Former OSU linebacker making path in the booth
Deion Imade doesn’t mind the drive on the Turner Turnpike nearly every week during the fall.
It also turns out that his former Oklahoma State teammate Shaun Lewis’ couch is pretty comfortable, too.
Imade’s life right now is pretty much that drive and Lewis’ couch as he drives back-and-forth from Tulsa to serve as the color analyst for Cox’s YurView broadcasts.
Thursday, he leaves after work for OKC. He sleeps on Lewis’ couch. Then at 4 a.m. Friday he drives back to his full-time job in Tulsa. Imade, amazingly, heads back after work to OKC.
He wouldn’t want it any other way right now.
“I love it,” said Imade, a former OSU linebackerand captain. “I feel like this is my way to stay in the game. I’ve still got to get my fix, man. I can’t just sit down and watch it every Saturday and Sunday. I’ve got to be a part of it somehow.”
Imade will make that crazy back-and-forth trip this weekend. He’ll spend Thursday night in Moore, which hosts Norman. He’ll be in Norman on Friday when Norman North hosts Edmond Santa Fe.
Putting himself through this to pursue a dream he discovered his senior year at OSU. Then a captain, he was approached with the idea to conduct interviews of his teammates and coaches during the 2014 Cotton Bowl Media Day.
Hilarity followed and it became a sensation on YouTube.
“Anyone who is willing to hear me speak I’m going to give them a little show and a little entertainment,” Imade said while referencing being a middle child.
Imade then started interning with Dave Hunziker. He appeared on Robert Allen’s radio show. Before long, John Holcomb helped lead him to Cox, where he started as a sideline reporter in 2015.
Now, Imade is the color analyst for every Bixby game he can attend. He hosts radio shows in Tulsa. He’s the color analyst for Cox.
And he has the goal to make sure every player gets a chance to be noticed.
“Everybody hears the big names all of the time,” Imade said. “But do they see the guy who is in special teams, who is playing corner and in those special speed packages that are making big plays?
“I want to be able to give those players that kind of recognition.”
Two OU commits to receive All-American jerseys
Two local Oklahoma star football commitments will receive their U.S. Army All-American Bowl jerseys next week in special ceremonies at their school.
Westmoore offensive lineman Brey Walker will receive his at 2 p.m. Tuesday. Putnam City defensive end Ron Tatum III will receive his at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Walker is 6 foot 6 and 330 pounds. He’s No. 1 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 rankings and regarded as one of the top recruits in the country.
Tatum, at 6 foot 5 and 270 pounds, is ranked No. 4 on the Super 30.
NEO at 15 in national poll
Behind the effort of several former Oklahoma high school players, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College is making some noise nationally.
NEO comes in tied at No. 15 in the weekly NJCAA poll with a 1-1 record.
Former Tulsa Washington quarterback Cordale Grundy has been huge. He’s thrown for 297 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 118 yards and three TDs.
Former Edmond Santa Fe star Darran Williams also has 156 yards on 26 carries.
NEO hosts Tyler Junior College on Saturday.