OU flips 2024 QB Brendan Zurbrugg: “I’m just looking forward to competing”
Six weeks ago, Brendan Zurbrugg was a Syracuse Orangeman.
Four weeks ago, he was a Northwestern Wildcat.
Today, he’s an Oklahoma Sooner, as his serpentine journey on the recruiting trail culminates in his commitment to the crimson and cream.
Zurbrugg, a three-star signal-caller from Alliance, Ohio, just announced via social media that he’s on board as the 18th verbal pledge of Oklahoma’s 2024 class. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound dual threat saw all he needed to see on his lone visit to Norman last Friday, and didn’t take long to go public with his pledge.
“It’s really a blessing,” Zurbrugg told OUInsider. “It’s what I’ve prayed about, what I’ve dreamed of. And now that it’s coming true, it’s awesome. The coaches there, they’re super competitive. They want to win. But they’re also really caring about their players, and want their players to also become good men while being good players.”
Zurbrugg is the second quarterback commit in Oklahoma’s 2024 class, joining blue-chip legacy prospect Michael Hawkins. With the addition of Zurbrugg, Oklahoma is in line to sign two scholarship quarterbacks in the same class for the first time since 2006, when they inked Joey Halzle and future Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford.
For his part, Hawkins hasn’t balked at Oklahoma’s pursuit of a second QB, and Zurbrugg isn’t deterred by Hawkins’ presence either. Both intend to control what they can control, and to let the chips fall where they may in the eventual competition for snaps.
“I’m just looking forward to competing for the starting job as soon as I can, really,” Zurbrugg remarked. “I think one of the reasons they recruited me was how well I match the system. They do RPO’s; there’s reads off of really everything. So the quarterback has to have a good arm, an accurate arm, [be] a good decision-maker [with] athleticism. And I think I bring all of that to the table. So I think I’m a good fit for their system.”
Though his relationship with Jeff Lebby is still in its infantile stages, Zurbrugg says the Oklahoma offensive coordinator has already made a strong impression. He’s eager to learn under Lebby’s tutelage on the practice field, and plans to enroll a semester early in January.
“He’s a great guy,” Zurbrugg said of Lebby. “Any quarterback that plays for him is going to like what they do. He’s not going to make you do something you dread every day. It’s going to be tough and challenging, but you’re going to love it.”
He’s barely spent 24 hours in the 405, but Zurbrugg is eager to call Oklahoma home, and says the tradition-rich environment in Norman helped make his decision an easy one. He’d remained verbally committed to Northwestern throughout the program’s tumultuous month of July. However, when OU tossed an offer his way shortly after Pat Fitzgerald’s firing, Zurbrugg immediately booked his visit and was blown away.
“The town is a football town,” said Zurbrugg. “They love football there. And that’s awesome. That’s really what I want to be a part of. Everybody in the community and people I’ve talked to — they’ve said that when fall comes around, that’s all they do there. It’s all football. There’s no NFL team there, so they love the Sooners.”
And though he’s not yet a household name for Oklahoma fans, many of whom had likely never heard of him when he received his offer two weeks ago, Zurbrugg wants to make one thing clear: he’s bringing a relentless demeanor to Norman. He knows nothing will be handed to him at a blue-blood program like Oklahoma, and he’s ready to earn the trust of the coaching staff and the admiration of Sooner Nation.
“They’re getting a top competitor, to sum it all up,” he proclaimed. “A big-time competitor, winner, and athletic playmaker.”