Spring football nears for the Oklahoma Sooners. With the return of football days away, Sooners Wire takes a look at each position group ahead of camp. Safety is up next for the Crimson and Cream.
Alex Grinch’s last line of defense will look the same in 2021 with the return of intended starters Delarrin Turner-Yell and Pat Fields. Keshawn Lawrence and Bryson Washington provide valuable depth options.
Oklahoma’s defense has significantly improved in recent years under Grinch’s leadership, and the eye discipline issues in the secondary are a distant memory — one Sooners fans are proud to cast aside.
Putting a halt to the running/passing game of Big 12 opponents is no easy feat, and OU’s defense is poised for a promising year with the continuity in the backfield.
Strong Safety
Starter: Delarrin Turner-Yell
Turner-Yell will likely start in the fall at strong safety for Oklahoma. He ranked second on the team in 2020 with 52 total tackles in 10 games. One of his most notable performances last season came against Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship. Turner-Yell tied the team-high with six tackles in the squad’s victory.
He is disruptive against the run, limiting ball carriers near the line of scrimmage with wrap-up tackles. Turner-Yell is effective on blitzes, forcing errant throws or sacking the quarterback. A powerhouse and difference maker in the middle of the backfield for Oklahoma, he will strive to improve his draft stock in 2021. Keshawn Lawrence provides solid depth behind Turner-Yell. Lawrence entered the transfer portal following his 2020 season at Tennessee, and the Sooners landed the former top-100 recruit. He played as a box safety against A&M for the Volunteers, and Grinch will add him into the mix in Norman.
Free Safety
Starter: Pat Fields
Fields will start at free safety for OU. In 2020, Fields ranked third on the team with 45 total tackles. He was a difference-maker in critical games for the Sooners. Fields posted a team-high eight tackles in the Cotton Bowl win over Florida and recorded his first interception and six tackles in the Big 12 Championship victory over Iowa State.
To sit back and survey opposing offenses is a pressure-filled job, and Fields makes it look effortless with his instincts/football intelligence. He is productive moving up to fill on run plays and possesses great ball-tracking ability/vision on pass plays. Fields will work to make a mark in 2021 as a staple in OU’s secondary. Bryson Washington is a serviceable depth option behind Fields and is a contributor on special teams. The former four-star recruit has stellar vertical speed and athleticism that Grinch will use as a part of his arsenal this upcoming season.