Hang in there, buddy. this is one of those life moments when things didn’t exactly go the way we had hoped they would.
Take an old man’s advice…this will forge you. Make you a better man. No bullshit.
First off, regardless of what the plethora of talking head podcasters may say, regardless of what Berry Tramel may think, regardless of what some of the OU fanbase may be saying….you’re going to be okay.
I’m actually proud of the fact that you never surrendered, never quit, never made the obvious excuses which you could have made about the offensive line and the absence of your top six receivers during the SEC portion of the schedule. Never backed down from the toughest OU football schedule….EVER.
You hung in there and took every blow. Every punch. And let me share this thought with you…three of OU’s former QB Heisman winners in Jason White, Sam Bradford, and Baker Mayfield would have struggled mightily with the supporting cast you had this season on the offensive side of the ball. Kyler, Jalen, and Caleb Williams may have been able to outrun them, but even then…they would have eventually succumbed as well.
You never pouted, never quit, and in the end beat f–king Alabama 24-3. Guess what…Jason White, Sam Bradord, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts, and Caleb Williams never beat Alabama, Georgia, or LSU combined… ONE TIME.
Never.
See where I’m going with this?
You did…. and by what I witnessed last week-end in Baton Rouge…you were one of the few Sooners who showed up to play in the season finale.
So here’s what I would say if you would allow me to be your Uncle Mike…when you pick your next school don’t pick an SEC school unless it’s Alabama, Georgia, or LSU who all usually have NFL caliber offensive linemen and receivers.
If those three slots aren’t in anyway possible….I’d strongly urge you to pick a Big 12 or ACC an school as your next destination. At the top of your list I would put SMU, TCU, Baylor, Texas Tech…and possibly one of the Arizona schools.
Or my darkhorse pick for you….the Kansas Jayhawls with Coach Lance Leopold.
My thought on this is if you don’t have NFL caliber around you…then why would you play against SEC talent with one arm tied behind your back.
Look at Dillion. He has a chance to win the Heisman and a ‘ship…even with Oregon.
Take care of yourself, Jackson. Walk tall, walk proud. You never surrendered. This will work its way out. Take it from an old man.
All this avuncular advice made me think of my favorite all-time Cat Stevens song.
It’s Friday…Texas-Georgia tomorrow. I can’t wait.
Uncle Mike