Oklahoma’s football team returned to campus Friday and went back to preseason camp Saturday. A different mindset, attitude, the time for focusing on the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic gets pushed back a bit as it time to focus on the season.
The Sooners are just over three weeks away from their season opener and had their first scrimmage Tuesday morning. Oklahoma defensive coordinator Alex Grinch addressed the media for the first time since March in a Zoom call Wednesday afternoon.
After making huge improvements during the 2019 season, it’s not about dwelling on what went down but looking ahead to what’s to come.
“One of the challenges to our guys as well is we don’t want to coach the same dudes we did in 2019. Don’t ask us to coach the same guy,” Grinch said. “If you come back here with the same issues and same flaws, with a year being a year, then you haven’t taken advantage of your time away. You haven’t taken advantage of the meetings, haven’t taken advantage of the walk-throughs, of the time we’ve had together once we got back together.
“What can you do this year that at this moment last year you couldn’t? And if the answer is you’re the same guy, then we’ve all failed.”
Defensive line
In talking defensive line, the attention immediately goes toward defensive tackle. No Neville Gallimore or Marquise Overton or Dillon Faamatau. It’s a new wave, and one name expected to make the leap is junior college transfer Perrion Winfrey.
Winfrey arrived in January, but it’s obviously been a whirlwind of an eight months under the most unusual of circumstances ever in college football.
“Been pleased with our time with Perrion,” Grinch said. “Coach Thibs does a tremendous job with those guys. I’ve been extremely pleased with where those guys are at from a mental standpoint. Mention Perrion, but including all of the first-year guys, which speaks to taking advantage of all those Zoom meetings.
“I would suggest after X number of days now that we’re further ahead from a mental standpoint than, specifically with those first-year guys, than I would have assumed. Credit goes to them and to the coaches for taking advantage of the time we did have with them.”
Grinch said he believes the depth will be much better for the defensive line, with the ability to rotate more bodies in on a consistent basis.
He also gave a shoutout to junior Ronnie Perkins. In saying how guys need to not be the same player in 2019, Perkins was one of the first he mentioned as someone who has made the leap to become a different guy in 2020.
Linebacker
The story going into camp was who was going to replace Kenneth Murray, both on the field and as the vocal leader. But that story changed quickly when Caleb Kelly tore his ACL for the second consecutive season.
Expected to be one of those leadership guys, the redshirt senior is a big loss once again. But just like last year, it’s a next man up mentality. And for anybody who has been waiting for their moment to break through, it’s there now.
“Brian Asamoah, DaShaun White, have some experience there,” Grinch said. “Bryan Mead has some experience in that linebacker room as well. It’s created some opportunity for some guys.
“Robert Barnes, who we have transitioned to linebacker, it’s an opportunity for him to get some reps as well. Shane Whitter is a freshman in our program that’s getting some additional reps. It’s a room that does have some experience.
“Obviously removing Caleb does eliminate some of that. I think it’s a fairly athletic group and one that shows an understanding of the defense going into year two, even with some of the inexperienced guys.”
One thing Grinch stressed because of what could happen with COVID-19 is the ability to move around different positions. That seems to be the case for David Ugwoegbu. An outside linebacker last season, he’s seeing a lot of time inside during camp.
So far, making the most of it.
“So just kind of as we looked at the offseason, you’re always trying to look at what’s your best 11, trying to position guys where they could be most successful and ultimately try to combine that with what makes your defense most successful,” Grinch said. “He was just a name that kept coming up as a guy that we felt like has a little more position flexibility. He was willing to make the move and the idea being at any moment we could move him back to rush linebacker.
“Obviously with Caleb’s situation, it lends himself to getting him even more work at the position and so it’s something that we’ll continue to evaluate but I’ve been extremely pleased with his progress.”
As for leadership, White is stepping up in that department. To be a leader, you have to perform, and White is getting closer and closer to showing that consistency Grinch craves.
“I think DaShaun has done a nice job. He’s more of a leader by example,” Grinch said. “But that example is getting more in the category of a high-end player as opposed to a guy just doing his job.”
Defensive back
Welcome back, Tre Norwood. After tearing his ACL during the first day of preseason camp, the redshirt junior has made it all the way back.
You can’t pigeon-hole him with one position, by design. He could play cornerback, safety or nickelback. What’s clear is his is a welcomed return.
“That’s ‘remember this guy,’ y’know? Oh, by the way, he was just positioned to be one of the starters on defense, one of the guys that we were excited about that we didn’t have a chance to use last year,” Grinch said. “We’ll look at him in several sports over the course of fall camp similar to what I think he was for us the previous spring, a guy that could play any of five sports in the secondary, has some experience at corner.
“With P-Mot leaving, looking at some corner reps but not just circling one spot in terms of the impact he could have defensively. Coming off that injury, full go health that way, moving well and all those things. It’s nice to kind of reintroduce ourselves to him. Jo- Michael Terry as well. Oh yeah, remember that guy who used to start for us? Been pleased with Tre.”
Going back to the leadership issue, Grinch singled out Tre Brown and Pat Fields as guys who are practicing at a much different level right now compared to last year.
As good as Brown can look, you can tell Grinch is pleased with the mentality change.
“The experience of some of the guys coming back in the secondary and leading by example (includes) Tre Brown,” Grinch said. “A year ago, he wasn’t leading by example. He had his good days but was too willing to have a bad day. And then I would tell Tre – and I think Tre would tell you the same thing – and I’m not just talking during the season, but fall camp. All the sudden you are seeing a guy with a work ethic and a want-to in every single rep in practice.”
What OU fans remember about Brendan Radley-Hiles was a terrible targeting call that ended his day in the LSU loss. One play can’t define a season or a career, but it was one of the most bewildering decisions by a player in a long time.
That was then, this is now.
“One play doesn’t define it, but it’s one play that can’t happen, shouldn’t happen and all those things,” Grinch said. “It’s something you have to move on from. I’ve been very pleased.
“He’s one of those guys that I would highlight that I see a different guy. Now he has to continue to do it. I see a different guy. I don’t see some of the same issues. I see a more productive player. I see more commitment to technique.”
