Eric the Red
Team HuskerBoard
Blake connects to recruits
The former OU head coach nearly signed Sooner talent.
NORMAN -- Nic Harris first met Reggie Smith on a recruiting visit.
To Nebraska.
The man in charge of recruiting the two high school stars was Cornhuskers assistant John Blake. Yes, that John Blake.
"Yeah, I came close (to choosing Nebraska)," said Smith, the starting strong safety on the Oklahoma defense. "Coach Blake was probably a big factor in that. He's a great recruiter, and a great guy off the field."
"Same deal for me," said Harris, the starting nickel safety. "He took me and Reggie under his wing when we got there. He made sure we were extremely comfortable. He's a great guy. Very personable coach. He's not a coach's coach. He's a player's coach. Not that he wants to make everyone his friend, but he wants to embrace you and make feel welcome."
Blake hasn't been the most popular ex-Sooner coach since he was fired following a three-year stint that left the OU program reeling. Blake's record was just 12-22, the worst three-year stretch in school history.
Blake declined to be interviewed this week as his old team takes on his new team. Now in charge of Nebraska defensive linemen, Blake will
be on the other side of Arrowhead Stadium when the Sooners and Cornhuskers meet at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Big 12 championship game.
"It's always exciting to play Nebraska," Smith said.
For Smith, it'll be extra special. Nebraska was one of his final three choices before he finally picked OU in February 2005. He actually eliminated the Cornhuskers first before deciding between OU and USC.
Consider that the Sooners and Trojans were coming off an unprecedented stretch of back-to-back national championship chases, while the Huskers had been 5-6.
"I don't know, it was just him," Smith said. "He made the program look good. When I went up there, they were getting all this new stuff, and really, a lot of it was just him.
"He just relates to the kids. He tries to listen to our music and stuff like that. He's just somebody that can be there for you in tough situations."
The former OU head coach nearly signed Sooner talent.
NORMAN -- Nic Harris first met Reggie Smith on a recruiting visit.
To Nebraska.
The man in charge of recruiting the two high school stars was Cornhuskers assistant John Blake. Yes, that John Blake.
"Yeah, I came close (to choosing Nebraska)," said Smith, the starting strong safety on the Oklahoma defense. "Coach Blake was probably a big factor in that. He's a great recruiter, and a great guy off the field."
"Same deal for me," said Harris, the starting nickel safety. "He took me and Reggie under his wing when we got there. He made sure we were extremely comfortable. He's a great guy. Very personable coach. He's not a coach's coach. He's a player's coach. Not that he wants to make everyone his friend, but he wants to embrace you and make feel welcome."
Blake hasn't been the most popular ex-Sooner coach since he was fired following a three-year stint that left the OU program reeling. Blake's record was just 12-22, the worst three-year stretch in school history.
Blake declined to be interviewed this week as his old team takes on his new team. Now in charge of Nebraska defensive linemen, Blake will
be on the other side of Arrowhead Stadium when the Sooners and Cornhuskers meet at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Big 12 championship game.
"It's always exciting to play Nebraska," Smith said.
For Smith, it'll be extra special. Nebraska was one of his final three choices before he finally picked OU in February 2005. He actually eliminated the Cornhuskers first before deciding between OU and USC.
Consider that the Sooners and Trojans were coming off an unprecedented stretch of back-to-back national championship chases, while the Huskers had been 5-6.
"I don't know, it was just him," Smith said. "He made the program look good. When I went up there, they were getting all this new stuff, and really, a lot of it was just him.
"He just relates to the kids. He tries to listen to our music and stuff like that. He's just somebody that can be there for you in tough situations."
