Commit is Busy Recruiting
The Oklahoma spring game recruiting weekend focused a lot on uncommitted targets for the 2020 and 2021 classes.
The Sooners have already seen some immediate returns in adding a name for each of them. However, current commitments play a big role, too, especially when it’s their first opportunity to return to Norman as a commitment.
That was the case last weekend for Irving (Texas) Ranchview athlete Mikey Henderson. The do-it-all recruit committed to OU less than two months ago, but last weekend was the first time Henderson had been back since making the call.
“It was different, for sure,” Henderson said. “When I get to Norman, I’m always getting the love. But being a commit and knowing everything, it was a big difference.”
Henderson arrived Friday afternoon and didn’t leave until the early hours Saturday morning. The schedule change for the game from Saturday afternoon to Friday evening meant the recruiting schedule was altered, too. There was a big recruiting event following the game.
That was OK with Henderson, though.
“They should keep it like that from now on,” Henderson said. “It was a lot of fun, definitely keep it. I mean the atmosphere was just crazy.”
Once you’re a part of the class, well, it’s time to get to work. Henderson said the OU coaches gave him a list of some of the top priorities to join Henderson for #20Deep. That’s what Henderson has been doing the last two months.
Nothing has popped yet, but Henderson said progress is being made.
“Elite athletes recruit other elite athletes,” Henderson said. “I’ve got some still in the works. So far, none of the guys I’ve been working on have pulled the trigger.”
That’s not a cause for concern because sometimes you have no clue when that moment of realization is going to come. Henderson said he was certainly that way.
No doubt that OU head coach Lincoln Riley and assistant coach Shane Beamer have tried to make Henderson a priority ever since his offer last spring. OU has done a great job of cultivating that relationship, and Henderson had been reciprocating the attention.
When Henderson arrived in Norman less than two months ago, he didn’t intend to be going home as an OU commitment.
He had heard for months and months about how Riley and Beamer have created plans for Henderson at the H-Back position. But this time, it was something different. And that’s what mattered.
“They always told me how they were going to use me on offense,” Henderson said. “Now they showed me how they were going to use me. That was it. I know this is where I’m going to go. There’s no point in waiting.”
Henderson said the coaches showed him a lot of film of former OU fullback Dimitri Flowers, but they also spliced in some film of former OU running back Joe Mixon. In other words, what Henderson brings to the table is a mix-and-match that adds up to something that possible hasn’t been seen before.
The all-around athlete who plays quarterback isn’t new, and that’s what it looked like Henderson was going to be for the 2020 class. He admitted it was initially tough to give up on the position he had been playing his whole life.
However, he understands the big picture.
“OU was the school for me,” Henderson said. When somebody who has the offensive background of Coach Riley says they want you, I trust him 100 percent.”
Henderson said there is no spring practice at Irving Ranchview. Instead, there is 7-on-7 and conditioning. What Henderson will be working on is making the move to the H-Back position. Committed to OU at the spot, he said he wants to start learning his senior season about how to play it.
Without any practice to focus on, it’s all about recruiting for Henderson.
“Right now, I’m just working on recruiting other kids,” Henderson said. “I’m not talking to any other schools except OU.”