Even as Ohio State fans revel in their team’s march to the College Football Playoff national championship, excitement is bubbling over in another camp. There’s been plenty of chatter about the possibility of Oklahoma snagging Buckeyes’ defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to bolster their coaching staff. Yet as of Thursday, Knowles is still very much a Buckeye, leaving Oklahoma enthusiasts waiting with bated breath.
The buzz was almost ignited for good this week when OU Insider, a site affiliated with Oklahoma’s Rivals community, mistakenly brought out the confetti early. They released a video prematurely celebrating Knowles’ hiring—a move that hadn’t happened. Parker Thune, the site’s co-publisher, explained that the video slipped through due to a quirk in YouTube’s “unlisted” feature, a caveat they hadn’t previously encountered.
Thune noted, “Sure, there was a video that wasn’t ready for its debut. YouTube’s unlisted video settings gave us an unexpected surprise.” His candidness about the slip-up is a nod to the unpredictable nature of covering college football, where news can break at any moment, and readiness is the name of the game.
Adding some intrigue to the mix, Ohio State Football Recruiting shared an update suggesting that while no official handshake has occurred, Oklahoma seems optimistic, with a reported 60% to 70% chance of Knowles donning a Sooners cap. Reports have also hinted at Oklahoma potentially dangling an enticing offer, possibly hitting the $3 million per year mark.
Thune clarified that the 12-minute video didn’t reveal anything new or groundbreaking that OU Insider hadn’t shared already. Instead, it simply framed existing information around an impending hire that was, at the time, fictional. It underscores a broader truth about sports media; creating content to anticipate big moves isn’t rare. It’s the nature of the beast in a fast-paced world where being prepared is key.
While the dust settles on this blunder, it’s refreshing to see Thune and OU Insider owning up to their error with a straightforward approach. It’s a classic case of wanting to be ready for the big play but misjudging the timing ever so slightly. The takeaway? In the high-stakes world of college football, ensuring your playbook doesn’t leak is just as crucial as having the right game plan.
