NORMAN — Oklahoma linebacker Lewis Baker could offer only one explanation for why he verbally committed to Texas during his senior year of high school.
Advertisement
"I was just drinking the Kool-Aid and enjoying everything around there,” OU's fifth-year senior and defensive captain said. "I never really wanted to go there anyway.”
Baker was a second-team USA Today All-American at Carrollton Hebron High School and one of the top recruits in the nation in 2003.
So for the Sooners to pluck him out of the heart of Texas was yet another recruiting victory south of the Red River — something that has keyed Oklahoma's football success for decades, from Jack Mildren to Billy Sims to Malcolm Kelly.
Saturday's OU-Texas showdown is pointed to as a marquee game for both teams every year, but how important is winning that game in the recruiting world?
Not as important as some like to think.
OU coach Bob Stoops has always said that winning championships will trump beating Texas when he walks into a player's living room.
And it was the BCS Championship trophy — not the Golden Hat — that Texas coach Mack Brown dedicated to all the high school coaches in Texas.
"Whoever loses the game, does that mean you're gonna lose recruits and you're not gonna do as well? It never has,” said OU co-defensive coordinator Bobby Jack Wright, who has seen OU-Texas recruiting battles from both sides. "Do some of the kids that are maybe on the bubble decide after the game, ‘Well, maybe I will go there.' Yeah, that's happened.”
Winning over Texas kids when you're from Oklahoma isn't always easy, despite the success OU has had there recently — Kelly, Adrian Peterson, etc. — and presently. Of the Sooners' 16 current commitments for the 2008 class, 11 are from Texas.
"I know this about the state of Texas. Most of those kids grow up wanting to be Longhorns or Aggies. That's how it is down there,” said Wright, who coached for 11 seasons at Texas and is in his ninth at OU.
"But Oklahoma's always been a place that's had a great attraction to those kids for years. Oklahoma's always been able to go down to the state of Texas to recruit against Texas and A&M and get the best players down there. Certainly we've got some good players.”
Baker was one of those. He had committed to Texas during his senior year, but flipped about a month before signing, thanks to the continued recruiting efforts of OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables.
"They got really upset. They got mad,” Baker said of the Texas coaches. "Coach Venables was really committed to me and kept recruiting me. That was something that was really important to me. He kind of reminded me of my high school coach.
"He's one of the biggest reasons I came here. And the team and everybody winning championships. I'm a team-first guy, so I just wanted to win.”
Leave a comment.
Log in below or sign up (it's free).
More Info
Lewis Baker Sooner linebacker verbally committed to Texas during his senior year
What to expect at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday
Saturday, fans won't be allowed to re-enter the Cotton Bowl after halftime; before and during halftime is permissible.
Smokers will have to get their cigarettes in then, because smoking won't be allowed inside the stadium.
And if anyone gets sick, the emergency first aid stations are located at gates 2 and 7.
Baby strollers, backpacks and beach balls are among the items not allowed inside the stadium.
And in the case of rain, fans will have to use ponchos instead of umbrellas.
Other prohibited items include baby seats, banners, coolers and folding chairs.
Fans, however, can bring personal cameras and take still photos of the playing field.
0
