It’s a new day for Oklahoma football where a lot of the talking points can realistically begin with the defense. In particular, the defensive line.

You think about the way the group finished the 2020 season for Jamar Cain and Calvin Thibodeaux, and there are plenty of reasons to get excited.

Oh yea, and Jalen Redmond is back.

All the pieces that started coming together to close the season have returned, and you get to add someone like Redmond? That’s a recipe for something special.

“It took me a while,” said Redmond about getting comfortable again. “I went through the spring and knocked some rust off. I’m still knocking rust off now. I’m not the perfect player. I’m still working on it, still trying to get back into it. But I feel like It’s doing good. I’m feeling good. I’m doing good in the camp right now. I feel like it’s working out.”

Redmond has battled a lot since arriving at OU in 2018. His freshman season came to a screeching halt after a blood clot issue. But he fought through it, and had to adjust to a position change for the 2019 season. After starting out on the outside, he was moved inside.

He finished the season with 23 tackles, including 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, but a late-season shoulder injury left some lingering issues heading into 2020.

Then COVID-19 hit. Redmond, along with running back Kennedy Brooks, were the big names for the Sooners last season to opt-out.

Redmond started practicing with the team leading up to the Cotton Bowl and was full-go throughout spring.

COVID-19 is obviously still around, but it’s not a concern anymore for Redmond.

“Honestly, I haven’t really been thinking about it,” Redmond said. “I’m all about ball right now. That’s where my head is. That’s where my focus is. All I’m focusing about, honestly.”

Redmond declined to answer whether he’s vaccinated.

On the field, it seems as though he is mentally in the best spot he has been in for a long time. Some of that can no doubt be attributed to his teammate and roommate, Isaiah Thomas.

Last season was the breakout year for Thomas, and his success meant a lot to Redmond and gave him fuel for 2021.

Thomas knows his roommate is ready to show what he can do.

“That’s the best thing he did – was to opt out last year, best interests for himself and his family,” Thomas said. “This spring, this summer was smooth for him. Every day was another day for him and going to work and going to that next day with that same mentality instead of stressing or thinking about something else that might happen. Now he’s able to control his future and the outcomes that he puts out there on the field.”

A year removed from the game gave Redmond some perspective. It made him realize the game could be taken away just like that. He fully realizes the opportunity he has going forward.

That opportunity, now it doesn’t matter what position he plays. During the two practice viewings the media attended the last two weeks, Redmond worked at different spots. Last week he was with Thibodeaux and the interior linemen. Redmond was with Cain and the outside edge linemen Tuesday.

“I'm doing whatever the team needs me to do. I'm playing on d-tackle or on the edge,” Redmond said. “It doesn't really matter to me. If they tell me the first game that they need me to play end, I'm going to do it. I don't have a problem with either one. I like both positions. I feel like I'm pretty good at both. I'm good with either one.”

For OU to be as successful as it believes it can, Redmond will need to be more than a feel-good story. It’s hard to see how he won’t be productive when you think about what guys like Nik Bonitto and Perrion Winfrey bring to the table.

You can’t double team everybody. There are going to be opportunities to make some big-time plays, will just be about taking advantage of it.

Physically, completely healthy. Mentally, he’s there, too. It might be taking until his fourth season on campus, but Redmond is exactly where he needs to be.

“I just got to know J-Red from just being up in the office talking to Thibs weekly, talking to coach weekly,” said Cain in the spring. “I would just walk by him and say, ‘Hey, you doing all right?’ and just smile. I’m like, ‘Don’t let nobody take that smile away from you.’ He’s in a good… He was in a good, good place and now to see him out there in practice and see the energy that he brings and smiles are infectious.”