Bell the TE causing friction, 2016 schedule news

For those of you who are on Twitter, it's sometimes hard to keep track of what is an official University of Oklahoma account and what is just a fan-generated account.

What can we say? Some of you are easily catfished.

But with all the exciting changes going on around the OU program with renovations, alternate jerseys, reporters hiding in the bushes as five-stars descend on Norman, the football staff has decided to create an official account for recruits and fans to follow that give you a peek into the world of OU recruiting.

The account can't mention recruits by name because of NCAA rules, but it is intended as an outreach to show some of the things Oklahoma is sending recruits: postcards, mailers, etc.

The Twitter account is @OUGridiron and was started by the OU recruiting support staff. You can also follow their new Instagram account.

Give them a follow if you want to see a little bit of what they're doing behind the scenes both through traditional mail and their social media campaigns such as their #unmatched and #bringthewood campaigns.

Here's an example of a mailer they put together to impress recruits at Nike's The Opening this week.

Image courtesy @OUGridiron

OU SCHEDULE NEWS FOR 2016?

Here's the deal. OU is going to be building this massive new stadium in three phases that is expected to be done for the start of the 2016 season.

But here's the deal: Do you really want to open at home in 2016 when you might have a few more nuts and bolts to tighten down before a tight deadline?

Sources have told SoonerScoop.com this past week the Sooners could be looking to begin the 2016 season away from home. The problem is that they already have a contract with Louisiana-Monroe to open the 2016 season in Norman on Sept. 3.

With the Sooners already having Ohio State scheduled at home they need to find a way to either buy out ULM or get the date moved if they really want to start out the season away from home.

We have confirmed OU is in talks with opponents for a season-opening road game and are working through their scheduling issues in the hopes of having something settled before the start of the 2014 season.

BLAKE BELL ON THE MACKEY AWARD WATCH LIST

This one isn't exactly going over too well in the sports information community. Blake Bell, who has never played a down as a tight end (although he does have an Insight Bowl MVP Trophy due to his running ability) was placed on the Mackey Award Watch list as one of the nation's top tight ends heading into the 2014 season.

His inclusion might have gone by without a lot of notice except for the fact Taylor McNamara, who logged one catch last year, was also included on the list of the top tight ends in the country to start the season.

One sports information director at another university told me today through text message, "Watch lists have officially jumped the shark with those nominations… Doesn't Mackey Award look at stats?"

I don't have an issue with Trevor Knight making any preseason watch lists. He had one of the most memorable performances of the bowl season last year. But he had two standout games last season after overcoming early injuries - Alabama and Kansas State.

Bell and McNamara had no standout games as tight ends. And I don't think the Mackey Award gives a flip about Bell's touchdown pass to Jalen Saunders to win Bedlam last year. Heck, I think most OU fans can remember McNamara's lone catch last year. It was a first down grab against Alabama.

If anything, this just puts more pressure on Josh Heupel to really make the tight ends a big part of the offense in 2014.

Which they should be, unless DGB gets eligible. Then throw him the damn ball again and again and again and again.

Sorry Blake.