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Tom VanHaaren, ESPN Staff Writer 2y

Oklahoma loses two more ESPN 300 commits in wake of football coach Lincoln Riley's departure

College Football, Football Recruiting, Oklahoma Sooners

After suffering four decommitments Sunday, Oklahoma received more bad news on Monday when ESPN 300 defensive end Derrick Moore and offensive lineman Demetrius Hunter both announced they were decommitting from the Sooners.

The exodus is coming after head coach Lincoln Riley accepted the same position at USC, and the Oklahoma recruits are now reevaluating their positions.

Moore is the No. 23 recruit in the 2022 class and was the second-highest-ranked commit for the Sooners behind five-star defensive tackle Gabe Brownlow-Dindy. Moore is a 6-foot-4, 250-pound defensive lineman from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore who had offers from some of the top programs in the country, including Georgia, Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Michigan, among others.

Hunter said he believes it's in his best interest to consider other options. He is the No. 281 recruit out of West Orange-Stark High School in Orange, Texas, and one of the top interior offensive linemen in the class.

Sunday's decommitments include ESPN 300 linebacker Kobie Mckinzie, the No. 95 recruit out of Lubbock, Texas.

It wasn't just the 2022 class that took a hit, either. Riley and his staff had gotten a head start on 2023 recruiting, but with Riley leaving, quarterback Malachi Nelson announced his decommitment from the program.

Nelson is the No. 3 recruit in the 2023 class and the No. 2 quarterback, behind Arch Manning. He's from Los Alamitos, California, and Riley has already been in contact with Nelson about joining him at USC.

In addition to Nelson, ESPN 300 receiver Brandon Inniss and ESPN 300 running back Treyaun Webb also decommitted on Sunday, leaving the 2023 class with four total commitments.

With Moore and Hunter decommitting in 2022, that leaves the Sooners with eight ESPN 300 commitments and 15 total commitments.

Former Sooners head coach Barry Switzer, who brought three national championships to Norman, said Oklahoma needs to replace Riley with a coach who has a similar profile.

"You've got to have someone that coaches the quarterbacks, recruits the quarterbacks, game-plans for the quarterbacks, calls plays for the quarterback and spends 24 hours a day with the quarterback. Lane Kiffin fits that mold. And Mike Leach, who's been here and taught all these guys, fits that mold, " Switzer told ESPN's Dave Wilson. 

"You've got to be able to do something like that, to keep the boat from sinking, to keep it upright and have the chance to to be able to recruit like Lincoln did. You can't go hire a defensive coordinator or a defensive coach. That doesn't help you a damn bit with these top quarterbacks and receivers."

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