OL Chris Murray commits to OU

Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley knows the score about the transfer portal. It can take away some days, and it can give on others.

It gave in a big way to the Sooners with former UCLA offensive lineman Chris Murray announcing his commitment to OU on Thursday afternoon.

Murray, a two-year starter for UCLA, would have to obtain a waiver from the NCAA to be eligible for the 2020 season. He’ll most likely redshirt in 2020 and be a redshirt junior and ready to compete for the Sooners in 2021.

“The portal deal, listen, we get it,” Riley said. “We’ve been the beneficiary of a lot of really good ones that have come in here and done well. You’re going to lose some guys, too.”

In the span of a month, OU lost a big one in running back Trey Sermon, who picked Ohio State a couple of weeks ago. But after going back to UCLA, the Sooners gain another in Murray.

Murray isn’t a graduate transfer, but OU already struck gold in that department from the Bruins in wide receiver Theo Howard, who arrived at OU in January.

Murray, a four-star Rivals 250 member for the 2018 class, brings a lot of versatility to the line and will bring out that competition offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh loves so much.

He can play either center or guard and started all 24 games for UCLA, even dating back to when he was a true freshman.

Murray announced his transfer from UCLA back in January, and there were a lot of schools vying for his commitment so chalk up another for Bedenbaugh.