Oklahoma Transfer Portal Target Geno VanDeMark Staying at Michigan State
Oklahoma has been left in a precarious situation heading into the offseason as the Sooners will have to replace all five starting offensive linemen from 2023 thanks to graduation, draft declarations, and a surprise transfer portal entry.
Because of that, OU has been a big player in the portal when it comes to offensive linemen. The Sooners have already landed Michigan State transfer tackle Spencer Brown and former North Texas freshman All-American guard Febechi Nwaiwu, but they’re looking to add a few more pieces still.
One of Bill Bedenbaugh’s main targets was Geno VanDeMark, a former teammate of the aforementioned Spencer Brown at Michigan State. Listed at 6-foot-5, 320 pounds, VanDeMark made two starts as a redshirt freshman last season and was the full-time starter at right guard for the Spartans in 2023.
He entered the portal following the season and appeared to be on track to landing in Norman, but has now decided to withdraw his name from the portal and remain in East Lansing, according to On3’s Matt Zenitz.
VanDeMark was listed as a four-star prospect out of high school and held offers from over 20 programs, including Miami, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Ultimately, he decided that Michigan State was the right fit, and now the Spartans have earned his commitment a second time.
His withdrawal sends Oklahoma back to the drawing board with a need for at least one more interior offensive lineman with experience, if not two or three more. Heading into the SEC with no experience at center or guard would be a nightmare for the Sooners, so I’d expect them to start pushing a little harder to land one of the better players available at those spots in the coming weeks.
