AP--

In a shocking move that will have the rest of the Big 12
playing recruiting
"catch-up", OU has snatched a solid commitment from all-state
wide out

Delmer Shanks

As a freshman, Shanks is expected to play in the "Opossum" set
of OU's
daunting new offense.
"The opossum spread is going to really fool people next year",
Shanks
explained in a phone interview from an Oklahoma Kwickie Mart.
"In the possum set, we take the left tackle and line him up
out with 2 or 3
of our receivers. I lay up in the backfield, like a opossum,
and then the
center hikes the ball to the Tight End and then it's a hand
off to either me
or the quarterback.".
When asked about why he commited to OU in the middle of the
season,
a usually slow time of year for recruiting, Shanks had this to
say.
"Well it was a no-brainer really.Skoalis going to be
sponsoring OU
athletics next year, so it just seemed like a natural fit. I
really liked what
they're gonna do with the uniforms, that sown-in dip ring
they're putting on
everyone's back pockets are gonna look real nice. They're also
gonna do
some neat stuff with the Switzer center too, gonna sell moon
pies and
stuff at the door."
Shanks did not take any official visits to other schools
before his
commitment, though he did say Texas A&M and OU had expressed
interest in him all along.
"Yeah, they were plenty nice at A&M and Coach Slocum talked to
momma a lot on the phone. He told her that this was gonna be
the year
they would pass more and that I would fit in real good with
their high
power pro-style attack".
It turns out that Delmer's mother did influence his decision
some. A
laughing Shanks explains,
"Yeah, we was out back pitching washers and momma come
hollering
outside...said Stoops promised her I would wear #8 at OU.
We all been Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans for a long time, so we
seen the
importance of what they was saying. They don't honor you like
that OU
unless they done taken a real liking to you."
As the interview came to a close, Shanks had this to say,
"Keep an eye on us, cause we're gonna be pretty darn good next
year.
We got 11 man plays in the book where the whole line is gonna
go out on
pass routes and we keep the water boy in to block for the
quarterback.
Boomer Sooner."
Only time will tell if schools like Texas, Nebraska and others
can keep up
with Stoops and his amazing program.