Tag: Jayden Jackson

College Football experts say Sooners freshman DT has a chance to start

Could a freshman defensive tackle be on the verge of starting for the Oklahoma Sooners?

The Oklahoma Sooners worked overtime to reestablish a defensive culture over the last several years. In particular, head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], co-defensive coordinator and defensive tackles coach [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] and defensive ends coach [autotag]Miguel Chavis[/autotag] made improving the defensive line a top priority.

In their first two recruiting classes (2022, 2023), they made splashes, adding four-star prospects [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag] and [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag] (2022) and five-star defensive end [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag]. But the big recruiting win came in the 2024 recruiting class when they added five blue-chip prospects: [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], [autotag]Wyatt Gilmore[/autotag], [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag].

There’s a great deal of excitement about the defensive line that’s been put together, but it can be challenging to make the jump from high school football to playing in the SEC. A pair of college football experts believe one of those true freshmen could start up front for the Venables and [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag]’s defense.

On a recent episode of “The Oklahoma Breakdown” with Sooners legends [autotag]Teddy Lehman[/autotag] and [autotag]Gabe Ikard[/autotag], the duo was asked what they thought the starting offensive and defensive lines would look like for Week 1. Lehman mentioned Jackson could start.

“Well I think defensive line, right now, I would say it’s probably going to be [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag]. Then, between [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag] and [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag], I would probably say I slightly lean toward [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag].”

Ikard said he considered Williams, Jackson and Terry to all be “starters,” with [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag], [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] and [autotag]Davon Sears[/autotag] working in rotation roles for the Sooners.

There have been reports Jackson has been having a great camp, continuing the upward trajectory in his development over the last few years. The former IMG Academy prospect had a number of offers out of high school. With his unique blend of size, strength and quickness, Jackson has a chance to be a three-down defensive tackle, making an impact against the run and on passing downs. He plays with really good leverage, and his first step is special. He’s disruptive and does a great job holding his spot when double-teamed.

The Sooners upgraded their defensive tackle room significantly this offseason by adding transfer Damonic Williams. While the hope was their 2024 signees would make an impact, the possibility of Jackson starting signals the potential the class offers in 2024 and beyond.

Along with Williams and Jackson, both Ikard and Lehman agreed [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag] and [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag] would be the starting defensive ends for the Sooners Week 1 against Temple.

Downs has been the foundation of the Sooners defensive line over the last few years. His consistent ability as a pass rusher and run defender makes him invaluable along the defensive line. Entering his fourth season, the veteran will lead the way for the Sooners.

Thomas has special athleticism. Injuries have kept him from making a consistent impact, but when he’s been on the field, he’s flashed immense potential. If he can stay healthy this season, he’ll flirt with eight sacks.

The Sooners defensive line is better than what it was a year ago when they improved in short-yardage situations and really across the board. Now it’s only a matter of seeing how much better the defense will be as a whole with an improved unit up front.

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Sooners duo named to ESPN’s true freshman All-America team

A pair of Oklahoma Sooners made ESPN’s list of the best true freshmen in the nation.

The Oklahoma Sooners kick off their 2024 season in less than two weeks. Talking season is almost over, and fall camps are beginning to wrap up across the country.

But before the season begins, ESPN unveiled their true freshmen All-America team (ESPN+). All of the players included were high schoolers last year and members of the [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag].

OU had two players make the team: offensive lineman [autotag]Eugene Brooks[/autotag] and defensive tackle [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag].

Brooks was the No. 145 player in ESPN’s 300 rankings coming out of high school. Here’s what ESPN staff writer Tom Luginbill had to say about the young offensive lineman.

Brooks is currently running with the second team at guard. The former Under Armour All-American has had his ups and downs during training camp, but he has also shed close to 60 pounds off his frame to help aid his quickness and agility. With that type of discipline and work ethic, clearly Brooks is serious about getting on the field this fall. – Luginbill, ESPN

Brooks was a solid acquisition for offensive line coach [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag] in the most recent class out of Sierra Canyon High School in California. 247Sports ranked him as a four-star prospect and their third-ranked interior offensive lineman.

Brooks isn’t in line to start in 2024, but he represents part of the future of the offensive line that has been a major talking point this offseason. While the Sooners had to replace the entire unit with some portal additions this offseason for 2024, it will be paramount to recruit and develop players on the o-line, especially heading into the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Jackson was just a three-star prospect coming out of high school, according to ESPN, but has a chance to be special in Norman.

Jackson started the Oklahoma spring game but likely will be in the rotation at defensive tackle with fellow freshman [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], among others. With the move to the SEC, Oklahoma needs upgraded defensive front personnel, and Jackson has impressed. He will need to grow up quickly as the rise in the level of competition in the trenches from the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] to the SEC will be steep. – Luginbill, ESPN

Jackson was part of an excellent 2024 defensive line haul by defensive tackles coach [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] and defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis. He hails from IMG Academy and was the 23rd-best player in the state of Florida, according to 247Sports. He was extremely impressive in the spring, and like Brooks on the other side of the ball, he won’t be starting right away, but he represents part of the defensive line’s future.

He’s been one of the standout performers in spring and fall camp and has a chance to earn playing time early and often due to his size, quickness, and strength.

Defensive tackle improved dramatically in the post-spring portal window with the addition of [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag], but Jackson, Stone, and others will need to be ready to take up the mantle of leadership inside soon.

As third-year head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and the Sooners enter a conference where games are won and lost in the trenches, they look to be in good hands with their 2024 class on both sides of the ball.

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Oklahoma Sooners success isn’t all on Jackson Arnold

The Oklahoma Sooners have a more complete team heading into 2024, taking some of the pressure off of their first year starter at quarterback

Quarterback is the most important position in football. Make no mistake about it. That’s why they’re the highest-paid players in the NFL and why they’re moving the biggest needle on the name, image and likeness licensing front.

But football is the ultimate team sport. Having great quarterback play can elevate a team that may have other deficiencies. That’s what we saw during the [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag], [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Hurts[/autotag] era of Sooner football. Those elite quarterbacks were able to put the Sooners into contention despite a defense that wasn’t consistent enough.

That isn’t the case anymore. For what feels like the first time in a long time, the Oklahoma Sooners aren’t solely dependent on their quarterback to be superhuman.

So while all eyes are on [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] and the Oklahoma offense, the Sooners are heading into the SEC in somewhat unfamiliar territory. The strength of the team is on the defensive side of the ball.

Led by a talented and experienced defensive unit, the Sooners look ready to change the narrative that’s persisted for the last decade. Entering Year 1 in the SEC, Oklahoma isn’t going to rely on its quarterback playing Super Saiyan football for an entire season for it to have a chance to win football games.

That’s because they have a defense capable of being one of the best in the conference, which will take the pressure off Arnold and the offense. Gone are the days when the Sooners have to score 40 to have a chance to win. After allowing 30 points per game in the first season under Brent Venables in 2022, the Sooners have improved by nearly a touchdown a game to 23.5 points per game.

They allowed 30 or more in just three games last season and allowed fewer than four yards per carry. This team held the vaunted Texas offense to 23 points in the Red River Showdown, forcing the 2024 Heisman front-runner into two interceptions and stopping the Longhorns short of the end zone four times from the 1-yard line.

They weren’t perfect last year. There’s room to improve, but the Oklahoma Sooners did just that.

Venables convinced [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] and [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag] to return for another season. That gave the Sooners valuable experience and production. In addition to the development of [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag], they added one of the more dynamic defensive tackles in the nation, [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag], along with true freshmen phenoms [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag]. Once considered a weakness of the Sooners’ defense, the defensive interior is now a strength. Combine that with the additions of [autotag]Caiden Woullard[/autotag], who had 9 1/2 sacks for Miami (Ohio), [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag], [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], and [autotag]Wyatt Gilmore[/autotag] and the further development of [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag] and [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag]. The result is a Sooners defensive front that is loaded with experience and promising young players fighting to break into the rotation.

From the front four to the back seven, the Oklahoma defense is ready to take the next step. And that’s great news for Arnold and the Sooners offense.

The Sooners have a more complete team, even with questions on the offensive side of the ball. They have a team more capable of playing complementary football.

As Arnold gets adjusted to life as the starting quarterback and the offensive line comes together, the defense will lead the way for the Sooners in 2024.

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Damonic Williams has high praise for freshmen defensive tackles

Damonic Williams has been impressed with Oklahoma’s freshmen defensive tackle duo.

Defensive tackle recruiting has become nearly as important as quarterback recruiting at the collegiate level. And there’s an argument to be made that elite defensive tackles are far more scarce than quarterbacks. That’s why [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag], and the Oklahoma Sooners defensive staff have found themselves in a number of big-time recruiting battles over the last several years.

The Sooners were better at defensive tackle in 2023, but the depth is so much better heading into 2024 because of a trio of additions.

Before [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag] became the most high-profile recruitment in the spring transfer portal window, the Oklahoma Sooners spent the 2024 recruiting cycle in several more high-profile defensive tackle recruiting battles. [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag] were huge gets for Venables and Bates, landing the IMG Academy duo to anchor their defensive line of the future.  But the future could be now for Stone and Jackson.

In just a short time, Damonic Williams has come away impressed with what Stone and Jackson are able to do on a football field. He met with the media on Thursday and glowed when asked about David Stone and Jayden Jackson.

Williams said of his freshmen teammates, “They’re just doing a lot of things that veterans can do. And it’s just like, me and them, we still have to learn the playbook and things like that. But it’s just seeing the skill level and the talent that they have at such an early age is amazing.”

The Sooners are deeper at defensive tackle than they’ve been at any point in the Venables era but Jackson and Stone will have an opportunity to earn a role this fall. Their talent, physicality, and toughness is what made them two of the more highly sought after prospects in the 2024 recruiting class.

They were dominant at the high school level and while defensive tackle is a difficult position to make the jump from high school to college and college to the NFL, David Stone and Jayden Jackson have the right mentality and have put in the work to be impact players. And if a guy as talented as Damonic Williams has come away impressed already, that impact should come sooner rather than later.

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Oklahoma favored to land 2025 defensive lineman out of Florida

Oklahoma Sooners favored to land underrated 2025 defensive lineman out of Florida.

After a fantastic 2024 defensive line haul that netted [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag], [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag] and [autotag]Wyatt Gilmore[/autotag], the Oklahoma Sooners have done a nice job adding talent upfront in the [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag].

With five months until the early signing period, the Sooners have commitments from [autotag]C.J. Nickson[/autotag], [autotag]Trent Wilson[/autotag], [autotag]Ka’Mori Moore[/autotag] and [autotag]Alexander Shieldknight[/autotag]. They will bolster a deep unit when they arrive in Norman. It doesn’t look like [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] is through by any stretch of the imagination.

The Sooners have been in pursuit of Rivals four-star defensive lineman Floyd Boucard and, on Wednesday evening, earned a trio of crystal ball predictions from 247Sports recruiting insiders Tom Loy, Brian Dohm and Collin Kennedy of Sooners Illustrated.

 

Boucard is a 6-foot-3, 315-pound defensive tackle prospect who has only played football for a few years. He grew up in Canada playing hockey and the agility and athleticism required is clear.

He’s a dynamic disruptor who plays both defensive tackle and defensive end in three-man fronts for Miami Central. Boucard shows off a really nice first step off the line of scrimmage and great lateral agility. He’s strong and has good play speed for the position. When asked to play in a two-gap call on defense, he does a great job staying disciplined in the system and is fantastic at shedding blocks.

Though considered a three-star prospect by 247Sports and On3, Boucard has a chance to have his ranking climb during his senior season. He has all of the ability teams are looking for from a defensive lineman and has the versatility, ability, and experience to play multiple spots at the next level.

Boucard is set to make his commitment decision on July 20 and looks to be choosing among USC, Miami and Alabama.

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Kirby Smart believes Oklahoma’s defense is on its way to being elite

Kirby Smart knows what championship-level defense looks like. He thinks Brent Venables can get the Sooners to that level.

Heavy hitters took the podium for Day 2 of [autotag]SEC media days[/autotag] in Dallas. The Oklahoma Sooners, Missouri Tigers, Tennessee Volunteers and Georgia Bulldogs were the four teams to share the spotlight on Tuesday.

One head coach, Georgia’s Kirby Smart, had high praise for the way [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] is building his roster and recruiting. He’s just the latest current or former coach that thinks OU is heading in the right direction under Venables’ leadership. Josh Heupel, Brian Kelly, Shane Beamer and Nick Saban also praised the transformation going on in Norman.

Colton Sulley of The Oklahoman relayed that Smart joined the chorus with remarks about OU’s head coach.

“As he gets the players he’s recruiting more and more, they’re going to be a dominant defensive football team,” Smart said.

That’s music to Oklahoma fans’ ears after slipping in defensive talent and production under the previous regime. Brent Venables was hired, in part, because his ability to recruit and develop defensive talent is among the best in college football.

Venables is already acquiring young, elite defensive talent through recruiting. [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag], [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag], [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag] and others liek them weren’t coming to Norman before Venables arrived.

Smart clearly knows what he’s talking about when it comes to defense. He’s a former defensive coordinator himself and has built a juggernaut in Athens as a head coach. Georgia won the national championship in 2021 and 2022, and no one would be surprised if they won again in 2024. Smart’s idea of a “dominant defensive football team” is one that can win multiple national titles.

If Venables does bring an elite defense back to Owen Field that helps him win multiple national championships, he’ll have a statue outside the stadium next to his former boss, [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag]’.

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ESPN believes this true freshman defensive lineman is a sleeper

Oklahoma Sooners true freshman considered sleeper by ESPN.

The Oklahoma Sooners have a number of players that could have a breakout season in 2024. Among Sooners freshmen, [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag] have received a great deal of love this offseason. But another freshman caught the attention of ESPN’s David Hale.

ESPN’s college football analysts picked one player they believed is a “sleeper” for each of the teams in their preseason top 25. For the Sooners, Hale picked former four-star prospect and Oklahoma native [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag].

Freshman defensive lineman Danny Okoye arrived in Norman in January and got to work, putting on more than 20 pounds. The 6-3, 255-pound edge rusher has drawn praise from coach Brent Venables this spring for his work ethic and athleticism — he reportedly runs a 4.56 40-yard dash — and as the Sooners try to find a rotation up front, Okoye could claim his share of playing time early on. – Wilson, ESPN

Okoye was a top 150 prospect in the 247Sports composite in the 2024 recruiting class. He was rated as the No. 12 edge rusher in the cycle. He’s an incredible athlete that has great size and speed. He has a chance to make a significant impact with the Sooners.

Oklahoma has been searching for someone to be a difference maker off the edge. [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag] has been their most productive pass rusher over the last two seasons. They added Caiden Woullard in the transfer portal. Woullard had 9 1/2 sacks last season for Miami (Ohio). Then there are stars in the making such as [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag] and [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag].

Okoye definitely has the tools to earn playing time for the Sooners this year as they continue to search for consistent pass rush productivity.

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How did EA Sports rate Oklahoma’s defense in ‘College Football 25?’

When “College Football 25” drops, the Oklahoma Sooners will open with one of the best defenses in the country.

EA Sports is releasing “College Football 25” on July 19, and fans are excited for the return of the college football video game series.

On Thursday, EA released its defensive ratings for the 25 best defenses in the game, and Oklahoma is just outside the top 10.

“College Football 25” has OU as the No. 12 defense ahead of the launch of the highly anticipated video game. It’s the No. 4 best defense in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. This comes following the mutual parting of ways between the program and former defensive coordinator [autotag]Ted Roof[/autotag] and the hiring of his replacement, [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag].

On the field, the Sooners have plenty of experienced talent returning on the defensive side of the ball. The secondary is led by [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] at safety and [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] at cornerback, but features plenty of young talent as well.

[autotag]Gentry Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Kani Walker[/autotag] will battle for the spot opposite of Washington. [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] and [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] will see an increase in snaps this year with the departures of [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag] and [autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag].

The defensive line sees some change but still has [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag] leading the way up front. [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag] and [autotag]Trace Ford[/autotag] are veterans who will aid in the development of younger players like [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag], [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag], [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag], [autotag]Adepoju Adebawroe[/autotag] and [autotag]David Stone[/autotag]. The defensive line is in a solid place moving forward even after losing [autotag]Jordan Kelley[/autotag], [autotag]Isaiah Coe[/autotag], [autotag]Jonah Laulu[/autotag] and [autotag]Rondell Bothroyd[/autotag]. The Sooners also saw [autotag]Jermayne Lole[/autotag] flip his commitment from OU to Texas in the spring portal window.

The strength of the defense is the talent and depth at linebacker. At the inside spots, [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] returns as the heart and soul of the unit. [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag], [autotag]Kobie McKinzie[/autotag], [autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag] and [autotag]Lewis Carter[/autotag] will all see plenty of snaps alongside Stutsman. The loss of [autotag]Justin Harrington[/autotag] at the cheetah position stings, but [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag], [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag] and [autotag]Samuel Omosigho[/autotag] provide Alley will plenty of options at that spot.

The Sooners open with an 88 overall defense in “College Football 25,” tied with Texas, Penn State, Utah, Florida State and Iowa.

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Recent USC decommitments further validate Oklahoma’s recruiting strategy

Brent Venables and Lincoln Riley build their programs very differently. One seems to be having more success than the other at keeping recruits.

Former Oklahoma Sooners football head coach and the current head coach of the USC Trojans, [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag], has lost two major commitments on the defensive side of the ball this week.

First, it was five-star EDGE [autotag]Isaiah Gibson[/autotag], who recommitted from Southern Cal on Tuesday. Gibson was ranked as the number one edge-rusher in the [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag], according to On3. The Georgia native had been committed to Riley and defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn since March.

Wednesday wasn’t better for Riley, as Gibson spoke about his decommittment, saying “I’m looking for a real deal football program that fits me.” Not exactly what a program wants to hear after a player decommits.

The hits kept coming for the Trojans, as five-star defensive lineman Justus Terry would decommit on Wednesday. The number two defensive lineman in the ’25 class per On3, Terry had also been committed to Riley and Lynn since March.

“…I can’t imagine that there could be a setting that we could build a better roster than we can here,” Riley said just months after leaving Norman for L.A.

Two days, two losses for USC. This is also coming on the heels of the cancellation of their future home-and-home series with Ole Miss. A few weeks ago, a report from Saturday Down South revealed Riley and the Trojans tried for months to get their series with the LSU Tigers canceled. That certainly didn’t quiet the “Lincoln Riley is afraid of the SEC” narrative.

What this week’s developments do for Oklahoma fans is highlight the successes of [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ recruiting strategy. Venables is focused on and committed to building up the entire program, not just the offense. His predecessor was, and still is, among the best in the business at recruiting quarterbacks and wide receivers. But Riley has never been able to see his teams consistently play complimentary football for long stretches of the season.

Oklahoma was a [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] team three straight times when Riley was the head coach, losing in the semifinals each year. Only in the 2018 Rose Bowl was Oklahoma truly competitive. The following two seasons ended with blowout losses in the semis. The Sooners had the offense to get the job done, but lacked the defense and overall physicality to tangle with the SEC. The next two seasons, OU missed the playoff entirely. They failed to make the conference title game in Riley’s last season.

When Riley left in late 2021, Venables was hired to change that. The Sooners had gotten away from what their DNA had always been. Venables has in no way completed the journey, but is building the team in a much more holistic way.

Offensive talent acquisition hasn’t suffered in any way without Riley in town. [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], [autotag]Nic Anderson,[/autotag] [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag], [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] and [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] are all recruits that never played a snap under the previous regime. They signed to play for Venables and the current regime. [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] and [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] are transfers that were added by this staff as well. Oklahoma is deep at the skill positions on offense, Riley’s specialty.

Defense, however, is where Venables has a clear mismatch over Riley. Oklahoma’s defense wasn’t up to Venables’ standards last season, but it was still the best overall defense the Sooners have had since [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag] was leading the charge.

Venables has had his misses. Oklahoma couldn’t land [autotag]David Hicks[/autotag] or [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag]. But getting [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag] in the boat via the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] and signing [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag] among others in the [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag] have been some big hits in recent months for this staff. Those are two moves Riley couldn’t dream of making.

Venables’ unique policy when it comes to a commitment is also paying dividends. He requires players to shut down their recruitment upon commitment, a policy that has faced significant criticism. It was met with raised eyebrows when Venables brought it over with him from his days under Dabo Swinney, but it’s working at OU.

Oklahoma has had a total of seven decommitments in the last three seasons if you remove players that decommitted when Riley jumped ship. According to 247Sports, [autotag]Jaden Nickens[/autotag] is the only current decommit from the 2025 class. [autotag]Dozie Ezukanma[/autotag] and JUCO transfer Danny Saili were the only decommitments from the 2024 cycle. The 2023 class gets a bit murkier, but [autotag]Kaleb Spencer[/autotag], [autotag]Colton Vasek[/autotag], [autotag]Ashton Cozart[/autotag], and [autotag]Anthony Evans[/autotag] all had unique reasons for choosing to play elsewhere.

Since that time, Saili is on his third team since decommitting from the Sooners. Ezukanma got caught up in a numbers game at OU, who signed four receivers in the 2024 class. Cozart, who signed the Oregon Ducks out of high school is now with the SMU Mustangs. Spencer spent one season with Miami. He’s since relocated to Virginia Tech.

Ezukanma, Evans, and Vasek are the only players who have stuck with the school they flipped to from Oklahoma.

At USC, the number of decommitments balloons to 14 players in the last three seasons. Eight of those players were from the defensive side of the ball. This is not a problem specific to USC either, as Riley was known to lose some big commitments at OU, especially in his later days in Norman.

Venables’ policy may not be liked by all, but it does seem to be working better than what Oklahoma’s previous coach was and is doing. It’s impressive, considering Riley is trying to convince players to come to Los Angeles, California, and Venables is trying to convince players to come to Norman, Oklahoma.

We’ve seen what it looks like when a one-dimensional offensive team makes the CFP semifinals. Riley is still trying to overcome the narrative that he can’t field a defense. Though it will continue to take time, Venables is hyper-focused on improving every part of the roster, every year. Oklahoma has averaged more than 39 points per game on offense each of Venables’ first two seasons in Norman. The defense, which lost five starters to the NFL and one as a grad transfer from the 2021 team improved nearly a touchdown a game from 2022 to 2023.

Patience will be important with Venables, but so will results. The staff believes that the program is now trending in the right direction heading into the SEC, after they had to strip it down to the studs in 2022.

It may take longer, but building the roster the right way, focusing on every single position on offense, defense and special teams, will be a better course of action in the long run. Complimentary and holistic offensive and defensive football will be the only way Oklahoma will truly be able to compete for national championships again. Physicality, toughness, and discipline are returning to Owen Field.

Oklahoma had hit a ceiling with the Lincoln Riley method of doing things. He was focused on offense, QBs and putting up 35 points a game. While no one expected Riley’s departure, the Sooners are clearly in a far better position now than they were in the final two years of Riley’s tenure.

As Venables continues to have success on the recruiting trail, college football’s coming to the realization that Oklahoma is better off.

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Oklahoma’s defensive line holds the keys to Sooners’ present and future

The Sooners went to work in recruiting and portaling the defensive line position this offseason. If it pays off, Oklahoma could begin to become a top-flight contender again.

It’s been about two-and-a-half years since [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] became the head football coach for the Oklahoma Sooners. In that time, he and his staff have diligently worked to build the program the right way after stripping it down to the studs in 2022.

A focus on toughness, discipline and complimentary football arrived in Norman on Dec. 5, 2021. Though there were growing pains in a 6-7 first year, the Sooners bounced back with a 10-3 mark in 2023. As the program enters the SEC, the challenge grows.

All of the preview magazines and national pundits will agree that one of the biggest keys to OU’s success in 2024 is the development of the offensive line. While that is absolutely the case in Year 1 in the SEC, it’s the guys on the other side of the ball that hold the keys to the future in Norman.

The Sooners have added some bona fide talent to the defensive line since the conclusion of last season via high school recruiting and the [autotag]transfer porta[/autotag]l. These are the players who will develop under Venables, [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] and [autotag]Miguel Chavis[/autotag] to form the future core of the Oklahoma Sooners defense.

Let’s start with high school recruiting and focus on the five defensive linemen that Venables and Co. brought in. The 2024 recruiting class on the D-line is quite simply the future of football in Norman, with five-star defensive tackle [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] leading the way.

Stone hails from IMG Academy in Florida and was the linchpin of the ’24 class. His recruitment was a wild one, but the Sooners won in the end for the interior force. He was the highest ranked defensive tackle to sign with OU in the “star era,” and is maybe the best indication that Lincoln Riley and Alex Grinch no longer reside in the state of Oklahoma.

[autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag] is a four-star player from Melissa, Texas, who committed to the Sooners in September. He figures to play inside and on the edge, filling multiple roles on the defensive line. North Texas high school football is filled with all kinds of talent all over the field, and Smith more than held his own against excellent competition.

Also slotting in the interior defensive line will be [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag], Stone’s teammate at IMG Academy. He has been locked in with OU since July and was perhaps the most impressive of the five in spring football, according to reports. Jackson took reps with the starters in the spring game.

Moving outside, [autotag]Wyatt Gilmore[/autotag] hails from Minnesota and was the first piece of the puzzle to fall into place with his June commitment. The four-star is still adding weight to his frame, but he plays with a high motor and intensity that will make him a favorite of Chavis.

More: Damonic Williams, Defense makes OU a contender

The final piece of that puzzle came in the form of four-star edge [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag] from Tulsa. The edge-rusher committed a couple of weeks after Smith and should pair nicely with players such as [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag] when it comes to pinning their ears back and rushing the passer.

While high school recruiting forms the base, the portal plugs holes. The staff was active in both the winter and spring windows.

[autotag]Jermayne Lole[/autotag] comes in after transferring from Louisville to help on the interior of the defensive line. At 6-foot-3, 310, Lole already has the measurables of an SEC lineman, which the Sooners have to have present. He had elite production at Arizona State before injuries limited Lole over the previous few seasons. As a true sophomore in 2019, Lole recorded 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. If he can regain that form that put him on NFL draft radars, the Sooners have an elite presence in the middle of their defensive line.

Edge rusher [autotag]Caiden Woullard[/autotag] arrives in Norman after a stint at Miami (Ohio), and was 247Sports’ fourth-ranked edge in the portal class. Last season for the Red Hawks, Woullard recorded 12 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.

But perhaps the best indication that the Sooners are gaining traction is the transfer portal win that will bring [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag] to Owen Field this fall.

Even with the Venables’ arrival, the Sooners had been left at the altar by some notable defensive line names like David Hicks and Williams Nwaneri. But, Oklahoma simply refused to be bullied by SEC dollars this go-around in the early May saga that was Williams’ recruitment. The Sooners wanted him, and the tandem of Venables and Bates did whatever it took to get that “all-in” poker chip.

This development speaks volumes. The Sooners are beginning to play with the big boys in the NIL world of college football. Additionally, the reputations of Venables, Bates, Chavis, and the rest of the staff will certainly help sway players to be developed in Norman.

If Oklahoma wants to play ball with programs like Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, LSU, Ohio State, and Michigan (all teams with CFP championships), then the Sooners will need to continue this philosophy all over the roster. Along the defensive line is where it will be the most pivotal.

Defense win championships in college football, and that is doubly true in the SEC, where the trenches quite literally win or lose football games. Complimentary football is a must, as a great offense and subpar defense can only get you so far. A complete roster is the only way to capture a championship in this sport. The offense has to be lethal. The defense has to be suffocating.

Luckily, Oklahoma seems to have the right man at the wheel. If this new aggressive name, image and likeness licensing philosophy continues to emerge, Venables could be bringing all kinds of talented players to the Sooner State.

His 2024 defensive line acquisitions are a great way to start.

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