Oklahoma Freshman Enters Transfer Portal

Defensive lineman Alton Tarber committed to the Sooners less than a year ago and was a 4-star prospect as rated by 247 Sports.

John E. Hoover | Dec 2, 2022

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Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma’s depth on the defensive line just got a little thinner.

Citing “personal reasons,” freshman Alton Tarber announced Friday on Instagram that he would be entering the transfer portal on Monday.

In his post, he thanked the OU coaching staff and the OU SOUL Mission for “bringing me in and also treating me like family. Throughout this whole journey, they were always encouraging no matter the circumstances.

“I appreciate the support form all the OU fans and all the people that (were) hoping to see me lay in these crimson and cream colors.”

Tarber, a member of the 2022 recruiting class from Deerfield Beach, FL, was a 3-star prospect, according to 247 Sports and Rivals. He did not play for the Sooners in 2022.

In all, the 6-2, 305-pound Tarber wasn’t even in Norman for quite one year, having committed to the Sooners on Dec. 14, 2021 — just one week after Brent Venables’ hire.

He chose OU over offers from Georgia Tech, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Iowa State, Miami, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Nebraska and others.

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Published Dec 2, 2022

JOHN E. HOOVER

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.