Tag: David Ugwoegbu

4 defensive players to watch as Oklahoma takes on TCU

Oklahoma is in need of a bounce back defensive performance and to get it, these four Sooners are vital against TCU.

While the offense continues to find itself and find its quarterback, the Oklahoma Sooners defense will have to continue to show up. After a very poor performance in the first half of the Sooners win against the Texas Longhorns, Speed D found its footing and was absolutely lights out in the second half to hold up their end of the bargain in the team’s improbable comeback effort.

Timely stops, better coverage, and better tackling all led to better results in the second half of the Sooners’ win.

Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch will be hoping they can carry that second-half finish with them as they return home.

They now turn their attention to TCU, who’s offense has been pretty good in 2021.

They are led by Max Duggan and lining up in the backfield with him is former five-star running back Zach Evans and another solid running back in Kendre Miller. Out wide Quentin Johnston, Derius Davis, and Taye Barber are their main threats.

Who are the key Oklahoma defenders in this match-up? Here are four Sooners that are vital to Oklahoma’s chances of slowing down the Horned Frogs offense on Saturday night.

Up Next: It all Starts Upfront

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What can the Oklahoma Sooners do to defend Texas running back Bijan Robinson?

Slowing Texas running back Bijan Robinson is priority No. 1 for the Oklahoma Sooners. What will it take from the Sooners defense to limit his impact?

Oklahoma entered last week trying to solve a Deuce Vaughn problem. It emerged victorious, but it would be a stretch to stay the Sooners solved the Kansas State running back. If they thought that was hard, they’re going to hate what they have to do this weekend when they travel to Dallas, Texas, to take on the Texas Longhorns.

The Red River Rivalry has featured some amazing talents and this next iteration proves no different. The Longhorns no longer are dependent on quarterback Sam Ehlinger to throw and run them to wins. Instead, they have an offense centered around Bijan Robinson, a sophomore running back from Tucson, Arizona.

Robinson, a former five-star recruit, is quite the player. He can lower his pads and get the tough yards between the tackles. He can run the outside zone and stretch plays and beat you to the corner. He can catch the ball out of the backfield, too. Simply put, he can do it all.

He’s north of six feet and more than 200 pounds. A stark difference to Deuce Vaughn, who stood at 5 feet, 6 inches and less than 185 pounds. Robinson offers a different challenge.

Oklahoma’s efforts to stop Robinson will start with the interior defensive line. Without the versatile Jalen Redmond, the Sooners will have to rely upon Isaiah Coe, Josh Ellison and LaRon Stokes. All three have played quite a bit of football and have been a part of this game multiple times.

Challenging them will be a Texas offensive line that has struggled with protections and had to shuffle some new players in after losing Denzel Okafor to a season-ending lower leg injury. Oklahoma’s veteran front will have to impose its will. Expect the rotation of bodies to continue as Alex Grinch’s “Speed D” relies on max effort on every play. Pass protection and consistency sustaining run blocks have been issues as Texas has shuffled its offensive line in the absence of Okafor.

Texas will double Perrion Winfrey and hope it’s enough to spring Robinson into the second level. Awaiting him will be linebackers Brian Asamoah, DaShaun White, David Ugwoegbu, Shane Whitter and maybe Danny Stutsman. These linebackers have looked much better playing downhill and filling gaps in the run game than in pass coverage. However, filling the gaps is one thing. Tackling is another. Robinson will not go down via arm tackling or getting caught flat-footed as they did against Vaughn in space. Contact, wrap up and finish. A team effort. Robinson led the NCAA in missed tackles forced in Week 5 and leads all of the Football Bowl Subdivision this season in missed tackles forced.

DaShaun White or Shane Whitter on tape looks like Oklahoma’s better coverage linebackers. In man coverage, they’ll likely be tasked to follow Robinson on outs, wheels, or the “Texas” route.

Robinson will get his touches whether Texas is winning or losing. He’s their best offensive player. Making Robinson accept tough yards and not giving the chunk plays is where Oklahoma should focus their efforts. If the Sooners cannot contain Robinson, there’s a real chance that Texas walks out the victors.

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Best Grades from Pro Football Focus in OU’s win over WVU

Taking a look at the best grades from Pro Football Focus for the Oklahoma Sooners in their win over West Virginia.

The Oklahoma Sooners have started to find a way to win defensive battles in 2021. It’s a far cry from what the Sooners looked like just a couple of years ago when they had to score 40-50 points per game to win. The defense in those early years of Lincoln Riley’s tenure as offensive coordinator and then head coach were some of the worst years of defense this program’s ever seen.

The script has flipped for the 2021 Oklahoma Sooners. The offense has been inconsistent. They haven’t been able to run the ball as effectively as they’d like and the Sooners defense is carrying the day.

For the second straight week the Sooners were unable to reach 30 points while the defense held their opponent to fewer than 16 points. While we’d certainly like to see more points scored, the Sooners are going to win a lot of games if they can continue to keep their opponent to fewer than 20 points a game.

There will be challenges in the coming weeks with Kansas State, Texas, and TCU on the docket, but the Sooners defense looks more up to the challenge than at any other point in the last five years.

Let’s take another look at Saturday’s win over West Virginia through the lens of Pro Football Focus (Subscription required) and take a look at which Sooners graded in the top five of various categories.

Key Players for the Oklahoma Sooners defense vs. Nebraska

A look at the three players on the Oklahoma defense that are key players against Nebraska.

Oklahoma will wrap up its nonconference schedule with their toughest opponent thus far in Nebraska. The game is symbolic as an old rivalry is renewed on the 50th anniversary of the ‘Game of the Century.

On the field, OU will face a noticeable step up in competition as opposed to their games against Tulane and Western Carolina University. Defensively, they will have to contend with one of the best running quarterbacks in the nation in Adrian Martinez.

Martinez, a veteran quarterback has seen a lot of football over the years and will hardly be scared of the moment. However, his relatively young offensive line will line up across from one of the best front sevens in the country. Pressure is something Martinez is very familiar with. We wrote about that here.

Oklahoma will be without some key players on the back end of their defense. Woodi Washington and Billy Bowman are not expected to play. Look for Latrell McCutchin and Jeremiah Criddell to fill in for them in their spots. Here are candidates for the defensive players to watch as Oklahoma tries to bottle up Nebraska and head into Big 12 play undefeated:

Up Next: A Monster in the Middle ready to be unleashed.

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3 Players to watch on defense for the Oklahoma Sooners vs. WCU

As you get ready for the Oklahoma Sooners vs. WCU, here are three players to watch on defense for the Sooners.

OU opens up their home slate against Western Carolina on Saturday evening. On paper, OU is favored in every way. However, that meant nothing to the Green Wave of Tulane, who brought it nonstop for 4 quarters to a talented but unfocused and inconsistent OU defense that just wasn’t completely dialed in.

Expect that to change this week as they ready for a Western Carolina team that just lost a tough game against Eastern Kentucky at home. Let’s take a look at three guys that are players to watch as they look to turn in a more dominant performance.

Perrion Winfrey

Perrion Winfrey is the proverbial BIG DOG inside for this OU defense. He was considered a top 100 pick in almost every mock draft or preseason draft rankings list. Todd McShay, a leading draft analyst even placed him in his top 30 draft prospects. He hasn’t racked up the sacks in his time here at Oklahoma but that’s fine because his value is much more than just sacks. He’s disruptive at the point of attack for teams forcing teams to change whole game plans mid-game. OU struggled to keep the heat on Tulane QB Michael Pratt at times. and he subsequently lit them up for 296 yards and three touchdown passes as they pushed Oklahoma deep into the fourth quarter.

Winfrey has to be dominant and blow up the interior. WCU QB Rogan Wells is nowhere near as mobile as Pratt but he’s a senior and has played a lot of college football. Getting him flushed out of the pocket and forcing him to throw off platform and on the run could lead to mistakes the Sooners can capitalize on. Look for him to cause havoc while in the game.

NEXT: A linebacker and defensive back set to make plays.

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3 Defensive Keys for the Sooners when they play Western Carolina University

What does the Sooners’ defense need to do to rebound from a disappointing week 1 performance vs. Tulane? Here are 3 keys for their matchup with WCU.

Earlier this week, we had a look at the big keys on the offensive side of the ball for the Oklahoma Sooners as they get set to take on the Catamounts of Western Carolina University. We’ll flip to the defensive side of the ball for Oklahoma and take a look at things they can do to secure a much more comfortable and less divisive win.

In their matchup with the Tulane Green Wave, the Sooners had moments of brilliance, moments of decent play and unfortunately some really bad play. However, seasons aren’t defined by games in September. The Sooners have another opportunity to clean it up and fine tune their defensive machine before the competition becomes a bit tougher.

They’ll be taking on a team in WCU that is lead by an offensive centric head coach in Kerwin Bell. He was a former quarterback at the University of Florida after all.

With that, let’s take a look at the defensive keys to the game.

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How David Ugwoegbu seeks to lead the Sooners in 2021

Now in his second season at middle linebacker, David Ugwoegbu is getting more and more comfortable in Alex Grinch’s defense. Here’s how that helps the Sooners this season.

On Wednesday, the media spoke to linebacker David Ugwoegbu following OU’s practice. The junior fielded questions about his development, his teammate’s progress, and his willingness to be a leader this upcoming season.

Ugwoegbu was laser-focused while answering the questions placed in front of him, but he couldn’t help but smile when discussing what this Sooners’ defense is capable of in 2021.

Ugwoegbu transitioned to inside linebacker last season and made three starts in his 11 appearances. It did not take long for him to figure out how to move in space and use his 6-4 frame to harass quarterbacks. His best game in year two came during Bedlam, where he recorded his first-career interception along with five tackles as the Sooners suffocated the Cowboys, 41-13.

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Ugwoegbu possesses a commanding wingspan and the athleticism needed to make the most of it. A peek at his 2020 tape shows his ability to fully wrap up ball carriers and limit opportunities for broken tackles. Ugwoegbu’s combination of height and speed makes him the ideal man to patrol the interior of the Sooners’ defense.

Now, with the benefit of a traditional offseason, expectations are high that the third-year man can make the jump in Alex Grinch’s defense. During yesterday’s media availability, Ugwoegbu explained how his experience at middle linebacker has empowered him to lead his teammates.

I feel way more confident out there. It’s now my second year at this position, I’ve been through a whole offseason and now I feel like I can take more of a leadership role. [As opposed to last year] I was more focused on learning and perfecting the position. Now, I feel like I can be more vocal and be a leader on the defense.

It’s no secret that the strength of Oklahoma’s defense rests in its front seven. A productive year from David Ugwoegbu, coupled with the expected success of Isaiah Thomas and Nik Bonitto, could be exactly what the Sooners need to clinch a national title.

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DaShaun White on Sooners linebacker depth: Can’t ask for a better setting

The Oklahoma Sooners linebacker group has a ton of experience and talent and is ready to help the Sooners defense take the next step.

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After allowing 40 points per game in the Oklahoma Sooners’ first three Big 12 contests in 2020, the Oklahoma Sooners allowed just 17 points per game the rest of the way. Over the season’s final seven games, including the Big 12 Championship game and the Cotton Bowl, the Sooners defense burst onto the scene and announced this isn’t the same defense that the nation’s come to expect.

In the second half of 2020, the Sooners defense started trending toward why OU was winning games. For several seasons, the Sooners were winning games despite the defense. Heading into 2021, they’re looking to build off of that stellar finish and be part of the reason the Sooners contend for a national championship in 2021.

With a lot of attention paid to the defensive front and the defensive back group, the linebacker depth has quietly become one of the best units on the team. One would be hard-pressed to find a group with the level of experience and depth at a position that the Sooners have entering 2021.

DaShaun White, Brian Asamoah, David Ugwoegbu, Caleb Kelly, Shane Whitter, Jamal Morris, Bryan Mead, and Danny Stutsman make up an ultra-talented group of players. With White, Asamoah, Ugwoegbu, and Kelly, the Sooners have four guys who have played a lot of snaps for the program and will lead the defense into 2021.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, White discussed the depth the linebacker group brings to the table and the work they’ve put in to get to where they are.

It’s definitely motivating. Just be in a situation where there’s always competition. As a player, you can’t ask for a better setting. Just an opportunity to surround yourself with something like that. Around the country there’s not a lot of place where you get into the three-deep group and it’s still a really, really solid group.  That’s really a just testament to our group and how hard we work. I think the linebackers work extremely hard. We do a lot of extra together.

During his appearance, White was asked how the linebackers performed during the scrimmage. He mentioned that the linebackers “had a great day” and were “getting into the backfield… running relentlessly after the ball carrier” He later went on to joke that he “felt bad for the ball carriers.”

With the Sooners’ talent upfront in Isaiah Thomas, Nik Bonitto, Perrion Winfrey, Jalen Redmond, and La’Ron Stokes, the Sooners’ linebacker corp is poised for a fantastic season. Though they might be the most underrated group on the roster, that doesn’t mean they won’t be as impactful as any position on the team. This is a group that’s ready to compete and wreak havoc on opposing offense.

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.

10 Oklahoma players that need a productive spring game

A look at several OU players who need an impressive spring game.

It is that time of year again. The Oklahoma Sooners gear up for their spring game in Norman following camp. This year, the annual exhibition game will start at 4 p.m. on April 24. The intrasquad scrimmage will be held at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and be televised on FOX Sports Oklahoma.

As the team prepares for the 2021 season, expectations are high. The Sooners have won the Big 12 title every year dating back to 2015 but the team is after a loftier goal this upcoming season: the coveted national championship. OU has a balanced attack with the defense’s significant improvement under the tutelage of Alex Grinch and the Crimson and Cream are poised for the ultimate success in 2021.

Here is a look at several players on the roster that need a productive spring game performance.