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The Googly Eyes Are Back?

Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley tweeted his familiar emoji Monday night, spurring plenty of speculation as to its significance

Parker Thune

Who does Lincoln Riley have his emoji eyes on now?

The Oklahoma head coach sent Sooner Nation into a frenzy Monday night, as he tweeted the oh-so-familiar pair of eyes that has historically indicated a commitment from a recruit.

However, it's the first time that Riley has tweeted the eyes in three months. Back in April, Oklahoma allegedly picked up a silent commitment from Jantzen Dunn, only to see the four-star athlete flip to Ohio State just hours later. In the aftermath, Riley took to tweeting a red "O" emoji rather than the eyes whenever Oklahoma gained a commit.

Now the eyes are back. What could they signify?

A popular theory is that the red "O" applies only to 2021 commits, and that Riley will continue to use the eyes when Oklahoma gains pledges from the class of 2022 and beyond. Thus, it could be the case that the commit represented by the most recent pair of eyes could be a 2022 graduate.

If this is the case, the player in question could be Terrance Brooks, an unranked 2022 defensive back who picked up an offer from the Sooners just hours before Riley's tweet. It may also be four-star wideout Jordan Hudson of Garland, Texas. A tweet from Hudson Monday night indicated that he had news to share.

If Oklahoma does indeed pick up a 2022 commit, it'll be just their second pledge within the class. Kobie McKinzie, a linebacker from Lubbock, was the first. The Sooners' list of targets in the class includes top quarterback Quinn Ewers, five-star running back Raleek Brown, and five-star wideout Tetairoa McMillan.

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Parker Thune
PARKER THUNE

I'm an award-winning journalist and broadcaster born in Texas and raised in Nebraska. I moved south several years ago to attend the University of Oklahoma, and I've been on staff with SI Sooners since March 2020.

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