Jenni Carlson: Sooner coach Lon Kruger needs to recruit Oklahoma's 'salty class of sophomores'

The Oklahoman sports columnist Jenni Carlson answered questions from readers in today's Power Lunch chat. Read the entire chat recap here. Participate in our Power Lunch chats Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. at NewsOK.com/sports

On how long it will take new coach Lon Kruger to turn around the OU program:

I don't see the Sooners as an NCAA Tournament team next year, though with the expanded tournament format, we saw this year how many marginal teams get in. So, I guess there's a chance they could sneak in there. But in reality, I suspect it'll be a couple years before OU is an NCAA Tournament team again. Then, I could see in three or four years the Sooners becoming a Sweet 16 or Elite Eight type of contender. There's a pretty salty class of sophomores right now in the state of Oklahoma. Kruger and Co. have a chance to get in on them and build that way. They'll be college freshman in 2013-14. Maybe that's when the big turn happens.

On last night's NCAA Championship game between Connecticut and Butler:

I was surprised both teams didn't play better offensively, but muddying the game was Butler's best hopes of hanging with a more athletic and bigger UConn team. The Bulldogs just didn't shoot as well as they needed to. The thing I hate, though, is Jim Calhoun winning. It's been shown that he's cheated, yet there he is coaching the championship game. Why does a guy like Dez Bryant get his college career ended by the NCAA for lying (not cheating) while Calhoun gets his punishment deferred? I don't get it.

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