NewWave19 Rewind: Marcus Stripling
Their true freshmen seasons are in the books, and now it’s time to reflect on how things went for Oklahoma’s 2019 class.
SoonerScoop.com was able to catch up with a bunch of members of #NewWave19 during media day for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl to get their thoughts.
#NewWave19 rewind – DE Marcus Stripling
2019 stats: 6 tackles, sack.
For every freshman, there is a learning curve. That goes without saying. The unknown part of that is how long that will last and when does a freshman finally get comfortable.
When you ask Stripling, it didn’t take that long. Depth on the defensive line was never really an issue for the Sooners in 2019 so the snap count might not have been there, but it’s easy to see the confidence is there 100 percent with Stripling.
“I really didn't expect anything. I came in with an open mind,” Stripling said. “I thought the football would be a little harder, but it didn't turn out that way. Same ability, same skill levels.”
Stripling was another sign of defensive recruits trusting in head coach Lincoln Riley. He signed with OU during the early signing period back when the Sooners didn’t have a defensive coordinator.
All he had to go off of was Riley and defensive line coach Calvin Thibodeaux being adamant that things were going to be turned around in 2019. With Alex Grinch as defensive coordinator, you saw those pieces start to come together.
Clear gamble by Stripling to do so, but you can tell it has paid off for him and the Sooners as he looks to be exactly the type of player Grinch wants for 2020 and beyond.
“So I visited with Grinch, we talked about it and he just told me, this type of defense is for this type of player — speed, that's what he's looking for, flying to the ball,” Stripling said. “So everything we do is full speed.”
As you examine Stripling’s season, there isn’t a big play or moment that really defines it. The best thing you can say is that when he was out there, you didn’t realize a freshman was out there.
He didn’t look lost or unsure of his assignments. With the experience in 2019, you figure some of those close calls to making big plays change into making the impact in 2020.
As Stripling explains, it’s really about staying focused more than anything else.
“The biggest takeaway from that is just you locking in, and the focus levels it takes to play in these big-time games and just stay locked in and stuff like that,” Stripling said. “You can do anything you put your mind to out there.”
Helping the transition has been Thibodeaux. Not only did Thibodeaux play at OU, but there’s definitely an added bonus with Thibodeaux playing defensive end.
That showed up a bunch in 2019 as the two hope to grow upon that relationship in Stripling’s sophomore season.
“A lot. He had a high impact on my development, taught me a lot,” Stripling said. “I've been really learning more the ropes and I how everything works and how to be a student of the game.
“He been through the system and he'll tell me like, what the right thing to do. Definitely a role model, definitely a mentor.”