Sooners DT Isaiah Coe returning to Oklahoma for 2023

Oklahoma Sooners defensive tackle Isaiah Coe to return for 2023.

With the season over, there are a lot of decisions to be made for many of Oklahoma’s players. Itโ€™s a period of self-reflection which lines up perfectly with the start of the new calendar year. As they consider their future, several players have decisions to make.

Oklahomaโ€™s seen plenty of defections to the transfer portal, with a number of them coming before the Sooners departed for Orlando to play in the Cheez-It Bowl. On top of the additions to the portal, the Sooners also lost five (and counting) starters to the NFL Draft.

Needless to say, some gaps need to be filled for Oklahoma if they truly hope to improve on their 2022 record of 6-7.

Receiving confirmation that one of their more impactful interior defensive linemen is returning is huge news for the Sooners.

Isaiah Coe announced via social media that he is returning for the 2023 season. With the departure of [autotag]Jeffery Johnson[/autotag] to graduation and [autotag]Jalen Redmond[/autotag] early to the NFL draft, Coeโ€™s return gives Oklahoma some veteran stability in the interior.

Coe and [autotag]Jordan Kelley[/autotag] become the elder statesman of the defensive tackle room. They look to be front runners to start at defensive tackle in 2023.

In 2022, Coe only recorded two sacks 2022. Still, his ability to take on double teams, get penetration and disrupt plays, especially in the run game, was especially evident in the latter parts of the season. He finished fourth on the team in tackles for loss with eight behind Ethan Downs, Danny Stutsman, and Jalen Redmond. All while playing 80 fewer snaps on the season than Redmond and finishing tied for third among interior defensive linemen in snaps.

With Jeffery Johnson and Jalen Redmond moving on, look for Coe to be a crucial part of the defense and a leader in the defensive tackle rotation in 2023.

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