Welcome to OU: Brian Asamoah
The 2018 class for Oklahoma has arrived in Norman for summer workouts. Before the group officially moved in, SoonerScoop.com caught up with most of the signees one last time.
On the surface, one week in September tells you everything you need to know about Brian Asamoah and his relationship with the Sooners.
Attending a high school in Columbus, Ohio, Asamoah committed to OU just two days before the Sooners were coming to the Horse Shoe to take on the Buckeyes.
Razzed by friends and classmates, especially after what happened the year prior in Norman, now it was time for Asamoah to stick his chest out just a little bit.
Asamoah was there, watching Baker Mayfield plant the OU flag following an emphatic 31-16 victory that set the tone for Lincoln Riley’s first year as head coach.
The snickers, the bewilderment that surrounded him initially with his commitment slowly evaporated and was completely gone by the time OU had earned a berth in the college football playoff and the Rose Bowl.
“I knew what I liked and what my heart desired,” Asamoah said. “It showed me like, wow, this is pretty cool. It doesn’t get better than that. Everybody came around. They saw, ‘Brian is going to OU and OU is going to the Rose Bowl so maybe he knows something’ kind of vibe.”
September was when everything became official, but July is when everything went down. Asamoah was a legitimate OU target in the spring, but you never know when you’re eyeing someone from out of the region that has offers from some of the bigger schools in that region.
Pittsburgh was a major player and schools like Michigan, Penn State and the hometown Buckeyes hadn’t closed the door at all heading into Asamoah’s senior season.
But Asamoah had done so with those schools because of his trip to OU for the #ChampUBBQ in late July. Asamoah planned to be open to any school that had offered, but he knew once that trip to Norman was in the books.
“I just loved meeting the other people,” Asamoah said. “I really didn’t think I’d be comfortable. Patrick Fields was there. He’s actually going to be my roommate. He brought me closer, and it’s something I really cherished. I feel like I have a new brother. I had a heck of a time, and it was the first time meeting the coaches in person.”
With his commitment behind him, Asamoah had a stellar senior season as a linebacker and as a running back. He noticed the difference.
“My knowledge of the game. I was making stops I wasn’t making my junior year,” Asamoah said. “I was tracking the ball better and making tackles in space.”
The plan for Asamoah is to be an inside linebacker for the Sooners. He entered Norman around 215 pounds last month and is excited to get to work with inside linebackers coach Tim Kish.
Kish, obviously, has numerous ties to the Ohio area as well. Between Kish and Fields, Asamoah is definitely ready to be a Sooner.
“My relationship with Coach Kish has been really amazing,” Asamoah said. “I know a lot about his family and vice versa. He really treats you like family and gets you to know his. I liked that a lot.”
Fields was a mid-year enrollee and already has a semester under his belt. He talked with Asamoah often and gave him a clear message.
“We’d talk like twice a week,” Asamoah said. “He said, first, enjoy the free time. Once I get up there, there’s no more free time. Have fun now, and once you get up there, be ready to work. I don’t have a problem with that.”