JA Might consider his portal destination

[OU Chinaman]

...ANYONE SEEN THE PHOTO OF THE TEAM IN THE LOCKER ROOM HOISTING THE HAWK?
JA had his chance...but Hawk found a way to win!
The King is dead, long live the king!

[WishBone]

[walt]

I love Hawkins's potential future, but I hope that Arnold will stick with OU as injuries with Hawkins, Arnold is the only possible QB to play

[SoonerTony]

Walt is right. I love Hawkins but if he keeps selling out his body to leap over defenders, we might need JA again before the season is over.

[Rough Rider]

From what I have seen so far, I d rather Thompson come in if Hawkins is hurt.

[RussC]

From what I have seen so far, I d rather Thompson come in if Hawkins is hurt.

I also was thinking they might just go to the third guy. Also JA has a redshirt still available to take right?

[Rough Rider]

From what I have seen so far, I d rather Thompson come in if Hawkins is hurt.

I also was thinking they might just go to the third guy. Also JA has a redshirt still available to take right?

The thing about "the third guy" is that he does have substantial game experience. He is not an unknown. And his game experience did look better than what we've seen from JA. OU is in kind of an unusual situation in modern college football regarding depth at the QB position for THIS season (if JA transfers, we'll need some new blood quick for next year!)

And yeah, JA can still take a redshirt for this year if he plays no more this season. It does line up well for him to just quietly sit out and transfer after the season. If he does, I hope he transfers to someone we won't play. Someday, he might just live up to that potential.

[FossilFuelRules]

SMH

... with friends like you people, who needs back-stabbing, turn-coat, weasel enemies ... really disgusted with some of you

[WishBone]

Its a Football Forum.get over it !!!!!

[inconnu]

Its a Football Forum.get over it !!!!!

Sadly reporting that some of us old-timer Sooner football fans had once upon a time become spoiled by reasonably frequent National Championships!

[Brisket]

SMH

... with friends like you people, who needs back-stabbing, turn-coat, weasel enemies ... really disgusted with some of you

I can somewhat understand the sentiment here, but this is the hard truth of this new NIL era. The players can now get paid & jump into the transfer portal whenever they want. If the players want to get paid like professionals, then they deserve to be treated like professionals.

College football is now officially a big business. There's no loyalty between player or team. I don't like it, but that is the way it is now. Players are paid to produce. If they don't produce, then they are an expense to the organization & will get discarded accordingly. It's annual free agency.

[FossilFuelRules]

Not only are you wrong, it is obvious you are wrong.
Everyone knows NFL teams such as the Steelers take time to develop QB talent. The Patriots put some time into Brady.

But let's use your attitude and put you in charge of recruiting and in charge of player development. Instant gratification or hit the road.
What could go wrong?

Very quickly, the guys who take the hits learn they play for more than money.
But just keep telling our young players we will trash, ridicule, insult, dismiss, and throw them under the bus.

[Up North Sooner]

Not only are you wrong, it is obvious you are wrong.
Everyone knows NFL teams such as the Steelers take time to develop QB talent. The Patriots put some time into Brady.

But let's use your attitude and put you in charge of recruiting and in charge of player development. Instant gratification or hit the road.
What could go wrong?

Very quickly, the guys who take the hits learn they play for more than money.
But just keep telling our young players we will trash, ridicule, insult, dismiss, and throw them under the bus.

You do realize that NFL players are under contract, and that college players are not, don't you? Totally different circumstance as the NFL teams are guaranteed to have their players for at least 4 years on a rookie contract. College teams have no assurance as to how long a player will be with them. Gone are the days of signing a kid and them being here 4-5 years so that you can develop them. They can get paid, and transfer at any time and there is diddly squat the coaches can do about it. Loyalty to a team is mostly dead. Sure, there will be players who stick around because it was their dream to play for a certain team, but the majority of the players no longer operate with that mindset. As such, the coaches and the fans do not owe that player any loyalty either. Produce, or you will be replaced with someone better.

Do I like it, no, but that is the way things are right now, and unless something changes, that is the way it will be from now on. In my opinion it is ruining college athletics, not just football, but as fans there is nothing you and I can do about it.

[Rough Rider]

Not only are you wrong, it is obvious you are wrong.
Everyone knows NFL teams such as the Steelers take time to develop QB talent. The Patriots put some time into Brady.

But let's use your attitude and put you in charge of recruiting and in charge of player development. Instant gratification or hit the road.
What could go wrong?

Very quickly, the guys who take the hits learn they play for more than money.
But just keep telling our young players we will trash, ridicule, insult, dismiss, and throw them under the bus.

I don't think the coaches are going to jun JA off. On the contrary, if HE makes the choice to leave, OU will be in a bad spot next year regarding the backup situation. It's in OUr interest that he sticks around and develops. The problem is, this is Hawkins's team now. Barring injury, I don't see JA starting this year, or the next two years. Heck, as much of an improvement Hawkins has been, he doesn't scream NFL prospect to me either so it might be this year and the next three years. If I was JA, I doubt I would stick around. He needs a second chance and I just don't see how he gets it here.

[Brisket]

Not only are you wrong, it is obvious you are wrong.
Everyone knows NFL teams such as the Steelers take time to develop QB talent. The Patriots put some time into Brady.

But let's use your attitude and put you in charge of recruiting and in charge of player development. Instant gratification or hit the road.
What could go wrong?

Very quickly, the guys who take the hits learn they play for more than money.
But just keep telling our young players we will trash, ridicule, insult, dismiss, and throw them under the bus.

A. The NFL signs rookies to 4-year contracts, so the teams do have them under control & can take time to develop them. Although most 1st & 2nd round draft picks are expected to come in & start pretty much from day 1.

B. Last time I checked, OU is not part of the NFL. There are no player contracts. A player may enter the transfer portal any spring or winter with no ramifications or consequences. Here's how ridiculous the current environment is: OU recruits & signs a player for the 2025 recruiting class. That player graduates early & enrolls at OU in January 2025 for the spring semester. He can enter the transfer portal in April of 2025 having never played a down for OU & there's nothing the coaches or university can do about it.

C. I think the "instant gratification or hit the road" mindset is almost completely on the players due to NIL & the transfer portal. I think coaches would LOVE to keep players for 3-4 years to help them grow, develop, & improve. The players - or their families or handlers - don't want to be patient. They want to get PAID. Even if they do get immediate playing time & are getting paid, another school may come along & offer them even more money, so they jump with no consequences for the player (see Green, Cayden) or the tampering team (see Missouri).

D. As far as "telling our young players we will trash, ridicule, insult, dismiss, and throw them under the bus," no one on this thread or board has done anything of the sort.