One of the more important developments in the 2021 season was the emergence of defensive back [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag] as a versatile starter for the Oklahoma Sooners. Lawrence came to Oklahoma as a safety, but with [autotag]Pat Fields[/autotag] and [autotag]Delarrin Turner-Yell[/autotag] ahead of him on the depth chart, it was difficult to break into a starting role at that spot.
Instead, Lawrence would play a variety of roles for [autotag]Alex Grinch[/autotag], lining up in the slot and at cornerback to get his tackling and physicality on the field. What was discovered is that Key Lawrence is really good, wherever you put him.
With Fields gone to Stanford as a grad transfer and Turner-Yell off to the NFL, opportunities abound for Lawrence at safety for the Oklahoma Sooners. Because he moved around for Oklahoma last year, and with a new defensive installation happening this spring, Lawrence is still learning, but safeties coach Brandon Hall likes what he’s seeing from Lawrence.
“He’s one of our more experienced guys, out of the two-deep guys, obviously, he’s played the most. At the same time… he’s not played a lot of snaps at that position. And so I think, you know, he’s doing better he’s getting there,” Hall said of Lawrence’s work this spring.
With a new defense and a new position in the defense, there’s a learning curve for everyone, but from Hall’s perspective Lawrence is picking things up ahead of Oklahoma’s spring game on April 23. “He’s doing a really good job. Again, he cares. He’s asking lots of good questions, and he’s going to be a really good player.”
As the Oklahoma Sooners replace six starters on their defense, Key Lawrence will need to take another step forward in his development. In 2021, we saw glimpses of a star in the making. Now, it’s time for that star to shine bright as the Oklahoma Sooners look to reclaim their Big 12 crown.
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