Can the Sooners Make a 23rd Hour Steal
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At the moment for Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops it must seem that his roster is something of a revolving door. The last two years have seen strange arrivals, strange departures and everything unusual in between. However, the potential story of San Antonio James Madison three-star wide receiver Dannon Cavil just may take the cake.
The 6-foot-5, 205-pound midterm graduate committed to Cal on Dec. 15 and since then has begun preparation to make the move to Berkeley and start classes in the next week. However, at roughly the same time as his commitment Cavil heard from Oklahoma receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator Jay Norvell.
Norvell stayed in touch with Cavil but it wasn't their first contact.
"I went to Oklahoma's junior day last year and they told me that I didn't have a junior year and they wanted to wait and see me as a senior. I tore my hamstring, my junior year and I didn't get to play a down," Cavil explained. "Then they got to see me and see that I was playing. They told me they liked me but at that point there were enough receivers.
"So then came December and (Norvell) started thinking Kenny Stills was going to enter the draft and he knew that Justin Brown was graduating.
"It's crazy because everything is so surreal because it's here. In the season I remember I was thinking about 'man when I go to school' and that's changed twice. I don't have that time; it's just so close that I have to make a decision to wherever. We had plans set up to leave on Wednesday (for Berkeley)."
The bit of good news is that Oklahoma didn't just come into Cavil and his family's conversation.
"I've been talking to my parents daily about this. I'm just so blessed to have a chance to go to either of these teams because they are both well renowned team," he said. "Of course we started talking more about it since yesterday when (Oklahoma) offered."
Though he is undoubtedly excited about the opportunity at Oklahoma he admits that being in the situation of having to make such a rushed decision - due to Oklahoma's classes beginning on Monday - is both a blessing and a curse.
"It is a blessing but also it's just frustrating, when I went up there for the junior day if they would have offered me I would have committed. Oklahoma has always been one of my dream schools if not the only one. It's really frustrating, it was exciting to get that call," he admitted.
" We talked a bit about maybe I don't have to have it done by Monday even though class starts. A lot of guys don't start school on Monday, even if you have everything set up you may not start class then, there are just some things that have to be handled.
"Honestly, I know it's too late to even start on Monday. By the time I get my stuff in to have the financial aid agreement sent to me it would be Monday already.
"They were going to fly me out today at 11 a.m., but I wanted my parents to be able to drive me up there, spend the two days and not only an official but drop me off and that's me enrolling."
Cavil, a self-described 'military brat', has moved around and says his parents have little concern over whether or not he is playing closer to home or is in California. However, Cavil says he can see things far off in the future far beyond just the idea that this potentially rushed choice is just a four-year decision.
"I've always had to make choices in our moving; you know going to one school or another. But now it's not just four years, this is more than just four years, this is where I see myself going pro out of and the opportunity is great at both schools," Cavil stated.
The talented receiver also held offers from Baylor, Clemson, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and South Carolina and though several came before his senior season Cavil says his senior year is something he is proud of. It's also something he feels was a chance to make up for lost time.
" To be honest, I'm proud of the way I bounced back from an injury but I'm not satisfied. I don't mean with the amount of balls but missing my junior year not being in the All-American games like I thought I was going to be. I feel like a lot has been lost but I'm still not satisfied, I ended up with 33-catches for 766-yards and eight touchdowns."
Stay tuned with SoonerScoop.com as we chase the story of Cavil's decision that could come at any moment.