jonah laulu – Page 3 – Syndication Server

What has to go right for the Oklahoma Sooners to contend in 2022 according to ESPN?

ESPN looks at 20 teams who could be in contention in 2022 and the things that would have to go right for them. What about Oklahoma?

The Oklahoma Sooners head into the 2022 season in an unfamiliar spot in the Big 12 hierarchy. They aren’t the preseason favorite to win the conference. They’re a bit underrated as well, with zero selections to the preseason All-Big 12 team.

The preseason expectations won’t mean anything once the pads come on. At the same time, this team has questions they need to answer. Bill Connelly of ESPN looks at 20 contenders and determines how many “ifs” need to go right for those teams, including the Oklahoma Sooners, to be “legit national title contenders (ESPN+).”

This is my annual “Ifs List” piece — an attempt to see how many “ifs” it takes me to turn a team into a genuine national title contender. The favorites don’t require many; a few others might have more than you think. – Bill Connelly, ESPN

The Sooners fall into the “4 ifs” tier of teams along with Utah, Michigan, and Oklahoma State. Let’s look at what Connelly had to say about Oklahoma and what needs to go right for the Sooners.

Brent Venables among coaches most likely to win big early

Among coaches in new gigs, Brent Venables most likely to win big early according to CBS Sports.

Nothing’s guaranteed in college football. Though the Oklahoma Sooners were favorites to win the Big 12 in 2021, losses to Baylor and Oklahoma State kept them from the title game. As surprising as Oklahoma missing out on a chance to contend for the Big 12 title was what happened a day after Bedlam.

The turnover at head coach was a shock as Lincoln Riley took the head coaching job at USC less than 24 hours after the loss to the Cowboys in Bedlam.

And while much of the country wrote off the Sooners as a premier college football program in the aftermath, Brent Venables work on the recruiting trail, in spring ball, and with the media has restored confidence in the tradition rich Sooners.

Oklahoma has been at or near the top in just about every early prediction or power rankings piece prognosticating the Big 12. Safe to say, the confidence is restored.

But the Oklahoma Sooners weren’t the only program to experience a coaching change this offseason. There’s coaching movement every year, but this felt like the biggest in number of teams, quality of coaches, and big-time programs looking for a new head coach or poaching one.

Notre Dame, USC, LSU, Miami, and Oregon all joined the Sooners on the coaching carousel. Brian Kelly, Mario Cristobal, and Lincoln Riley were the established coaches that jumped from one Power Five program to another while Venables, Dan Lanning, and Marcus Freeman became first-time head coaches, taking over a premier program.

Chip Patterson of CBS Sports took a look at the coaching movement that happened this winter and believes Venables, along with Lincoln Riley, as the coaches “most likely to have early success.”

What’s somewhat less discussed is how Oklahoma, which hired one of its own in Brent Venables to replace Riley, is equally prepared to compete for a conference championship and contend for a College Football Playoff spot. Venables made strong staff hires that included offensive coordinator [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] and found a Caleb Williams replacement with former UCF star Dillon Gabriel. Some talent left Norman after the coaching change, but the projected depth chart is still as strong as you’re going to find in the Big 12. – Patterson, CBS Sports

It’s not surprising to see Venables as a coach likely to have success. The Sooners are replacing a lot, but they have quite a few guys returning from the 2021 roster that are ready to make a jump. Add in the additions of [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag], [autotag]Trey Morrison[/autotag], [autotag]Kani Walker[/autotag], [autotag]Jeffery Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Jonah Laulu[/autotag], [autotag]LV Bunkley-Shelton[/autotag], [autotag]Javian Hester[/autotag], [autotag]T.D. Roof[/autotag], [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag], and [autotag]Tawee Walker[/autotag] and the Sooners did a great job of restocking their roster with some talented guys.

Venables defense and Jeff Lebby’s offensive prowess will have the Sooners winning a lot of games in 2022. They’ll be challenged by Texas, Oklahoma State, Baylor, and Kansas State, but those teams pose challenges every year.

Oklahoma’s banking on their team identity of toughness and aggression carrying them through what could be their last season in the Big 12. And if the success that’s followed Venables and Lebby through their previous stops translates to Oklahoma, there’s no reason why they won’t be contending for the Big 12 and a College Football Playoff spot in 2022.

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Oklahoma Sooners up 3 spots in latest ESPN power rankings

The Oklahoma Sooners made a positive impression on ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, who moved OU up three spots in his latest power rankings.

Coming out of spring ball, the vibes are all positive for the Oklahoma Sooners. A tremendous crowd at the spring game, followed by several solid recruiting weekends has the Sooners heading into the summer with quite a bit of momentum. Still months away from the start of the 2022 season, Oklahoma’s positioned once again to contend for the Big 12 title.

The Sooners’ spring left a strong impression on local and national media alike and in ESPN’s latest power rankings, the Sooners saw a three-spot bump to No. 14. Here’s what ESPN’s Mark Schlabach had to say.

The Sooners’ roster was decimated by players leaving for the NFL draft and transferring after (Lincoln) Riley left for USC. But first-time head coach Brent Venables has done a nice job of reloading through the transfer portal. (Dillon) Gabriel threw for more than 8,000 yards with 70 touchdowns in three seasons at UCF. (C.J.) Coldon, a transfer from Wyoming, and (Trey) Morrison, from North Carolina, were nice additions to the secondary. (Jonah) Laulu had eight tackles for loss and four sacks at Hawai’i last season. Venables will get things fixed on defense, and the offense will be good enough to outscore most teams in the Big 12. The Sooners will play Kansas State, Baylor and Oklahoma State at home. – Schlabach, ESPN

The Sooners lost a lot in the transfer portal, but they also gained quite a bit. Adding [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag], [autotag]Jeffery Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Trey Morrison[/autotag], and [autotag]Jonah Laulu[/autotag] provided a nice early boost in the portal while [autotag]LV Bunkley-Shelton[/autotag] and [autotag]Javian Heste[/autotag]r added some competition at wide receiver.

Oklahoma may not have the same level of star power heading into the 2022 season as they had last year. However, the hope is the change in leadership from the coaching staff will help bridge the gap as new stars are born for the Oklahoma Sooners.

[autotag]Marcus Stripling[/autotag] and [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag] are expected to have breakout seasons, replacing [autotag]Nik Bonitto[/autotag] and [autotag]Isaiah Thomas[/autotag] on the edge. Gabriel’s experience in college football and within Jeff Lebby’s offense will help get everyone on the same page in a new offense.

ESPN’s buying the hype surrounding the USC Trojans who sit at No. 4 in Schalbach’s power rankings. Oklahoma State was the highest-ranked Big 12 team at No. 11.

No surprise at who sits No. 1 and 2 in the power rankings. Alabama and Ohio State who have arguably the two best quarterbacks in college football, and the two players favored to win the Heisman, head into 2022 as the two best teams in college football.

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.

Oklahoma Sooners up 3 spots in latest ‘way-too-early’ ESPN Power Rankings

In ESPN’s latest “way-too-early” power rankings, the Oklahoma Sooners moved up three spots to No. 14.

The spring game for the Oklahoma Sooners football program served as an opportunity Christen the ship as it readies to set sail in the Brent Venables era. The four-month process of building the boat that the 2022 Oklahoma Sooners will board to venture into the college football season was at the dock.

On Saturday, [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag], and Sooner Nation broke their champagne bottle against the vessel that will carry Oklahoma into open waters as they embark for their future home in the SEC.

More than 75,000 fans gathered inside the friendly confines of Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium for the spring game. Brent Venables put out the challenge to “Pack the Palace” and the Sooners faithful responded in a resounding fashion.

The Sooners did some nice things on the football field as their fans looked on. There were big plays from the offense and the defense forced several turnovers and got after the quarterback. It was good competition that will serve Oklahoma well as they chart their course into the 2022 college football season.

As spring ball wraps up, ESPN updated their way-too-early top 25 power rankings for the 2022 season and the Oklahoma Sooners have moved up three spots to No. 14.

The Sooners’ roster was decimated by players leaving for the NFL draft and transferring after Riley left for USC. But first-time head coach Brent Venables has done a nice job of reloading through the transfer portal. Gabriel threw for more than 8,000 yards with 70 touchdowns in three seasons at UCF. Coldon, a transfer from Wyoming, and Morrison, from North Carolina, were nice additions to the secondary. Laulu had eight tackles for loss and four sacks at Hawai’i last season. Venables will get things fixed on defense, and the offense will be good enough to outscore most teams in the Big 12. The Sooners will play Kansas State, Baylor and Oklahoma State at home. – Mark Schlabach, ESPN

The Oklahoma Sooners strategically attacked the transfer portal during the winter to fill needs and add some depth to the roster. Veteran players like Dillon Gabriel, Trey Morrison, Jeffery Johnson, and Jonah La’ulu will help bridge the transition from the starters lost to the transfer portal or the NFL draft to the younger guys that were sitting behind them.

As we saw in the spring game, the Sooners have talent in Reggie Grimes, [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag], [autotag]Marcus Stripling[/autotag], [autotag]Jalen Redmond[/autotag], [autotag]Kendall Dennis[/autotag], and others. With four starters off to the NFL on the defensive side of the ball, the guys that were rotational players in 2021 have had a chance to shine in the Alamo Bowl and the spring game.

In the initial aftermath of [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag]’s departure from the Oklahoma Sooners to USC, the sea was choppy. The rough waters were difficult to manage in the early going. The steady leadership of Joseph Harroz, Joe Castiglione, and Bob Stoops helped Oklahoma find a captain capable of righting the ship that was abruptly thrown off course.

The 2022 spring game was more than a football game for the Oklahoma Sooners. It was a celebration of a program that waded through some adversity in the early going to put itself on a championship trajectory.

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247Sports highlights Kansas State as ‘dark horse’ in Big 12 title race, potential upset for Oklahoma

Looking at games that might have upset potential, 247Sports circled Oklahoma’s matchup with Kansas State, calling the Wildcats a Big 12 “dark horse.”

With several weeks of spring practice to go, the Oklahoma Sooners look positioned to be contenders in the Big 12 yet again. It’ll be another competitive year in the Big 12 with Baylor, Oklahoma State, and Texas but there might be some other teams that could cause problems in the conference.

Over at 247Sports, Will Backus looked at some of the games in the 2022 season that might have upset potential. The Oklahoma Sooners landed on the list with an old nemesis from the Lincoln Riley era, Chris Klieman and the Kansas State Wildcats.

Kansas State is this writer’s pick for Big 12 dark horse. The conference is as wide open as ever, and most teams have gone through some sort of massive change, be it to the coaching staff or on the roster. Oklahoma was a victim of both. The Sooners lost coach [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag] to USC, and Riley took starting quarterback [autotag]Caleb Williams[/autotag] and star wide receiver [autotag]Mario Williams[/autotag] with him. Outside of those, Oklahoma lost [autotag]Spencer Rattler[/autotag], its top two rushers, four of its top five receivers, three of five starting offensive linemen, its top three sack leaders and three of its top four linebackers. Even with Oklahoma’s transfer additions, that is an absurd amount of attrition. – Backus, 247Sports

Listen, we get it, the Oklahoma Sooners lost a ton of guys to the transfer portal and to the draft. But it’s not like the cupboard’s bare behind them or that they didn’t add players in the transfer portal to replace them. Oklahoma got arguably the best quarterback in the transfer portal not named Caleb Williams or Spencer Rattler. One could make the argument that [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag]’s experience and production puts him in that tier of player even if he didn’t have the same number of stars or hype that the former Sooners’ quarterbacks came to OU with.

On defense, the Sooners brought in several veteran player to help mitigate the departures of six starters. [autotag]Jeffery Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Jonah Laulu[/autotag], [autotag]T.D. Roof[/autotag], and [autotag]Trey Morrison[/autotag] arrive at Oklahoma with a ton of snaps under their belt. Each has a chance to start or become a significant rotational player for the Sooners in 2022, and at the same time, they’ve got players all over the defense that have been sitting behind future NFL players, developing and waiting for their chance.

While [autotag]Perrion Winfrey[/autotag], [autotag]Nik Bonitto[/autotag], and [autotag]Isaiah Thomas[/autotag] were big losses, the Oregon game showed off the potential from the defensive front as they harrassed Ducks’ quarterback Anthony Brown into three sacks against a pretty good Oregon offensive line.

On offense, they return their best wide receivers from the last two seasons in [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag] and [autotag]Theo Wease[/autotag]. Mims has led the Oklahoma Sooners in receiving yards each of the last two seasons. In 2020, Wease tied with Mims for the team lead in receptions. [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] returns and [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] looks primed for a breakout in 2022.

On the offensive line, [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag] helps mitigate the loss of [autotag]Marquis Hayes[/autotag], who was an anchor of the Oklahoma offensive line for several seasons. The only question with that unit is who will start at right tackle?

Kansas State is the exact opposite. The Wildcats surgically plugged any holes on their roster via the transfer portal. The big addition was Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez, who had a roller coaster 2021 but was considered a Heisman Trophy contender just a couple years ago. Chris Klieman’s squad also boasts running back Deuce Vaughn, one of the most electric players in the nation, and what should be the best defensive line in the Big 12. With this being both teams’ first conference game, this is a prime opportunity for Kansas State to establish itself as a threat. – Backus, 247Sports

Deuce Vaughn has been a problem for years and will be a problem again in 2022, but if Chris Klieman can’t help [autotag]Adrian Martinez[/autotag] protect the ball better, Kansas State won’t contend in the Big 12. He’s a solid quarterback that kept Nebraska in some games last season, but his penchant for putting the ball on the ground also put them behind in a lot of games.

Chris Klieman is one of the best coaches in the Big 12 and the Wildcats have been a thorn in the side of the Sooners at times, but Oklahoma is still the more talented team. An upset is always a possibility in the competitive Big 12 conference, but the Oklahoma Sooners will be the favorite in nearly every game they play in 2022 if not all of them.

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Oklahoma Sooners 2022 football schedule

Oklahoma Sooners 2022 football schedule.

The 2022 season for the Oklahoma Sooners marks a new beginning for one of the most storied programs in the history of college football.

Returning to help the Oklahoma Sooners embark on the next chapter is [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], who will make his head coaching debut against the UTEP Miners in Norman on Sept. 3. There’s no doubt that the Sooners’ fanbase will be fired up to watch and support their new head coach.

Also returning is former student assistant, now offensive coordinator [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag]. Lebby’s bringing his high-octane offense to the Sooners and brings along a former quarterback with him in [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag].

Gabriel’s experience helps the Sooners avoid a drop-off at quarterback with both starters from the 2021 season transferring out. Gabriel and the Oklahoma offense get a boost from the return of [autotag]Theo Wease[/autotag] who was out for 2021 due to an injury and initially entered the transfer portal only to return. The receiving yardage leader from the 2020 and 2021 seasons, [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag], is back as well to give Oklahoma a nice duo on the outside.

The biggest question facing the Sooners is how they retool a defense that lost six starters from the 2021 season. But with support in the transfer portal from [autotag]Trey Morrison[/autotag], [autotag]Jonah Laulu[/autotag], and [autotag]Jeffery Johnson[/autotag] and some rising stars in Ethan Downs, [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag], [autotag]Reggie Grimes[/autotag], [autotag]Marcus Stripling[/autotag], [autotag]Jalen Redmond[/autotag], [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag], and [autotag]DaShaun White[/autotag], the Sooners have answers.

Despite all of the turnover, the Oklahoma Sooners are still a contender for the Big 12 and if things go right could find themselves in contention for a College Football Playoff berth.

Some game times and broadcast information are still to be determined. Times are listed in the central time zone.

Week	Date	Opponent	Time
1	9/3	vs. UT-El Paso Miners	TBA
2	9/10	vs. Kent State Golden Flashes	TBA
3	9/17	at Nebraska Cornhuskers	TBA
4	9/24	vs. Kansas State Wildcats	TBA
5	10/1	at TCU Horned Frogs	TBA
6	10/8	vs. Texas Longhorns in Dallas	TBA
7	10/15	vs. Kansas Jayhawks	TBA
8	10/22	at. BYE WEEK
9	10/27	at Iowa State Cyclones	TBA
10	11/5	vs. Baylor Bears	TBA
11	11/12	at West Virginia Mountaineers	TBA
12	11/19	vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys	TBA
13	11/26	at Texas Tech Red Raiders	TBA

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Bringing back defensive culture the biggest question facing the Sooners per CBS Sports

Can Brent Venables rebuild a defensive culture? CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah takes a look at the biggest question facing each Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Sooners are in the midst of arguably the most significant transition the team has faced in more than 20 years. The change in the coaching staff, coupled with the loss of 12 starters (six on offense, six on defense), mixes in uncertainty to go along with the typical optimism that comes with spring practice.

As the Oklahoma Sooners and the rest of the Big 12 work through spring practice, CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah asked a question about each team in the conference. For the Oklahoma Sooners, Jeyarajah asked, “Can [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] rebuild a defensive culture?”

After five years of offensive focus under [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag], Oklahoma opted to turn things around by hiring defensive mastermind Brent Venables. The former Sooners assistant under [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag] has helped put together 12 consecutive years of 10-win seasons between his time at Oklahoma and Clemson, but starting over in Norman comes with complications.

The Sooners have a proud history of hard-nosed defenses, but things slipped mightily under Riley. The Sooners gave up nearly 400 yards per game in an average Big 12. Plus, six top starters are gone, including nearly every leader in the front seven from last year’s team.

Oklahoma has recruited well on the defensive side of the ball and Venables has six defensive transfers on the way. However, the defensive struggles in Norman have seemed to transcend personnel and scheme. Venables has a critical spring to start building trust on the roster and assemble the kind of defensive culture that can get OU back to contention for national titles. – Sheahan Jeyarajah, CBS Sports

I don’t see why Venables wouldn’t be able to create a defensive culture at Oklahoma.

Venables has been one of the more successful defensive coaches in the country in the last two decades. While things weren’t always dominant during his final years at OU, he showed at Clemson the ability to build a sustainably dominant defense. And those defenses helped Clemson win two national titles, play in the second-most College Football Playoff games and accumulate the second-most wins. The team they trail is the team everyone’s chasing; the Alabama Crimson Tide. And the Tigers beat the Tide twice during the Dabo Swinney-Brent Venables run.

Sure, there’s been turnover, but the Sooners look more than capable of addressing those losses with returning players and guys they brought in through the transfer portal.

What they did in the transfer portal was a strategic attempt to replace the snaps lost on the defensive side of the football. The Additions of [autotag]Jeffery Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Jonah Laulu[/autotag], [autotag]Trey Morrison[/autotag], Kani Walker, C.J. Coldon, and T.D. Roof will pay huge dividends in 2022 and beyond. Johnson, Laulu, and Morrison could all end up starting for Oklahoma. The experience they’re bringing to Norman will be a huge boost to a team relying on some younger players to fill the void left at several other spots.

Oklahoma’s defensive issues weren’t a talent thing, and at times they weren’t even a scheme thing. Alex Grinch helped improve Oklahoma’s defense in the time he spent in Norman. Was it perfect? No. But it was better than it had been, and the Sooners resembled a team that could win with their defense, like in the Iowa State and Nebraska games last season.

And the expectation is that things will go a step further with Brent Venables back in Norman. The Clemson Tigers became one of the best defenses in the country during his time in South Carolina, and that’s why he’s been a hot name for coaching jobs for several years. But beyond the scheme and the ability to recruit top defensive talent, it’s the mindset and the attitude that Venables brings to the table that will help reestablish Oklahoma’s defensive philosophy.

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5 position battles to watch as the Oklahoma Sooners begin spring practice

With key losses on both sides of the ball, the Oklahoma Sooners will have a lot of competition for starting roles this spring. Here are 5 position battles to watch.

The Oklahoma Sooners are set to stage the next phase of their offseason preparation for the 2022 season; spring practice.

With the team putting in winter workouts with returning strength and conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt, Oklahoma starts fresh with a new coaching staff, which has brought it in a new culture, hoping to return Oklahoma to national prominence.

Most of the coaching staff was retained on the offensive side of the ball for new coordinator Jeff Lebby. Lebby brings a new approach to offensive football, looking to return Oklahoma to a fast-paced, balanced, and efficient offensive identity. The only change came at wide receiver, where Dennis Simmons moved on to USC, and Cale Gundy took over as the Sooners wide receivers coach.

Despite the losses, excitement has followed the Oklahoma Sooners in the locker room and the fan base for the start of the Brent Venables era. On defense, it’s a whole new crew, with a new defensive scheme and a new energy. Heading into 2022, more than half of the defensive starters will be new for the Sooners.

With spring practice set to kick off, let’s look at five key position battles this offseason.

The Athletic’s Ari Wasserman selects Oklahoma as best defensive line destination for 5 stars

The Athletic’s Ari Wasserman wrote that Oklahoma is the best destination for five-star defensive line prospects.

What a breath of fresh air. There’s national optimism surrounding Oklahoma’s defense. Asked by a reader in his recruiting mailbag to pick the best destination for a five-star recruit at each position, The Athletic’s Ari Wasserman chose Oklahoma for defensive line.

Can you believe that Oklahoma is making an appearance on this list at a defensive position? Well, the Sooners lost out on quarterback because their coach left, so they should be able to absorb the resume of their new coach. And Brent Venables really knew how to put together an elite-level defensive line while at Clemson. Looking back at the 2019 draft, the Tigers had three D-linemen picked in the first round. Bryan Bresee will also be a first-round pick one day. If I were a five-star defensive lineman, I’d want to play for a defensive-minded head coach who has a history of producing NFL Draft picks. It also doesn’t hurt that he was one of the faces that defined the defensive renaissance for one of America’s best programs. – Wasserman, The Athletic.

Clemson defensive linemen Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence were all taken in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Defensive end Austin Bryant was also selected in the fourth round of that same draft.

This is the hope moving forward for Oklahoma. With OU head coach Brent Venables and co-defensive coordinator and defensive tackles coach Todd Bates, the Sooners have two coaches in place with a proven track record for landing some of the nation’s top defensive line players annually.

Bates said ahead of the start of spring practice on March 22 that he expects Oklahoma will be able to attract the best players up front.

“Man, it’s because they’re attracted a lot of times [to] the scheme that you run. Does it highlight their skillset? Does it create a one-on-one matchup? And then you’ve got to go recruit guys that can win those. And they want to play in an aggressive scheme, attacking scheme, and that’s what we’ve been. We’ve led the country in tackles for loss and sacks over the last decade. And that’s what guys are attracted to. They want to see [that]. They want to have a chance to produce, and they want to see you producing draft picks. And so you’ve got to be productive, and that’s what we’ve been under Coach Venables’ defense. We’ve been very productive, and we’ve been very intentional, and it hasn’t just happened by chance. You don’t do something 10 years in a row and that’s just by chance. So, recruits are drawn to that,” Bates said.

OU will have several players drafted from its defensive line in short order. Both Isaiah Thomas and Perrion Winfrey will hear their names called and Nik Bonitto will in the 2022 NFL Draft as well. That also can’t hurt Oklahoma’s pursuit of five-star defensive linemen targets Lebbeus Overton and David Hicks.

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‘Tradition oozing out its ears’: Todd Bates excited to join storied Oklahoma program

Associate head coach, co-defensive coordinator and defensive tackles coach Todd Bates sounded off on his excitement to join the Sooners.

For the first time since joining Oklahoma on Jan. 4, Todd Bates spoke with the local media last week. Bates was named Oklahoma’s associate head coach, co-defensive coordinator and defensive tackles coach.

Bates arrives in Norman with a sterling reputation for landing some of the nation’s premiere talent. It’s Oklahoma’s reputation that ultimately attracted Bates to OU.

“Man, I tell you what. It’s one of the blue blood programs, man, and with tradition oozing out its ears. You talk about the 50 conference championships. You talk about since 2000 winning 239 ball games, and that doesn’t just happen, and that’s regardless of who’s been at the helm. You know, over that time, three different coaches and people at the helm, they just kept it going. And Oklahoma’s just always been a special place,” Bates said.

While at Alabama, Bates and the Crimson Tide lost in Norman 37-27, so he was at least somewhat familiar with what Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is like on a Saturday.

“I was very fortunate during my time as a player at Alabama to play in that stadium, play right here in this stadium and to see what that’s all about. And it didn’t turn out our way, for those of you that remember, in ’02. Oklahoma ended up winning that ball game. And I ended up playing with some of those players from that team later in my career. As a Titan, was part of a team with Rocky Calmus and Jason White, and you just see, man, the pride that they took in where they played. And that’s just continued. So, I’m excited to have an opportunity to be under Coach Venables and continue that process, man, and pour into players and make sure that they know what they’re a part of, because it’s special,” Bates said.

Continuing to work with Venables might’ve been the biggest deciding factor in Bates choosing to come to Oklahoma. The opportunity to serve as the Sooners’ associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator were big selling points, too.

“Well, man, it was a tough decision. You know, you go back-and-forth and you know that it’s always a possibility, but Coach Venables, he really sold me on day-to-day, every day that I got to work with him at Clemson. And just seeing him get the best, squeeze the dollar out of a dime. Very thankful for the opportunity I had at Clemson under Coach [Dabo] Swinney. Gave me my first opportunity, and I loved those players while I was there, man, but I got the chance to come here and have an opportunity to be a co-coordinator and continue to grow under Coach Venables. And really you kind of look at your growth and you kind of count everything when you get to be at the level that I’ve been blessed to be on and under some great coaches. And during my five years there at Clemson, man, I grew, and a lot of people had a hand in that. But I was with Coach Venables every day, and I just saw the way he treated players, the way he pushed the staff and really wanted some more of that and had an opportunity, so I couldn’t pass it up,” Bates said.

Oklahoma returns defensive tackle Jalen Redmond who finished with eight tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in just eight games last season. Isaiah Coe, Josh Ellison, Jordan Kelley and Kori Roberson are back as well. Plus, the Sooners added transfer defensive linemen Jeffery Johnson from Tulane and Jonah Laulu from Hawaii.

“Man, I tell you what? I’m excited about the group. They are hungry, they are humble and they are hard-working. And they’re seeking knowledge every day for what we’re doing, as far as our scheme and our playbook, because we’re running Coach Venables’ defense that we ran at Clemson. And so that will be—they’re excited about that, and I gauge their excitement about how many times they text me a day about the plays, how many times a day they’re coming in and trying to watch on their own. And I can tell you that’s been really great. And we did some of the same stuff they did last year, so I’ve been able to [use that]. The biggest barrier for a player learning a new scheme is the verbiage and the lingo, and so what I’ve challenged them to do is to try to speak our lingo and also share what they did last year so I can help them merge that and cut the learning curve. But I’m excited about it. They’ve been, they’re on the right track doing that. We’re looking forward to getting started on March 22,” Bates said.

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