Tag: Phillip Paea

Can the Oklahoma Sooners slow down Cincinnati’s top 10 rushing attack?

If the Oklahoma Sooners want to leave Ohio with a win, it all starts with slowing down the Cincinnati Bearcats top 10 rushing attack.

It can be easy to discount a team’s success early in the season because of the assumed weakness in their nonconference schedule.

That’s the knock against Oklahoma heading into Big 12 play. “They haven’t played anyone,” people say.

The Sooners get a true test when they take on the [autotag]Cincinnati Bearcats[/autotag] today at 11 a.m. CT. Yes, the Bearcats are coming off of a loss to Miami (OH). Cincinnati had opportunities to win but failed to convert in the red zone and had some costly turnovers in the game. But that shouldn’t diminish what the Bearcats do really well, namely run the football.

Cincy comes into their first Big 12 matchup with the No. 8 rushing attack in the country. They’re averaging 239 rushing yards per game, five yards per carry, and two rushing touchdowns per game. In their lone Power Five contest against Pitt, the Bearcats ran for 216 yards in their 27-21 win.

Emory Jones will sling it, but Cincinnati wants to run the football. In order to take the air out of the high-flying Oklahoma Sooners offense, Bearcats head coach Scott Satterfield will want to use the running game to control the game.

For the Sooners to return from Ohio with a win, they’ll need to figure out how to slow down the Bearcats rushing attack.

Oklahoma comes into the game with the No. 16 run defense, allowing just 78 yards per game. Tulsa and SMU are currently averaging 166 rushing yards per game. The Sooners held the Mustangs to 116 yards and 3.54 yards per carry and the Golden Hurricane to just 71 yards rushing and 1.54 yards per carry.

The Sooners look like a team intent on stopping the run this season, and they’ve been very effective at it.

This offseason, they made a concerted effort to bulk up their defensive line in the weight room and in the transfer portal. After not having a defensive tackle over 300 pounds a year ago they have three players over that mark in 2023 in [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag], [autotag]Isaiah Coe[/autotag], and [autotag]Phillip Paea[/autotag]. [autotag]Jordan Kelly[/autotag] and [autotag]Jonah Laulu[/autotag] come in over 290 pounds. The Sooners have a healthy rotation of players with good size to help the OU hold up better at the point of attack this season.

The Oklahoma Sooners look like a defense trending in a fantastic direction. This game against Cincinnati will provide the Sooners a significant test for their run defense. If they can hold up and control the line of scrimmage, it will give Oklahoma a significantly better shot at winning the game.

Here are some of the best photos from Oklahoma’s last trip to Cincinnati back in 2010.

 

Oklahoma Sooners pass rush will be better in 2023

With added talent and more experience, the Oklahoma Sooners pass rush will be much better in 2023 than it was a year ago.

Among the many issues the Oklahoma Sooners ran into when they entered Big 12 play was the dropoff of their pass rush. In a defense predicated on pressure, the Sooners finished tied for 64th in the nation with 2.15 sacks per game. Much of that success came in their nonconference, when the Sooners defense was looking pretty good. Once they entered Big 12 play, the pass rush was a different story.

The losses of [autotag]Nik Bonitto[/autotag], [autotag]Isaiah Thomas[/autotag], and [autotag]Perrion Winfrey[/autotag] were felt up front as Oklahoma broke in several new starters along the defensive line.

There was solid play from guys like [autotag]Reggie Grimes[/autotag], who got off to a hot start to the season, and [autotag]Ethan Down[/autotag]s, who closed the season strong. However, the play from their defensive line was inconsistent, and that was felt throughout the back seven.

With Downs and Grimes returning, along with other prominent fixtures in the defensive line rotation like [autotag]Isaiah Coe[/autotag] and [autotag]Jordan Kelley[/autotag], there’s hope that the Sooners’ pass rush will be improved this year.

[autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag] showed flashes last fall, as did [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag] in the spring. Both Thomas and Halton play with incredible quickness that they can create pressure in a hurry.

With more experience and another year of development, Oklahoma’s key returners along the defensive line will play a big part in the Sooners’ pressure resurgence.

But the Sooners’ coaching staff didn’t sit on their hands and assume the defensive front would develop. Brent Venables and his crew attacked the transfer portal with the same intensity that he coaches.

Oklahoma Added four defensive tackles in [autotag]Davon Sears[/autotag], [autotag]Jacob Lacey[/autotag], [autotag]Phillip Paea[/autotag], and [autotag]DaJon Terry[/autotag]. They also added defensive ends [autotag]Rondell Bothroyd[/autotag] and [autotag]Trace Ford[/autotag]. [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag], who figures to factor in at Cheetah, played EDGE for Indiana in 2022 and accumulated four sacks as a true freshman. In Bothroyd, Ford, and McCullough, the Sooners added 28 career sacks to their defensive end room.

Then there are the incoming freshmen like [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag], [autotag]Taylor Wein[/autotag], [autotag]Ashton Sanders[/autotag], and [autotag]Markus Strong[/autotag]. Adebawore is the five-star edge rusher that is long and super athletic. Wein flew under the radar until late in his senior year, but he’s also a very good athlete in his own right. Sanders and Strong offer good size and athleticism in the middle and can be disruptive. It only remains to be seen how quickly the freshmen can acclimate and help add to the Sooners’ depth along the defensive front.

If there’s truly strength in numbers, the Oklahoma Sooners have turned what was a weakness a year ago into a strength ahead of the 2023 football season. The talent added to the development they had in-house will be a big reason why the Oklahoma Sooners improve from the six-win team they were a year ago.

The Sooners raised their talent floor along the defensive line for 2023. Although we won’t be able to truly evaluate the pass rush until they get into Big 12 play, and the Texas game in particular, this team has added talent to rush the passer. They’ve raised the talent floor, minimizing any dropoff the Sooners might see from their starters to their rotational guys. That improved talent and more experience will help Oklahoma win on the rush a lot more frequently than it did in 2023.

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Jonah Laulu taking on leadership role amid move to defensive tackle

Oklahoma’s Jonah Laulu disccused his new role moving to DT from EDGE and guys he’s got his eye on for 2023.

To say Oklahoma lost a lot heading into last season is an understatement. Yes, Lincoln Riley’s departure was tough to swallow. Still, the players that departed for the draft or the transfer portal put a massive dent in the talent pool Oklahoma had to work with heading into last season.

One of the players Oklahoma brought in via the portal was Hawaii transfer Jonah Laulu, a seasoned defender who spent four years at Hawaii. He came to Oklahoma with two years of eligibility, and his first year saw him as a staple in Oklahoma’s EDGE rotation.

He played in every game and made starts against Iowa State, Texas Tech, and Florida State in the Cheez-It Bowl. He totaled 20 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, one pass breakup, and two QB hurries.

It wasn’t an earth-shattering performance by any means, but Laulu, like many of his peers who decided to return for 2023, knew they had to improve this year. For one of the worst defenses in recent Oklahoma memory, that just won’t cut it, especially with a defensive wizard at the head coach like Brent Venables.

Laulu fully bought in this offseason to the culture change and commitment to turning OU around defensively and accepted a position change to play along the defensive interior instead of just inside. To do that, Laulu added over 30 pounds in size. As Oklahoma prepares for fall camp, the former Hawaii transfer has gone from 260 pounds to 293 pounds.

At Big 12 Media Days, Laulu discussed how the position change came about, his motivation, and his overall thoughts. Laulu spoke about being in a leadership position and how he got there.

“I think it’s because of how well I took on the position change,” Laulu shared. “Because some people would kind of refuse it at first, and they wouldn’t want to change that position because you don’t want to let go with being on the edge. I mean, I just wanted to do what I needed to do to help this team be the best that they can be. So whatever I have to do, I’ll do it.”

Laulu continued and shared when the decision came that, he would move inside.

“We knew I was going to play DT before the season started last year,”  Laulu said. “So in fall camp, when we were maybe like little bit halfway through camp, my coach, Coach Chavis came up and talking to us, like, ‘We noticed that your movements on the inside,’ or ‘you look so natural,’ and ‘you’re way more comfortable on the interior. And, you know, we probably think about putting you on the interior next season.’ Putting me with Coach Bates. I’ll do whatever it takes. For this team to win. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Laulu’s ability to buy in is the core tenet of what Brent Venables and the rest of his staff have talked about in full regarding the shift in mindset and accountability needed for Oklahoma not just to be better this year but to compete for a Big 12 title.

He represents the type of buy-in Oklahoma needs, especially on defense, where accountability and a willingness to do the hard and gritty work. The stuff that may go unnoticed by the general audience resonates with the coaches and his teammates and permeates the rest of the locker room.

As one of their leaders on the defense, Oklahoma looks well-equipped to be better this year. Jonah also shared some names he thinks are primed for a breakout year or that the Sooner fans need to know about defensively.

“I’d say R Mason Thomas,” Laulu said. “He’s actually living with me right now. I mean, if you’re watching this defense, look out for Mason. He’s a great player. His ability to use his quickness, and his quick twitch and his high motor.”

Laulu also mentioned sophomore Gracen Halton, true freshman Ashton Sanders, and former five-star safety Peyton Bowen. As for some older guys, Laulu mentioned transfers Phil Paea and Da’Jon Terry are slowly acclimating themselves, learning the playbook, and trying to fit in amongst the rest of the guys.

Oklahoma should be well positioned to be better on defense next season simply due to more familiarity in the scheme, another year under strength and conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt, and a massive infusion of talent from the transfer portal and their freshman class. Guys like Laulu will need to lead the charge, having been in the fire of the Big 12 schedule and knowing what it feels like to struggle. Leaning on that experience could help Oklahoma reach the top of the Big 12 mountain in their final year in the league.

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‘A great opportunity for the new guys’: Brent Venables excited about Sooners despite turnover

Despite a big roster turnover in their first year and a half, Brent Venables is feeling good about Oklahoma’s competitive depth.

The last 20 months in Norman have seen a coaching staff overhaul that led to roster turnover that highlights much of what college athletics has become.

The transfer portal, graduation and the NFL draft lead to turnover every year. After a coaching change, that turnover is exaggerated.

“We’ve had tremendous turnover, like a lot of people in this day and age of college football,” Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables said at Big 12 media days. “Like many people, there’s been tremendous roster turnover. We desire a roster of stability and consistency. I think that’s what lends to success and sustainability.”

[autotag]Venables[/autotag] relayed that 78.8% of his roster is in the first or second year with the program.

“We’ve got 123 players on team 129, and out of those 123 players, 97 of them will be in either their first or their second year at the University of Oklahoma,” Venables said. “Tremendous turnover, but I couldn’t be more excited about the group of guys.”

Venables added, “To me I look at it as a great opportunity for the new guys.”

Oklahoma’s banking on a lot of those new guys being significant contributors to the team’s success in 2023. As the transfer additions go, so likely will the Sooners’ Big 12 title aspirations.

Defensive additions [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag], [autotag]Rondell Bothroyd[/autotag], [autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag] and [autotag]Konnor Near[/autotag] are each expected to have big roles for Oklahoma this season.

“And then the addition – again, we’ve got nine guys, six guys up front, two All-American linebackers, a hard-hitting safety in [autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag].” Venables said. “I believe we’ll be better up the middle of our defense, and I look at where we were at really at every single position, and we didn’t have the competitive depth a year ago.”

In particular, the lack of defensive depth was staggering.

At linebacker, the Sooners’ trio of [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], [autotag]David Ugwoegbu[/autotag], and [autotag]DaShaun White[/autotag] each played over 900 snaps. Only two players in Football Bowl Subdivision played more snaps than Stutsman. Adding depth at linebacker with McCullough and Near was critical. Their 2022 and 2023 linebacker signees add to that depth.

The 2022 guys have been in the program for more than a year now. [autotag]Kobie McKinzie[/autotag], [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag] and [autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag] will have bigger roles this season for the Sooners, which will help their linebacker play be better.

Tackle [autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag] and tight end [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag] should start on the offensive side of the ball. Guard [autotag]Caleb Shaffer[/autotag], wide receivers [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] and [autotag]Brenen Thompson[/autotag], and defensive tackles [autotag]Davon Sears[/autotag], [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag] and [autotag]Phillip Paea[/autotag] are expected to compete for playing time.

The Sooners’ 2023 recruiting class could have guys be early X-factors on the field this season. At cornerback, [autotag]Jasaiah Wagoner[/autotag] and [autotag]Makari Vickers[/autotag] have been turning heads. The drumbeat for Peyton Bowen hasn’t slowed. [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag] has turned heads with his speed despite being on campus only a month or two.

“It goes without saying, we went 6-7 last year and fell well below our expectations and our standards at Oklahoma,” shared Venables. “But man, we learned and grew a lot as a football program. In five of the seven losses, it goes down to the last minute, two minutes of the game in the fourth quarter with a chance to win.

“We started the year pretty strong, and then we didn’t finish the year very well, particularly in, again, those fourth quarters of a bunch of games. We just didn’t have any juice left about the middle of the year on. The competitive depth will lead to better competitive stamina.”

The Sooners are hoping the improved competitive depth will lead to a more competitive defense that’s able to help close games for a team with lofty expectations.

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Oklahoma’s defensive line needs to make a significant jump in 2023

For the Sooners to improve defensively in 2023, Oklahoma’s defensive line will have to make significant improvements.

It’s no secret a big reason the Oklahoma Sooners didn’t achieve what they wanted to last year was the defense. The Sooners finished 106th in run defense, 119th in pass defense and 122nd in total defense.

A big reason those numbers were so horrific was how poor the defensive line was last season. It couldn’t generate a pass rush, and it struggled to get off blocks and make stops in the run game.

It’s clear the staff recognized the issues from last year and attacked the transfer portal, hoping to improve the defensive front. The big priority over the last few recruiting classes has been to add blue-chip defensive linemen.

The Sooners added six players from the transfer portal: Jacob Lacey, Trace Ford, Davon Sears, Rondell Bothroyd, Da’Jon Terry and Phillip Paea. Throw in Dasan McCullough, who played edge for Indiana in 2022, and the Sooners made a concerted effort to add players that can affect the running game and get to the quarterback.

Each of those additions should contribute this year, and a few might even start. The transfer portal is not the only place where the Sooners added talent. They also added five-star P.J. Adebawore.

He might not be a starter immediately, but he has the potential to start by the season’s end. The team also returns starters Isaiah Coe, Ethan Downs and Reggie Grimes.

A guy that played quite a bit last season as a true freshman and is poised for a breakout season is R Mason Thomas. He’s added weight and appears to have kept his speed and twitch.

The starting defensive line could be Thomas, Coe, Terry and Bothroyd when the Sooners deploy four-man fronts. When they go with a three-man front, it could be Thomas or Downs, Terry and Bothroyd until Adebawore becomes more comfortable.

There’s no doubt the Sooners needed to upgrade the defensive line. Now we’ll see if the results follow.

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What does defensive tackle look like after Derrick LeBlanc’s departure

What does the defensive tackle position look like after Derrick LeBlanc’s departure?

With the news of former four-star defensive tackle Derrick LeBlanc’s departure from the program, let’s take a look at where Oklahoma goes at defensive tackle.

LeBlanc announced on Twitter there were some “unforeseen circumstances” that resulted in him having to enter the portal.

Losing a guy like LeBlanc, you can look at it in one of two ways. On one hand, you don’t want to lose defensive linemen, especially those at defensive tackle. This is a position the Sooners are weak at, and you never want to lose talented players.

On the other hand, you aren’t losing any production. Did he have potential? Absolutely. But he hadn’t played a game yet.

Let’s be real. Unless something changed, he wasn’t going to be in the two-deep this year. I could argue he wasn’t top six at his position for 2023.

Injuries could change that, obviously, but it was unlikely he’d get playing time ahead of guys like [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag], [autotag]Phillip Paea[/autotag], [autotag]Jonah Laulu[/autotag], [autotag]Isaiah Coe[/autotag], [autotag]Jordan Kelley[/autotag], [autotag]Jacob Lacey[/autotag] and [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag]. One could make the argument that [autotag]Ashton Sanders[/autotag] was in a better position to compete for snaps inside given the size he arrived in Norman with.

There’s been a great deal of buzz about Sanders and Halton this offseason, but both are still young guys that have developing to do. Halton was a four-star signee in the 2022 recruiting class after flipping from Oregon.

There have been rumors about Lacey not being able to play this year, so that would hurt. But we’ve heard Ethan Downs and Rondell Bothroyd could play up and down the line.

2024 is trickier, though. Laulu, Lacey, Kelley and Coe are out of eligibility after this season. Now the Sooners are in the running for elite players in the 2024 class. They can also address issues in the portal. But defensive tackle has some questions to answer in 2023 ahead of the program’s move to the SEC in 2024.

In their first year in the SEC, the Sooners could have very little depth at one of the most important positions. 

If there’s a positive takeaway from the departure from the Sooners’ perspective, it’s that Derrick LeBlanc made the decision now as opposed to next winter. The Sooners are in the midst of recruiting so they might be able to get in on some recruits they had moved on from now that they have an extra spot available on the defensive line depth chart.

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Oklahoma DL Derrick LeBlanc enters the transfer portal per On3 report

According to a report from On3 Sports, 2023 four-star DL Derrick LeBlanc is entering the transfer portal after just one semester with OU.

In an odd turn of events, one of Oklahoma’s 2023 enrollees is entering the transfer portal. After just one semester in Norman, four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Derrick LeBlanc[/autotag] is entering the transfer portal, according to a report from On3’s Matt Zenitz.

Derrick LeBlanc was Oklahoma’s sixth highest-rated signee in the 2023 cycle and one of two blue-chip prospects signed to the class. Out of Kissimmee, Fla., LeBlanc was the No. 33 defensive lineman in the class and ranked No. 246 overall.

This offseason, the Sooners have been active in the transfer portal, adding interior defensive line options since the portal initially opened in the winter. Oklahoma’s added [autotag]Jacob Lacey[/autotag], [autotag]Davon Sears[/autotag], [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag], and [autotag]Phillip Paea[/autotag] and moved Jonah Laulu from defensive end to defensive tackle this offseason. Those additions, along with the return of [autotag]Isaiah Coe[/autotag] and [autotag]Jordan Kelley[/autotag], could have limited his opportunities to get on the field in 2023.

In 2024, the Oklahoma Sooners are hoping to add an impressive group of defensive linemen headlined by [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag], and [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], potentially creating a more difficult path toward playing time.

LeBlanc was a big addition for the Oklahoma Sooners, helping them secure one of their best recruiting classes in the modern recruiting era. Now with LeBlanc gone, [autotag]Ashton Sanders[/autotag] and [autotag]Markus Strong[/autotag] remain as the interior defensive linemen in the 2023 recruiting class.

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Oklahoma Sooners bolster DL depth with portal addition of Phillip Paea

The Oklahoma Sooners added their second transfer defensive line commitment in as many days with the pledge from Phillip Paea.

The Oklahoma Sooners are hoping to have an improved defensive line in 2023. After allowing 187 rushing yards per game in 2022, the Sooners have been active in the transfer portal to improve that element of their defense.

The Sooners added their fourth defensive tackle through the transfer portal, receiving a commitment from Utah State transfer defensive tackle [autotag]Phillip Paea[/autotag].

Paea, who spent the last two seasons with Utah State, is coming off an ACL injury suffered early in the 2022 season. Prior to that, he was a starter for the Aggies, helping them win the 2021 Mountain West Conference championship. Paea originally signed with the Michigan Wolverines in the 2017 recruiting class, but didn’t make much of an impact in Ann Arbor, transferring to Utah State after the 2020 season.

Paea joins a defensive tackle room that’s added [autotag]Jacob Lacey[/autotag], [autotag]Davon Sears[/autotag], and on [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag] through the portal. Terry committed to the Sooners on Friday.

The defensive tackle group has a bunch of depth and experience with these additions. The transfer group joins ascending players like Isaiah Coe, [autotag]Jordan Kelley[/autotag], and [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag]. Jonah Laulu moved inside to allow his size and agility be more effective against guards.

Oklahoma also brought in a trio of interior defensive line prospects in the 2023 recruiting class with four-star [autotag]Derrick LeBlanc[/autotag] and three-star prospects [autotag]Ashton Sanders[/autotag] and [autotag]Markus Strong[/autotag].

Like Terry, Paea figures to help the Sooners as a nose tackle in Brent Venables’ defense. Last year, Paea was listed at 6-foot-4 and 305 pounds.

With all of the additions up front, it’s going to be fascinating to see ow the Sooners deploy their defensive tackles in 2023. The Sooners’ defensive tackle rotation is going to be deep this season. The addition of Phillip Paea ensures they have multiple players that can make life difficult for teams that want to run inside against Oklahoma’s defense.

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Former Michigan football DT transfers to elite school

Third school, seventh season!

A Michigan native, Phillip Paea’s time wearing maize and blue was spent mostly behind the scenes.

A mixture of injuries and those ahead of him on the depth chart kept him from seeing the field in Ann Arbor, so once he was healthy, he opted to seek a new beginning, transferring to Utah State — along with fellow defensive teammate, cornerback Hunter Reynolds.

After two years at Utah State, Paea is on the move again. He announced in late-May that he had earned an offer from Oklahoma. On Saturday, he announced he was making good on that offer, committing to the Sooners.

Though never teammates with him, Paea joins former Michigan receiver Andrel Anthony in Norman.

In 2022, Paea appeared in three games; he notched two tackles and an interception. In 2021, he appeared in 14 games with 14 tackles and two tackles for loss.

Paea has been in college football for some time, as he was a part of Michigan’s 2017 class — making 2023 his seventh season. According to his Twitter account, he has two years of eligibility remaining.

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Oklahoma Sooners offer Utah State transfer DL Phillip Paea

Looking to fortify their defensive line, the Oklahoma Sooners offer Utah State transfer Phillip Paea.

The spring period may be over, but as the Oklahoma Sooners prepare for summer workouts and fall camp, they’re still looking to add talent to their defense.

On Friday, former Michigan and Utah State transfer defenisve lineman Phillip Paea received an offer from [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] and the Oklahoma Sooners. Paea transferred to Utah State after spending four seasons with the Michigan Wolverines where he appeared in just three games.

The former On3 four-star prospect transferred to Utah State and was a starter along the defensive line during the Aggies Mountain West championship run in 2021. Paea started the first three games of the 2022 season before suffering a season-ending ACL tear.

Paea collected 14 total tackles and two tackles for loss in 2021. In three games in 2022, he had two total tackles and an interception.

Paea was a coveted prospect in the 2017 signing classes, earning offers from Michigan, BYU, Michigan State, Oregon, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Minnesota, Miami, USC, Utah and Washington State.

Oklahoma has added a pair of defensive linemen via the transfer portal: [autotag]Jacob Lacey[/autotag] and [autotag]Davon Sears[/autotag]. The Sooners are hoping to improve a defensive line that struggled against the run in 2022. If they’re able to add Paea, he would give them another piece to their defensive tackle rotation, joining Jordan Kelley, Isaiah Coe, Jonah Laulu, Sears and Lacey.

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