After three consecutive offensive commitments, it was time for Oklahoma to make its mark defensively on the recruiting trail.
That happened with Webster Groves (Mo.) High defensive end Noah Arinze announcing his pledge to the Sooners on Friday afternoon.
Arinze, a three-star prospect ranked No. 9 in the state of Missouri, has been on OU’s radar for a long time. Multiple trips in recent months have pointed toward the Sooners having the edge, but his official visit last weekend seemed to seal the deal.
Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch has been quick to say you can talk about the defense improving, but until you show it, all it could be is talk. Arinze, on hand for OU’s 49-31 win vs. Houston, got to see the aggressive, Speed D mindset in person in watching guys like fellow Missouri high school native Ronnie Perkins make an impact.
There was a feeling that if Arinze didn’t commit soon after his official visit, that maybe it simply was never going to be coming.
Arinze visited once when he wasn’t offered, came back in the spring when he was offered, then returned for the #ChampUBBQ in July where a lot of people thought it was going to go down right then and there.
OU loaded up for the BBQ weekend, and the Sooners did the same thing last weekend. It was a gamble, but it paid off immensely with three commits since Sunday and two of them having now gone public.
“It all needs to be at a high level, and it was, thanks to a lot of people,” head coach Lincoln Riley said. “Our team, our fans, our administration, our recruiting team. Everybody was on their game the other night. It was a great show for us and couldn’t have been better timing.”
Arinze joins Washington D.C. Archbishop Carroll offensive tackle Anton Harrison as commitments from the weekend. There is still one more set of emoji commitment eyes from the weekend, so there’s still more good news coming for the Sooners.
Arinze is OU’s 17th commitment for the 2020 class, and the second defensive lineman to go with Iowa Western Community College defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey.
