Tag: Woodi Washington

Oklahoma officially announces Zac Alley as Sooners co-defensive coordinator

The Oklahoma Sooners officially announce the addition of Zac Alley as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

What was reported more than a week ago is no official as the University of Oklahoma announced the hiring of [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] as Sooners co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

Alley comes to the Sooners after helping Jacksonville State finish top 10 in turnovers per game and interceptions per game. The Gamecocks were 33rd in the nation in points allowed per game, helping Jacksonville State win nine games in their first season at the FBS level.

“This a tremendous opportunity,” said Alley in the Sooners official release. “Oklahoma is an elite and historic program that has consistently competed for championships. The opportunity to come to OU and work for someone I really respect and who thinks like I do on defense and who wants to be aggressive and get after people on that side of the ball is exciting.

“Everything I do is based on what Coach Venables did at Clemson. That’s been the foundation for how I’ve built defenses. I always respected how he handled himself as a coach and as a man, and I wanted to emulate that as best I could. From the moment I met him, I always wanted to be like him, have a career like his, lead the best defense in the country like him. He’s obviously had a huge influence on me and I’m excited to be back with him.”

More: Social Media Reacts to the report of Zac Alley as OU’s next defensive coordinator.

Oklahoma’s new defensive coordinator has familiarity with [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] after spending time with the Clemson Tigers from 2011 to 2018 as both a student assistant and graduate assistant. He then spent two seasons at Boise State, coaching the inside and outside linebackers before taking the defensive coordinator job for the University of Louisiana-Monroe and head coach Terry Bowden.

The strong relationship with Brent Venables and the success Alley’s had at his previous stops provide the Sooners continuity on defense and a rising star to help lead the defense.

More: What does Zac Alley bring to the Sooners?

“I’m incredibly excited to welcome Zac to our coaching family here at Oklahoma,” said Venables in the release. “He’s going to fit in really well from a cultural, chemistry and philosophy standpoint. Obviously, there’s a familiarity and comfort based on our background together at Clemson. He’s exceptionally hard-working and tough, and has earned his way up the professional ladder by going out on his own and establishing himself. He’s incredibly bright, innovative and passionate.

“Our players are going to love him. He’s got great humility and confidence, and is always finding ways to get better. He’s coached linebackers and the defensive line, he’s been exposed to the secondary and he was an award-winning special teams coordinator at Boise State. Wherever he’s been he’s molded his units into better versions, and he’ll do the same here. He really fits in well with our staff.”

Oklahoma’s defense took a positive step in 2023, improving in scoring defense, turnovers, and total defense. They are an ascending group that will need to take another step as they prepare for their first season in the SEC.

The Sooners keep the rest of their defensive staff intact while also returning stars [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], and [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag]. Oklahoma also brings in one of their best defensive recruiting classes in the modern era for Alley and the Sooners to work with.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Former Oklahoma high school star transfers to the Sooners

The Sooners add another player in the transfer portal, this time with a person familiar with the state.

The Oklahoma Sooners continue to add depth to their cornerback room as they head into the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] in 2024. Not only did the Sooners get good news with Woodi Washington announcing he’ll be back for his final season, but they also added a transfer to the cornerback room.

This transfer addition is a former Oklahoma high school star from Bethany, [autotag]Jocelyn Malaska[/autotag]. Malaska is going into his redshirt sophomore season and he has three years of eligibility. He accepted a preferred walk-on spot after transferring from the Utah Utes.

The former four-star recruit played in eight games in his two seasons at Utah. In 2023, he played in five games, primarily on special teams. In 2022, he saw reserve action in three games, including in the Pac-12 championship and Rose Bowl.

 

In high school, he did just about everything. He was first-team all-district. Totaled 93 receptions for 1,148 yards and seven touchdowns and garnered 1,182 all-purpose yards. He had one punt return and two kickoff return touchdowns.

Defensively he collected 107 total tackles over four years, snagged seven interceptions and deflected 18 passes. Fifty-four of his 107 tackles came during his senior year.

Malaska joins fellow transfer addition [autotag]Dezjhon Malone[/autotag] at the cornerback position. The Sooners return both starting cornerbacks and several young players [autotag]Jacobe Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Jasiah Wagoner[/autotag], [autotag]Kani Walker[/autotag] and [autotag]Makari Vickers[/autotag] who played a lot of snaps in 2023.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Woodi Washington returning for another year with Oklahoma Sooners

The Oklahoma Sooners received some good news with the announcement that Woodi Washington is returning for 2024.

The Oklahoma Sooners’ defense continues to get good news this offseason with the return of veteran cornerback [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] for his sixth season. Using his extra year of eligibility available to him due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Washington provides the Sooners with another experienced piece for Brent Venables and Ted Roof’s defense.

Washington joins other vetarn leaders on the defense like [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], and defensive tackles [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag] and [autotag]Jacob Lacey[/autotag] to help give that side of the ball a ton of experience heading into the SEC.

Oklahoma had issues at cornerback in 2023, largely due to inexperience and a number of injuries that plagued the position. But Washington was a mainstay, starting each of Oklahoma’s 13 games and finishing first on the team in defensive snaps with 851. Bowman was second, 70 snaps behind Washington.

Though Oklahoma’s defense was 112th in the nation in passing yards allowed, they were also 22nd in the country in completion percentage against. With Washington returning, they have a chance to continue to improve on their defense that jumped from 99th in the nation in scoring in 2022 to 48th in 2023, improving their points per game allowed by a touchdown.

With Washington, the Sooners have security. As they continue to develop their cornerback talent, they know they have a good veteran option to rely upon for 2024.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Oklahoma Sooners continue Denton Guyer pipeline, sign cornerback Eli Bowen

The Sooners have had a lot of success recruiting Denton Guyer recently and they continue that with the signing of Eli Bowen.

[autotag]Jay Valai[/autotag] had his hands full in 2023 thanks to a lot of injuries at his position. The one steady spot was [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag], but the other side constantly saw guys in and out.

A lot of those young guys showed their youth but also showed promise, which just shows how important it is to recruit the right guys. Valai hopes he has another one of those guys with the signing of [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag].

Bowen is the younger brother of [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] but is no slouch himself. He’s a four-star cornerback who is 5-foot-9 and weighs 165 pounds.

His role in 2024 is unclear. As I mentioned before, it’s a position that suffered a lot of injuries, so he could be thrown into the fire in year one. He joins a group that includes Gentry Williams, Kani Walker, Kendel Dolby, Makari Vickers, and Jacobe Johnson. Ideally, he spends a year with [autotag]Jerry Schmidt[/autotag] getting bigger because he has a bright future in the Crimson and Cream.

More from the [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

‘It’s been tough’: Gentry Williams continues to battle through injuries

After a strong start to the season, injuries took over for Gentry Williams. But now he hopes to get healthy and finish the year strong.

Through six games, there might not have been a cornerback in the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] that was playing better football than [autotag]Gentry Williams[/autotag]. He had all four of his interceptions in that time span and became a guy teams didn’t want to throw at.

Then at the end of that sixth game, Williams went out with an injury. After that, he was never the same. He tried to give it a go vs. the [autotag]UCF Knights[/autotag] and the [autotag]Oklahoma State Cowboys[/autotag], but in both games, he didn’t look right and didn’t finish the game.

In the final game of the season, he looked healthier but also looked very rusty as well. Williams talked about his season after practice earlier this week.

“It’s been tough,” Williams said. “But the guys in this locker room definitely make it a lot easier for me. I’m battling some things personally, but it doesn’t matter when I get on the field because I want to play for them.”

The Sooners will need him to get healthy, especially with the presumed loss of [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] on the other side of the field. Washington hasn’t officially decided what he’s going to do next season, but all signs point to him heading to the NFL.

We’ll get to see how much this time off has helped guys like Williams when they take the field in the [autotag]Alamo Bowl[/autotag].

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

2023 Position Review and Recruiting Outlook: Defensive backs battle through injuries

The defensive back room was hit by injuries all season long but battled through it to have a solid season.

The Oklahoma Sooners’ defensive back room had one of the strangest seasons among the position groups. When they were healthy, they were really pretty good, but when they weren’t healthy, they really struggled.

They also would show games where they were dominant but had several games where they struggled in coverage. The inconsistency in availability created an inconsistent performance.

The other part was the come-and-go nature of the pass rush. There were games where the pass rush created a lot of pressure and games where they applied very little.

The defensive back group struggled in zone coverage often throughout the season.

But let’s take a look at how the position did this season and what’s to come in the future at the position.

Sooners secure commitment from transfer cornerback Dezjhon Malone

Oklahoma beat out West Virginia, Purdue, and others for San Diego State transfer cornerback Dezjhon Malone.

The Oklahoma Sooners added another defensive back to their roster as former San Diego State Aztecs cornerback Dezjhon Malone announced his commitment to the team on Sunday.

Malone announced he would enter the transfer portal on November 30. He received notable offers from West Virginia, Purdue, and Louisville, but Jay Valai and the appeal of Oklahoma won out. He was a steady contributor for his former school, where he appeared in 25 games with the Aztecs during four seasons.

Malone led the Aztecs with 11 starts at cornerback in the 2023 season and will bring excellent size to the position at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds.

 

He was an All-Mountain West honorable mention in 2023 after logging 47 tackles, two for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, and one interception with seven passes broken up on the year. According to Pro Football Focus, Malone allowed just one touchdown in over 400 coverage snaps in 2023.

With Oklahoma potentially losing Woodi Washington to the NFL draft, Malone is a capable cornerback who joins a strong group of promising corners. He’ll add competitive depth to a group that includes Gentry Williams, Kani Walker, Jasiah Wagoner, Makari Vickers, Jacobe Johnson, and Kendel Dolby. Depth at cornerback was an issue in 2023. As the Sooners figure out their secondary while heading into their first season in the SEC, having veteran options provides the Sooners some insurance in the defensive backfield if the young guys on the roster aren’t able to seize a role in 2024.

Oklahoma has added two transfers since the season ended and figures to still bring in a few more. Malone joins former Michigan State transfer offensive lineman Spencer Brown as incoming additions via the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag].

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

Oklahoma safety Billy Bowman returning to Sooners for senior season

The Oklahoma Sooners got great Friday night as Billy Bowman announced he’s returning for his senior season.

Christmas came early for the Oklahoma Sooners on Friday evening as [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] announced he’s returning for his senior season. Bowman had a career year for the Sooners defense and had a chance to be taken in the top 50 of the 2024 NFL draft, but will forego the draft next April to play one more year for the Sooners.

Bowman’s decision was one of the more highly anticipated of this offseason. Now, the Sooners go into 2024, their first in the SEC, with a senior leader for their secondary.

In 2023, Bowman was second in the nation in interceptions with six and led the country in interception returns for touchdowns. He finished second on the team in tackles and also had three tackles for loss. Bowman was second on the team in snaps behind [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag].

Bowman earned a first-team All-American selection from CBS Sports and 247Sports and earned first-team All-Big 12 honors.

What would have been an inexperienced group at safety, the Sooners bring back a star who’s played 31 games and more than 1,700 snaps in his three years with the Sooners.

Bowman leads a young but talented group that includes [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag], who played a lot for the Sooners in 2023. Oklahoma also has [autotag]Erik McCarty[/autotag] and [autotag]Daeh McCullough[/autotag], who red-shirted this season. Expected to join the group in the 2024 signing class are [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag], [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag], and [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag], three guys who are considered four-star prospects by at least one of the recruiting services.

This is a huge win for Brent Venables and a Sooners defense that made a big jump in 2023. With the expected loss of Danny Stutsman to the NFL, getting Bowman back helps mitigate the loss of their defensive leader.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Sooners expected to host highly-touted Clemson defensive back per report

The Oklahoma Sooners are expected to host Clemson safety transfer Andrew Mukuba.

The Oklahoma Sooners have been active in the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag], targeting guys with experience who can come in and add to the competitive depth on the roster. They’ve added Michigan State offensive tackle Spencer Brown, and it looks like they’re in the mix for one of the top transfers in the portal.

According to Jason Suchomel of Orange Bloods, the Oklahoma Sooners will be one of several teams to host elite Clemson safety Andrew Mukuba. Along with Oklahoma, Mukuba will visit Texas, Oregon, and Ole Miss in the coming week.

Mukuba is a former four-star safety out of Austin, Texas, who has played the last three seasons with the Clemson Tigers. He’s amassed more than 1,700 snaps in his collegiate career.

More: 2023-2024 Oklahoma Sooners Transfer Portal Tracker

The Texas Longhorns are the favorite to earn Mukuba’s commitment in the transfer portal, given they’re the hometown team. However, given Mukuba’s ties to Brent Venables from their time together at Clemson, there’s a chance the Sooners could add Mukuba to their defensive backfield.

Mukuba spends most of his time as the free safety but will also line up in coverage on opposing slot players. In three seasons, he’s totaled 143 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one interception, and 16 passes defended. In 2023, quarterbacks had an NFL passer rating of 64.7 when targeting Mukuba in coverage, which was the 13th-best opposing passer rating in the ACC among defensive backs with at least 453 snaps on the season.

The Oklahoma Sooners will return [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag], [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag], and [autotag]Daeh McCullough[/autotag] at safety for 2024. There’s still a highly-anticipated decision coming from [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] about his future. Even if Bowman returns, the Sooners could use another difference maker in the secondary with [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] (expected to go to the NFL), [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag] (transfer), and [autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag] (eligibility) out the door.

Mukuba is a do-it-all player who is good in every aspect that’s needed to play the safety position. He’s excellent in coverage and a sure tackler. His experience would help further solidify the Sooners’ safety position and provide more versatility on the back end.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Sooners offer San Diego State transfer Dezjhon Malone

Oklahoma has hit the portal in pursuit of cornerback help as they offered San Diego State transfer Dezjhon Malone.

Oklahoma’s portal pursuits have begun with offers to a few players. One was San Diego State transfer cornerback Dezjhon Malone.

Malone is a long and athletic cornerback who stands 6 feet, 2 inches. He committed to San Diego State over offers from BYU, Oregon State, Fresno State and a number of others.

Malone was a part of San Diego State’s 2020 recruiting class and redshirted his first year on campus. He saw time on special teams the following season before breaking through as a significant defensive contributor in his redshirt sophomore season.

He was named an All-Mountain West honorable mention by the league’s head coaches and media and a third-team pick by Phil Steele for his efforts.

He showed durability, playing in all 13 games, starting the final 11. Over that season, he posted 43 tackles (34 solo) with a tackle for loss, three interceptions and five pass breakups. He played in 588 of the 874 snaps overall, the most among Aztec cornerbacks that season.

 

This past season, he had 46 tackles, one sack, seven pass breakups and one interception as San Diego State’s starting field corner.

With Woodi Washington graduating and heading to pursue professional opportunities, the Sooners have a glaring need for another corner opposite Gentry Williams.

Williams’ health seems like the only hurdle to him being great. While many young cornerbacks saw time, Oklahoma would love to have a cornerback with Malone’s experience as they head into the SEC. The Sooners have competition from Houston, Purdue, West Virginia, Louisville and Michigan State as it stands right now.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.