Notebook: Developing depth at safety

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables didn’t pull any punches last month when he said the Sooners lost a lot of bodies in the secondary but not a lot of production.

It was an eye-opening line, and it was hard to argue against the logic with multiple transfers leaving and not landing at Power Five schools. The Sooners have now added to that safety room with guys like former Texas Tech safety Reggie Pearson and mid-year enrollee Peyton Bowen.

You add that with players like Billy Bowman, Robert Spears-Jennings and Key Lawrence back for a second year in the system, and you start seeing a real room being developed.

The more, the merrier, said safeties coach Brandon Hall.

“We're deeper, and we've got more experience in this system,” said Hall on Monday night. “We'll have more experience next year and the year after. That just comes with time. We ask a lot of our safeties to do a lot of things and to play a lot of different techniques. In time, as we get better and we get more experienced, you're going to see less of a learning curve and more of an opportunity to make plays.”

As the players get more experience and the newcomers get more comfortable, Hall is learning how to best reach them in his coaching style.

“Everybody is different, so in time you start to understand how to communicate better with guys,” Hall said. “Some guys, they want more video. Some guys, they need to draw it on paper. Some guys, you need to walk them through it and talk them through it.”

There’s only so much time, though, Hall is allowed with the players. That’s where someone like Lawrence has to step in. A world of potential, but it’s been a hit-and-miss first two seasons for Lawrence in Norman.

Hall said he’s already seeing the type of difference from Lawrence the room needs and the OU defense will need as well.

“Just continuing to take a leadership role,” Hall said. “The thing that I think he's done the best job of, which I think he was trying to figure out this time last year, is just how to be the example for the younger guys. Taking notes. Asking questions. Being a guy that basically stands up and says, 'Hey, let's go do this. Let's work on this.’”

Adebawore’s explosiveness shines

Defensive end Reggie Grimes has seen a lot of guys in his four years at OU, but it was hard for him to contain his excitement talking about freshman P.J. Adebawore.

Grimes, one of the anchors of the group, kept using one word to describe the mid-year enrollee – explosive. The technique and details will come in time, but Grimes is not worried about the trajectory of Adebawore’s path.

“Oh man, that kid is knowledgeable,” Grimes said. “He wants to learn. He is explosive. We all come into it, and everything is being thrown at you. This kid should technically still be in high school. You have class and ball and then trying to have a social life after that. All these thousand things coming at you at once.

“I think he’s handled that all really well. He’s hungry to learn. His motor, his drive, want-to is there. As long as that’s there, the Xs and Os are going to come.”

Major showing his leadership skills

A healthy Marcus Major at running back has been a productive one for the Sooners. Unfortunately for all involved, it hasn’t happened too often during his first four seasons.

That hasn’t stopped him from having that same positive mindset and trying to pave the way for the younger guys.

“I’ve never seen Marcus down,” running back Jovantae Barnes said. “I’ve never seen Marcus complain. He comes in everyday and just works. Obviously, he wants to get back on the field, but he never complains about anything.

“He does what he can right now, which is watch us, tell us what we can work on, critique our plays and things like that. So he does a great job of being a leader while he’s not on the field. He’s definitely been stepping up.”

Graham living his dream

Even during his recruitment, there was this tug of war with D.J. Graham about wide receiver or defensive back. The Sooners needed him more on defense, and Graham accepted the role, beginning in 2020.

But it was never him, he said. He was itching for that chance to play receiver again. Midway through last season, Graham talked with the coaches about making the move.

Now he’s getting that opportunity.

“It's something I've wanted to do after every season of my college career,” Graham said. “But I finally fessed up and said I can't do this no more. This is what I want to do. This has always been my dream. It's better late than never.”

Graham said Drake Stoops has been crucial in Graham’s development, and he’s quickly trying to build that chemistry with quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

Young TEs still working

That injury report from Venables stung a bit last week when talking tight ends. Spring could have been a chance for Kaden Helms (knee) and Jason Llewelyn (foot) to start asserting themselves into bigger roles in the future. Instead, they’re both missing all of spring with injuries.

They can’t participate in the drills, but they’re still with the team. There’s still a lot for them to help and to learn, said tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley.

“So they go through all the meetings. They do walkthroughs. Everything that they can do,” Finley said. “Trying to get those reps. Getting all the mental reps that they can possibly get. They've done a great job with that. And also they’re like my assistant coaches right now. So they sit back there and coach the young guys.”

It’s a juco thing at DT

One of the reasons Davon Sears is at OU is because of defensive tackle Isaiah Coe. Sears, a defensive tackle transfer from Texas State, played against Coe when both were in junior college.

Sears said once he was in the transfer portal, he hit up Coe to get a feel of what life as a Sooner is all about and helped seal the deal.

Coe is happy to have done his part, even if he didn’t recognize it was initially Sears who he was talking with until they met again in person.

“We knew each other through social media, but I didn't know it was him,” Coe said. “I didn't know it was him, but he told me, he said he thought about coming here. He had called me and he was just telling me who he was choosing from. Of course, I had to sweet talk him a little bit, got him to OU. I got him. I'm happy he's here. He's having a great time, just learning, getting better every day.”