DaShaun White – Page 7 – Syndication Server

Athlon Sports pegs Oklahoma No. 2 in early 2022 Big 12 power rankings

According to Athlon Sports’ early 2022 Big 12 power rankings, the Sooners will very much be back in the hunt of a conference championship.

The 2022 college football season is still a long ways off. Just 216 days away. Or, seven months and four days. Or, 30 weeks and six days. You get the picture.

Still, it’s never too early to start thinking about what the Big 12 conference will look like in 2022 and where the Sooners slot into that picture.

Athlon Sports writer Steven Lassan released his early Big 12 football predictions for 2022 several weeks ago and he has Oklahoma No. 2 in his first power rankings.

Here’s what Lassan wrote about OU.

It’s been a busy offseason in Norman, but new coach Brent Venables has the pieces in place to push for a Big 12 title. Assuming Caleb Williams doesn’t return, UCF transfer Dillon Gabriel should take over the quarterback spot and reunite with his former coach (and coordinator) in Jeff Lebby. The Sooners lost running back Kennedy Brooks and a couple of linemen to the NFL, but Gabriel’s arrival should keep this offense near the top of the conference. Venables was one of the nation’s top defensive signal-callers at Clemson and should make an impact right away on this side of the ball for the Sooners. – Lassan, Athlon Sports.

Lassan had Baylor as his preseason No. 1 in his first Big 12 power rankings. After Oklahoma at No. 2, Lassan listed Oklahoma State No. 3, Texas No. 4, Kansas State No. 5, TCU No. 6, Iowa State No. 7, Texas Tech No. 8, West Virginia No. 9 and Kansas No. 10.

Now that Jaxson Dart has made his decision to transfer to Ole Miss official, Oklahoma knows that its starting quarterback will be UCF transfer Dillon Gabriel.

With 70 passing touchdowns and 8,037 passing yards over the course of his 25 starts with UCF, Gabriel brings a wealth of starting experience to his signal-calling duties in Norman.

Offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby has historically featured his No. 1 wide receivers prominently within his offenses. For example, in 2019 with Gabriel directing his offense at UCF, wide receiver Gabriel Davis caught 72 receptions for 1,241 receiving yards and hauled in 12 touchdown grabs.

In 2020 at Ole Miss, wide receiver Elijah Moore reeled in 86 grabs for 1,193 receiving yards and caught eight touchdowns. Then, in 2021, Ole Miss wide receiver Dontario Drummond recorded 76 receptions for 1,028 receiving yards and snagged eight touchdown grabs.

There’s probably a happy medium to be found where receptions are dispersed a little more evenly. At Ole Miss, Moore and Drummond had 59 and 50 more receptions than the next-closest wide receiver, respectively. It wasn’t nearly as drastic in 2019 at UCF, where Davis’ 72 receptions were closely followed by Marlon Williams’ 51 grabs and Tre Nixon’s 49 catches.

It’s safe to say Lebby and Gabriel have their No. 1 target at OU in wide receiver Marvin Mims, though. Mims has been the Sooners’ leading receiver each of the past two seasons with 610 receiving yards in 2020 and 705 receiving yards in 2021.

Still, he only caught 37 and 32 receptions in those two seasons, so look for those numbers to radically climb upwards. The return of wide receiver Theo Wease and the potential emergence of wide receiver Jalil Farooq should have the Sooners’ receiving stable in good hands.

OU brought in Cal transfer McKade Mettauer who had 28 career starts at right guard to help offset the losses of Marquis Hayes and Tyrese Robinson up front along Oklahoma’s offensive line. It figures that he’ll be helping pave the way for either Eric Gray or Marcus Major at running back. The Sooners also signed a pair of four-star running backs in Jovantae Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk.

Oklahoma’s offensive skill talent surrounding Gabriel should be one of its strengths heading into 2022.

Defensively, Oklahoma is replacing six starters. OU added experience along its defensive line via the transfer portal in Tulane transfer Jeffery Johnson and Hawaii transfer Jonah Laulu. That pair combined for 77 tackles and 6.5 sacks in 2021.

The Sooners also bring back defensive tackle Jalen Redmond who is ready for a starring role. In just eight games in 2021, Redmond finished with eight tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. He’s registered 21.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks in his Oklahoma career.

OU got good news when linebacker DaShaun White announced his plans to return. White has made 36 career starts at Oklahoma and recorded 169 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.

On the back end, Oklahoma returns probable starters D.J. Graham and Woodi Washington at cornerback and Key Lawrence figures to start at one of the two vacated safety positions. The Sooners also added a trio of defensive backs from the transfer portal in Wyoming transfer C.J. Coldon, North Carolina transfer Trey Morrison and Louisville transfer Kani Walker.

In short, there’s a lot to be decided between now and the start of the 2022 season in terms of who will start for Oklahoma, especially defensively. OU used the transfer portal to effectively position itself to withstand NFL Draft and outgoing transfer portal departures. The Sooners are as good a candidate as anybody else to capture the 2022 Big 12 Championship in head coach Brent Venables’ first season at the helm.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

[listicle id=52680]

Linebacker Oklahoma’s biggest strength heading into 2022 according to ESPN

Looking ahead to 2022, ESPN’s Chris Low argues that linebacker is the strength of the new-look Oklahoma Sooners.

The Oklahoma Sooners are in the midst of a transition. It’s arguably the first one that’s taken place since Bob Stoops took over for John Blake in the late 90s. While they experienced a coaching change going from Stoops to Lincoln Riley, the 2017 was pretty much set before Bob suddenly retired and handed the keys to the kingdom over to Riley.

Now, with Riley’s departure and those that left in the transfer portal, Brent Venables and his staff are having to retool the roster and remake it in his image. One could argue they’re getting more defensive, specifically adding bulk to the interior and big, fast, athletic linebackers to the second level. It isn’t so much about simply speed, but about being stout at the point of attack and letting his athletic linebackers run and hit. And it’s that linebacker corp that looks like a major strength heading into 2022.

According to ESPN’s Chris Low, looking ahead to 2022, it’s the linebackers that appear to be the Sooners greatest strength.

The Oklahoma roster will look almost completely different in 2022 under first-year coach Brent Venables, which includes having to replace six starters on defense. But the Sooners still feel good about their talent on the defensive side of the ball, particularly their depth at linebacker. Senior DaShaun White is returning for a fifth season after collecting a career-high 60 tackles a year ago. Senior David Ogwoegbu started at middle linebacker in the Alamo Bowl and returns along with junior Shane Whitter and sophomore Danny Stutsman, who showed great promise as a freshman last season but missed part of the year with an injury. In addition, Clemson transfer Jaren Kanak has the size and speed to be a hybrid-type player for the Sooners. Venables recruited Kanak to Clemson, and Kanak’s speed makes him a natural in Venables’ defense. – Low

Throw in Kobie McKinzie and Kip Lewis and the Sooners have an incredibly deep group of players that could contribute in 2022 under Brent Venables and defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Ted Roof.

White and Ogwoegbu will be the leaders at the position and likely play the most, but don’t sleep on Stutsman and Whitter to provide significant snaps for the Sooners. T.D. Roof, who transferred in from Appalachian State provides another experienced player to a group that lost Brian Asamoah to the NFL draft.

He mentions Jaren Kanak as a transfer, but the incoming freshman was one of the more significant recruiting flips of the 2022 recruiting class. His size and speed could provide a tremendous boost in certain situations even if he doesn’t work his way onto the field for a full snap count. Particularly as a special teams player, a guy like Kanak could make a significant contribution in year one.

While the rest of the roster seemed to take hits to their depth, the linebackers stacked talent on the depth chart through the 2022 recruiting class and the transfer portal with a guy like T.D. Roof.

It’s as deep a position group as there is for the 2022 Oklahoma Sooners and that group is deep for the future as well. If the defensive front looks as stout as it should with the additions of Jonah Laulu and Jeffrey Johnson, added to an already impressive Jalen Redmond, the linebackers should have a blast running free and chasing down ball carriers.

‘Unfinished Business’: DaShaun White returning to the Oklahoma Sooners for the 2022 season

After losing 6 defensive starters, the Oklahoma Sooners got some good news with DaShaun White’s decision to return for the 2922 season.

The Oklahoma Sooners have seen a ton of turnover this off-season, particularly on the defensive side of the ball where they’ve lost six starters (5 to the NFL, 1 grad transfer). At the same time, the Sooners are bringing in an entirely new defensive staff.

With Brian Asamoah one of the NFL draft declarations, the Sooners lost a veteran leader and one of their more important second level defenders. The Oklahoma Sooners have options to replace him, but thankfully they won’t have to replace both of their starting linebackers heading into 2022.

DaShaun White announced via social media that he’s got “unfinished business” and will be with the Sooners for the 2022 season.

Unfinished business. pic.twitter.com/Fv92pDRkt5

— DaShaun White (@Demoeto) January 14, 2022

White returns to the Sooners after a nice 2021 season. He set career highs in tackles with 60 after playing in 12 games for Oklahoma. Over four seasons, he’s played in 41 games (five his freshman season). With 4.5 tackles he was half a tackle shy of his 2020 total, which is a career high for White.

DaShaun White returns to a linebacker room that is as deep as any position on the Oklahoma Sooners heading into 2022. David Ugwoegbu, Shane Whittier, and Danny Stutsman figure to lead the way for the Sooners linebacker corps that will be joined by 2022 freshmen Kobie McKinzie, Jaren Kanak, and Kip Lewis.

As a fifth-year senior White will be the unquestioned leader on the defense, taking over for Caleb Kelly who graduated and is entering life after football.

With the departure of Asamoah to the NFL, having DaShaun White return is huge for continuity as the Sooners welcome new faces into the locker room and on the coaching staff.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.

[listicle id=49919]

3 Defensive players to watch for the Oklahoma Sooners in the Valero Alamo Bowl

It’s the season finale in the Valero Alamo Bowl. Here’s three key Sooners to watch on defense against the Oregon Ducks.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz7cqqgxy50qwt player_id=none image=https://soonerswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

It’s officially gameday for the Valero Alamo Bowl where Oklahoma puts a wrap on its 2021 season against the Oregon Ducks at 8:15 p.m. on ESPN.

Oklahoma’s defense will be led by inside linebackers coach Brian Odom who is off to join Lincoln Riley and coach the same position at USC in 2022. Odom will be serving as a defensive play-caller for the first time in this game against the Ducks.

Odom knows the Sooners are set to face a talented Oregon team.

“I think that Oregon is going to be a tremendous challenge for us on the defensive side of the ball. I’ve always had a lot of great respect for the offense at Oregon and how they do things and how they’ve done it in the past. I faced them multiple years when I worked in the Pac-12 Conference. Obviously a tremendous amount of respect for the University of Oregon football team, and I know a lot of those coaches personally, and they all do a great job. We’ve got our work cut out for us on game day,” Odom said.

Four defensive starters opted out of this game against Oregon: linebacker Brian Asamoah, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, defensive lineman Isaiah Thomas and defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey.

Let’s take a look at three players that will be key against the Ducks.

Senior linebacker DaShaun White

With Asamoah out of the equation, that opens the door for junior linebacker David Ugwoegbu and freshman linebacker Danny Stutsman to have larger roles. It also means that senior linebacker DaShaun White needs his best in what could be his final game with OU.

The North Richland Hills, Texas, product is third on the Sooners with 60 tackles on the season, including five tackles for loss.

As one of Oklahoma’s team leaders and a senior, White described what the last several weeks have been like with Riley leaving, interim head coach Bob Stoops stepping in and Brent Venables being named OU’s new head coach.

“I don’t know if any of the last few months having normal, but I would say for me it’s really just been about enjoying the moment, embracing all the opportunities I have with my teammates, the coaches. Just spending a lot of time with them on and off the field. It’s as simple as that to me.

“Just trying to make the best of every situation with this team, and we’ve got one last one to go after, and that’s the one we’re focused on, and honestly just can’t wait to be able to go out there and hit the field with these guys,” White said.

Up Next: Defensive Front Key to the Sooners Success

Pages: 12

Oklahoma assistant coaches taking the ‘high road’ by returning for OU’s bowl game versus Oregon

Oklahoma’s DaShaun White and Reggie Grimes expressed gratitude that their assistant coaches are returning for the bowl game versus Oregon.

Lincoln Riley leaving Oklahoma for USC meant sweeping changes at OU. It’s led to an overhaul of the defensive coaching staff.

Of course, Brent Venables is Oklahoma’s new head coach, but Ted Roof, Miguel Chavis and Brandon Hall are also in as defensive coaches.

Roof is Oklahoma’s new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, Chavis will coach defensive ends and Hall is set to coach safeties.

In the process, OU’s set of assistant coaches from this 2021 season were left to find other opportunities. Defensive line coach Calvin Thibodeaux is off to coach at SMU and linebackers coach Brian Odom and outside linebackers and defensive ends coach Jamar Cain are joining Riley at USC.

All three are returning to help Oklahoma finish its season in the Valero Alamo Bowl against Oregon on Dec. 29, though.

“I really appreciate Calvin Thibodeaux, Brian Odom and Jamar Cain came back to help our guys finish. They’ve been in the office working on game plan. They want to finish this with a win and help our players get an opportunity to win so appreciate that,” interim head coach Bob Stoops said.

Stoops announced last week that Odom would serve as Oklahoma’s defensive play-caller. It’s something that’s not lost on the players either.

Senior linebacker DaShaun White explained how much it meant to him to have Odom return against Oregon.

“Words couldn’t, you know, put it or I couldn’t even really express how much I appreciate him. Just him really taking the high road here and doing something that he really doesn’t have to do. I think that just speaks about his character and who he is as a person, which is something that we’ve all known here for a long time. Excited to be able to play for him. Thankful that he would step in and do this for us and just how selfless he is and how willing he is to take on such a big, big role for this school in a time of need. Like I said, I think it just really speaks out to who he is as a person. Really appreciative of coach Odom,” White said.

Sophomore defensive end Reggie Grimes echoed White’s thoughts on Cain, Odom and Thibodeaux choosing to return for the bowl game.

“Man, nothing but love. Those are the guys we started with, so I’d have no problem finishing with those guys. Coach Thib especially. He recruited me and I met coach Cain. He came here that January, but coach Thibs recruited me. So, to have him back and then to have coach Cain back the guy who’s been my position coach since I got here, and to kind of have one last ride with the coaching staff that we have, I think it’s really important, really special and really speaks to their characters,” Grimes said.

There’s been less turnover with the offensive coaching staff, though Cale Gundy will assume the offensive play-calling role in the bowl game against Oregon.

“That was a big thing. Having coach Murray, coach Finley, coach Bedenbaugh, coach Gundy staying. There’s a lot of interaction with those guys over my two years being here, especially coach Murray and coach Gundy,” sophomore wide receiver Marvin Mims said.

For now, it’s a conversation for another day, but Mims is excited with what new offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby will bring to the program next season.

“Having coach Lebby come I think it’s a huge plus for this program. Especially with his experience, his resume, the things he’s done at other colleges. I mean, it’s something that’s a huge positive. He’s also an alumni to this school, so that’s another positive for us as a program. I’ve talked to him a couple times. He’s a really cool guy. I love his personality. I love how he is, his character,” Mims said.

In the meantime, Oklahoma is appreciative that Cain, Odom and Thibodeaux decided to finish this season out by coaching against Oregon.

The Sooners kick off against the Ducks at 8:15 p.m. on ESPN on Dec. 29 in the program’s first appearance in the Valero Alamo Bowl.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.

[listicle id=49643]

‘It’s a great fit’: Oklahoma players share their thoughts on the hiring of head coach Brent Venables

Oklahoma’s players shared their thoughts on the hiring of their new head football coach Brent Venables.

Sophomore defensive end Reggie Grimes is prepared to run through a wall for new Oklahoma head football coach Brent Venables, so it’s safe to say the early reviews have been positive.

“It’s definitely a shift, because Oklahoma’s always been or has been for the past couple years, past few years, offense. They’re known for their dynamic, explosive offense. Now, to have in coach Venables’ words a suffocating defense. To have a coach like that who’s more focused on the defensive side of the ball, more emphasis on the defensive side of the ball. There’s definitely a shift. You can see him in just from some of the players, man. At least for me, I’d run through a wall for that guy just because it’s different. It’s not bad, but it’s different and I enjoy that,” Grimes said of Venables’ hiring.

Grimes’ relationship with Venables dates back to Clemson’s recruitment of him.

“We had a lot of conversations on and off. He was definitely my guy up there at Clemson. I wanted to run through a wall for him then. It didn’t necessarily shake out that I went to Clemson, but guess what? I’m here. I ended up going here. Fun stuff. And now he’s here, so it’s really just kind of the feelings reignited,” Grimes said.

The Antioch, Tenn., native knows Venables’ track record, but, more importantly, he’s been struck by the type of person that Venables is.

“I love that guy. Just the stuff he’s said. He’s going to coach us hard, but he’s going to love us harder. He’s been the gold standard for what a defense is the past 15 years. When you have a guy like that and you have a guy like that who’s talked to you multiple times one on one, then you understand and you realize that this is how, this is what it’s going to be. When you have a guy who’s coached in all these national championships, when you have a guy who again has been the standard for defense, then I think that it’s really special and it’s really important that I get to play for that guy,” Grimes said.

Senior linebacker DaShaun White is still getting a feel for his new head coach in Venables and Oklahoma’s new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach moving forward in Ted Roof. Again, their character is what stood out to White.

“I think that the biggest thing that stood out to me so far, because I think I’ve only sat down and talked to each of them once so far, but the biggest thing that stood out to me is just who they are as people more than ball coaches. I can sit here and tell you about me being really impressed by Roof’s football mind because I really was, but I think that what really stood out to me was him talking about his family and just his aspirations outside of this game. Things that he’s interested in. I think that just sort of getting a feel for who they both are as men is something that’s really important to me,” White said.

White touched on how a new coaching staff also means excitement about new opportunities in addition to a different vision and identity.

“It’s one of those things I feel like everyone’s just really sort of excited for what’s coming. It’s that simple. I think the defense especially. Guys like me on the defensive side of the ball are especially a little bit excited, but I think that everyone’s really excited for a fresh start. Sort of feel a new identity. A lot of things go into this. It’s a big opportunity for a lot of different people. I think it’s a big opportunity that a lot of people are looking forward to,” White said.

It also gives White something else to consider when the time comes to make a decision on whether or not he’ll make use of his extra season of eligibility granted by the NCAA as relief for the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Well with a coaching staff like the one coming here right now, you definitely want to make sure you weigh out your options. You weigh out your options thoroughly, because come on coach Venables. He’s got it. He’s that defensive coach. Obviously, something that I’m going to sit back and be able to weigh my options on both sides. Talk to my family and be able to get somewhere where I’m 100 percent comfortable and behind the decision that I choose,” White said.

Redshirt junior running back Kennedy Brooks compared Brent Venables’ experience to the Sooners’ current interim head coach Bob Stoops.

“I think it’s a great fit. Just like Bob was a defensive coach. I think it’s a great fit to be a head coach. He seems like a fun guy and somebody that’s going to be a hard worker and change the program around, so I think it’s a great choice,” Brooks said.

Sophomore wide receiver Marvin Mims mentioned the energy that Venables brings.

“When coach Venables came, there was a lot of energy brought to the team. Something that we definitely needed. Brought everybody together and now we’re just back to practicing and working out,” Mims said.

Now, it’s about finishing the season on the right note against Oregon and launching into the Venables era with positive momentum.

Oklahoma wraps up its 2021 season when it kicks off against Oregon in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29 at 8:15 p.m. on ESPN.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.

[listicle id=49643]

Oklahoma players ‘really excited’ to play for coach Bob Stoops

Oklahoma players discussed their excitement to play for interim head coach Bob Stoops in the Valero Alamo Bowl versus Oregon.

When Lincoln Riley left to become USC’s new head football coach, it left Oklahoma temporarily in flux.

Now, with the hiring of Brent Venables as the Sooners’ new head coach, things have stabilized in Norman. One of the amazing parts of this transition has been Bob Stoops returning as Oklahoma’s interim head coach.

After five seasons away, Stoops is set to write a final chapter in his OU coaching legacy when the Sooners play Oregon in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29.

Oklahoma’s players seem to be really enjoying the opportunity to play this standalone game with Stoops back as head coach, too.

Senior linebacker DaShaun White was admittedly never very close to Stoops before he took over in the interim, but, of course, he had heard stories.

“I think that just since I’ve been here just always seeing him in the facilities, always seeing him around the team, always hearing stories about him like when he was head ball coach, just there’s so many things. This place sort of doesn’t let him go and he doesn’t let go of this place either. Having the opportunity to play for a coach like him, really excited to be honest with you. Like I said, I’ve watched him from afar. I’ve just watched the way this place has really loved on him. I’m starting to understand why so many people are really, really big on him, so obviously really excited to be able to play for him,” White said.

Sophomore wide receiver Marvin Mims grew up an LSU fan and didn’t know much about Stoops until he got to Norman. Mims said Stoops’ message in the aftermath of Riley’s departure resonated with he and his teammates.

“It’s definitely been a unique experience. The things he’s done at this university. He kind of told his resume, his story whenever he first got here and how the team was before and the next two years how they ended up being. I think that’s something the team really needed every time he says it, because it’s something that really does hit us in the heart and it’s kind of telling us what we’re capable of doing if we just stick together and do the things we need to do. I think his leadership has had a huge positive impact on this team,” Mims said.

Redshirt junior running back Kennedy Brooks said it also mattered that the message was delivered by Stoops.

“I think it was really important. Just coming from him honestly. Just the belief that everybody has in him and him always sticking around and being for OU. It really just lifted everybody’s spirits up,” Brooks said.

Stoops let the team leaders know that continuity was the most important thing during the transition from Riley to Venables.

“It was big. It was really big for us. We needed someone to sort of step in and help us sort of keep each other together. Really he got in there with the leaders and he was like, ‘You know, I know there’s a lot of things that we really don’t know right now, but the most important thing is that we stay together.’ We all just sort of followed his lead and I think that that was definitely what we needed at the time, so obviously really thankful for him,” White said.

Mims said Stoops really wants to win this game against Oregon, too.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and it is pretty cool. He wants to win this game. He’s expressed that many different ways. He’s out there with us every day and I’m grateful for it,” Mims said.

Sophomore defensive end Reggie Grimes said the stories about Stoops have lived up to the billing.

“That guy’s a legend. He has a statue out front. I personally was never coached under him, but we’ve got Isaac here, we’ve got Drake here, so he was always around. You see him on TV, you see him on Big Noon Kickoff, so just to kind of actually have him as a head coach. You hear about the legend of Bob Stoops. As far as that’s concerned, he’s a great guy. He’s a guy that again I would also run through a wall for. Whatever was asked of me from him, I would be more than happy to accept and to do just because everything that has been said about him is true. He is who he says he is,” Grimes said.

In what could very well be his final game playing for Oklahoma, Brooks feels Stoops’ presence adds a little something extra for the game against Oregon.

“For me, I think it does. Playing with Bob, a legendary coach, I mean I think that will be fun. It’s something I always wanted to do. It’s one of the reasons why I came here, so having the chance to fulfill that dream for me, I think it’ll be fun,” Brooks said.

The Valero Alamo Bowl also represents an opportunity to put a positive final touch on a season that ends in transition before Oklahoma embarks into a future that will be guided by Venables.

“It’s kind of both ends. It’s the end of the season and it is a new beginning. You know, we’ve had people gone, people leave. A lot of people leave. Players, coaches. All types of stuff. We’ve got new people come in as in coaches. At the end of the day, I mean it is both. It is both. It’s the end to a great year. We’re 10-2 right now and also it’s going to be the start of something new under coach Venables. With coach Stoops coaching, it’s going to be great for every player in there. We want to go out and give it our all. We want to close out this year strong and have something to look forward to coming back in January when we come back to workouts,” Mims said.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.

[listicle id=49109]

Clemson insider puts in Crystal ball for four-star Tigers commit to land at Oklahoma

Four-Star athlete Jaren Kanak is predicted to land in Oklahoma according to a crystal ball prediction by Clemson insider.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz7cqqgxy50qwt player_id=none image=https://soonerswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

While the early signing period may be coming to a close soon, the Oklahoma Sooners are far from done. We chronicled some names that remain as possible targets for Oklahoma as they now focus their recruiting efforts on the official national signing day in February.

One of those names is Jaren Kanak, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound athlete out of Hays, Kansas. Since the summer, Kanak is rated as a four-star player with 247Sports and has been a Clemson commit. He committed to Clemson when Venables was there and planned to play linebacker. A lot of things have changed since the summer, with Venables making the move to Oklahoma.

The speculation that Kanak would follow Venables to Oklahoma has ramped up since Venables’ official introduction as the Sooners head coach. The first crystal ball projecting Kanak’s flip to the Sooners came in a day later and the rest has been hushed whispers of not why or how but when would Kanak take the leap.

Venables loosely mentioned in a press conference after the Sooners signed all but two of their commits that there were still some signees to come.

To add even more fuel to the fire, Anna Hickey of Clemson Insider put in a crystal ball of 7/10 confidence in Kanak to Oklahoma. That brings six total predictions that he will flip from Clemson to Oklahoma.

Oklahoma seems to be trending in the right direction for a talented kid with a very high ceiling and an athletic profile to match.

Given Venables’ track record of linebackers and molding them into sideline to sideline playmaking machines, adding a guy like Kanak to a room already filled with David Ugwoegbu, Danny Stutsman, DaShaun White, Shane Whitter, and soon to be Kip Lewis, and Kobie McKinzie could turn Oklahoma’s linebacker unit to one of the best position groups on the entire team.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.

[listicle id=50598]

3 key defensive players to watch for the Oklahoma Sooners versus Oklahoma State

Here’s three key defensive players to keep an eye on for the Oklahoma Sooners as they travel to take on Oklahoma State in Bedlam.

Oklahoma enters Bedlam feeling great about itself defensively. The Sooners smothered Iowa State for the most part. OU recorded seven sacks, 11 tackles for loss and created three Cyclones turnovers.

As the stage is set for Bedlam with an Oklahoma offense that has been limping in of late, the impetus for that type of defensive performance to continue is at a fever pitch.

At least going in, it feels like the Sooners need to come close to matching last week’s defensive showing.

So, let’s take a look at which Oklahoma defensive players need to step up in order for the Sooners to punch their ticket into the Big 12 championship game.

Woodi Washington, cornerback

It’s uncertain whether or not sophomore cornerback D.J. Graham will be available for Oklahoma on Saturday. Oklahoma head football coach Lincoln Riley had this to say on Graham’s status earlier this week.

“Questionable right now. But I would say questionable. Yeah, we’ll see how the week progresses,” Riley said.

Assuming Graham can’t go, that means how redshirt sophomore cornerback Woodi Washington plays is all the more important. If Graham is out, expect Washington to get the bulk of the responsibility covering the Cowboys’ top receiving target, Tay Martin.

The senior wide receiver has 54 grabs for 765 receiving yards with six receiving touchdowns. Sophomore wide receiver Brennan Presley has 35 receptions for 422 yards and five touchdowns in his own right, so he’s someone Oklahoma will have to worry about as well.

Still, if Graham is sidelined and Washington assumes the coverage responsibility on Martin, then how well that matchup goes for Washington will help decide who wins Bedlam.

Washington finished tied with the team-high in tackles in the Sooners’ 41-13 win over the Cowboys last season with his eight stops.

DaShaun White, linebacker

It’s a massive day for the linebackers in general. Let’s highlight senior linebacker DaShaun White. If things go south for Oklahoma, this could be White’s final Big 12 game in a Sooner uniform.

White is eligible to return with an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID season if he so chooses. Right now, that’s uncertain. Certainly, White doesn’t want his final statement in Big 12 play to be a disappointing one.

Oklahoma State junior quarterback Spencer Sanders has been intercepted just once in the Cowboys’ past five games. That’s due in large part thanks to its outstanding defense and what senior running back Jaylen Warren has been able to provide in the ground game.

Warren has carried it 220 times for 1,078 rushing yards for Oklahoma State and he’s found the end zone 10 times.

Oklahoma needs to be sound in the run game and force Sanders to have to make throws in the passing game. In order to do so, White and redshirt junior linebacker Brian Asamoah both need big days stuffing the Cowboys’ rushing attack.

“Yeah, I just see guys getting movement. I think when you look at the running game, as much as anything, guys use the term winning the line of scrimmage, and you just make note of that as you watch it on film. You’re seeing, you know, the opposite color jersey from the defensive standpoint going in the wrong direction and the offense going kind of like a wave going down field, and obviously the tailback is doing a great job of finding the crease and kind of making you pay for it. And so it’s just a downhill style running,” Oklahoma defensive coordinator Alex Grinch said of Oklahoma State’s running game.

Isaiah Thomas, defensive lineman

When Oklahoma has been at its best defensively, redshirt senior defensive lineman Isaiah Thomas has been at his individual best.

Just look at some of the Sooners’ best halves or games of defensive football this season.

Against Texas, Thomas had a sack and a pair of tackles for loss to help spark the Sooners’ Red River rally. In Oklahoma’s blowout win over Texas Tech, Thomas directly influenced a pair of turnovers and finished with a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. Then, last week versus Iowa State, Thomas recorded a pair of sacks and two more tackles for loss.

It’s no secret. The Sooners need that to be the case from Thomas again versus the Cowboys.

The other part of the defensive pressure puzzle is this: Cowboys quarterback Spencer Sanders has been sacked just once in Oklahoma State’s past four games. He’s also thrown just the lone interception over OSU’s last five games.

If Oklahoma wants to create turnovers, they need to make Sanders’ evening uncomfortable. That hasn’t been the case for him of late. That starts up front with Thomas being a hunter.

“And we use the term hunt at times. We need to go hunt. We’ve got to go hunt that football. We can’t be okay getting blocked,” Grinch said.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.

Oklahoma Football: 2019 Baylor and the birth of Nik Bonitto

One play can help chart the course of a career for a player. In 2019 against Baylor, Nik Bonitto’s late-game interception sparked his.

To close Oklahoma’s improbable 2019 rally at Baylor, RUSH linebacker Nik Bonitto stepped in front of Charlie Brewer’s pass intended for Josh Fleeks and intercepted the football with 29 seconds remaining.

It cemented the Sooners’ comeback from 28-3 down early in the second quarter to 34-31 victors in another late-season, pivotal November triumph.

Just like that Bonitto’s career at Oklahoma was off and running and a Sooner defensive star was born.

“I’d probably say it definitely gave me a lot of confidence. Prior to that, I didn’t really make a lot of plays. That having been a big play in that type of moment in an important game like that, it really helped my confidence that I can really play college football with the best of the best and especially in these big games. I just tried to build it off that game and just keep going. I would definitely say that game is probably a huge reason why I’m as confident as I am today as a player,” Bonitto said.

Incredibly, Bonitto actually missed an opportunity to seal the game the play before. The Fort Lauderdale product sank into coverage and had his fingertips on a Brewer pass directed toward Bears’ wide receiver R.J. Sneed.

Bonitto didn’t complete that play and wondered for a moment if that would be the missed opportunity that kept Oklahoma from winning the game.

“I was like, ‘Damn. I hope this doesn’t cost us the game.’ Thank
God. I was able to break on it and make a play on the next play. That slipped out of my mind after. I was just happy that I was able to make the play to win for the team,” Bonitto said.

Linebacker Dashaun White remembers warning Baylor against trying that route again.

“I kept talking trash like, ‘Don’t throw the out. Don’t throw the out.’ They threw it and he picked it. I mean, that’ll always just be a big football memory to me. That game was just, that was a fun one, man. Definitely up there like top five for me,” White said.

Bonitto’s career has taken off since. In 2020, Bonitto recorded 10.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks over the course of ten games. Both of those marks registered as second-best for the Sooners in the 2020 season.

Thus far in 2021, Bonitto has nine tackles for loss and five sacks. According to Pro Football Focus, Bonitto has the fourth-highest grade among edge defenders.

Defensive lineman Isaiah Thomas reflected on how the play has had a snowball effect on Bonitto’s career at Oklahoma.

“After that, after making the biggest play of that week in college football, it was impressive to see. Once you get confident and then once you start playing to make plays instead of playing not to make mistakes, it’s a literal snowball effect. It can have that…it’s a contagious thing for an individual player and for a team. It’s just impressive to see him grow from that moment to where he is now,” Thomas said.

Bonitto had made plays before that moment in the 2019 Baylor game, but it signaled he was here to stay and reinforced he was ready to make plays on the big stage. It’s also the perfect moment for younger players to look to.

“Just being ready for your moment any time, being ready when your name’s called because you never know when it’s your time to make a play. Looking back as a young player when I was that young, it probably does give a lot of hope to a lot of young players on the team,” Bonitto said.

As Oklahoma gears up for its return to Waco, the Sooners are well aware of the challenge this 2021 Baylor team presents. The Bears possess the nation’s No. 8 rushing offense, averaging 230.9 rushing yards per game.

“I think it’ll be a difficult challenge. The way we’re looking at it, it’s a big opportunity more than anything. Especially in the linebacker room, we see a lot of opportunities to get downhill, make as many plays as we can in the backfield, be as disruptive as we can up front. They’re a dang good running team. We view it as an opportunity. Honestly, really excited to get to this Saturday,” White said.

Bonitto discussed what Oklahoma will see in Baylor quarterback Gerry Bohanon.

“He’s a guy who is going to give his receivers a chance. He trusts those guys a lot. There’s going to be a lot of play action game. We can’t make him comfortable and just let him sit back there because he’s going to give his guys a chance and he’s going to hit the receiver on time. We just got to try and make life hard for him,” Bonitto said.

The Sooners are hoping to replicate and build upon what their defense accomplished in their most recent game, a 52-21 win over Texas Tech in which Oklahoma’s defense forced three turnovers.

“You can just tell the energy was kind of different that game with the defense. Just guys flying around, guys just trying to make plays and trying to follow the bottom line. It was just kind of a different feel and a different type of energy that we walked out with,” Bonitto said of his team’s performance against the Red Raiders.

Oklahoma kicks off this Saturday against Baylor at 11 a.m. on FOX.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.