Long's Contract Inspires Future Sooner

Oklahoma signee Stephen Good was impressed and inspired Tuesday by Jake Long's signing as the No. 1 draft pick by the Miami Dolphins. Good talked to Sooners Illustrated about his idol, his '15 minutes of fame' at the OU Red-White Game and more as he prepares to make his move to Norman in just over a month.

The numbers blew Stephen Good away.

Five years, $57.75 million.

$30 million guaranteed.

That was the contract signed Tuesday by Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long, who will become the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft on Saturday by the Miami Dolphins.

“He’s been my idol for a while,” Good said. “It’s awesome that he’s going to be the No. 1 draft pick.

“It gives me that extra incentive and tells me I need to do what he’s been doing.”

Good is one of Oklahoma’s highly-touted offensive linemen from the 2008 signing class and will be on campus beginning in early June. A four-star recruit, he was the No. 3 offensive guard in the country, although he played tackle for Paris (Texas) High.

Good was on hand earlier this month for Oklahoma’s Red-White Game. He got a little taste of what his life is going to be like the next four years as he was the subject of several autograph and picture requests by Sooner fans.

“It was pretty cool. I didn’t expect people to recognize me because I’m an offensive lineman,” he said. “I could see it if I played quarterback or running back, but not offensive line.

“I guess I got my 15 minutes of fame, but I can’t let it get to me. I was on Cloud Nine for a while, but my dad brought me down to earth pretty quickly.”

Good also had time to take in the action on the field.

“People talk about the offense struggling, but it’s spring,” he said. “There’s always room for improvement and I don’t think you can really tell anything until two-a-days anyway.”

One thing Good did like was the no-huddle offense the Sooners have been experimenting with.

“We ran it all the time my junior year (at Paris),” Good said. “It’s something you can use to confuse the defense and it really wears down the defensive line.

“And there’s no time for the offensive line to get tired.”

Good, who’s heard all the stories about OU strength coach Jerry Schmidt, is preparing for what he expects to be a brutal summer.

The U.S. Army All-American is lifting daily using a program provided by the Sooners, then working out with a trainer at night, concentrating on core and conditioning.

Good also just wrapped up his powerlifting season in which he benched 500 pounds, squatted 625 and deadlifted 625.

It’s all in preparation for his future as a Sooner. And who knows, in three or four years, it could be Good signing that huge contract.

“That’s something you dream about,” he said.