SOONERS

OU regents approve architect selection for new football operations facility

The OU Board of Regents authorized the selection of an architect to design a new football operations facility Wednesday.

The facility would be separate from Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, likely across Jenkins Avenue.

“What we’re trying to consider is the ever-evolving role of college athletics so not trying to build something that’s like everybody else at the moment,” Sooners athletic director Joe Castiglione said. “What’s the program going to need going forward? Obviously we have a great setup at the moment but things are changing. There’s even been legislation that’s evolved, the area of nutrition is different, and putting all of us in a position to think differently and think ahead. We always have a proactive mindset so that’s what we’re doing with this.”

Castiglione said the facility would include strength and conditioning facilities, recovery facilities, sports medicine, nutrition, a dining facility, meeting space, coaches’ offices, and have adjacent practice fields among other amenities.

The current Switzer Center in the south end zone is expected to serve the needs of other sports, Castiglione said. 

Castiglione said there wasn’t a set timeline for construction.

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Athletic director Joe Castiglione said OU is "not trying to build something that’s like everybody else at the moment."

“It’s moving at a rapid pace,” Castiglione said. “Getting the architect on board is a key element to finalizing not only what the timetable would be but defining the actual scope of the project and, once you do that, the ultimate cost.

“Having this architect is a big first step.”

Castiglione said there would be more facility updates upcoming, including eventual renovation to the west side of the stadium, basketball, gymnastics, tennis, baseball and more.

“That’s a big part of our thinking,” Castiglione said when asked specifically about the west-side project, which was initially included as Phase II of the stadium renovation project when it was first announced, though several of those improvements have already taken place. “We’re not at a stage to announce anything yet. … We’ve been meeting with the architect continuously to try to evaluate what that needs to be and how it’s going to take place and the timing. It’s as big of an engineering challenge (as anything).”

All of the projects will be privately funded.

“We can make them happen when we can raise the money,” Castiglione said. 

The Switzer Center was dedicated in May 2018.

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Fans are treated to uniform displays as they walk to the equipment room as the University of Oklahoma Sooners' Switzer Center is dedicated on the south end of the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., on Saturday, May 5, 2018.

Gabriel wins Big 12 newcomer honors, others earn All-Big 12

OU quarterback Dillon Gabriel was named the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year by the league’s coaches Wednesday.

Three Sooners — wide receiver Marvin Mims, offensive tackle Anton Harrison, and punter Michael Turk — earned first-team All-Big 12 honors.

Running back Eric Gray, tight end Brayden Willis and defensive end Ethan Downs earned second-team honors while several other players were named honorable mentions.

Gabriel is the fifth Sooners player to earn offensive newcomer honors and the first since Jalen Hurts in 2019.

Gabriel, who transferred from Central Florida in the offseason, leads the Big 12 in passing yards per game (265.9) and is second in the league in total offense (293.2), pass efficiency rating (154.2), yards per completion (13.5), yards per pass attempt (8.5) and passing touchdowns (24).

Mims is second in the league in receiving yards (1,006), yards per reception (19.4) and receiving touchdowns (6).

Turk leads the Big 12 and is third nationally with 46.7 yards per punt. He has 20 punts of at least 50 yards, including seven of 60 or more.

Harrison led an offensive line that was the Sooners’ top overall unit, helping pave the way for an OU offense that is tops in the Big 12 and 13th nationally in rushing (216.6 yards per game) and is second in the league and 17th nationally in total offense (472.2 yards per game). Harrison has started all 12 games this season, 11 at left tackle and one at right tackle.

Billy Bowman, Justin Broiles, Chris Murray, Andrew Raym, Danny Stutsman, David Ugwoegbu and DaShaun White earned honorable mention honors. Mims also earned honorable mention at kick returner/punt returner.

C.J. Coldon earned votes for Defensive Newcomer of the Year and Turk for Special Teams Player of the Year.

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Regents approve updates to softball, other athletics projects

OU’s Board of Regents approved revisions to the construction cost limit and total project budget for the new softball facility.

The project, which consists of the construction of Love’s Field, received approval in June for a construction cost that would not exceed $34.75 million and an estimated total project budget of $42 million. Those totals were increased to $38.8 million and $47.9 million, respectively, Wednesday.

Funds for the project were budgeted from OU’s Athletics Department funds and private donations.

The regents also authorized the administration to negotiate and execute a construction management contract for the Lloyd Noble Center team suites renovations project and the Wadley Indoor Tennis & Headington Family Tennis Center project.

The Lloyd Noble Center project has an estimated total cost of $9 million. It includes updates to team spaces, locker room spaces and other areas for OU’s men’s and women’s basketball programs.

The Wadley Indoor Tennis and Headington Family Tennis Center project has an estimated total cost of $8 million. It includes a 4,200 square foot addition to the existing Wadley Indoor Tennis Pavilion that will create new team suites, locker rooms and necessary support facilities for OU’s men’s and women’s tennis programs.