Oklahoma’s defensive line was lead by their third coach in three seasons when Calvin Thibodeaux manned the helm in 2016. Thibodeaux was a Sooner defensive lineman under Bob Stoops himself, so his arrival brought stability to a unit in desperate need.

After returning to Norman, this time as “Coach Thibs”, he inherited an already thin group that signed just one player the year before, and depth soon became an issue.

Marquise Overton was lost for the year after surgery to repair an injured foot.

Amani Bledsoe, the one signee from 2016, was suspended for PEDs.

Charles Walker left the team to prepare for the NFL.

Matt Dimon and the Sooners parted ways.

That list doesn’t even include defensive linemen that have missed significant time like Du’Vonta Lampkin (suspension) and Matt Romar (injury).

Yet, somehow Thibodeaux and his corps have contributed to the No. 2 rushing defense in the Big 12. It hasn’t always been pretty and the Sooner coach has often been forced to rely upon guys like senior defensive tackle Jordan Wade to be on the field for an inordinate number of snaps.

While Wade has been a huge help for Thibodeaux, the soft-spoken big man that everyone calls “Bear” gives the credit to his coach for keeping this patchwork unit together.

“(Thibodeaux)’s handled it really well. Even though everybody’s been hurt, he just keeps going. He’s really positive with us, that’s what has helped out a lot.”

Wade divulged that Thibodeaux will even open position group meetings with tape from his glory days from the Oklahoma defenses of the mid-2000s.

“He always reminisces and goes back,” Wade chuckled, “Sometimes when we get in there for film early he’ll turn on one of his old games.”

It’s almost hard to believe that this will be Wade’s last game on Owen Field. The former Round Rock (TX) Stony Point standout is approaching the end to a process that began when he was the No. 150 overall player in the class of 2011.

Now, Wade says, he’s excited for the future prospects of a defensive line group that finally has stability at the top and an energizing collection of young talent.

“It’s going to be great, because they’re all special players. All of them. There’s something about them,” glowed Wade, “Neville (Gallimore), Kenneth (Mann), (Lampkin) and all of them are just really good.”

After reflecting on the fortune and fate of the position group he'll leave behind, Wade, like an old fighter hanging up the gloves, reflected on what he wanted his legacy to be.

The gentle giant gave a fittingly short, yet thoughtful response.

“Always there, always doing the right thing, and always doing my job.”