Tag: reggie pearson jr.

Three Oklahoma Defenders we’ll have our eye on this weekend against SMU

Oklahoma will have its hand full Saturday against a talented SMU Mustangs squad. These three defenders could make all the difference.

Last week against Arkansas State was as stress-free as Okalhoma will feel throughout the season. Things won’t always feel as easy. That time for breezing through a game 73-0 is behind the Sooners. They welcome a much more talented team to Norman in the form of Rhett Lashlee’s SMU Mustangs.

Brent Venables’ defense passed their first hurdle with no slip-ups and nothing to sweat. The pass rush was not overwhelming, but Oklahoma’s chances to get home were limited because the Red Wolves were in seven and eight-man protections and operating using three-step drops.

SMU won’t do that. They have too many playmakers they want on the field and will take their chances with five or six-man protections. They want to have as many options out in routes as possible. It should provide Oklahoma with a window to attack and try and rattle Preston Stone, SMU’s young but talented quarterback.

The Mustangs’ ground game features two quality running backs, Jaylan Knighton and LJ Johnson. Both can hit the home run play, but Knighton is not as big nor as physical of a runner as Johnson.

How will defensive coordinator Ted Roof combat this talented SMU offense? We’ll find out on Saturday. But we believe three players on defense will need big days for Oklahoma to bottle up this talented SMU offense.

Up Next: 3 players to watch on defense

Reggie Pearson Jr., FS

The transfer from Texas Tech, Reggie Pearson Jr., has started over 30 games and offers valuable experience on the back end of the Oklahoma defense.

Arkansas State could not stress Oklahoma vertically but expect that to change with SMU.

SMU receivers Jordan Hudson and Key’Shawn Smith can move. The Mustangs won’t be afraid to try to test Pearson. Seeing how Pearson responds to being put into more stressful situations from a coverage standpoint could dictate how effective SMU’s offense is.

Danny Stutsman, WLB

The leader of Oklahoma’s defense, Danny Stutsman, will always be a defender to watch. However, this choice isn’t solely about his actual play but more about how well he leads and orchestrates things on defense.

Oklahoma finally gets a bit of a challenge to show the improvements they’ve made as a defense.

Stutsman was in the middle of everything last year. If he wants to elevate himself, he’ll have to lead by example. He’ll also need to make sure his teammates play sound football. His fellow linebackers need to fill gaps, get off blocks, and show an understanding of their roles.

SMU has a pair of running backs that could gash the Sooners if Oklahoma isn’t assignment-sound.

Up Next: A player on the prowl

Justin Harrington, Cheetah

Justin Harrington may have the most challenging matchup of anyone come Saturday.

Mustangs’ tight end R.J. Maryland is a matchup nightmare for most teams. Most teams don’t have the players to match up with Maryland’s 6-foot-4, 230-pound frame.

50/50 balls to him are more 80/20 than anything. Oklahoma has not one but two possible solutions for this at cheetah. But with sophomore transfer Dasan McCullough banged up, Harrington figures to get the assignment come Saturday.

How Harrington uses his length and athleticism to match Maryland will be interesting. If he can nullify SMU’s talented tight end, it will go a long way to slowing down a talented SMU offense.

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Report Card: Sooners breeze through Arkansas State with big-time performances

The Oklahoma Sooners were fantastic in their win over Arkansas State, but how did they grade in this week’s Report Card?

Saturday allowed us to see team 129 in Oklahoma’s illustrious football history for the first time this season. This team entered the day with cautious optimism, but a cloud of last season’s disappointment still hungover over the program. Year two of Brent Venables’s tenure needed to start off with a bang, and his team did just that as they dismantled the Arkansas State Red Wolves 73-0.

The Sooners are on another level regarding raw talent than the Arkansas State Red Wolves. That is abundantly clear, but Oklahoma had to show it could dominate an inferior opponent. They also needed to showcase the improvements in recruiting and among their returning players.

Saturday was a fun, stress-free showcase of domination. Now that the first game is behind us, it’s time to dive deeper and hand out our first grades of the year in this week’s report card.

5 takeaways from the Oklahoma Sooners first official depth chart of 2023

5 takeaways from the Oklahoma Sooners first official depth chart of the 2023 season.

If there’s one thing that signals we are genuinely back for college football, it’s the release of the official depth charts for colleges across the country. .

Earlier Tuesday morning, Oklahoma’s official football account released the depth chart, helping paint a clearer picture of how this year’s team will be deployed. Several names who played sparingly last year or didn’t play at Oklahoma are now in starting roles for the Sooners.

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All offseason, Brent Venables stressed competitive depth as one of the biggest changes from last offseason to this offseason. It clearly shows up on paper as the depth chart has 21 different “OR” situations.

In many ways, the game against Arkansas State is a tryout for many players to solidify or leap someone at their respective positions. Below, we share our five takeaways from the first official depth chart.

Safeties bring the most depth to the Oklahoma Sooners’ roster

Heading into 2023, the safety position arguably has the most depth of any other on the Sooners roster.

Last season the safety position was filled with inexperience. [autotag]Patrick Fields[/autotag] and [autotag]Delarrin Turner-Yell[/autotag] were gone after starting the previous three seasons.

Billy Bowman played some in a rotational role as a true freshman, but it has been a rocky couple of years in Norman. [autotag]Justin Broiles[/autotag] and [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag] had experience but were mainly role players.

This upcoming season the safety position arguably has the most depth of any on the Sooners’ roster. Lawrence and Bowman are back. They then added [autotag]Reggie Pearson Jr.[/autotag] who started at Texas Tech.

[autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] is also back this year after playing some as a true freshman last season. He’s been injured this offseason but is expected to be good to go by the start of the regular season.

Then the Sooners added five-star [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag]. If you read our article on the five freshmen who could make an immediate impact, you’ll see why he will factor into the safety room.

All in all, this room is the one with a ton of depth and talent. It could be the best position group on the team. The secondary as a whole could be very good in 2023.

Now, they’ll only be as good as their pass rush allows them to be. If the Sooners don’t get pressure on the quarterback, you could put Deion Sanders back there, and it won’t matter. Given enough time, wide receivers get open.

They have to work together as a team but if they do, this defense should see a ton of improvement in 2023.

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‘We’ll be an improved group’: Sooners defensive backfield improved from a year ago

Head Coach Brent Venables believes his defensive backs will be better than they were a year ago.

Brent Venables and his staff committed to ensuring the results of the 2022 season would not be replicated in 2023.

He and the Sooners’ staff were hyperactive in the transfer portal, and they closed their 2023 recruiting class on a significant high note by securing the services of five-star safety Peyton Bowen.

As the Sooners look ahead to spring practice, the time for evaluation and understanding just what type of roster the Sooners will have is here. When speaking with the media last week, Venables made it clear one specific group is primed for a better year.

The defensive backfield.

“So I think we’ll be an improved group,” Venables said about the defensive backfield. “And we lost a bunch of guys. I think we know that … I’m not sure we didn’t lose a lot of production in the secondary, but we, we lost a bunch of bodies.”

Brent Venables believes between the players returning and those that joined the team as midyear enrollees, the Oklahoma Sooners have a better group of defensive backs than they did a year ago.

[autotag]Kendall Dennis[/autotag] (USF), [autotag]Bryson Washington[/autotag] (New Mexico) and [autotag]Joshua Eaton[/autotag] (Texas State) transferred out after the 2022 season. It’s notable none landed with a Power Five squad.

[autotag]CJ Coldon[/autotag] is the biggest loss the Sooners suffered in the secondary after a strong second half of the season. [autotag]Justin Broiles[/autotag] hopes to continue his playing career at the NFL level.

Dennis, Washington and Eaton didn’t play enough for their departures to matter much. Their transfers allow Oklahoma to examine what they have in the players brought in over the past two cycles.

Gentry Williams snagged an interception in his first collegiate game. He didn’t see the field much as a true freshman, but the Sooners love his size, athletic ability, and his competitiveness.

Robert Spears-Jennings is another 2022 signee that could make an impact this season. His play speed and physicality were on display last season despite limited snaps.

Kani Walker was brought in before the season from Louisville. Like Williams, Walker has the physical tools the Sooners are looking for in their outside corners.

[autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag], a transfer from Texas Tech, is a heavy hitter with plenty of collegiate experience. That physicality and experience will help bring an edge to the Sooners defensive backfield.

Most notably, [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] also joins the defensive back room. The most highly coveted secondary recruit for Oklahoma in quite a while, Bowen is expected to be a great one.

[autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag], [autotag]Damond Harmon[/autotag], [autotag]Jaden Davis[/autotag], [autotag]Justin Harrington[/autotag] and [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag] return after playing meaningful snaps for the Sooners last season. They’ll get another offseason in the Sooners’ defensive system, and should have a better understanding of the expectations in the defense.

The hope is because of the improved talent, there will be better production and depth on the secondary depth chart when it drops just before the season.

It remains to be seen how this will actually play out over the course of the season. However, it’s hard to argue with Venables’ assessment. The players who played the most last year are back and should understand the scheme better, which will lead to better performances on the field.

All that’s left is for those returning players to prove their head coach right.

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ESPN gives props to Oklahoma’s transfer portal additions

Oklahoma’s transfer portal haul has earned praise from pundits over at ESPN.

Oklahoma entered the offseason needing to better its roster. Yes, the 2023 class would include an infusion of talent. However, it’s not reasonable to expect those true freshmen to provide an immediate impact.

How would Oklahoma improve its defense? How would they replace the offensive starters they lost to the draft?

The transfer portal was the answer. And while Oklahoma missed on a few guys, overall, their haul via the portal was excellent. Pundits at ESPN seem to believe the same thing (ESPN+).

ESPN’s Tom Luginbill hailed the addition of Dasan McCullough as one of the best fits in this transfer portal cycle.

The Sooners are in dire need of upgrades on the defensive side, and McCullough is this cycle’s best pass-rusher. He had an excellent freshman campaign, registering 6.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. The former top-50 recruit in the 2022 class brings speed, effort and a disruptive force to Oklahoma. – Luginbill, ESPN

Oklahoma’s best EDGE rushing addition, Dasan McCullough, figures to be a major player next year for Oklahoma. Oklahoma was abysmal in generating pressure off the edge. Now with McCullough there, the Sooners become a bit more dangerous and dynamic. There’s a chance they plug him in as the Cheetah, utilizing his versatility and athleticism.

Oklahoma not only found answers for their departures, but they improved the overall talent as well. It’s precisely why ESPN believes Oklahoma was one of the schools that addressed its needs the best via this portal cycle in particular.

It’s tough to imagine a Brent Venables-led team would struggle on defense, but the Sooners gave up 461 yards per game, which ranked 122 out of 131 FBS teams and surrendered 5.75 yards per play (82nd). Needing to add playmakers, Venables landed versatile and disruptive Indiana freshman linebacker Dasan McCullough. He also added Texas Tech safety Reggie Pearson Jr., Notre Dame defensive lineman Jacob Lacey, Wake Forest defensive lineman Rondell Bothroyd, Oklahoma State defensive lineman Trace Ford and Texas State defensive lineman Davon Sears. Those transfers are paired with a top-five recruiting class as well. – Tom VanHaaren, ESPN

With a mix of upperclassmen leadership, upside, and production being infused with what the Sooners return, Oklahoma got better as a defense on paper this offseason.

The next step is putting it together this offseason and letting it showcase itself on the field in the fall.

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‘They aren’t far from an SEC offense’: Power Five coaches share thoughts on Oklahoma for 2023

Oklahoma’s offense is ready to roll for 2023, but can the Sooners defense improve enough to make them players in the Big 12?

In a season the Oklahoma Sooners played five one-score games and went 0-5, one could say the Sooners were clo … err, not far from keeping their streak of winning seasons alive.

It’s really hard to lose that many one-score games. It takes a great many bad breaks, so 2023 should see offer a regression to the mean. All the Sooners had to do was win one of those one-score games to prevent their first losing season since 1998. However, maybe that losing season is just what the doctor ordered to reset the program.

Oklahoma hasn’t laid back on the recruiting trail or in the first month of the 2022-2023 transfer portal. It has made significant additions to the defensive front and in the secondary to bolster a unit that allowed 30 points per game and allowed 35 or more points in seven games in 2022.

“Based on where they fell to this past year, they’re probably thinking that they’ve got to make a quick fix,” a Power Five coordinator told Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.

To that end, the Sooners have added [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag], [autotag]Rondell Bothroyd[/autotag], [autotag]Jacob Lacey[/autotag], [autotag]Davon Sears[/autotag], [autotag]Reggie Pearson Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Trace Ford[/autotag] to improve their defense. Each should have a significant role if not start for the Sooners in 2023. McCullough, Bothroyd and Pearson, in particular, will bolster the Sooners’ defense. They were playmakers in their previous programs, something the Sooners lacked in 2022, especially from the pass rush. If the Sooners can improve their defense, there’s no telling how good they could be with the offense they have.

“They aren’t far from an SEC team on offense,” a defensive coordinator who faced Oklahoma shared with Rittenberg. “To say that team’s 6-6, I don’t know why. If you’ve got a quarterback and guys that can catch the football, you’re going to be able to score points.”

Oklahoma was 1-6 in games the defense allowed 35 points or more. The Sooners were 5-1 in games the defense held opponents to fewer than 30 points. The path to returning to the top of what will be a convoluted Big 12 in 2023 is getting the defense closer to 20-25 points per game allowed. Of course, that’s easier said than done. However, if the parts can come together, the Sooners will have a chance to do something significant in 2023.

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Former Texas Tech safety Reggie Pearson Jr. transfers to Oklahoma

Former Texas Tech safety Reggie Pearson Jr. will be transferring to the University of Oklahoma as a graduate transfer.

As the age old saying goes: “If you can’t wreck ’em, bring ’em.” Or something like that. The now former Texas Tech safety Reggie Pearson Jr. announced that he will be transfering to the University of Oklahoma via his Twitter account on Thursday.

While this isn’t exactly the safety Sooners fans were hoping to hear from today, Pearson is a solid, hard hitting addition to the OU defensive backfield. The Sooners had an issue with tackling in their secondary, and co-defensive coordinator Jay Valai has addressed that by bringing in Pearson, who has 174 tackles in his college career.

 

Pearson is a graduate-transfer and will have one year of eligibility remaining.

Sooners fans might remember Pearson from this hard hit he put on Dillon Gabriel in OU’s regular season finale against Texas Tech.

This was just one of the 11 tackles Pearson had in that game that could be the final time OU plays in Lubbock for a very long time.

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