Big Man Anthony Oden transfers to Lamar

[Guest CardinalClaw]

So how do you guys see this affecting the O line? Besides the obvious addition of size and skill I mean. Do you think we rotate Oden and Campbell out so that we always have one of them in the game at a time or do we load up with these guys and bulldoze the defense.

 

I think we put them on the field at the same time.

[TBonesLU]

So how do you guys see this affecting the O line? Besides the obvious addition of size and skill I mean. Do you think we rotate Oden and Campbell out so that we always have one of them in the game at a time or do we load up with these guys and bulldoze the defense.

 

I think we put them on the field at the same time.

 

+1

[LU1991]

Great pick up. Can't wait to see him in pads.

[BRI Staff]

Fox 4 is the first media source confirming this.

 

Big thanks to SLEEPY, ADMIN, CA, LAZEEK and others who provided various info on this entire recruiting process.

 

Fox4 Link: Oden has signed with Lamar

[Guest LU4LIFE]

This is a great pick up for LU. And I would put him and Campbell on field at the same time. Can you imagine the nightmare they will be for opposing teams D line.

[coachacola]

Lamar should have some great size on the offensive line this year. Emone Bailey is 6-2, 325 lbs and he started the final 6 games last year. Campbell is 6-5 and 325 lbs. Oden is 6-8 325+ lbs. Stephen Babin is 6-5 280 lbs and started 10 games last year. Kyle Gillam is the smallest at 6-1 265 lbs, but he's probably added some weight since last year. There's about 3 or 4 other offensive linemen at least 300+ lbs. Most of these guys are underclassmen so they'll be around for a few more years.

 

The offensive line will be vastly improved over last year with a lot more depth. This will make a big difference when Lamar gets into the meat of conference play. Add Jeremy Johnson and two new running backs to the offense and Lamar will definitely surprise some people.

[Guest CardAmbassador]

Lamar should have some great size on the offensive line this year. Emone Bailey is 6-2, 325 lbs and he started the final 6 games last year. Campbell is 6-5 and 325 lbs. Oden is 6-8 325+ lbs. Stephen Babin is 6-5 280 lbs and started 10 games last year. Kyle Gillam is the smallest at 6-1 265 lbs, but he's probably added some weight since last year. There's about 3 or 4 other offensive linemen at least 300+ lbs. Most of these guys are underclassmen so they'll be around for a few more years.

 

The offensive line will be vastly improved over last year with a lot more depth. This will make a big difference when Lamar gets into the meat of conference play. Add Jeremy Johnson and two new running backs to the offense and Lamar will definitely surprise some people.

 

We can safely assume most of these OL men other than the new ones (Oden, Robertson, Campbell and Collins) have probably added 10 pounds or more to their weight.

 

Read this from the BE:

 

Lumberton graduate Kyle Gillam fell 20 pounds below his goal weight last summer, when the Cardinals held all offseason weight workouts outside because fieldhouse construction was not finished.

Gillam, a center, now weighs 275 pounds, 20 pounds above the weight he carried into the start of last season.

 

 

Read more: http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/lamar/article/Now-indoors-Lamar-football-players-can-keep-1460169.php#ixzz1UJfXTYQb

[Guest bigred360]

Thanks for the news and we just moved up at least 4 positions in conference in my opinion. Again, Lazeek, sleepy, CA, the admin and others, thanks so much for this information.

[Lamar Pride]

Awesome news. I can't wait for football season.

[kingkat99]

Here is how some SHSU fans feel about Oden

 

http://katfans.com/newforum/index.php?topic=2714.msg26745#new

 

First let me say that this thread doesn't have enough posters in it to say this is how some katfans feel, now I will be the first to admit as a Bearkat Alum and Season Ticket holder that I am jealous of what Lamar has going for them with regards to football, your game day atmosphere from tailgating to the games themselves are awesome and make Sam games and tailgating seem pathetic at times, you are sitting on a hotbed of talent that will help you be successful at any level of football for years to come and yes you guys are raking in some very good talent from the fbs level. Now does Sam try and get recruits from the fbs level ?? Certainly, it's how many fcs schools survive and/or are successful and no one begrudges Lamar for doing this and you're right on the money when you say that Sam would gladly take any one of these transfers except I would hope that we wouldn't take Oden, but Im sure your coaching staff has vetted him well enough to have some sense of security that those problems are behind him. As to my sex offender comment that so many of you found stupid let me say I in NO WAY think a kid with a drinking problem is as bad a member of society as a sex offender. My point in that was only to say if you get not one but two dwi's in less than 18 months it means you really have a problem or you are a slow learner there by making you a danger to society that's all, and yes I understand that there are several thousand people every night who drink and drive in our area and would be a liar if I said I had never done so myself, but I have close friends who have gotten dwi's and it scared them straight on drinking and driving so getting two that close sort of screams issue in my mind. All that aside I hope you guys turn him around and wish you the best in your upcoming season except for Oct 29th...

[TBonesLU]

Here is how some SHSU fans feel about Oden

 

http://katfans.com/newforum/index.php?topic=2714.msg26745#new

 

First let me say that this thread doesn't have enough posters in it to say this is how some katfans feel, now I will be the first to admit as a Bearkat Alum and Season Ticket holder that I am jealous of what Lamar has going for them with regards to football, your game day atmosphere from tailgating to the games themselves are awesome and make Sam games and tailgating seem pathetic at times, you are sitting on a hotbed of talent that will help you be successful at any level of football for years to come and yes you guys are raking in some very good talent from the fbs level. Now does Sam try and get recruits from the fbs level ?? Certainly, it's how many fcs schools survive and/or are successful and no one begrudges Lamar for doing this and you're right on the money when you say that Sam would gladly take any one of these transfers except I would hope that we wouldn't take Oden, but Im sure your coaching staff has vetted him well enough to have some sense of security that those problems are behind him. As to my sex offender comment that so many of you found stupid let me say I in NO WAY think a kid with a drinking problem is as bad a member of society as a sex offender. My point in that was only to say if you get not one but two dwi's in less than 18 months it means you really have a problem or you are a slow learner there by making you a danger to society that's all, and yes I understand that there are several thousand people every night who drink and drive in our area and would be a liar if I said I had never done so myself, but I have close friends who have gotten dwi's and it scared them straight on drinking and driving so getting two that close sort of screams issue in my mind. All that aside I hope you guys turn him around and wish you the best in your upcoming season except for Oct 29th...

 

Good post.

[Guest CardAmbassador]

Here is how some SHSU fans feel about Oden

 

http://katfans.com/newforum/index.php?topic=2714.msg26745#new

 

First let me say that this thread doesn't have enough posters in it to say this is how some katfans feel, now I will be the first to admit as a Bearkat Alum and Season Ticket holder that I am jealous of what Lamar has going for them with regards to football, your game day atmosphere from tailgating to the games themselves are awesome and make Sam games and tailgating seem pathetic at times, you are sitting on a hotbed of talent that will help you be successful at any level of football for years to come and yes you guys are raking in some very good talent from the fbs level. Now does Sam try and get recruits from the fbs level ?? Certainly, it's how many fcs schools survive and/or are successful and no one begrudges Lamar for doing this and you're right on the money when you say that Sam would gladly take any one of these transfers except I would hope that we wouldn't take Oden, but Im sure your coaching staff has vetted him well enough to have some sense of security that those problems are behind him. As to my sex offender comment that so many of you found stupid let me say I in NO WAY think a kid with a drinking problem is as bad a member of society as a sex offender. My point in that was only to say if you get not one but two dwi's in less than 18 months it means you really have a problem or you are a slow learner there by making you a danger to society that's all, and yes I understand that there are several thousand people every night who drink and drive in our area and would be a liar if I said I had never done so myself, but I have close friends who have gotten dwi's and it scared them straight on drinking and driving so getting two that close sort of screams issue in my mind. All that aside I hope you guys turn him around and wish you the best in your upcoming season except for Oct 29th...

 

Good post.

 

Good post as long as you're wishing for an individual player to turn his life around then I'm ok.

[kingkat99]

Here is how some SHSU fans feel about Odense

 

http://katfans.com/newforum/

 

I think those SHSU fans will have always have an inferiority complex when it comes to Lamar and Texas State. No matter how well their teams do nobody gives a damn!! Their athletic department knows this too, or why else schedule your season opener on a Thursday night? When only maybe 5000 fans show for the game they have a ready made excuse!

 

Thursday night games at the FCS level are pretty common as evidenced by the fact that SHSU, SFA, Central Ark., Northwestern, and Nicholls St all have their season opener on Thursday Sept 1...but you are incorrect about the attendance it will be high because as a suitcase college there tends to be a larger turn out since students are still in town on a Thursday night. One of the benefits of a commuter school is students can come back for events since "home" is just down the road....

[coachacola]

From the "In The Cards" blog: Oden mum on decision, will talk Monday...

 

Former Arkansas offensive lineman Anthony Oden declined Sunday to say if he will join the Lamar University football team.

 

Oden, who watched practice during a visit to the school last week, said he will talk Monday with coach Ray Woodard.

 

“I’m going to talk to the coach tomorrow,” Oden said by phone.

 

Link: http://blog.beaumontenterprise.com/inthecards/2011/08/07/oden-mum-on-decision-will-talk-monday/

[coachacola]

Here is how some SHSU fans feel about Odense

 

http://katfans.com/newforum/

 

I think those SHSU fans will have always have an inferiority complex when it comes to Lamar and Texas State. No matter how well their teams do nobody gives a damn!! Their athletic department knows this too, or why else schedule your season opener on a Thursday night? When only maybe 5000 fans show for the game they have a ready made excuse!

 

Thursday night games at the FCS level are pretty common as evidenced by the fact that SHSU, SFA, Central Ark., Northwestern, and Nicholls St all have their season opener on Thursday Sept 1...but you are incorrect about the attendance it will be high because as a suitcase college there tends to be a larger turn out since students are still in town on a Thursday night. One of the benefits of a commuter school is students can come back for events since "home" is just down the road....

 

I just don't understand having season openers on a Thursday night. The first game of the season should get the most hype and attract the most fans, plus college football was meant to be played on Saturdays. If it's a TV game then I can understand doing it for the money and publicity, otherwise I don't like it. As far as SHSU's attendance goes, that was all said in fun.

[Guest NorthoftheBorder]

I think programs like Lamar, SHSU or Tx State/UTSA for that matter have to take chances on players like Oden. I agree with KingKat99 in that the LU coaches should be/have vetted him out about where he is with his drinking issue. It is no different than what we have all seen with the major programs like UT, A&M, LSU, Ohio State, Florida, U of Miami. They recruit kids every year that have issues and lets not hide our head in the sand thinking they don't know about it before they show up on campus. Don't get me wrong, I believe in running a clean program that works hard for championships and also holds the players accountable to a higher standard. If Oden has a productive (lets hope he has an all american career) career at LU and in the process gets his act together and matures into a responsible citizen, then college athletics has served its purpose.

[TBonesLU]

I think programs like Lamar, SHSU or Tx State/UTSA for that matter have to take chances on players like Oden. I agree with KingKat99 in that the LU coaches should be/have vetted him out about where he is with his drinking issue. It is no different than what we have all seen with the major programs like UT, A&M, LSU, Ohio State, Florida, U of Miami. They recruit kids every year that have issues and lets not hide our head in the sand thinking they don't know about it before they show up on campus. Don't get me wrong, I believe in running a clean program that works hard for championships and also holds the players accountable to a higher standard. If Oden has a productive (lets hope he has an all american career) career at LU and in the process gets his act together and matures into a responsible citizen, then college athletics has served its purpose.

 

+ like 6

[kingkat99]

I couldn't agree with you more on the Thursday night home openers Coach. It supposedly is done so that it is more of a "university" wide event, but it's a wasted game day experience for out of town season ticket holders like myself who have to leave work early just to get to the game by kickoff and tailgating is totally out of the question...but our AD does lots of things witness regards to scheduling that make no sense to me, kinda like 2pm kickoffs....I hate them.

[Guest CardAmbassador]

From the "In The Cards" blog: Oden mum on decision, will talk Monday...

 

Former Arkansas offensive lineman Anthony Oden declined Sunday to say if he will join the Lamar University football team.

 

Oden, who watched practice during a visit to the school last week, said he will talk Monday with coach Ray Woodard.

 

“I’m going to talk to the coach tomorrow,” Oden said by phone.

 

Link: http://blog.beaumontenterprise.com/inthecards/2011/08/07/oden-mum-on-decision-will-talk-monday/

 

It's good that Oden waits to talk to coach before he talks to the media, I think he is playing everything safe. IMO this is as good as done though, he just doesn't want to say anything unless Woodard's OK with it.

[Guest NorthoftheBorder]

From the "In The Cards" blog: Oden mum on decision, will talk Monday...

 

Former Arkansas offensive lineman Anthony Oden declined Sunday to say if he will join the Lamar University football team.

 

Oden, who watched practice during a visit to the school last week, said he will talk Monday with coach Ray Woodard.

 

“I’m going to talk to the coach tomorrow,” Oden said by phone.

 

Link: http://blog.beaumontenterprise.com/inthecards/2011/08/07/oden-mum-on-decision-will-talk-monday/

 

It's good that Oden waits to talk to coach before he talks to the media, I think he is playing everything safe. IMO this is as good as done though, he just doesn't want to say anything unless Woodard's OK with it.

 

CA, Fox 4 sure has gone out on a limb if this is in any way iffy?

[Guest CardAmbassador]

From the "In The Cards" blog: Oden mum on decision, will talk Monday...

 

Former Arkansas offensive lineman Anthony Oden declined Sunday to say if he will join the Lamar University football team.

 

Oden, who watched practice during a visit to the school last week, said he will talk Monday with coach Ray Woodard.

 

“I’m going to talk to the coach tomorrow,” Oden said by phone.

 

Link: http://blog.beaumontenterprise.com/inthecards/2011/08/07/oden-mum-on-decision-will-talk-monday/

 

It's good that Oden waits to talk to coach before he talks to the media, I think he is playing everything safe. IMO this is as good as done though, he just doesn't want to say anything unless Woodard's OK with it.

 

CA, Fox 4 sure has gone out on a limb if this is in any way iffy?

 

Exactly, and with the amount of detail they provided in that report, recall them mentioning Oden's flight home, it must be accurate.

 

Dabe tried to speak directly to Oden, Fox 4 has a good relationship with the coaching staff, I'm sure they got their info from one of the coaches.

[LU1991]

Any news on when we can see this guy practice???

[coachacola]

According to the Beaumont Enterprise, it's official now, Lamar has signed Oden.

[Guest CardAmbassador]

According to the Beaumont Enterprise, it's official now, Lamar has signed Oden.

 

They're only two days late in confirming this. B)

 

Seriously though, good news, I didn't know he helped his HS basketball team win a state championship, maybe Oden really could play for Knight too.

[Guest NickKBTV]

BEAUMONT – Lamar University will get a huge addition to its football team later this week. Huge, that is, as in 6-foot-8 and 328 pounds.

 

Anthony Oden, who in 2009 became the first offensive lineman to start at the University of Arkansas since 2001, is expected to join Cardinal workouts as soon as he can get relocated to Beaumont. He appeared only in the Razorbacks’ early-season game against Louisiana-Monroe last year and was granted a medical redshirt by the NCAA after encountering a season-ending illness.

 

Oden, the younger brother of National Basketball Association star Greg Oden Jr. of the Portland Trailblazers, will have three years of eligibility remaining, beginning immediately. He will play at one of the offensive tackles, and head coach Ray Woodard said his position on the depth chart will be determined after he goes through a couple of weeks of practices leading up to the Cardinals’ season opener against Texas College in 16,00-seat Provost Umphrey Stadium on Sept. 3.

 

As a freshman in 2009, Oden blocked for an Arkansas team that led the Southeastern Conference in scoring offense (36.0 points-per-game average) and passing offense (average of 295.5 yards per game) and was third in total offense (427.3 yards per game). The Razorbacks ranked 10th in the nation in passing offense that season, 20th in total offense, ninth in scoring and 11th in passing efficiency.

 

“Certainly, because of his size, we are looking forward to having Anthony as a member of our football team,” said Woodard, who guided the Cardinals to a 5-6 record during the 2010 season, the school’s first since resurrecting the program after a 21-year hiatus. “He has great feet to go with his size, and I’m looking forward to seeing him in a Lamar uniform.

 

Oden is a native of Indianapolis, and he is a former teammate of current Lamar offensive tackle Daniel Campbell (6-5 and 345 pounds), a transfer from Navarro College, at Hargrave, Va. Military Academy. He attended Hargrave, a prep school, after graduating from Indianapolis North High School in 2008, and he helped lead Hargrave to a 10-1 record.

 

Oden split time between tight end and defensive end during his high school career, and he also starred in basketball, helping to lead his team to a state championship.