Oklahoma Sooners College Football Preview 2021: Defense
– Yeah, this isn’t your older brother’s Oklahoma defense. You remember 2018, right? The Sooners allowed over six yards per play and got ripped up by anyone who could put 11 guys on the field. In came Alex Grinch, and all of a sudden the OU defense was good – and last year it was fabulous.
The Sooners made the transformation from a Defense Optional team to No. 3 in the Big 12 overall – everyone had to push to keep up – and among the best in the country at taking the ball away. It was a rock against the run, the best in the Big 12 in sacks, and almost all of the main men are coming back.
– DE Ronnie Perkins is a New England Patriot and CB/Nickel Tre Norwood is a Pittsburgh Steeler. Follow DB Brendan Radley-Hiles left for the Washington Huskies, but that’s about it. There were a few nice parts of the rotation who also left, but for the most part, the Sooner D is loaded, but it all starts with …
– The defensive backs. If this group is strong, the defense will be a brick wall. Norwood and Radley-Hiles were good, but Jaden Davis – Norwood led the team with five picks – and now there’s a little work to be done at corner and nickel. Woodi Washington tied for third on the team with 45 tackles, and DJ Graham and Jaden Davis are solid young options who’ll work their way in. They’ll be okay; the safeties will be fantastic.
Delarrin Turner-Yell was second on the team with 52 stops and Pat Fields is a versatile option at corner or as a good-hitting safety. Those two should be all-stars. Again, if the defensive backs are solid, everything else should rock because …
– The front seven is very deep and very, very good. The defensive tackle combination of Perrion Winfrey and Isaiah Thomas isn’t huge, but the 262-pound Thomas – he’s really an end – led the team with 8.5 sacks with 13 tackles for loss, and the 290-pound Winfrey came up with an All-Big 12 season on the anchor on the nose.
Perkins was the tone-setting star after he was back in the mix halfway through the season, but Thomas should move to the outside and 284-pound sophomore Jalen Redmond will likely play a big role at tackle.
– LB Nik Bonitto will be in the hunt for Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors. The 234-pounder did a little of everything, shining brightest as a dangerous pass rusher who was always in the quarterback’s face.
Bonitto will get all the pub and the love, but the combination of Brian Asamoah, DaShaun White, and David Ugwoegbu will do all the tough work on the inside. Asmoah led the team with 66 stops, but White and Ugwoegbu will be stat-sheet fillers, too.
– What You Need To Know: Offense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Oklahoma Football Schedule Analysis