Heading into his Oklahoma junior day visit back in January, McAlester (Okla.) High athlete Erik McCarty had a pretty good idea he was going to commit before he left.

That’s not too crazy, especially for an in-state prospect. But when you think about his OU journey, it is a little telling of how quickly everything changed once Brent Venables took over for the Sooners.

It’s not like McCarty was this diamond in the rough nobody had heard of, after putting up monster numbers on both sides of the ball as a sophomore.

The previous OU staff knew about him, but as summer turned to fall turned to the end of the season, reality was starting to sink in.

“Honestly, with the old staff, I didn’t think I would get the offer,” McCarty said. “I didn’t think they liked my film enough. I didn’t think I fit the way they played.”

All McCarty did was rush for 2,009 yards and 38 touchdowns as a junior, adding 104 tackles, seven interceptions, three fumble recoveries and six blocked kicks.

The day after OU’s victory against Oregon in the Alamo Bowl, that offer that McCarty had become convinced was never going to come, well, came.

“When I did get that call, it was definitely something special,” McCarty said. “It was something I had been waiting on for a while.”

Venables and first-year safeties coach Brandon Hall immediately made an impression on McCarty, and OU made up for a lot of lost time in that one-month span.

McCarty just had to know for sure that OU was the place for him. He needed to feel that feeling. Done and done.

“It was one of the best moments in my life, honestly,” McCarty said. “It was definitely something special for me. I’ve always dreamed of going to OU. Committing there is just the first step.”

Since then, McCarty has been all-in with the Sooners. He understands the no visit policy from Venables, and that’s OK because he was already operating under that code. He had visits planned after his OU junior day visit, but after the commitment, all canceled.

McCarty had a chance to return to OU during the spring, and he was able to see the changes Venables is trying to make first-hand. When Venables says every little thing matters, it shows.

“He’s changing everything, for sure, but for the good,” McCarty said. “He’s true to his word. Just being around him, everything I’ve heard about him is right. No complaints at all.”

Although McCarty has put up the eye-popping offensive numbers, he stated once again the first spot circled is safety. There is a possibility of perhaps being a middle linebacker depending on how he evolves physically, but the plan is to begin at safety and work from there.

With defense looking like his future, he’s starting to work on that a lot more in the present.

“I feel like my footwork is a lot better,” McCarty said. “I’m focusing a lot more on the fundamentals and all the little mechanics that come with it.”

McCarty is ready to take McAlester to that next step, after reaching the state championship game last season and ready to return to OU and help build the 2023 class.