Oklahoma's defensive line has been challenged this offseason. It's come in the weight room, it's come from Calvin Thibodeaux and even Alex Grinch. A new scheme, slimmed down stars like Neville Gallimore and emerging Dillon Faamatau and redshirt senior Marquise Overton are ready to prove the defensive tackles can become bigger playmakers under Alex Grinch's #SpeedD.

Our Carey Murdock sat down with Overton in an exclusive one-on-one this week to get his take on fall camp, the defense and the mentality of the defensive line. We also talk about the young, but athletic offensive line that is rebuilding for 2019.

Q:: Tell me about strip attempts, that stat. How much is that dominating your life these days?

Marquise Overton: I mean strip attempts equal turnovers. The more strip attempts we get, the more likely we are to get turnovers and it's an important key to our defense.

Q:: Do you notice that making a big difference in this team just as a whole in your defense?

Marquise Overton: Most definitely. It makes the offense better, makes us better and we just kind of work on both things.

Q:: I know Calvin (Thibodeaux) was talking to us the other day. Kind of what you guys have been through as a group and maturity that he's seen. What have you seen internally?

Marquise Overton: I see more of us as of just a family. I mean we came together. We've all fought through adversity. Definitely we have matured. We have a group of four seniors. Myself and three others: Neville Gallimore, Dillon Faamatau and Kenneth Mann. We're just kind of trying to take that role and become a better football team.

Q:: I know Calvin talked to you guys a lot about players in the past. You obviously know as an Oklahoma guy you know about and have met Gerald McCoy. And you've met Tommie Harris?

Marquise Overton: Oh yes yes yes.

Q:: I mean what does it mean for you guys to kind of leave your mark? Because everybody talks about this is not the defensive line that we've seen in the past. How much does it mean for you guys to try and make your mark on this season?

Marquise Overton: I mean it's just history man. The guys that played before as, the guys that are going to play after us, like you mentioned, Tommie Harris, Gerald McCoy, all those guys that played here, you know, they left their mark. I think it's time for us to leave ours and get us right back to where we used to be.

Q:: What's the blueprint for you guys to do that. What has to happen?

Marquise Overton: Just make plays. Make plays. It all starts up front with the defensive line and that's what's going to have to happen.

Q:: Has it been more a mental process of just working on the toughness or the grit, whatever? Or is it is it something else? Technique, offseason work?

Marquise Overton: It's just mentality and attitude. And it's not just for the defense line, it's for the whole defense and offense. It's for everybody on this team. If you have mentality and you have that right attitude and you approach everything with that you're going to be a good football team.

Q:: Everybody's expecting a jump on the defensive line. Let me ask you about a guy in Ronnie Perkins. He had 5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss last year. How good can he be this year?

Marquise Overton: I mean he's he's a force on the edge. He's got good hands, good feet. He's quick, fast, he's going to be a problem.

Q:: What's the thinking of just in terms of the scheme? How much do you guys look at that and just kind of lick your chops knowing that you're being asked to make plays this year more than you have in the past?

Marquise Overton: We're just getting vertical, getting upfield and that's what we're asked to do and we're going to do everything that we're coach to do and try to win. And for us that getting upfield vertical and not having to play blocks, we're pretty happy about that.

Q:: How much fun is that compared to being asked is kind of clog things up?

Marquise Overton: It's fun when you make plays. I think anybody could tell you that.

Q:: How is it different? Can you find yourself in a bad way more when you you're upfield like that?Can you find yourself out of a play?

Marquise Overton: If you're playing hard and playing physical, getting upfield - we're #SpeedD for a reason and you run after the ball there's always room to make a play. Every play is your play to make. That's what coach Grinch coaches.

Q:: All these young guys your facing on the offensive line after playing against a veteran line in practice every day. Coach Bedenbaugh and I think a lot of people just commented about how big they are. I'm sure you're going against Creed a lot so you don't get any time off, but do you see the athleticism with these guys?

Marquise Overton: I'm not even gonna lie. The young guys, I've seen them improve since last year, before the old guys left. All those guys that went to the NFL. They were our scout team players and now those scout team players are now our starters. And now being through fall camp and spring ball I have seen a big, huge jump. And I think we're going to be good and they've got a good leader in Creed and a good coach. So I trust what they're doing over there.

Q:: Is there anything that stands out to you about going against Creed all the time?

Marquise Overton: He's just got good hands. If he gets his hands on you it's it's hard to get out of that.

Q:: Have you ever faced a guy like that on the other side for a different team or do you think he's the best that you've faced?

Marquise Overton: If I can beat Creed every day then I can beat everybody else. That's just how I try to look at it. I try to focus on my craft and I'm facing one of the best guys in the country so if I do good against him I -should be at the beat anyone.