How a new mindset is helping Key Lawrence reach new heights
NORMAN — For a lot of OU’s returning defensive players, having a second year in Brent Venables’ system has made a huge difference. No one has proven that quite like Key Lawrence.
But it took some time for the senior safety to get there.
Last year was a tough one for Lawrence, who never quite found his footing in his first year with the new coaching staff. After being named an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention in 2021, Lawrence saw fewer snaps in 2022 and struggled to make a consistent impact.
For Lawrence, it was a tough time. But with a little help from Venables and OU safeties coach Brandon Hall, something changed for him in January.
“It was just my mindset,” Lawrence said during his Tuesday media availability. “I found myself last year just always getting down on myself, questioning things that I can’t control. So I just try to control the controllables… I definitely just try to live in the moment like I keep saying. You’ve gotta have an attitude of gratitude. I had to learn it the hard way and that was just getting down on myself and I had to pick myself up but understand I can’t get down like that (anymore).
“Coach Hall definitely stepped in that process for me and was just telling me, man, I just have to sit down and understand where I am. I have to be grateful for this. A lot of people want this opportunity, and they don’t have it, and I just have to understand that. Coach (Venables) as well, he’s definitely a good mentor for me because this is the first coach I’ve had twice, and just being here with him again and him believing in me definitely gave me the confidence I needed. That’s just something in a coach and player relationship that you would definitely want.”
Since then, it’s been a night and day difference for Lawrence.
The Tennessee native has played an instrumental role in the Sooners’ 4-0 start. He’s played 164 snaps, the sixth-most on the team per Pro Football Focus, while adding 14 tackles, a tackle for loss, a team-high two interceptions and a forced fumble. His PFF season grade of 76.2 — a significant increase from the 63.0 he posted last season — is the sixth highest on the team.
But he’s not just racking up snaps and counting stats. He’s making big plays, too. Against SMU, Lawrence forced a third-quarter fumble that was recovered by linebacker Danny Stutsman, keeping the Mustangs from picking up huge yardage.
Against Cincinnati, Lawrence sniffed out Emory Jones’ throw to the end zone and intercepted it, a play proved critical in helping the Sooners maintain a seven-point halftime lead. He also finished the Sooners' 20-6 win over Cincinnati with the highest PFF performance grade of any defensive player.
The secret behind those plays? Lawrence is simply having more fun than he did last year, and that’s helping him feel more comfortable on the field.
“It just comes with the preparation,” Lawrence said when asked by OUInsider. “You’re having a lot more fun when you know what you’re doing. It’s not as fun when you have to worry about the assignment or alignments and stuff like that. When you understand what you’re doing and you’re capable of doing things, it just happens naturally.”
Venables noticed that change in Lawrence during the offseason. And as a result, the coaching staff is leaning on him more this year.
“if (anybody had a) conversation with Key two years ago, you’d say, ‘Man, what a neat, neat guy.’ But he'll be the first to tell you that there were always these seeds of doubt,” Venables said on Tuesday. “Key was a guy that just kind of always worried about the externals, things that he can't control (like) other people, the environment and what you might be thinking about him. Instead of just focusing on himself and focusing on his opportunity, and having great self awareness. ‘I gotta get better.’ And that's not an easy thing to do for a lot of young guys because they've always been the guy.
"He's just had an amazing transformation, I would say, probably since the start of January and the end of the season. I'm really, really proud of him.”
Lawrence’s teammates have seen that improvement, too.
To see him playing at such a level is great for the team and builds confidence for everyone in our group, not only the defense but the offense,” OU cornerback Woodi Washington said. “He’s a guy that was up and down last year and the last couple of years but just to see him as well as he is, it helps the team out a lot.”
While it’s been a good start both for Lawrence and the Sooners’ defense, he knows how quickly things can change. And the focus for him is to continue growing.
“You’ve just gotta have the will to learn,” Lawrence said. “Just be eager to learn. Just try to capitalize on everything you can. Just try to take it all in from everybody else. Like, different coaches, different positions. Just trying to get everything together intertwined and put it all in one. That’s how I try to do it.”