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Published Jun 19, 2019
HD: Mayfield at home in Norman and with life in the NFL
Carey Murdock  •  OUInsider
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@CareyAMurdock

Baker Mayfield was back in Norman holding his own football camp on Wednesday. But this wasn't a camp meant to uncover the next wave of Oklahoma recruits. This was more like a celebration of Mayfield by the kids who have grown up loving him.

Mayfield was there front and center with a white towel draped around his shoulders, cheering on 10-year old dreamers.

The mood was electric for a camp setting. At times it felt more like the Nickelodeon People's Choice Awards than a football camp.

The parents paid good money for their kids to be on a field with Mayfield. And those parents were crowded around rings of children making sure they caught every moment on their mobile phones.

Mini Mayfields were all over the place. It seemed like half the campers were decked out in headbands.

"Almost every kid has a headband on," remarked Mayfield.

Was that by design?

"Uh, well I think the camp might have but without my knowledge," said Mayfield. "It’s really a blessing to be in the position I’m in now."

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The position Mayfield is in now is very different than when he played at the University of Oklahoma.

Mayfield has resurrected a franchise in Cleveland. He's given hope to an entire city.

While he certainly lifted the Sooners to new heights over his three seasons in Norman, he wasn't lifting the Sooners out of the abyss.

He was lifting the Sooners out of an 8-5 hole they dug during the 2014 season.

Mayfield played with so much passion, he accomplished so many things in Norman, it's always going to be home for him. But it was also clear Wednesday afternoon that he's a Cleveland Brown.

That's where most of his current energy lies.

"I love the fan base here, I always will, but Cleveland’s a different animal, it really is. It’s a football town," said Baker. "I think the Thunder take a little bit from here, even though they have the Cavaliers and Indians in Cleveland. But it’s a football town and it’s a lot of fun to play here."

That might be a little hard to hear, but it shows how invested Mayfield is in rebuilding the Browns.

He's all in at Cleveland while knowing he'll always be a celebrated part of the history at the University of Oklahoma.

He'll always have strong feelings for what's happening with his Sooners. That was evidenced by his desire to give Jalen Hurts any and all advice.

"(I'd tell him) to be himself. I’d say it was the same thing I told Kyler, to be himself. He doesn’t need to try and do anything we did. He needs to do his game, that’s good enough," said Mayfield. "There’s a reason he’s here, there’s a reason he’s a national champion. Him being a leader, he needs to continue that first and foremost and just to be himself.

"Lincoln will do a great job of adapting to whatever he’s best at. Throughout the process of the offseason he’ll learn the offense and we’ll see."

Wednesday was a day to catch up with one of the greats to ever play at OU. Barry Switzer and Billy Sims even stopped by to pay homage to one of OU's most recent Heisman Trophy winners.

Mayfield even ran a play out of the Wishbone, ( a toss sweep to Sims), which showed Sims, and even Switzer, still have a little left in the tank.

"Very, very special. That surprised me, two legends around these parts and two great people," said Mayfield. "For them to show up and take some time and have some fun with it. I didn’t realize Barry could move still move like that, but he has it."

Mayfield returned to Norman a hero, but still the same type of competitor he's always been.

Judging by the enthusiasm shown by his campers, his legend is only growing.