Tag: Zac Alley

Zac Alley has been great so far in his new role at Oklahoma

Zac Alley has just been the defensive coordinator for a few months now but Brent Venables is pleased with where he is at.

Saturday’s spring game was the first time we’ve seen new defensive coordinator [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] call a game at Oklahoma. Obviously, the defense was very vanilla and didn’t show a whole lot. It’s still good practice to have him call plays and see how his defense communicates and executes.

Alley has spent a lot of time with his head coach, [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]. Alley was an assistant when Venables was defensive coordinator for the Clemson Tigers. Adding Alley to the staff allows Venables to take a step back from the defense and become more of a CEO head coach.

Venables discussed how Alley has done this spring.

“He’s been great,” Venables said. “Everything has been good all spring. He’s gotten adjusted quickly, as we anticipated. He’s done a variety of things that have helped us continue to move forward, progress and get better. A lot of it language-wise. Trying to simplify some things from a language standpoint.”

Venables mentioned that when you get outside of a system and go to several places where everyone is new, you figure out how to be even more efficient. That’s something Alley has done so far, he said.

The question now for Alley is how well he will do as the play caller. He hasn’t been a play caller for very long and hasn’t done it at this level. Alley’s been incredibly successful at every coaching stop and has a talented roster. We’ll have to wait and see when the time comes this season.

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Sooners linebacker Lewis Carter showing improvement in second offseason

Lewis Carter is a guy who could make a big impact this year and he said it’s because of his improved mentality.

The talk all offseason has been about the depth and experience the Oklahoma Sooners have on the defensive side of the ball. Though there’s experience, the a lot of the talent on defense is young and still looking to prove itself.

One of the guys who has really come on this spring is linebacker [autotag]Lewis Carter[/autotag]. Carter was a true freshman last season and mainly played on special teams. He finished the year with seven tackles and was good in those opportunities. But now he’s looking for an expanded role with the team and hoping to make an impact on the defensive side of the ball.

Carter shared with the media how he thinks he’s improved from last year. “Overall just my mentality,” Carter said. “Coming from a young guy to my second year, I want a higher role in the defense and just overall with the team. Just bring a positive attitude and come to work every day.”

Carter has caught the attention of his head coach. If you listen any time [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] talks about Carter, he’s smiling from ear to ear. He knows there is a special player in there who is just waiting to break out.

Will he be able to earn a role  and become a major part of the defense? That remains to be seen but he’s got the talent and athleticism to be an impact player in the Sooners linebacker group.

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‘We have a lot more cohesion now,’: Oklahoma Sooners’ star linebacker on Year 3 in Brent Venables’ defense

Year 3 in Brent Venables’ system is usually when you see the biggest jump and that shouldn’t be any different at Oklahoma.

Coming into the 2024 college football season, there might not be a more experienced group than the Oklahoma Sooners’ defense. Now, they have to take the step many think they can which has been common in year three under [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag].

Historically, year three is when his defenses have taken the biggest jumps. Getting guys like [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag], and [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag] to decide to come back for their final seasons was huge for Oklahoma to continue the growth they’ve made.

Stutsman spoke about what it’s been like for him now that he’s in his third year running the show. “We have a lot more cohesion now,” Stutsman said. “We’re not really trying to explain so much. Just trying to tweak everything out.”

That’s what we’ve seen from Venables’ defenses in the past. They eventually get to the point where the players are able to be coaches on the field. It helps the players learn it faster and limits a lot of the confusion with his already complex defense.

That’s a big reason why people think Oklahoma can have a top 20-30 unit in 2024. Knowing the defenses they’ve had in the past, that would be a major jump and improvement.

There isn’t much question the defense is the better unit at this point and is expected to lead the Sooners in 2024 this upcoming season. It’s been a long time since Oklahoma has relied on their defense to be the catalyst for their success. But with a first-year starter at quarterback and the turnover they’re facing on the offensive line, the Sooners defense will need to be a their best for Oklahoma to contend this season.

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Oklahoma Sooners need breakout season from Adepoju Adebawore

The Sooners need a pass rusher to emerge on defense and it could be sophomore Adepoju Adebawore.

We know coming into the 2024 college football season the Oklahoma Sooners have depth and experience everywhere on their defense. The one spot where they have the depth but not a ton of production yet is at defensive end.

More specifically, the Sooners need to find more productivity rushing the passer. Oklahoma has shown moments where they can create pressure, but often, it’s because they’ll send extra rushers. When they just send three or four, they haven’t been able to find a consistent pass rush.

Generating a consistent pass rush is one of the bigger keys for the Oklahoma Sooners defense this fall, and it remains a big question ahead of Saturday’s spring game.

[autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag] can provide the burst off the edge that the Sooners are looking for if he can stay healthy. But the guy the Sooners need to take that next step is sophomore [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag]. In his second offseason with the Sooners, the former five-star defensive end is working to get bigger and stronger.

Adebawore talked about how his added weight should help him out this season. “It makes me feel more comfortable just on the field,” Adebawore said. “Knowing I do weigh more, and they’re going to feel it. The offenses are going to feel it whenever we strike. It’s not going to be as easy for them.”

Adebawore is closing in on 250 pounds but said he’d like to be at 260 pounds before the season starts. Even as a lighter freshman, he was a productive player rushing the passer. He only saw 184 snaps in 2023 but had the second-highest pass-rush win rate among defensive linemen, with at least 100 pass-rush snaps a year ago.

If he can reach his weight goals while also keeping his freak athleticism and his pass-rush productivity with an increased snap count, he could be just the guy the Sooners need in 2024.

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Marcus Wimberly raves about the Oklahoma culture after committing to the Sooners

4-Star safety Marcus Wimberly recently committed to the Oklahoma Sooners and he talks about why Oklahoma made the most sense.

The Oklahoma Sooners got a surprise commitment this past weekend from 4-Star safety [autotag]Marcus Wimberly[/autotag]. Wimberly hadn’t previously made a commitment date announcement or even really hinted one was coming but he ultimately decided Oklahoma was the place to be and announced his commitment on April 6, 2024.

Wimberly made it 11 commits for Oklahoma. It’s also a huge win for safeties coach [autotag]Brandon Hall[/autotag] once again. Wimberly is 6-foot-1 and 183 pounds. He’s also ranked as the No. 9 safety in the class according to Rivals. He was up this past weekend on an unofficial visit and that’s when he decided to commit to the Sooners.

The Sooners ultimately beat out the Michigan Wolverines and the Arkansas Razorbacks whom he was once committed. Wimberly did an exclusive interview with OUInsider’s Brandon Drumm and Parker Thune about his recruitment journey and how he ended up committing to Oklahoma.

“It kind of goes to a phrase that I live by, ‘don’t talk the talk but walk the walk,'” Wimberly said. “Coach Hall would tell me all of these great things about Oklahoma and the team and this great culture that they have there and the family feeling. A lot of universities will say all of these things, but really, when you get there, it’s the polar opposite. So, when I got there, he meant what he said, and it showed.”

Wimberly went on to say he got that feeling after watching the team practice. He mentioned how [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] was helping coach the other guys, but everyone was holding each other accountable. He then ate with some of the players and got their take on the culture.

“They were like, ‘Dude it’s awesome, you have a brotherly bond with everybody that you wouldn’t think you’d have in college,'” Wimberly said. “That’s what really stuck out to me and the [autotag]SOUL Mission[/autotag] stuff. I’m super strong in my faith, and I want to use my platform to reach as many souls for God that I can. And with the SOUL Mission stuff, I think it’s great, and they do a great job at doing outreaches.”

Since Brent Venables took over at Oklahoma, one constant review of the program from families and prospects is just how great the culture is. It’s a big reason why prospects commit and sign with Oklahoma.

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Oklahoma Sooners trending well for 4-star, top-125 2025 cornerback

The Sooners are hoping to keep their momentum for a 4-star cornerback from Texas

The Oklahoma Sooners and cornerback coach [autotag]Jay Valai[/autotag] have been putting in the work trying to build depth at the cornerback position with the [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag]. The Sooners are expected to land four-star [autotag]Maliek Hawkins[/autotag] later on Wednesday but they are also right in the thick of it for another 4-Star cornerback.

[autotag]Cobey Sellers[/autotag] is from Pearland, TX, and is a top-125 recruit and a top-15 cornerback. The Sooners will have to fight off the Texas Longhorns and the Texas A&M Aggies to earn his commitment.

They seem to be well on their way to doing that, landing a crystal ball prediction from 247Sports National Recruiting Analyst, Mike Roach.

The Sooners currently hold a lead over both the Longhorns and Aggies, according to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine.

Sellers doesn’t have a commitment date set just yet but the Sooners have been all of the momentum.

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‘I don’t think that’s going to happen to Oklahoma’: On3’s J.D. PicKell on if OU will get dominated in the trenches

The Oklahoma Sooners are heading into a new conference but one person from On3 says they will be just fine up front.

The Oklahoma Sooners are about to wrap up spring ball with just under two weeks to the Spring game. Still, there are a lot of question marks that need to be answered. The same is true for every team in the nation.

One of the biggest question marks for Oklahoma is how well will they hold up in the trenches in the SEC. The offensive line has been a major question mark since losing five starters from a year ago. The interior of the defensive line is talented but very young.

On3’s J.D. PicKell said he doesn’t think Oklahoma will have any problem holding up inside.

You bring back 79% of the production on defense from a year ago, which is massive. Brand new quarterback in Jackson Arnold. The thing about Oklahoma, I really think the defense is going to be okay. I think the defense is going to be more than fine to hold up their end of the bargain going into the SEC. I know that’s kind of the punchline for a lot of folks. ‘Ah, get ready for the SEC trenches. Get ready for those big boys up front, they are going to take you to the woodshed.’ I don’t think that’s going to happen to Oklahoma. – On3 Sports

PicKell went on to say he feels Oklahoma’s success will be directly tied to [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]. We obviously saw the good and the bad from Arnold in last year’s bowl game. He’s going to have to take care of the football.

I get where PicKell is coming from, but that’s too much optimism that I’m not ready to buy into just yet. I want to see it vs. SEC teams. I think the offensive line has talent but they have to gel. That’s the most important part. If they can be an average SEC offensive line, I think Oklahoma can have a big season.

But we haven’t seen that just yet. Also, if it’s a weakness of the team, the offensive coordinators can scheme up ways to cover it up so it’ll be interesting to see if they can do that.

I love the optimism from Pickell, but I’m not ready to buy stock in that just yet.

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Oklahoma Sooners get prediction for 2025 4-star safety from Arkansas

Sooners continue their hot start on the recruiting trail as they land a prediction for a talented 2025 safety.

The Oklahoma Sooners have another top-10 recruiting class according to 247Sports. The [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag] is No. 2 in the SEC after the commitment of four-star running back Tory Blaylock.

They Sooners hope to add to that class next week with decisions being made by [autotag]Trent Wilson[/autotag] and [autotag]Maliek Hawkins[/autotag]. However, it remains early in the recruiting process and much work needs to be done.

The best place to start is getting predictions for the guys you are pursuing. That’s what the Sooners have been doing all week. They landed another one, this time from OUInsider’s Parker Thune, who issued a Rivals futurecast favoring the Sooners for [autotag]Marcus Wimberly[/autotag].

Wimberly is a four-star safety from Arkansas who ranks ninth at his position. According to On3, the Sooners have a slight advantage over Michigan to land Wimberly, according to the On3 recruiting prediction machine.

This pursuit will not be an easy one for Oklahoma to win. It has to fend off the defending champs as well as the home state Arkansas Razorbacks. That’s never an easy battle, depending on whether the kid wants to leave home.

They also have a numbers battle on their hands. I’m not saying the Sooners wouldn’t take him because they are pushing for his commitment. But [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] has already said this will not be a big class. He said this will be the smallest class he’s had so far. Oklahoma’s in a good spot to land the commitment of five-star safety [autotag]Jonah Williams[/autotag]. How many safeties will Oklahoma take in this cycle?

But Wimberly can play and the Sooners now have to close.

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Oklahoma Sooners defense continues to develop in year three with Brent Venables

The defense will be one of the most experienced in college football next year and it’s time for them to take that massive leap.

Spring practice number seven is officially in the books for the Oklahoma Sooners. We are now a little more than two weeks away from the spring game on April 20, 2024.

Once again, a big topic for the Sooners this offseason has been the competitive depth. Brent Venables mentioned it in his post-practice press conference on Tuesday and there have been a number of reports about how deep this team looks compared to teams in the past.

One of the groups with the most experience returning is the defense. It should be one of the more experienced groups in the country. While it is never perfect, Venables believes it’s getting to where he wants it.

“At spots it is,” Venables said. “Overall, we do have another year in the system. I just look at all of the systems, and I think it’s important, starting with the excitement that you need to have, the passion that you need to have, the focus intensity that you need to have whether you are in segment meetings, team meetings or you come to this practice field. Whether it’s a walkthrough or it’s a two-minute drill to win the game. All of it should have the same level of passion, intensity and focus. Having a group of guys that are obsessed with the physical toughness, that are obsessed with developing our team, that are obsessed with the details, obsessed with having the right mindset every single day.”

Venables mentioned the linebacker and cornerback rooms as two groups he feels are in the best shape since he’s gotten here. Both positions are full of depth and it has many wondering how they are going to figure out who to play.

In the era of the transfer portal, you worry about guys transferring if they aren’t getting enough playing time, but you would rather have that issue of too many talented guys than not enough. Especially heading to the SEC.

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More experience with the defensive coaches could be the biggest difference in Year 3

Brent Venables believes the experience of the Sooners defensive staff making a difference this spring.

It is crazy to think just three years ago, Brent Venables was gearing up for his first season as the head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners. It feels like yesterday we were watching him get off a plane at Max Westheimer airport.

His first year showed his inexperience as a head coach. No, he didn’t have a great roster but his game management wasn’t what it needed to be. Year two showed a ton of growth as a head coach. His game management was much better, and his roster was better, too. They developed players well but also found gems in the portal and in high school recruiting.

So, what has Venables noticed about Year 3 so far?

He spoke about it with reporters after practice Tuesday. “I think there is more depth from an experience standpoint of myself, Zac (Alley) and our other defensive coaches than maybe what we had before. So, there is a different level of trust and understanding. Zac thinks more like me and does a good job no matter what it is. Whether it’s the fundamentals, if it’s areas of weakness, if it’s development drills, or if it’s scheme-wise and situationally. We work through a lot before we come out to practice.”

Combine the experience of the coaches with the experience of the defensive players, and you can see why so many are excited about how good the defense can be next season. They still have areas of weakness, like every team, that will need to be addressed. But if they turn their bring their weaknesses along, they could be a special group in 2024.

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