Sooners lose Class of 2015 signee Wood the same day he arrived

All college programs see some level of natural attrition for various reasons but usually the loss of a player here or a player there happens over an extended period of time, at least a semester, a school year, or even when seniors transfer after four years at a given program.

Sooner Nation is not unaccustomed to seeing one-time prized recruits leave the program. Just a week and a half ago former 4-star quarterback Justice Hansen transferred after an apparent log jam under center. In mid-May even former Oklahoma running back Keith Ford announced he was leaving the program.

But now an odd situation has occurred in Norman, just a few hours, or minutes, after Class of 2015 signee Dalton Wood reported to campus he was gone. Per reports, the former McAlester, Oklahoma quarterback reported, signed in, and then left and has not been heard from since as of Saturday.

Wood’s situation could be a simple case of being homesick, or is there trouble brewing with the OU program? Chances are the 6’5”, 247 pound, recruit slated to make the move to tight end just realized he was not ready to play college football or is no longer interested in playing for Oklahoma. Perhaps he is not ready to give up playing under center and wants to try his hand at another program? All questions the Oklahoma staff should have had a better handle on before Wood went MIA.

The 3-star recruit was a stat machine producing dual-threat quarterback in high school. In both his junior and senior seasons he passed for over 1,900 yards and rushed for over 1,000 yards. During Wood’s senior campaign he rushed for 1,610 yards with 25 touchdowns on the ground and 29 passing.

Many schools both near and far showed interest in Wood but his solid commitment to the Sooners since September of 2014 scared other programs away from offering him leaving him with just one scholarship on the table come National Signing Day 2015, OU.

Time will tell what happened to Wood, but some sort of red flag has to waived in or around Norman with head coach Bob Stoops being held accountable for the loss of top talent leaving the program so soon.

Oklahoma 2015 Verbal Commitment List

RB Rodney Anderson, 6’0”, 200 lbs, Katy HS, Katy, Texas

OL Jamal Danley, 6’5”, 305 lbs, East Mississippi C.C., Scooba, Mississippi

OL Bobby Evans, 6’5”, 270 lbs, Allen HS, Allen, Texas

OL Cody Ford, 6’4”, 322 lbs, Pineville HS, Pineville, Louisiana

OL Dominique Hearne, 6’3”, 288 lbs, Lancaster HS, Lancaster, Texas

OL Dru Samia, 6’5”, 280 lbs, San Ramon Valley HS, Danville, California

WR John Humphrey, 6’0”, 160 lbs, Clear Falls, League City, Texas

WR A.D. Miller, 6’3”, 175 lbs, Bishop Dune Catholic, Dallas, Texas

WR Dede Westbrook, 6’1”, 170 lbs, Blinn C.C., Brenham, Texas

DT Neville Gallimore, 6’3”, 303 lbs, Canada Prep, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

DE Gabriel Campbell, 6’6”, 250 lbs Yazoo City High School, Yazoo City, Mississippi

DE Kenneth Mann, 6’4”, 240 lbs, Burleson HS, Burleson, Texas

S Prentice McKinney, 6’2”, 180 lbs, South Oak Cliff, Dallas, Texas

CB Antoine Stephens, 6’1”, 187 lbs, Kimball High School, Dallas, Texas

DB William Johnson, 6’0”, 180 lbs, Monroe C.C., New Rochelle, New York

DB P.J. Mbanasor, 6’1”, 180 lbs, Hendrickson HS, Pflugerville, Texas

DB Will Sunderland, 6’2”, 186 lbs, Midwest City HS, Midwest City, Oklahoma

S Kahlil Haughton, 6’2”, 175 lbs, Midway HS, Waco, Texas

QB Dalton Wood, 6’3”, 230 lbs, McAlester HS, McAlester, Oklahoma

LB Ricky DeBerry, 6’2”, 231 lbs, Atlee High School, Mechanicsville, Virginia

K Austin Seibert, 5’10”, 195 lbs, Belleville West HS, Belleville, Illinois

 

Written by Ryan Wright

Photo credit: thefootballbrainiacs.com; No. 11 Dalton Wood.