Kelly Finds Key Answers to Big Questions

Caleb Kelly has a level of familiarity with the university of Oklahoma unlike almost any California prospect that Oklahoma has recruited, possibly ever, and certainly within this recent half-decade run of Golden State recruiting success.

That reality brought a real question for the nation's No. 17 prospect, what could he get out of such a trip to Norman? Were the Sooners able to show the 6-foot-3, 214-pound Kelly of Fresno Clovis West anything new?

"It was good, it was fun, we got to talk to all of the academic people and everything - see what's coming up with the new facilities. I saw the scoreboard after the game, they took it down the day after, that was so fast. My mom had fun, my aunt had fun," Kelly said of his two relatives making their first trip to Norman.

"Like I said, my mom got to see everything, see what she liked, it was cool. What I got out of it? I got to talk to some academic people. At the spring game no one was there, or wasn't allowed to be so I finally got to do that."

A big part of his trip in Norman was a chance to hang out with the ever-growing Fresno contingent on campus made up of Hatari Byrd, Michiah Quick and graduate assistant Chip Viney.

"Yeah, I got to hang out with my boys, like you said - Viney, Byrd, Quick, hung out with him both nights - coach Viney was there going through a bunch of stuff with us, going through a lot of tours with us. I got to hang out with the big bros, that was my mom's first time coming out there," he said.

Quick, who played the role of Kelly's host throughout his trip, has been an interesting dilemma for Oklahoma fans - has his lackluster start to his career possibly hurt Oklahoma's chances with Kelly?

"Quick he just kind of told me, 'look at all the bad things. It is what it is'. He was saying you know all the other stuff, everyone is going to tell you all the good things and there are a lot of them. I'm going to tell you what is bad or whatever - he kept it real with me," he said.

The words don't read like a good omen for the Sooners but Kelly talked about his friends currently coming off the bench for the Sooners and the way he looks at it.

"The playing time, that's on them, they have the opportunity. You could tell they weren't applying themselves to the fullest. They are both hella good so it's not a talent thing," he said.

Another aspect that many have expected to play a role in his recruitment is Oklahoma's graduate assistant Viney and his time as a graduate assistant nearing it's completion. The two are both from the Fresno area and both disciples of Fresno coach Tone Perry's ever-growing tree of FBS prospects.

For Kelly that connection is meaningful but both parties realize their own best interests have to be cared for.

"Of course he hopes to stay there, he loves it there. Quick's there that's like his little brother that he has always looked out for. He was saying if I went there he would set it up for me and he would have my back and if I didn't go there he would still have my back," Kelly explained.

Kelly, who will participate in the Army All-American Bowl in early January but won't be deciding until National Signing Day, says that while he and Viney are close there is another staff member he has developed a close bond with.

"Those coaches, coach Stoops, I freaking love Mike Stoops. He has always been recruiting me, I was so happy when I found out he was the outside lineabckers coach," he said. "It's not like I don't like coach (Tim) Kish but I like coach Stoops more - but coach Kish and I still keep in contact, we still talk. It was cool to be around both of them."

Kelly's visit to Norman was his third to follow trips to Oregon and Michigan and he still has a scheduled visit to Notre Dame on Dec. 11. With one remaining trip available to him he admits he is unsure of where that visit might go or if he even wants/needs to take another trip.

But now that his season, and thus football career, at Clovis West has come to a close he can truly examine his recruitment more closely.

"Now I'm kind of like laying out, my season just ended. I was taking everything in, keeping an open mind and not trying to pick and focus on my school too but now I don't have to focus on my team as much just academics and I have to choose my college. I have more time," he said.

And though he'll be announcing on Signing Day, that doesn't mean it's when he'll be deciding.

"Once I get my official done I may be ready to kind of make the decision in my head, that's why I might not take another (after Notre Dame)," he admitted.