Sooners get first commitment for Class of 2009

By Jake Trotter
Published: February 8, 2008

The ink may still be drying on the 2008 signing class.

But Oklahoma is already working on securing next year's recruiting class. In the smallest of places.

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The Sooners received their first commitment of the 2009 class in Dewar High School outside linebacker Ronnell Lewis.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Lewis starred on both sides of the ball last season as a junior for Class B Dewar, which has been playing 8-man football for the last four years.

On offense, Lewis rushed for more than 2,300 yards and scored 40 touchdowns; on defense, he had more than 100 tackles and also intercepted 11 passes.

Lewis helped lead Dewar into the Class B state championship where the Dragons suffered their only loss of the season to perennial powerhouse Morrison.

For his efforts, Lewis earned honorable-mention All-State honors by The Oklahoman.

Next season, Dewar, which is located just northeast of Henryetta, will move up to Class A and play 11-man football.

Dewar football coach Josh Been said he expects Lewis to move from strong safety to middle linebacker in the new alignment. But Been said the OU coaches have been recruiting Lewis as an outside linebacker.

"He's very physical — that's one of the main things (defensive coordinator Brent) Venables talked about in liking his style of play," Been said. "He can run the football and usually runs through people and he has the speed to play close to the line of scrimmage.

"Coach (Bob) Stoops said 'I don't care if (Lewis) plays 6-man, 8-man or 12-man, I recognize he's a football player and that's all that matters to us.'"

Lewis isn't just a football player, though.

As a center, Lewis averages around 25 points a game for the Dragons basketball team and he also runs track in the spring.

Been said Lewis bench presses 315 pounds and runs the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds.

Lewis was being recruited by Oklahoma State, Iowa State and Kansas State.

But after visits to Stillwater in the morning and Norman in the afternoon last Saturday, Lewis decided he wanted to become a Sooner.

Tuesday, he told OU coaches the news.

"It's really exciting around here right now," Been said. "We're just trying to keep everything on an even keel."

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Comments

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They should also look at Dewar's quarterback, Greg Bezzell, Dewar's quarterback who is also one of the greatest all-around athletes in the tri-state region.
eddie, denver - Feb 21, 2008 1:18 AM
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Wait a minute. This guy visited OSU in the morning and OU in the Afternoon and decided he wanted to be a sooner?

He must have been really impressed with all T-Boone's money!!!!

Too Funny

Boomer Sooner!!!!!!!!!!!
roger, Broken Arrow - Feb 8, 2008 2:09 PM
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I watched this kid play a couple of times and he will get faster as his body matures. He is only 16 you know. And the coaches will coach him too be more aggresive. Me, myself, when he gains weight, if he dosn't gain any speed but more power. I would move him too DE. But that's me and I don't get paid 4 mil. a year too do that.BOOMER SOONER!!!
Brian, Okemah - Feb 8, 2008 11:23 AM
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When I was a sophomore I only played on special teams but by the time I was a senior I started the whole year. You can't really judge a guys whole career on one game as a 14 or 15 year old. He must be half way decent for OU, ISU, OSU, and KSU to be looking at him. Even if he is a "project" I think the OU staff will help him find his full potential. There was a kid a few years back that wasn't that highly recruited and wound up shattering OU records on his way to being a first round draft pick.
Scott, Indian Territory - Feb 8, 2008 10:54 AM
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He might become the next Auston English...
Jeff, Tulsa - Feb 8, 2008 10:17 AM
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Personally, i am glad to see that a powerhouse D1 program has no problems with offering a scholarship to a small town okie. We should all be proud because as we have seen this year, OU can recruit nationally!!
brandon, stillwater - Feb 8, 2008 9:16 AM
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Personally, i am glad to see that a powerhouse D1 program has no problems with offering a scholarship to a small town okie. We should all be proud because as we have seen this year, OU can recruit nationally!!
brandon, stillwater - Feb 8, 2008 9:15 AM
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You guys from Pond Creek and from Stillwater sound like you actually believe you know more than the OU coaching staff. Players have bad games and you may have caught the kid when he had an average game. To make it sound like you have some insider information about the abilities of this kid from Dewar is absurd. You two are so typical.
brandon, stillwater - Feb 8, 2008 9:14 AM
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R Lewis is a stud, Holba is a great kid, but Lewis has so much upside with his size and speed, he will have a learning curve I am sure, I have watched many years of 6A football along with Dewar this year and he could have played at any 6A school. And just FYI he just turned 16 right around end of November.
T, usa - Feb 8, 2008 9:06 AM
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test
T, usa - Feb 8, 2008 9:03 AM
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yeah! wut mark said!
Barney, poppycock - Feb 8, 2008 8:22 AM
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I have to agree with Phillip from Stillwater. Lewis looks like a stud and I wish him the best. When he was a sophomore he played against Pond Creek-Hunter in the second round of the playoffs and his team got blown away and he wasn't that much of a factor. He got ran down a few times and didn't really seem like that much of a hitter. Not overwhelminly aggressive. Pond Creek had a safety that looked better and a qb and rb that ran circles around him. He is big and looks the part, but he also looks like a project.
Jerry, Pond Creek - Feb 8, 2008 8:21 AM
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Phillip from Stillwater, the OU coaching staff has had a pretty good record of recruiting good linebackers. I'll go ahead and take their word for it that this kid is a player.
Mark, Durant - Feb 8, 2008 8:06 AM
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Why Geary? Cause this is a recruiting article?
Tom, Oklahoma City - Feb 8, 2008 7:47 AM
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Jake is the James Hale of the DOK!
Geary, Chickasha - Feb 8, 2008 6:38 AM
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It's the Dragons
Jimmy, West Monroe - Feb 8, 2008 5:44 AM
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What is the mascot at Dewar? Is it the Bulldogers or is that Dewey?
Chris, Oklahoma City - Feb 7, 2008 10:42 PM
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Troy in Oklahoma City.........Sheep are dumb but not
that dumb, they would run from cletus.
Manny, Pampa - Feb 7, 2008 5:23 PM
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It is good to see a kid from a small school play for the Sooners, but I have seen him play and Morrison made him look like he was pretty average and not very tuff. I thought the Holba kid was a better player for Morrsion, I know he (Holba) was faster.
Phillip, stillwater - Feb 7, 2008 4:35 PM
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Hey Cletus, go comfort your sheep herd.
Troy, Oklahoma City - Feb 7, 2008 4:30 PM
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Who cares...OU is gonna suck again this year and I'll laugh all the way to the bowl game.
Cletus, Mayberry - Feb 7, 2008 4:12 PM
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We play 8 man football in the bowl games anyways so this should work out fine.
Ryan, Broken Arrow - Feb 7, 2008 3:37 PM
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From a Weleetka grad, congratulations to Lewis and I know he will bring pride to his small town as well as inspiration to other kids in surrounding small towns.
Greg, Norman - Feb 7, 2008 3:35 PM
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6'3" and 220 lbs? And he's 17, maybe 18 years old? The guy's a monster.
Chris, Jones - Feb 7, 2008 3:30 PM
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