Four-star RB Jovantae Barnes picks Oklahoma
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Jovantae Barnes had nearly 40 offers through his recruitment but the four-star running back narrowed his choices to three heading into his decision Sunday at the Under Armour All-America Game.
Oklahoma, USC and Florida State made the final cut for the Las Vegas (Nev.) Desert Pines standout and the Sooners won out for his commitment.
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Barnes’ longstanding relationship with Sooners running backs coach DeMarco Murray was a huge selling point in his decision.
Once Murray decided to stay in Norman and not follow former coach Lincoln Riley to USC, Oklahoma was going to be tough to beat.
"Him being from Vegas and his top schools were actually USC and Oklahoma (in his recruitment),” Barnes said. “Being a West Coast kid you expect him to pick SC so there had to be something over there at OU that made him pick that. That’s what he’s been making me see.”
The message to Barnes was simple: Oklahoma is still going to be a dominant program and with Murray staying, that resonated loud and clear.
“He’s been hard on me ever since Lincoln left and he’s letting it be known he loves Lincoln, it’s all respect, they’re still brothers but at the end of the day they were great before him,” Barnes said. “I looked at that and paid attention and took that into mind, too.”
USC definitely made a serious impression on the Las Vegas Desert Pines four-star running back and Riley visited first with Barnes once he got the job with the Trojans. It was always one of his top schools.
Florida State also made the final cut but after assistant coach Kenny Dillingham left for Oregon, the Seminoles faded a little in Barnes’ recruitment even though he said his visit to Florida State was his best.