Good News for Recruiting from American Airlines and some Hot Prospects to See Tonight

Oklahoma State University athletics recruiting will be aided by continued air service by American.

STILLWATER -- Good news for Oklahoma State athletics and for the Stillwater community as a whole. American Airlines will continue roundtrip flights between Stillwater Regional Airport (SWO) and Dallas-Fort Worth International (DFW). This means that fliers will not see any interruption to service in October.

This is huge for Oklahoma State athletics and the recruiting for the sports. As of right now and since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Division I schools like Oklahoma State have not been able to do any in-person recruiting either off campus or bringing prospects on campus for official or unofficial visits. 

Several weeks ago, American Airlines announced that it planned to suspend air service to and from Stillwater from Oct. 7 to Nov. 3. Stillwater was one of 15 airports nationwide selected by the airline for suspended service. According to American, the decision was based on low advanced booking numbers and the approaching expiration of federal funding that was provided to airlines back in March. This funding, known as the Payroll Support Program (PSP), came as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The goal of this program was to help airlines protect employees and maintain service as they recovered from the negative impacts of COVID-19.

After receiving the news that Stillwater's flights were going to be suspended, the Stillwater community rallied together to show their support. Many people reached out to Oklahoma’s congress members and urged them to continue to provide financial relief for the aviation industry.

Some football and basketball recruits have traveled to Stillwater to see the campus like wide receiver commitment John Paul Richardson from Missouri City (Ridge Point), Texas. They come to town and look around even though they cannot meet face-to-face with coaches or staff. 

Having the ability for prospects and their families to fly in to Stillwater has been huge the past several years. It is also a good visual as most approaches to the airport fly over campus and the athletic facilities like Boone Pickens Stadium and Gallagher-Iba Arena. 

"Having the ability to bring our recruits coming to visit directly into Stillwater where they are only a few minutes from campus has been really important for our recruiting efforts," Cowboys Football director of recruiting Todd Bradford told me. "Getting this back without interruption is great and now we just need to get the moratorium lifted so we can bring recruits in. 

Bradford told me recently that the NCAA Division I Council that makes these decisions would be meeting and deciding between three options before the current deadline on the ban of Sept. 30. 

The committee can either extend the ban a month as they have repeatedly during the pandemic. They can lift the ban and allow in-person recruiting to start back up or they can extend the ban through the end of the calendar year. That would mean no face-to-face opportunities with prospects and coaches prior to the early signing date on Dec. 17. Schools have been doing all of the their recruiting by phone, test, email, Zoom, and in other virtual formats since last March. Oklahoma State is one of the schools that has been lauded for their virtual tours, use of graphics, and overall recruiting presence online. 

"I'm guessing there is a good chance they might lift the ban," Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy told me earlier this week. "I haven't seen anything, but I have some of our recruits, some of our committed players telling me they will see me here for our game against West Virginia on Oct. 3. I'm guessing they either expect or flat our hope the ban on in-person recruiting is lifted."

It appears that the NCAA Division I Council next meets on Wednesday, Sept. 16.

High School Friday and Where to Go to See Oklahoma State Commitments, Offers, and Prospects 

*Committed to Oklahoma State

2021 Prospects

Jeffrey Bassa, Saf., Salt Lake City (Kearns), Utah - Kearns at Riverton

*Jaden Bray, WR, Norman, Okla. - Game cancelled due to COVID-19

Savion Byrd, OL, Duncanville, Texas - Season hasn't started yet

Ty Buchanan, OL, Calallen, Texas - Season hasn't started yet

Enrigue Crus, OL, Willowbrook, Ill. - Season cancelled due to COVID-19

Tavierre Dunlap, RB, Del Valle, Texas - Bye

*Raymond Gay, Saf., Red Oak, Texas - Season hasn't started yet

**Blaine and Bryson Green, WRs, Allen, Texas - Season hasn't started yet

Ke'Travion Hargrove, RB, Ruston, La. - Bye

*Aden Kelley, DT, Thomas, Okla. - Bye

Nickolas Martin, LB, Pleasant Grove, Texas - Pleasant Grove at Paris

*Jaden Nixon, Ath., Frisco (Lone Star), Texas - Season hasn't started yet

*Logan Nobles, OL, Jenks, Okla. - Tulsa Union at Jenks

Isaiah Nwokobia, Saf., Dallas (Skyline), Texas - Season hasn't started yet

*Collin Oliver, DE/LB, Edmond (Santa Fe), Okla. - Edmond North at Edmond Santa Fe

Lyrick Rawls, CB, Marshall, Texas - Season hasn't started yet

Albert Reese, OL, Clearwater Academy, Fla. - Clearwater Academy at Brentwood Academy, Tenn.

*John Paul Richardson, WR, Missouri City (Ridge Point), Texas - Season hasn't started yet

*Cam Smith, Ath., Denton (Braswell), Texas - Braswell at V.R. Eaton

*Makale Smith, CB, Midwest City, Okla. - Midwest City at Noble

*Donovan Stephens, LB, Del City, Okla. - Carl Albert at Del City

Cam'Ron Valdez, RB, Rockdale, Texas - Bellville at Rockdale

Trevin Wallace, LB, Wayne Co., Ga. - Wayne County at Richmond Hill

*Ty Williams, QB.Saf., Muskogee, Okla. - Bye

2022 Prospects

We are only listing players that have games on Sept. 11

Stone Blanton, LB, Madison Ridgeland Academy, Miss. - Bayou at Madison Ridgeland

Gabe Brown, LB, Stillwater, Okla. - Stillwater at Mustang

Andrew Chamblee, OL, Maumelle, Ark. - Vilonia at Maumelle

Caden Crawford, DE, Lansing, Kan. - Lansing at Piper

Landon Dean, DE, Frontenac, Kan. - Coweta, Okla. at Frontenac 

Andre Dollar, TE, Mustang, Okla. - Stillwater at Mustang

Cameron Epps, CB, St. Louis (Chaminade), Mo. - University at Chaminade

Cayden Fortson, CB, Sabine (Gladwater), Texas - Gladewater at Center

Sam Horn, QB, Collins Hill, Ga. - Sprayberry at Collins Hill

Jalen Marshall, DE, Overland Park (St. Thomas Aquinas), Kan. - St. Thomas Aquina at Lutheran North

Chris McClellan, DE, Tulsa (Edison), Okla. - Tulsa Memorial at Tulsa Edison

Le'Veon Moss, RB, Istrouma, La. - Mentorship Academy at Istrouma

Walter Nolan, DT, IMG Academy, Fla. - West Oaks at IMG Academy

Dominique Orange, DT, North Kansas City, Mo. - North Kansas City at Fort Osage

J.J. Patton, Saf., Tenaha, Texas - Tenaha at Kountze

Drew Shelton, OL, Downing West, Pa. - Perkiomen Valley at Downing West

Talyn Shettron, WR, Edmond (Santa Fe), Okla. - Edmond North at Edmond Santa Fe

Ty Simpson, QB, Westview, Tenn. - Covington at Westview

Jaron Willis, LB, Lee County, Ga. - Jackson at Lee County