How do Carl Albert's Kevin Sperry, Xavier Robinson feel about OU football's new OC setup?
EDMOND – Senior running back Xavier Robinson smiled as family members and friends enthusiastically swarmed him to celebrate his second straight Class 5A state championship.
They weren’t the only guests he was happy to see.
A congregation of OU football coaches watched from the north end zone as Carl Albert triumphed over Del City, 35-14, in the state finals Saturday afternoon at Chad Richison Stadium.
“Man, it means a lot,” said Robinson, a Sooners commit.
OU head coach Brent Venables stood in front of UCO’s Sports Performance Center as the Titans capped their undefeated season with their 18th championship. Running backs coach DeMarco Murray joined him, and so did defensive coordinator Ted Roof.
Newly named co-offensive coordinators Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley were there, too.
In the wake of the recent change in OU offensive coordinators, Robinson made his intention clear: he’s sticking with the Sooners. Robinson said he looks forward to joining OU as an early enrollee in January.
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Carl Albert junior quarterback Kevin Sperry also remains committed to OU after former offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby’s departure for the head coaching job at Mississippi State.
“I’m definitely locked in with Oklahoma because their culture is different,” Sperry said. “Coach Venables, I love him. Coach Littrell and Coach Finley, too.”
Those coaches saw a glimpse of the Sooners’ future Saturday afternoon, and it was coated in optimism.
Carl Albert finished with five touchdowns.
Every Titan who crossed the goal line is committed to OU.
Robinson, The Oklahoman’s 2022 Offensive Player of the Year, delivered another tremendous state finals performance with 22 carries for 133 yards and two touchdowns along with three receptions for 64 yards and a score.
Sperry made his Oklahoma high school championship debut with 9 of 12 pass completions for 131 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 15 carries for 103 yards and a score.
And Marcus James, the junior tight end who committed to the Sooners alongside teammate Trynae Washington in early November, caught a 26-yard touchdown pass to give the Titans a 14-7 lead in the second quarter. Washington made his own statement with two interceptions.
After the Titans excelled in front of Venables and Co., Carl Albert coach Mike Dunn voiced his appreciation for the Sooners' support.
“That’s really cool,” Dunn said. “I think they do that for everybody (committed), and they’ve made a commitment to the state of Oklahoma and the high school programs.”
There’s no denying Carl Albert has grown into an OU recruiting hotbed, but the Sooner commits weren’t the only guys making key plays for Carl Albert. The Titans’ dominant defense worked as a unit to hold a dynamic Del City squad to its lowest score of the season.
“We don’t just got a lot of OU commits out here,” Robinson said. “We got a lot of underdogs as well, offense and defense. They all showcased that today, and I’m proud of these boys.”
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TCU commit LaDainian Fields stands out in high school finale
After the state semifinals, Del City coach Robert Jones declared senior receiver/defensive back LaDainian Fields the best high school football player in the state.
Although the Titans overpowered the Eagles in the finals, Fields capped his standout season with another big game, doing everything he could to give Del City a chance.
The TCU commit led the Eagles with six receptions for 101 yards. On defense, he had a first-quarter fumble recovery and grabbed two interceptions in the third quarter, one of which led to Braelon Adamah’s 31-yard touchdown reception.
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Carl Albert ties Jenks for second-most state championships
Carl Albert is rising in the history books.
With their 18th state title Saturday, the Titans tied Jenks as the program with the second-most high school football state titles in Oklahoma. Ada still leads with 19.
Here are the top five, according to sports database IWasAttheGame.com:
1. Ada 19
2. (tie) Carl Albert 18, Jenks 18
4. Clinton 17
5. Morrison 14
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Carl Albert QB Kevin Sperry 'definitely locked in' with OU football
