Oklahoma football: Sooners from Kansas ready for Wildcats

Oklahoma tight end Brannon Green is one of those 1,000. He spent his days in Kansas playing football and watching Nebraska.

Then Kansas State came calling. And Kansas State, in a way, is the reason why a small-town Kansas boy ended up in Norman.

Bill Snyder and K-State wanted Green to walk-on. Green used that as motivation and instead went to Fort Scott Community College, a junior college just over 70 miles from his hometown.

Two seasons, two touchdowns and 21 total receptions for more than 280 yards later, Green was offered a scholarship to OU, becoming the first Division I athlete from his high school. In his debut with the Sooners, he scored on a 18-yard touchdown pass.

Green is one of seven Sooners from Kansas — including backup quarterback Blake Bell, tight end Geneo Grissom, linebacker Jaydan Bird, kicker Patrick O'Hara, fullback Marshall Musil and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips.

O'Hara said he was recruited by Kansas State as well, but his mom is actually a Kansas fan. He couldn't see choosing the Wildcats. O'Hara wasn't recruited by Snyder — that was during Snyder's retirement — but he said he wouldn't have chosen the Wildcats even if the famed coach was active at that time.

“Compared to coming to OU and seeing this place? Honestly, no.” O'Hara said.