David Oku has tranferred from Carl Albert High School in Midwest City, Okla., to Lincoln (Neb.) East High School. Oku told The News Sentinel via text message that he made the move in order to take more classes to improve his grade point average in order to ensure he is eligible for college athletics.
Also, the highly rated tailback disputed a report by an Auburn fan Web site that he has eliminated Tennessee from his list of potential schools.
Auburnvillager.com reported that Oku was only considering Auburn and Syracuse.
“I haven’t done anything,” Oku told The News Sentinel via text message on Monday when asked about the report. “I haven’t even thought about making a decision.”
Oku has offered no timeline as to when he might sign. He told The News Sentinel last week that he also is considering taking a closer look at Ole Miss.
A source familiar with Oku’s recruitment told The News Sentinel last week that Oku was waiting to see where tailback Bryce Brown from Wichita (Kan.) East High School signs.
If Brown ends up at UT, the source said he expects Oku to sign with Auburn. Otherwise, the source said he expects Oku to sign with UT.
Oku, however, said Brown’s decision won’t be a factor and that the two have even discussed the possibility of going to UT together.
In addition to Brown and Oku, UT is awaiting word on tight end Orson Charles from Plant High School in Tampa, Fla. Charles also is considering Georgia and Southern California.
UT missed out on another post-signing day signee when lineman Kwame Geathers signed with Georgia.
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Tennessee defeats Georgia 3-2 in…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 175
hotrodvol writes:
Cornhusker?
Dooley_Wears_Orange writes:
Ha ha! Oku would be nice, but we need BRYCE!
blitzshoot writes:
Would be nice to see Oku and Brown in the same backfield.
Possible, but I do not think probable.
DennisVols writes:
Brown & Oku at UT? How good would that be?
huntined#565710 writes:
I like the sound of BOTH of them coming to TENN..hey I can dream!! Really either one of them would be fine with me.
TommyJack writes:
And the REAL story is???
DennisVols writes:
WTF "We don't need you"?
Are you nuts or living in a dream world?
What kind of BS is it when a star player considers another team that so called fans star screaming "We don't need you"?
Give me a break. If he signed to play at UT everyone would be singin his praises for making such a great decision.
AlpharettaVol writes:
He moved to another state? Did his family move or what? This sounds very strange. Maybe his "advisor" is behind all this. Maybe his "advisor" owns a moving van and thought he could make a few extra bucks hauling Oku's family around the country.
jobrando#216494 writes:
Very disturbing news
austinvols90194 writes:
I go to lincoln east it was the big story at school everyone thought he was gonna be a cornhusker but everyone who knows about the south recruiting said it was bull
graphpro#231211 writes:
Brown and Oku are trouble waiting to happen. Obviously they're talented. But, they're an investigations waiting to happen.... aka Reggie Bush.
It's good to see Tennessee's been on the short list of so many outstanding football players. The past staff really let the talent level fall off over the past few years. The better players we did recruit usually had some issue (i.e. drugs, grades). I'm glad Coach K is making them accountable in classes.
Past Info:
Arian Foster.... 3-star (Rivals)
Eric Ainge.... 3 star (Rivals)
Many of the other's in playmaking positions were 3 stars or less (i.e. Lucas Taylor, Austin Rogers). Go back and review the past classes in Rivals and you'll see things that are surprising. You'll also see why we've not been scoring.
richvol writes:
You can bet that his "advisor" is behind this move to another school...welcome to the 21st century.
The NCAA needs to do their job and stop this show by enforcing a real signing day deadline. I can't believe they are sitting on their collective arses on this subject when they meddle in every trivial other thing. What a bunch of worthless *%&#'s.
rockytopatl writes:
It sounds to me like Oku knows that he's a non-qualifier and is doing something to try to improve his status. Nebraska is notorious for being "friendly" to high school athletes and probably lets students take more core credit classes in one semester than Oklahoma. At least that's a theory.
Do we need him? Of course. Maybe we'll get one of them. No way will Brown and Oku go to the same school.
EnglewoodVol writes:
I wouldn't be braggin about austin rogers bein a diamond in the rough of nothin. He couldn't catch a stomach virus if he ate ut's sloppy joe.
volstuckinbama writes:
Maybe I'm wrong, but it sounds like Oku is waiting on signing because his grades aren't enought to get into UT or AU. Sounds like prep school to me. He might not sign with anyone until he spends a year in prep working on his grades.
invisiblekid writes:
Best of luck to the young man on and off the field.
tennesseebee writes:
It's Bryce Brown who has the family advisor, but anyway, lighten up. Nothing wrong with getting his academic ducks in a row. This is a big step. Be great to have either back...or both!
EnglewoodVol writes:
do any of you actually know this kid? unless you do i think it's pretty ignorant to say this guy is trouble until he pulls a colquitt and plays pinball with the cars parked on the side of the street. kind of pathetic.
chattownvol writes:
This dude should change his name to Samsonite
chattownvol writes:
Bingo! You my friend win the cookie!
volstasis writes:
I'm tired of hearing phooey about these 09 holdouts. I would love to see Charles, Oku or Brown donning the orange this fall, but just commit already. Let's get past this bull and get on with spring ball. I think it starts March 10.
invisiblekid writes:
I'd be interested in comparing notes.
jasonsvols writes:
rumor has it that he knocked up his hostist at his visit to nebraska, what is there not any good high schools in oklahoma
vol1994 writes:
Hey guys.. can't figure out how to paste the link. You may have seen this already but.........
-------------------------------
Auburn signed 26 new players that day to go along with two players who had enrolled in January. But we're not finished because we still have one of the big recruiting names still on the Big Board. Where's running back David Oku going to play college football? We've been wondering that, too, so we asked around this very morning, talking to people who should know, and concluded Oku was still only looking at Auburn, Syracuse and Tennessee. Then we stumbled on a TV website out of Syracuse that said Oku had added Nebraska to his list...?
We've got some other running backs below -- for the 2010 signing class -- but let's look why Oku is considering the Tigers, Orangemen and Volunteers...and Cornhuskers?
Auburn connections
Oku is from Midwest City, Okla., so he knows all about former Oklahoma State assistants and current Auburn coaches Curtis Luper and Trooper Taylor. Plus, Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn showed off his offense at Tulsa the last two years. Auburn brought Oku in on the last weekend for his visit, so that may be a plus. Word is Oku may make his decision next week.
Syracuse connections
Oku seemed bound for Tennessee until Phillip Fulmer's coaching staff was shown the door. The two Tennessee coaches who had a big hand in recruiting Oku - Stan Drayton and Greg Adkins -- are now coaching at Syracuse. They've done a good job staying with Oku.
Tennessee connections
We're not saying Oku liked the Volunteers before Tennessee changed coaches, but he played his entire high school senior wearing a Tennessee head cover under his helmet, according to the The Sun newspaper in Midwest City. Oku originally committed to Tennessee. The Vols have hired some first-class recruiters to replace Fulmer's staff, so the Vols may be a player again. Oku is considered the No. 1 all-purpose back in the nation by Rivals. The No. 1 overall player, running back Bryce Brown, is supposed to visit Tennessee this weekend, according to the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Nebraska connections
Nebraska? Don't know, but the Cornhuskers were in on Oku long before Auburn, so who knows what's going on there?. Aside from top players Tennessee, Syracuse, Oklahoma State and Auburn, Louisville made a play for Oku.
Voluvr writes:
Oku and Brown together? Unbelievable. In college you don't play every down anyway. Unreal 1-2 punch. Also, Monte Kiffen's defense is going to keep the offense on the field.
Voluvr writes:
With the momentum at Tennessee I don't think I would want to play for a school whose own fans showed up to the airport to Boo the coach's arrival at Auburn.
kevin151 writes:
thanks for a great laugh.. I couldn't agree anymore but would say anything from Sophies? dining hall at UT.
lomas98 writes:
I will take the 3 stars and the productivity that Ainge, Foster, Taylor gave us opposed to the 4 and 5 star that Lamarkus Coker, Demetrice Morley, Jon Crompton, Chris Donald and some of the other busts in the 05 recruiting class.
volzcrushm writes:
Hey! Remember Reggie Cobb and Chuck Webb?? What a tandem!! You never know about the Brown-Oku combo!!! might be a killer!!
Voluvr writes:
If I wanted to be a Vol I would sign quickly, first in. Second, if you're not competitive enough that you worry about another player you might not have the right stuff to be a Vol.
Knowing how good the offense would be, I would be sign and recruit the other player.
jasonsvols writes:
rumor on other threads is that he got his hostess at the nebraska visit pregnant.Take it for what its worth.
tums writes:
I like the sound of them both. I would take either. UT would have an excellent running back group with the players here already.
Voluvr writes:
Okay I'll take it for what it's worth.
Voluvr writes:
He probably couldn't make up his mind which hostess to hook up with.
volzcrushm writes:
Maybe they would be called the BROKU combo?!
Major_Magilicutty writes:
If you don't care one way or the other, then their holding out shouldn't be too painful.
Voluvr writes:
Brown, Oku, Charles, Heaps, and the end from Georgia, plus the Tampa/aka Tennessee 2 defense.
SEC Champs two years.
BillsBrother writes:
Sounds like a Cheech & Chong song to me.
Ironcity writes:
I know his father serves in our military. I know he likes UT and if he comes here thats good enough for me.
I hate that these kids are dragging it out but honestly what difference does it truly make for UT right now?
Will they miss any practice? No!
Will it effect UT's spring practice? Not at all!
Does anyone on the team really care if they sign late? I can't think that they would care.
Does it tick off a bunch of lazy old Men sitting around their computers whining about decisions teenagers make regarding colleges? Yes!
I guess thats why this board explodes every time we read about Brown, Oku or Charles.
ULTIMATEVOLUNTEER writes:
If you have ever heard Chris Rainey speak.......I wouldn't bring up grades.
Vol43 writes:
Quite insightful. That's me, the lazy old guy, but I would love to hear some exciting football news concerning recruits, but even if I don't, I'm excited about UT football and I haven't been able to say that for awhile.
tnmantravel#531151 writes:
GREAT OKEMO SAY:
oku and brown both will come to Tennessee
together great championships will be earned
seperate great disappointment will come
Certain things catch your eye, But pursue only those that capture your heart
OKEMO HAS SPOKEN
NOW PAY HOMAGE
soccervol writes:
I'll take em...We'd be crazy not to have either.
gohawks1 writes:
I doubt we'll see both of them at UT, but one of them will wear orange.
HonoluluVol writes:
I read some posts on BB today on another site. It was talking about he's diggin his host he met while on his visit the other week. Said he has her as his FaceBook Wife and talking all this lovey dovey stuff. Man, the power of the P.U.Z.Z., It got OKU thinking of UN and BB thinking about UT. BB just mught end up a VOL.
TDTN writes:
I dont remember if it was on Rivals or Scout but I read last fall when recruiting was just getting heated up that Oku had an ACT score somewhere near 13 and he would have a hard time getting acceptable scores to get into a major school.
I have also been told by a friend whos son plays at Hillsboro that the Gordon kid has terrible grades and will be lucky to get into UT as well.
TDTN writes:
Did anything ever happen around the Reggie Bush report that his family was paid to get him to play at usc? I read there was an investigation but never heard anything else about it.
gnm53108 writes:
Hahahahaha
Great post.
And yes lazy old men,like myself,do like our recruitin news.
Oh Lord...the doldrums.
Who's got Ashley duty this week?
appalachianvol writes:
What scares me is: This same ugly picture of Devoe keeps popping up the 5 times a day I keep trying to get my football fix.
Slystone writes:
Someone said the same thing about OJ and the Electric Company.
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.