"God and my mom helped me to this decision,” Oku said. "I feel like cutting them (OU) is what is best for me right now.”
It's been an up-and-down relationship between Oku and the Sooners after the 5-foot-10, 174-pounder felt he should have received an offer from OU earlier in the process.
He received an offer shortly after one of the Sooners' main 2009 recruiting targets, Wichita, Kan., running back Bryce Brown, committed to Miami.
Asked if things might have been different had the Sooners approached him in another way, Oku said: "Yeah, I used to see the love (former Carl Albert and OU standout) J.D. (Runnels) got when he came back, and that made me kind of like OU, but they were kind of lax, like ‘we're going to hold out'... things might have been different if they had a different approach.”
That rocky beginning, combined with the desire to get out of the state, led Oku to officially remove Oklahoma from his list of suitors.
"I don't have anything negative to say about them, we worked everything out in the end,” Oku said. "I decided to do it now to make things less stressful on myself and my mom (Denise).”
Oku's reason for the announcement was so schools no longer in contention could focus on other recruits.
Another factor was a conversation with Tennessee receiver and former Millwood quarterback Gerald Jones.
He told Oku "not to worry about what everyone else thinks.” Oku met Jones when both were students at Millwood in 2003.
Oklahoma State remains in the running because Oku likes Cowboy coaches Mike Gundy and Curtis Luper.
Oku said he would like to learn more about the school, particularly its sports broadcasting program. The Cowboys already have received an oral commitment from Tulsa Union running back Jeremy Smith.
Oku is ranked No. 40 overall on the Rivals Top 100, the No. 3 prospect in the Midlands Region on Scout.com and is on the ESPN Top 150 watch list.
He rushed 182 times for 1,628 yards (8.9 yards per carry) and 20 touchdowns last year, earning Oklahoman All-State honors. He has 3,897 rushing yards and 45 touchdowns during his career at Carl Albert.
Oku has expressed his desire to go out of state multiple times. Mother Denise, who was a truck driver for two years and has seen the majority of the U.S., has encouraged him to do so.
"She's seen more than I have, and she knows what's best for me,” Oku said.
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Personally, I had NO desire to see him in a Sooner uniform since the day I read his smart mouth comment about pulling for Miami when the Sooners played them last season. He may have been born in Oklahoma but comments like that are unacceptable! Yeah he's just a kid but when I was that age, a whole lot more was expected out of me. He was old enough to know better. Good riddance!
High school kids are well known for making informed and thought out decisions. What is that I smell?
S-A-R-C-A-S-M Ryan isn't a whorn troll? It makes me laugh HA HA!
I wish him well because he is an Oklahoma kid. However, he would have a hard time playing running back for the Sooners anytime in the next 3-4 years. Best of luck to him!
Boomer Sooner!
Does anyone know how Tennessee comes in and gets more OK recruits than any other school? It can't be the weather or the great tradition compared to Florida or California schools. Money? Girls? Other perks?
Good for you Oku. You have made a good choice and your being fair to the teams that are interested in your skills. This young man should be commended for is decision to eliminate schools. Shows a lot of maturity. Those schools should thank him. And yes I'm an OU fan!
Im not going to bash the kid. I watched him play last year and he is a good player. He felt slighted somehow by OU's coaching staff. Maybe he was, maybe he wasnt, but he was just a Jr. at the time. Either way, we should wish him the best. Im all for 17 year olds doing what is best for them no matter if it is football, academics, or family. We (OU fans) need to stop taking it personally when kids dont want to go to OU. There are a lot of great schools out there that also have great football programs.
I'm cool with including God in your plans (I wish more people would) however I seriously doubt that he really means it. If he did he would be checking on the spiritual life on campus, check and see what campus ministries there are and if there is one that will really help him grow in his faith. What he probably means is, "I am going to use this cliché phrase that allows me to make whatever decision I want and no one can question it." I don't think God would tell you to cut a campus from your list based on pride (one of the seven deadly sins right?) because they started pursuing you too late and should have given you more respect. Please don't play the God card unless you really mean it, that's why Christianity is a joke to a lot of people.
Oku has to do what's best for him. If it's OU, fine and if it's not, that's fine too. Wherever he goes I hope he does well. Well, as long as it's not Texas. ;)
joe, first off im not a horns fan. second, OU was never at the top of oku's list and i dont know where you got that. what i am saying is, i dont know why sooner fans downgrade him after he snips them from his list. he is the 40'th best football player in the 09 class of America for crying out loud! All the other schools on his list will be loaded at running back as well but he is still interested in them so why do yall say he cut you from the list because he is scared? he still has USC, does that mean he thinks there will not be any competition there?? NO
Ryan -Dallas. For the record Oku did have OU at the top of his list but he wasn't on the top of OU's list. therein lies the issue with him. Wrong again Horns fan.
Also at his height and weight, Oku needs to be in a spread offense. The school that makes the most sense out of his list of offers is Illinois unless Rick Rodriguez can find a qb to run his system.
The kid may turn out to be great where ever he goes, but its his attitude and sense of entitlement that he needs to work on. The story between ou and Oku has been going on for quite sometime. Oku was pissed when OU let it be known that Bryce Brown was their top choice and not him. Oku was then very vocal and negative (there are many quotes over the past year in this paper) towards ou and the coaching staff because he didnt have an offer. He finally got one when Bryce decided to follow his brother to miami. A recruit wanting the love or needing the love, doesnt deserve it. AD was and is 10 times better than Oku will ever be and the words told to him from Cale was we will win with you or without you. Oku needs to grow up and maybe getting out of the state will aid in that.
What a whinner. This boy needs to grow up a bit. If he is offended, wait until he signs with someone then finds that he is a no body on the depth chart at that school. It is a shame that these youn people get their ego's so inflated, that they are offended at not being "number 1".
"Yeah, I used to see the love.." Huh? I'm sure he is a good athlete, but these guys need a dose of reality. And... he's seeking advice from Gerald Jones? Good Luck David, you're probably going to need it when you run out of eligibility. OU would honor his offer, if he changed his mind today, but they're better off without this guy.
im telling you guys... there are three other running backs at CARL ALBERT that could rack up that many yards! but oku gets 30 to 40 carries a night! he is small, but who knows?
The kid wants to go to a school that's best for him! I like OU but some of OUs fans probably steer kids away...some of you guys are talking crap about the kid like he's done something wrong. He didn't pick OU oh well best of luck to him whereever he decides to play. He might not be the biggest kid in high school yet but he's the number 2 running back in the nation for a reason. He's got big time progams looking at him and he wants to evaluate and make a wise decision on where he wants to go to school. Good luck to him and I hope CA gets a title this year
The real reason Oku took OU of his list is because they already have enough RB's (Murray,Calhoun and Jackson). He wouldn't get any playing time ala Jay Hunt (remember him).
The recruits that think they are too good and play recruiting games, often don't live up to the hype and washout completely. If you are not humble in H.S. how are you going to react when you get humbled your first year of Div. 1?
its funny how all the sooner fans say he eliminate them from his list because hes scared of the competition there.. have any of you idiots thought that he may just not like the school? all of a sudden since OU isnt on his list he is an overrated player who will never amount to anything.. i think it would be the other way around if he had OU at the top of his list....
Oh so he is no going to 'punish' OU and not give them a chance to see how great he is, give me a break. "Fool" needs to enroll at OSU and watch OU punish him. Idiot.
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Oku's Super 7Florida State — "It's my dream school, childhood favorite.”
Illinois — "They're an up-and-coming team.”
USC — "(It's) running back U.”
Tennessee — "Gerald Jones goes there, and I like their West Coast offense.”
Michigan — "Rich Rodriguez with what he did at West Virginia and what they are doing now.”
Ohio State — "My friend Michael Brewster goes there, and they have great tradition.”
Oklahoma State — "Coach Mike Gundy and Coach (Curtis) Luper. And everything they are doing up there.”
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S-A-R-C-A-S-M Ryan isn't a whorn troll? It makes me laugh HA HA!
Boomer Sooner!