Combe-Ing to Norman

The weekend was dubbed “Future Freaks” for Oklahoma with a lot of focus going toward the 2025 and 2026 classes.

The initial big win, though, comes from the 2024 class. Gilbert (Ariz.) Casteel defensive back Jeremiah Newcombe becomes the first commitment for OU’s 2024 group, announcing Saturday night after a three-day stay in Norman.

Newcombe, a four-star prospect ranked No. 205 overall in the Rivals250, was offered by OU last November. The Sooners always appeared to be in relative good standing, but it became evident heading into Saturday that Newcombe might possibly make the call before leaving for the weekend.

He is the son of former Nebraska star Bobby Newcombe, and Jeremiah Newcombe is ranked No. 5 in the state of Arizona.

March 25 might have felt like a long time for OU fans to wait for that first one to pop but that has become the norm under Brent Venables.

Venables can load up for big visit weekends, but they’re not necessarily supposed to translate into big commitment weekends. What is obvious, though, is the more time Newcombe and his family stayed in Norman, the more they realized there was no point in waiting.

Newcombe becomes the first commitment of the cycle for cornerbacks coach Jay Valai, too, as Valai continues to show how important continuity is within the coaching staff as the group has been able to forge meaningful relationships in the last 15 months.

It was a banner weekend for the Sooners, with many top names across the country making the trip to Norman. Again, there might be a flood of commitments that happen in the next 24-48 hours, but Venables and staff put in the work to build the foundation going forward.

It doesn’t hurt to get someone of Newcombe’s ability to begin the class, however, as OU aims toward hopefully adding some more names to 2024 in April.