John E. Hoover

Joined: Mar 10, 2020

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.

Oklahoma pitcher Xander Mercurius pitches against Georgia.

Oklahoma pitcher Xander Mercurius (23) at Kansas.

Oklahoma Sooners right fielder Dasan Harris drives in two runs with a single against the Alabama Crimson Tide at the College World Series.

Oklahoma Sooners starting pitcher Cord Rager smiles after striking out another Alabama hitter.

Oklahoma pitcher Xander Mercurius throws against Kansas during the Lawrence Super Regional.

Baseball

Johnson said all the various changes he's made on the pitching staff all season have worked because the players "don't care who gets the credit."

Oklahoma second baseman Kyle Branch (left) and his big brother, Georgia shorstop Kolby Branch.

Baseball

Sooners' Kyle Branch is a sophomore second baseman, Bulldogs' Kolby Branch is a senior shortstop. At the CWS in Omaha, the family can finally watch all their games in one place.

Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson

Baseball

Four years ago, OU won the Big 12, knocked off a couple of SEC teams and eventually lost the national title to another. Now Skip Johnson's Sooners comprehend how good the SEC really is.

Oklahoma infielder Dayton Tockey

Baseball

As Dayton Tockey's home runs have fueled the Sooners' postseason run, his mom has become a bit of a celebrity herself, and it all makes perfect sense.

FILE PHOTO; Oklahoma Sooners forward Stacey King (33) in action.

Men's Basketball

King's era came on the heels of Wayman Tisdale's, and he and Mookie Blaylock took Billy Tubbs' Sooners to unprecedented heights.

Oklahoma pitcher Jordy Bahl in 2023

Softball

She won two national championships with the Sooners and now, after two national player of the year awards, she's fueled Nebraska's return to the Women's College World Series.

University of Oklahoma head coach Ryan Hybl is heading to Georgia Tech.

Other Sooners

Hybl has achieved tremendous success helming the Sooner men, but he'll be heading to Georgia Tech at the end of this season.

OU defenders Taylor Wein (left) and Peyton Bowen

Football

The Sooners' defense will be loaded again in 2026, so this could be just the first of many college football preseason watch lists to recognize Brent Venables' squad.

Oklahoma gymnast Faith Torrez

In winning the Honda Sport Award for gymnastics, Torrez becomes the seventh Sooner athlete honored in her sport, joining names like Maggie Nichols, Keilani Ricketts and Jocelyn Alo.

Oklahoma AD Roger Denny

The Sooners' new athletic director met with media Tuesday and said he likes what he's seen on the $450 million project, but any ideas he might have for changes will come when the time is right.

Oklahoma basketball GM Lucas McKay

Men's Basketball

Lucas McKay comes to OU from Clemson, where he was recognized as one of the nation's top general managers.

Oklahoma pitching coach Jennifer Rocha

After missing the first seven weeks of the softball season, Rocha declared she is "cancer free" and eager to rejoin the team.