James Breaks Down Decision

A common misconception around the time of Troy James' commitment to Oklahoma in late January was the Sooners jumped into his recruitment shortly before. In fact for the 6-foot-3, 270-pound defensive lineman the Sooners were an offer prior to his original commitment to Arkansas.

And though the state of Louisiana's No. 29 overall prospect committed to the Razorbacks just days after that Oklahoma offer changes in both defenses brought him closer to taking another look at Oklahoma.

"I kind of fell out of contact with (Oklahoma), I really was just solid to Arkansas at the time, until a few things went on; changes within the system," James said. "I reached out to [Calvin Thibodeaux] and talked to my mom and dad. And I said coach can I give you a call, I called him and we took it from there. I told him I wanted to come out and didn’t want to leave it where I didn’t know.

"I told myself I had to see new options, I took an official up there to Oklahoma. And I liked it so that’s when I knew [I was going to commit there]."

"When I really knew was when I saw the campus, it’s a great campus. Also being around the players and talked to some of the those guys. I talked to coach (Bob) Stoops and coach Thibodeaux. They told me it's a 40-year decision, not a four-year decision. I’m going to be an alumni after I am done there. There are a lot of great players who have come through, Adrian Peterson, Frank Alexander, I’m actually kind of somewhat related to (Alexander).

"I know he came from Baton Rouge and became successful, I can possibly do the same thing."

The 'changes within the system' is a reference to Arkansas moving from a 4-3 to a 3-4 and Oklahoma, to some degree, moving in the opposite direction. At the time James came to find out about the change for the Razorbacks he reached out to Oklahoma to begin to set the wheels in motion of his eventual change of commitment.

And a big part of that end result was James having a strong opinion on where he fits best into a defensive front.

"(Oklahoma) told me they see me playing the three-tech mostly. They also said I could possibly move down the line and play some defensive end but for the time being I’ll be playing three-tech," he said. "I feel that is my most dominant position and where I can be most successful."

And the reality of Oklahoma's depth issues along the defensive line, at least at the time of his decision, were also a key piece of the platform that convinced James to pick the Sooners. Interestingly it was fellow lineman and current Sooner players who gave him the idea that he can play an early role.

"(Players said) some schools, they get someone to tell you stuff, but they told me what it was and told me if I come to OU that they are very thin on D-Lineman. [They said I can] help the team be successful and help them win a Big 12 championship. A lot of them told me it was the best decision they ever made," he recalled.

And one fellow Louisianan went a step farther.

"Mykel Jones told me how happy he was with his decision and how much he has grown as a person."

James, who says he will return to Oklahoma for the Sooners spring game, is just excited to try and prove that he is a worthy part of Oklahoma's highly-rated class.

"It makes it real special, this class, it’s really a strong class and our bond really, we talk on a daily basis. Like I told them, for me personally, I know I’m going to have to come up and show myself the most. Most of the players and the signees are four and five-star guys. You’ve got a few three-star guys in there but I know people look at stars but I just play football so me not having that many stars some think I’m not ready to compete on that level," James admitted.

"I just can’t wait to get up there and prove to everyone that I’m a high-caliber player.

"[I'm used to it though], in high school a lot of people told me you aren’t going to go anywhere and people told me that I needed to move from that school because I wasn’t going to go anywhere. If you go out there and play like you’re supposed to play people will notice.

"I’m just a football player and play it the way it’s supposed to be played. I just want to come in and help the team and show everyone I’m there and that I’m ready to play. I've just got to go in and compete because I know nothing will be given."

So with all of this said about what went into his decision, how exactly did his commitment to Oklahoma play out?

"I told my mom, I looked at my mom midway through the tour and told them what it was. I said this was where I’m going to be going to school at but they told me to wait. My mom and dad said they already kind of knew. They just wanted me to wait on it – they loved it. They had seen everything and knew I was going to be in great hands," the three-star explained.

"I called coach Thibodeaux and told him that I would be committing to be a Sooner and left it at that. He gave the phone to coach Stoops and told me to tell coach Stoops that I would be coming up there with him."