot-11, 200-pound Taylor Tatum.
Riley’s Trojans were on Tatum’s list, but because he wants to also play baseball because of his desire for SEC ball in both sports, the Sooners came out with one of their top recruiting classes since Brent Venable took over as head coach after Riley left.
Not only Tatum was a premier name, but so were the others who made the Norman campus their selection. All were Four-Star recruits Daven Mitchell, a tight end, Zion Kearnely, a wide receiver, and Jaydan Handy, a safety. This quartet was highly recruited.
Tatun was accompanied by Mitchell on visits to Michigan and USC, and all four spent some time at Oklahoma.
As far as the current recruiting list appears, the Sooners rank No. 6 behind Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Ohio State and Louisiana State.
Tatum, who hails from Longview, Texas, is a good size for his position. He spends time lifting weights, he has excellent getaway speed, is a strong blocker, and also a third down option through the air because of his good hands.
“The SEC to me is the big deal, he said, “especially in football and baseball. You’ve got the likes of Alabama, Georgia, LSU, and then some, and that’s why I chose the Sooners for a year in the Big 12 and then right to the SEC.”
Ranked as the leading running back in the land, Tatum led the state of Texas in rushing and scoring, and was one of his league’s top baseball players as a shortstop and sometimes pitcher. Overall, he’s considered No. 42 as a two-way athlete.
Said Venable: “I’m extremely happy to reel in these players. The ones that visited us, like Tatum, had a good few days here on campus, and knew quite a lot of Oklahoma’s history on the football field.”
