Tag: DaShaun White

Oklahoma Sooners’ linebackers provide veteran stability to improving defense

While much of the talk about the Sooners defense in 2021 has focused on the defensive line, OU’s veteran linebackers provide the foundation.

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This offseason, there’s been a lot of talk about the Oklahoma Sooners defensive line as a reason to be optimistic about the Sooners’ chances of contending for a national championship in 2021. There’s also been a lot of talk about the secondary and its youthful playmakers stepping into full-time roles in 2021.

There should be a lot of excitement about the defensive front and the secondary. They’re going to be a lot of fun to watch in 2021.

Offensive coordinators and offensive line coaches will be up late trying to come up with a way to block Nik Bonitto, Isaiah Thomas, Perrion Winfrey, and Jalen Redmond.

Woodi Washington and D.J. Graham will make it incredibly difficult for teams to throw to the outside. The safety group is experienced and won’t be left out to dry as often as they might have been in the past.

This defense is going to be really good. But a position group that often gets left out of the discussion is the linebacker group led by Brian Asamoah and DaShaun White. It might just be the most underrated position group on the entire team. And at the same time, it might just be the deepest group on the squad.

We’re thinking of traditional linebackers for this discussion and not including “rush linebacker” Nik Bonitto.

White, Asamoah, David Ugwoegbu, Caleb Kelly, and Shane Whitter provide the Sooners with five guys capable of making plays for Alex Grinch’s defense.

At the top of the depth chart, you have four guys that have played a ton of snaps for the Sooners and a fifth in Whitter that got his feet wet in 2020 but appears to be a player that has a big future.

White has played more than 1,000 snaps on defense for Oklahoma. Asamoah and Ugwoegbu have played more than 600. Caleb Kelly’s snap counts aren’t available from Pro Football Focus, but according to SoonersSports.com, he’s played in 41 games in his Oklahoma career.

It’s an experienced group that can bring four veterans into the game and contribute to Alex Grinch’s defense. Throw in Shane Whitter that Oklahoma Sooners Linebacker Coach Brian Odom talked about as a player on the rise back in the spring and you’ve got a great group of players.

There may not be a star on the linebacker depth chart (yet), but this group is flying under the radar heading into 2021. The stability, leadership, and experience at the position will be foundational to what Alex Grinch and the Oklahoma Sooners want to accomplish in 2021.

Spring Football: A look at the linebacker position

A breakdown of Oklahoma’s MIKE and WILL linebacker positions as spring football nears.

Spring football begins in less than a week for the Oklahoma Sooners. With the return of football on the way, Sooners Wire takes a look at each position group ahead of camp. Continue reading “Spring Football: A look at the linebacker position”

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Oklahoma in review: DaShaun White, Brian Asamoah stepping up leadership at LB

There was a major void in the middle of Oklahoma’s defense after the 2019 defense. Two returning linebackers are trying to fill it.

There was a major void in the middle of Oklahoma’s defense after the 2019 defense.

It’s no doubt that Kenneth Murray was the heart and soul of the Sooners a year ago. He wore his emotions on his sleeve and the results spoke for themselves.

Grinch described him as the alpha of his first year and the cover boy of Oklahoma’s ‘Speed D’. The target now shifts to a new pair of linebackers who are looking for a big year in 2020.

“I would say DaShaun (White) and I—we’ve taken it upon us to lead that linebacker room to a very great path and I believe we’ve done that job,” said starting linebacker Brian Asamoah the week after the Missouri State game. “Talking about seven guys in the rotation last week, you don’t have that in every linebacker room. So, we’ve done a great job of bringing those guys along with us and telling them that hey, an opportunity may come despite the circumstances. COVID is out there and you’ve got to be ready for your opportunity and preparation.”

It’s one thing to be a leader, it’s another to be a great player and the leader.

Asamoah thinks he’s ready to be both.

“Definitely the mental aspect,” he said. “Last year I was just focusing on trying to do my job and trying to figure out the defense in my first year. This year, I know what everybody in front is doing, everybody in the back is doing and then what I’m doing and my play-side backer next to me so I would say the improvement came mentally.”

Alongside him is two-year starter DaShaun White, who Murray called his little brother last season.

Grinch has spoke adamantly about him needing to be better than a year ago. White feels like he took the same jump Asamoah spoke about, but for different reasons.

“Year one just felt like a lot of making sure you get your guy,” White said prior to the season. “If you’re supposed to be in the C gap, be in the C gap. If you’re supposed to spill the guard, spill the guard where you’re supposed to spill the guard. I feel personally a lot this year that it’s like … I feel like I’m sort of gaining my personality as a player and who I am and things that I’m really good at. It’s not just about being in your gap. It’s about being in your gap and being in the backfield two yards, ready to make a play.”

A wild card, though, has emerged for Oklahoma at linebacker.

David Ugwoegbu was an edge rusher playing RUSH linebacker for Grinch in 2019 oozed potential at the position. After the injury to Caleb Kelly, he was moved inside to help with depth at the position.

Ugwoegbu looked the part in the first game against Missouri State. He clearly has a long ways to go, but there was some praise about him before the season started.

“He’s doing really well,” White said back then. “He’s got size. He moves better than a lot of people give him credit for. He has a lot of productive. He’s one of those guys that I feel like, ‘We’ve got to find him a spot.’ Because he’s just that good. And he can play so many different positions well. I’m excited for him to be inside. He’s making plays, he’s flying around, he’s picking it up. He’s fast, too. Shout out to him. I’m excited for him. I think it will be a good thing for him.”

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Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler, players join in on ‘We Want To Play’ movement

Sunday, Aug. 9 is going to be a night long remembered in the college football. Spencer Rattler and at least three other Sooners joined in.

Sunday, Aug. 9 is going to be a night long remembered in the college football.

The players took to Twitter and started a movement. This came in response to a decision from the Big 10 to potentially cancel its fall season, although it doesn’t mean it can’t move to the spring.

The reports started a movement we haven’t seen before. The Pac-12 had 400 players come out and make players union-like demands for this season and beyond. After the Big 10’s decision, Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields led players from every power-five conference.

They started a #WeWantToPlay hashtag based on the idea that players needed representation on this decision. At least four Oklahoma players got in on the movement.

Oklahoma was scheduled to begin the 2020 season on Aug. 29 against Missouri State, but that has been pushed back to an unannounced date, although Sept. 5 seems likely. The Big 12 and its board of directors are set to discuss the 2020 season on Tuesday.

Oklahoma 2020 player card: No. 23 DaShaun White

Sooners Wire will be creating player cards for readers to be introduced to the 2020 roster. Here is No. 23 DaShaun White.

There is a ton of momentum to having a 2020 college football season these days. No definite signs, yet, but the season would start less than 100 days from now.

Sooners Wire will be creating player cards for readers to be introduced to the 2020 roster.

Here is the No. 18 for Oklahoma.

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Name: DaShaun White

Number: No. 23

Year: Junior

Position: Linebacker

Hometown: North Richland Hills, Texas

Height/Weight: 6-foot, 223 pounds