For the coaches and fans waiting for David Oku to announce his college destination, keep waiting.
"Nope, no time soon man," Oku said via text message to the News Sentinel. "Not in any rush at all."
The highly rated tailback from Carl Albert High School in Midwest City, Okla., is even expanding his list almost two weeks past National Signing Day.
"Ole Miss may pop up, not for sure yet," Oku texted. "The rest of the schools are still the same."
That means Tennessee still has a shot, along with Auburn and Syracuse. Oku was committed to UT for months before withdrawing his commitment and re-opening his recruitment just before signing day on Feb. 4.
Time will tell just how serious Oku is about the Rebels.
"I'll see what they talk about," he said. "I have the offer but I'm just now looking into them."
UT is also awaiting word on tailback Bryce Brown from Wichita (Kan.) East High School and lineman Kwame Geathers from Carvers Bay (S.C.) High School. Both visited Knoxville officially last week.
UT is thought to be in good shape with Geathers while most believe Brown is leaning toward Oregon.
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Tennessee defeats Georgia 3-2 in…
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Comments » 152
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
Let's move on to someone else. This guy does not "fit our system".
kmarti26 writes:
first
invisiblekid writes:
Good to hear.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qULSsz...
mattlock writes:
Just sign with somebody dude. . .I swear this recruiting stuff is getting crazy. He should be humbled and honored by the fact that colleges are willing to pay for his degree just so he can play football for them, and instead he milks this for all its worth. What a circus. . .
UrbanCryer writes:
looks more and more like this guy is a pub. hound. if he doesnt know what he wants to do by now he just might be a headcase. i would love to have him but quit "waffeling" and pick a school. good luck whereever you go unless your playing ut
MrBamSeydu writes:
I agree mattlock. As far as I'm concerned recruiting was over with on Feb 4th. I could really care less where any of these other cats go because they should've already signed by now. They've been in the recruiting game since their sophomore and junior seasons of high school, so if they can't figure it out in 2-3 years, something is wrong with them.
If I had offers from 30 schools, I would have my list cut to 10 before my senior season of high school. Then cut it to 5 by mid-season. Then down to 3 by the New Year. AND IF I KNEW 100% where I was going at ANY point during that time I would commit right then. I wouldn't be a "silent commit" or wait until signing day so I could be lame and do what EVERYONE does with the pulling hats out of bags thing.
JUST PICK A SCHOOL AND GO THERE! NOONE CARES WHAT YOU DID IN HIGH SCHOOL! 9 out of 10 kids who were "stars" in high school never amount to anything in college. Prove it on the field, then you can make an idiot of yourself off the field if you want to!!! (like T.O.)
Ironcity writes:
Thanks for the update. Oku can be one of 40 Ole Miss recruits. I cannot believe Ole Miss can add any more unless they believe the whole class will not get into school. I think he is waiting to see what Brown does before he makes up his mind. Not a bad move.
As for Geathers, there can't be a better opportunity for him anywhere in the country. It comes down to does he want to redshirt at UGA or play at UT.
NoMoreWooAfterGoodOleRockyTop writes:
Revoke the offer CLK. We don't need this. Sounds like another Briscoe attitude in the making...
allntl1#565211 writes:
Sounds like a spoiled QB that ended up going to FL while he wrote an online diaria about his daily life. Did OK but nothing in the pros.
jsmithnga#207674 writes:
Looks to me like he is looking for more than just a scholarship (heh heh); kind of like the stuff that Bama offers.
Volunatic writes:
I'm thinking he's scared of choosing the same school as Bryce Brown and being relegated to riding the pine.
(I also think he would ride the pine for at least a couple of years here, since Lennon Creer and Tauren Poole are already on our depth chart.)
gavol74 writes:
He is waiting on Brown to decide,if brown comes to UT he wont come here,If he dont...He will be a vol....JMO
VOLinGA writes:
Can you say drama queen? Pull the offer.
GREATVOLSAFIRE writes:
Thats right. GO GOLS!!!!
gobigorange8464 writes:
too slow d bag
MidTennVol writes:
Thanks, Kid...my wife and I do that routine all the time.
Very apropos re this kid... maybe somebody needs to counsel some of these teenagers that there is a point of diminishing returns to dragging out all this drama.
It can become counterproductive at some point. I can understand why some folks are, frankly, sick of hearing the name "Oku" at this point.
10uhsea writes:
So has anything come out about Charles, Brown, or Geathers?
I thought we would know something from Geathers this week.
invisiblekid writes:
I agree. The NCAA needs to take a hard look at the way recruiting is handled before things really do become a circus and signing day is moved to April 1st.
It'll be interesting to see which side wins out, cleaning up recruiting and streamlining the process or giving the recruiting services something to talk about along with free publicity to the NCAA year round.
ColeTrickle writes:
AGREE 100%....with that said something needs to be done about this trend! make these guys sign by NSD and if the dont then they should be ineligible to play in the upcoming season!! all they are doing is making universities spend more $$$ while opportunities for other potential student athletes are put on hold... all the while schools are waiting around on a pre-madona trying to soak up as much attention as he can get. give me a friggin break!!!
bobbyutvol writes:
NCAA needs early signing period badly. Only going to get worse as the years go on. Some of these kids really think their sh t dont stink....
mike_d writes:
I wish Kiffin would just pull his offer. Maybe it would help him make up his mind. He obviously feels no connection to any of the schools or he would have made his pick. Maybe im old school or something, but i always get a "somethings fishy" feeling when these kids hold schools hostage for some yet undeserved attention.
jmorgan writes:
I'm tired of these punks. Promise him anything to get him here, then bench him for four years.
crappieking writes:
Bryce Brown is the better of the two. Be a Vol Bryce!!! Oregon and the Pac-10 is 2nd tier. Come on to the SEC!!!
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
not sure, but I thought I read on rivals or scout that Brown would not decide until like Mar. 12 or 13.
givehim6 writes:
Oku and Broun both seem to be acting like drama kings to me, hope there talent is worth all this. Do not you belive this is going to tick there future team mates off a bit? If your a runnin back you'ld wan't you blockers to like ya, not thinking your a punk.
invisiblekid writes:
Thanks Denmark. I honestly think many coaches are going to be doing that routine with prospects before too long.
It's a no-win situation for any coach. Hold the scholarship and pass on somebody that didn't make the top 100 on Scout or Rivals. Or watch the other school snatch up Mr. Top 100 and hope that you(figuratively) can coach up the guy you took in their place that might not be quite as talented. Really not fair to those kids out there that aren't being hyped from the 8th grade on or retained the "services" of a handler like Oku and Brown.
Lean_and_Hungry writes:
The last time I saw a running back this indecisive, Mark Levine was limping up to the line, looking for a soft spot to land.
richvol writes:
My Man...
dfreeman writes:
We do not need Oku! He may be good, but this kid is all about "me"!!
VolFaninTriCities writes:
I am in the same boat with you Oku, I am now 25 and have yet to sign my letter of intent. I am waiting on just the right moment or at least until a monkey flies out of my butt. Maybe you should get off your butt and let one of the little guys fly out and make a freakin' decision.
VolFanNC writes:
Would rather hear about Charles or Geathers. Don't care about Oku or Brown at this point. I wonder if Oku is waitng on Brown, or just trying to find an SEC or Big 12 school that will let him start on day 1.
I am guessing he will hear from Ole Miss. Not sure if Nutt will tell him he's a starter either. Personally, I think he should go to the Cuse. At least he can be a star there, but even in TN, it would be unlikely that he would see significant playing time 'til after Creer and Poole. He would certainly not see time at AU and unlikely see time at Ole Miss as they are pretty loaded at RB as well.
Geathers and Charles would both see significant playing time this year at UT.
jobrando#216494 writes:
NCAA needs to make national signing day and last day to sign the same and that would stop this phooey.
jobrando#216494 writes:
Bryce Brown is a MEME for sure....Forget both and pull the offer.
govolsxtra writes:
No I have only heard this:
At the basketball game versus vandy i sat right next to kiffin and Brown and I told bryce b. that he would look good in orange, Brown simply just said "maybe." And Kiffin said "I've got him."
TDTN writes:
We need an early signing period in the fall that is open for maybe 5 days. After that, start up again and give the kids the month of Feb to sign up. If they dont sign they can go to school anywhere but are NOT eligible to play the first year since they missed the signing deadline.
Eric_Freaking_Berry writes:
What a coincedence, I am in no hurry to care.
gavol74 writes:
Just a thought...How can the NCAA allow these kids to delay signing a LOI,But because CLK says Brown in a interview we get hit with a secondary violation...If the NCAA would level the playing field and make EVERYONE sign on SIGNING day it would cut down on alot of the BS Secondary Violations...On the other hand We have had ALOT of press for a 5-7 team because of them Secondary violations so maybes it half a dozen one or the other...I Just dont know...
gavol74 writes:
LMAO
newtonrail writes:
Horse apples. I could watch Mr. Brown the whole game. The same seats all the recruits have been in since January. Kiffin had left to go back to see his wife in Oakland by then. Brown was in there for the entire game with several members of his family. One of our African American coaches was with him most of the game. I will say that Brown and all his family was decked out in orange, which previous recruits hadn't. I know they can't give them a jersey with their name on it, and Brown's looked more like Tee Shirt.
makdadvol writes:
Forget Oku. He seems like the type when or if he gets here, the first time things don't go his way he'll just transfer. Let him be somewhere else's problem.
MidTennVol writes:
I'm with you, Mike. Maybe Kiffin should just tell him: The free ride disappears in 48 hours. Make up your mind.
Can coaches do that? Is it allowed? Is it smart?
After all, you're negotiating with an 18-year-old kid, his coach and his family, after all.
Surely they have to respect a major college football program having to move on past all this nonsense.
This Oku kid is setting fire to his bridge to Tennessee before he even crosses it. It will be anticlimactic if he signs with us.
KonaVol writes:
Oku is the wonderboy...Wonder what the heck he is thinking?
beartn#223846 writes:
<<I agree mattlock. As far as I'm concerned recruiting was over with on Feb 4th. I could really care less where any of these other cats go because they should've already signed by now. They've been in the recruiting game since their sophomore and junior seasons of high school, so if they can't figure it out in 2-3 years, something is wrong with them.>>
The reality is that Terelle Pryor started a trend. The truly elite prospects realize that even coaches that have offered their allotment will make room for them after signing day at the expense of a lower rated prospect. I think we will see more and more kids wait until after the national signing day. It will also feed the kids' egos to have the schools wait and wait until they decide.
invisiblekid writes:
Playing devil's advocate here but, would you want to be the coach who passed on a kid then watched him go on and win a Heisman at another school?
Not saying that would be the case with either Brown or Oku but there is obviously a ton of pressure on these coaches to win and, to do that, they have to get the best players.
Don't get me wrong though, I think signing day should mean signing day and kids need to be taught the meaning of the word commitment. Simply trying to look at it from all sides.
The scariest part for me in this whole situation is that they aren't only negotiating with the kid and his family, both Oku and Brown have representation:
http://potentialplayers.com/
SemperVol writes:
I get a feeling KNS runs off recruits with their incessant texting....
Seriously quit it.
gohawks1 writes:
This remind you of anyone?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYrlzE...
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I agree with you.
drwfocus#660070 writes:
gavol74 you nailed it. I have felt this way since early Jan.
He and Brown both have an AGENT. I am not sure I have ever heard of an 18 year old high school, unproven, dip shiat having an AGENT. What does that say? Further more, supposedly, both he and Brown have the same AGENT. Guarantee you when one commits the other will within 24 hours! Move on - get the big lineman - we have running backs that will and can run circles around these two, forget these two big heads.
TommyJack writes:
Yeah, these drama-llamas wear me out too. But no sense in sawing off your probiscus just to spite your face. Pulling offer makes little sense.
1963volfan writes:
Good one dude.Coach kiff should say 48 hrs and we are done.give the scolarship to a deserving walk on who, has busted there a@@ for 3 years.
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