Dean's List: Will Baker Mayfield Become The Big Man On Campus?

It’s yet to be determined if Baker Mayfield will be OU’s Big Man On Campus.

Wednesday, August 12th 2015, 6:09 pm



It’s yet to be determined if Baker Mayfield will be OU’s Big Man On Campus (BMOC). But OU’s presumptive staring QB is now listed one inch and eight pounds bigger than when he first arrived after the stunning transfer from Texas Tech -- now 6-2 by 214 pounds.

BMOC?

I don’t know if Mayfield will become the BMOC and lead the 2015-16 Sooners from their lowest preseason ranking since Bob Stoops’ year-two national championship shocker in 2000 to the Promised Land. But if he wins the starting job, plays well enough to keep it, and were to lead OU to an unblemished 9-0 start heading into what would be an awfully large scrum in Waco November 14 against new ‘perennial power’ Baylor, it’d take an awfully stout man to dislodge the plucky junior from BMOC status.

But not much is normal about this cat, who flung it well enough to start as a rookie at Tech and become the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, attempting and completing more passes as a frosh than anyone since Sir Landry Jones in 2009 (just seven starts with completing 218 of 340 for 2,315 yards).

Spirited, confident, assertive, and cocksure. All apply. You’d kinda have to be if you jettisoned from Lubbock to Norman, knowing full well that the cupboard was anything but bare – or at least it was on paper. It was an abnormal departure from walk-on at TT to at best, fourth-team and arguably sixth-team walk-on at Oklahoma. The timing for the transfer that was judged anywhere from audacious-appearing to flat-out-nutty, was for sure stunning.

WELCOME TO THE SIXTH-TEAM YOUNG MAN

Mayfield had seen Trevor Knight shred the unshreddable Crimson Tide and soon thereafter listed as a Heisman favorite on a team hyped to make it to the first playoff; was aware that former 5-star QB recruit Blake Bell still had man-under dreams; knew that local favorite Kendal Thompson was in the hunt – not to mention a highly-touted redshirt freshman Cody Thomas and 4-star promising Edmond Santa Fe hotshot Justice Hansen.

I LIKEY LIKEY

I like Mayfield’s action – his efficient, quick release; his ball leaving with more than ample RPMs.  I like the fact that he’s been in the Air Raid system which should result in more overall certainty helping his ability to work progressions; he’s good at knowing where the ball should go and when it should be released. I like a new face and voice – although this by no means is an indication that I’m in the camp that believes the ship has sailed for Knight, whose leadership and the respect he’s earned from mates is simply remarkable.

I also like the fact that Mayfield led Lake Travis to a 25-2 record during two seasons as the starting quarterback. The major issue that Mayfield will have to avoid is being a gunslinger when a distributor is what’s needed most. The long-ball interceptions thrown in the spring game must have gotten out of his system. Easier said than done. But in talking with him, I believe Mayfield knows priority number one.

Enjoy my one-on-one with Baker from last Saturday’s Media Day. And see you at 6 & 10 on News9 Sports.

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