With the transfer portal on overdrive, how have Brent Venables and Mike Gundy responded? Pretty well, according to 247Sports national college football writer Chris Hummer. He joins Mind Games on the Sellout Crowd network to talk Venables’ success taking transfers who strengthen OU for the SEC, and Gundy’s success keeping key Cowboys from transferring out. Hummer considers whether Dillon Gabriel’s departure and Jackson Arnold’s entrenchment become a win/win for OU and Oregon, and whether Spencer Sanders is forever stamped a portal cautionary tale. From the portal it’s on to name, image and likeness, and Hummer’s recent 247 story in which 5-star high school recruits separated fact from fiction when it comes to their NIL earnings.

Episode highlights:
4:30: Venables has helped prep OU for the SEC via the transfer portal
8:30: Mike Gundy’s biggest portal victory this year has been keeping key players out of it
11:05: Spencer Sanders as transfer portal cautionary tale
13:30: Dillon Gabriel transfers to Oregon, Jackson Arnold is entrenched as OU QB1 and everybody wins
17:00: Fact or fiction: Everyone transfers with NIL $$$ in mind
20:10: High school five-stars set the record straight regarding their NIL offers

Producer: Jacquelyn Musgrove
Creative Director: Michael Lane
Social media: Bobby Howard
Director of Content: Mike Sherman

Nothing is calm, or feels normal, around college football. Coaching changes are wild, player movement is rampant, conference realignment is ongoing, and often it seems the sport’s future is being decided in a courtroom as much as on a field. Ralph Russo has been the Associated Press’ national college football writer for 20 years. He drops by the latest episode of Mind Games to lend his insight on the chaos, and discuss the ripple effects at OU and OSU.

Episode highlights:
02:25: Does college football have a coach retention problem?
05:20: OSU fans should appreciate what they have in Mike Gundy
09:40: Brent Venables has steadied the Sooners, but now comes the SEC
17:50: Is the SEC-Big Ten joint advisory committee a warning shot for the Big 12?
26:50: College football is headed uncomfortable directions, but everything is going to be OK as long we have fall Saturdays

Producer: Jacquelyn Musgrove
Creative Director: Michael Lane
Social media: Bobby Howard
Director of Content: Mike Sherman

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Toby Keith touched many more lives than we can imagine. Among them: 21 elementary school-aged boys in Norman who played on Toby’s Mud Dogs football team. Sam Hutchens wrote the story for Sellout Crowd after Toby’s passing. Here, he comes on Mind Games to reflect on how the story came together, something that began with a call to Mud Dogs team member Joe Castiglione, Jr, and how Toby’s influence on those kids resonates to this day.

Episode highlights

03:25: If Toby Keith was going to coach a youth football team, well then he was going to draw up plays and run drills.
07:15: Mud Dog players included Toby’s son and Joe Castiglione, Jr.
10:15: Postgame pizza at Cici’s
12:15: Did Toby’s Mud Dogs invent the Tush Push 20 years before the Eagles?
15:00: The night the Mud Dogs reunited at a Toby Keith benefit

Producer: Jacquelyn Musgrove
Creative Director: Michael Lane
Social media: Bobby Howard
Director of Content: Mike Sherman

Subscribe on Youtube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music