Bryant is ready for the next chapter

GARDEN CITY, Kan. – Coming from Oklahoma it's safe to say that Garden City Community College in Western Kansas is 'off the beaten path' but from Jessup, Ga., it's an entirely different world. Jessup may not be a metropolis, but it's hardly an area in which a stone's throw in any direction could impair the town's chief export; cattle.

However, it seems that it was the perfect fit for four-star junior college linebacker J.R. Bryant, who has spent the past two years on the 'other side of the world'. Now though his time at Garden City has come to an end and it's on to the next chapter of his life.

The choice of where that next chapter would begin came down this morning inside the school's Russell Perryman athletic complex between Big 12 South rivals, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech. Rumors had him headed to all three at one point or another in the past week, so what did he come down to?

"The last couple of weeks, I've had my top three between Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State. I took a visit to all three of these schools. When I went there I jotted down everything I learned there and everything I saw," Bryant said to open his press conference. "I was going to make a decision last week, but I needed another week to decide and go over the paperwork in that research.

"Earlier this week I talked it over with my mom, she talked with all the head coaches, Coach Leach, coach Gundy, and coach Stoops. She told me which one she was most comfortable with, and we came to a conclusion, and well…I'm going to Oklahoma."

Bryant is the second Broncbuster in as many years to cast his lot with the Sooners, after current Sooner starting left tackle Phil Loadholt chose to head to Oklahoma. Bryant said his decision to attend Oklahoma was aided by the massive offensive lineman and his comfort with getting the reality from his friend and former teammate rather than spin from a stranger.

"I felt comfortable with Phil, cause I knew Phil and played with Phil. He isn't going to try and lie or sell me on Oklahoma, he told me that all three of my choices were good choices and to just go where I felt most comfortable. I just felt most comfortable at Oklahoma," he explained to a gathering of media, coaches, athletic program members, and several Garden City teammates.

Loadholt was told he would quickly walk into a starting spot if he could earn it with diligent summer work and the talent James Patton knew he had; apparently Bryant was given the same impression by Oklahoma linebackers coach Brent Venables.

"They only have one starting linebacker returning, but he just returned from knee surgery so they don't know if he will be back out on the field, or if there will be another problem," Bryant said. "With Curtis Lofton leaving with the plans to go to the NFL early there are three starting positions there. They only have young guys and since I have experience I should have the best chance to start there."

As the Sooners eye Bryant potentially as their future at strongside linebacker the departure of Lofton, and possible move of Ryan Reynolds to the inside could be exactly what the doctor ordered for Bryant's hope to start next year. However, if things don't play out for him he still has a redshirt year to use.

A year that Broncbuster head coach Lucas Aslin said wouldn't be a bad thing to make use of. For while Bryant is a tremendous athlete he still has a little ways to go in the weight room according to Aslin, who says that it's simply a matter of time before that gap is cleared.

"He has to continue to get stronger, he is very, very athletic. I think he has to get better with his hands and getting off his blocks," Aslin said. "It's just working on his technique to make himself a better linebacker. He just has to work on the little things. I think he'll do a very good job.

"He has so much athleticism, he came in from Georgia and really improved a lot from his freshman year to his sophomore. He works hard, in the weight room and on the field, he is a class act.

"I'm glad everything he has worked hard for is starting to pay dividends and he is going to get to play at the next level."

The past few weeks there has been a lot of talk about Bryant's mother, Sandra King, having a favoritism of Oklahoma's two competitors in the race for his signature. However, according to Bryant an in-home visit earlier this week really won her over. Bryant however said he was made to feel right at home by none other than Sooner head coach Bob Stoops during his trip to Norman last month.

"I like coach Venables, he is very energetic; he is a character, my mom told me when he was on the visit he was on the floor playing with nieces and nephews and stuff. He was all into my family," Bryant glowed.

"And coach Stoops is a wonderful guy, when I came for my visit he didn't just set me up with my host and let me be there. He was around me and asking me questions."

Now that he has made his plans, Bryant will have plenty of questions to ask about where his dorm room is, where classes are, and as with any college enrollee; where the pretty girls are. One thing he doesn't figure to be asking is where to find a few thousand head of livestock.

SoonerScoop.com will have more from Garden City, Kan. tonight and through the weekend!