Notebook: Thomas, Winfrey setting the pace
Everybody wants to hear from Oklahoma personnel regarding a potential and very probable move to the SEC, but Tuesday afternoon wasn’t going to an opportunity.
At the annual OU coaches luncheon, heck, moderator Toby Rowland addressed the elephant in the room right off the bat.
“We can’t talk about it on this stage today,” Rowland said.
A lot has happened and a lot more will continue to happen with SEC talks, including a special Board of Regents meeting for Friday morning. But Tuesday was more about the 2021 season, now a little over a month away and preseason practice getting underway next week.
The talk, believe it or not, begins with the defense. And specifically, the defensive line.
“It’ll be extremely competitive within our walls. We had several of those guys who were very good players for us last year,” head coach Lincoln Riley said. “We have a number of guys who can win in one-on-one scenarios.
“That’s great, especially when you have someone coming back like (Nik) Bonitto that’s such a dynamic edge rusher. Your natural inclination is the other offenses are going to try to give him more attention. Well, if you do that, then you leave a lot of these other guys one-on-one, who are just as disruptive.”
That really is the kicker. OU, in recent years, might have had one or two guys you could circle as being disruptors. Not this group. Between the likes of Bonitto and Perrion Winfrey and Isaiah Thomas and a returning Jalen Redmond, no shortage of guys who can and will make plays.
“I feel like Isaiah Thomas is the leader,” defensive line coach Calvin Thibodeaux said. “I feel like Perrion Winfrey is a mood-changer. He’s a guy that when he talks in a room, people listen. When he decides to go, people follow. To have those two, I think they match-up with each other pretty well.”
When defensive coordinator Alex Grinch first came to OU, his goal was to end the days of former players like Ogbonnia Okoronkwo playing 70, 80, sometimes even 90 snaps. A rotation was needed, especially with the way OU’s offense functions.
Now in Grinch’s third year, it has been achieved. There are some familiar names, but if there’s an under the radar one, Thibodeaux gave a great answer.
“I would probably say Jordan Kelley,” Thibodeaux said. “He has continued to develop every year. But it seemed like this spring he played a little bit faster. I think there’s a difference between running the defense and trying to make a play. He’s not worried about his gap – he’s trying to find the football.
“I think he has a little more confidence because he has another season under him. I look forward to him making another big jump because we’re gonna need him.”
Deepest linebacker room in Riley’s era
Depth, experience and playmaking ability with the defensive line and copy-and-paste that regarding the linebackers.
Inside linebackers coach Brian Odom has done a tremendous job of transforming that room from what felt like a glaring weakness to now, perhaps, the deepest group on the roster.
Riley knows it.
“It’ll be the deepest group we’ve had at linebacker ever since I’ve been at OU, far and away,” Riley said. “It was certainly aided with COVID and having the super seniors. We certainly didn’t expect to have Caleb (Kelly) back or Bryan Mead back. All the sudden here they are on top of some really good signees.”
The big three are all back, too. DaShaun White, David Ugwoegbu and Brian Asamoah all had impressive moments in 2020 and all will be big-time players in 2021.
The depth is so nice at the spot that Riley said he might get creative in other ways to find an opportunity for the guys to hit the field.
“We might look to use some of those guys in different spots on our defense to get them on the field,” Riley said. “That group has everything you want. It has experience, playmaking ability and depth. That group will have a big impact on our special teams.”
Young pups growing up
The ability is there in the secondary, but it has to be proven, first. With Tre Brown and Tre Norwood both being selected in the NFL Draft, there are spots to win.
And it sounds like OU has some guys who can make a splash in Woodi Washington and D.J. Graham, among others.
“I’m excited about the young corners. By the back half of the year last year, Woodi was one of the best corners in the league and in the country,” Riley said. His play for us down the stretch was fantastic. D.J. Graham really stepped up and did some nice things for us as a true freshman.”
A healthy Jaden Davis will make an impact and all eyes turn toward what Justin Harrington and Latrell McCutchin can do in that room.
The nickel spot seems like Jeremiah Criddell’s to lose, but Billy Bowman learning quickly on the job.
“The nickel position is really interesting. I thought Jeremiah Criddell had one of the best spring balls of anybody on the roster. We’re thrilled about Billy Bowman’s progress in such a short period of time.”
Then safety sees returning starters Pat Fields and Delarrin Turner-Yell back and watching to see them make the next step or for some of the younger guys like a Kendall Dennis or Jordan Mukes or Tennessee transfer Key Lawrence and what they can do.
In other words, this defense isn’t 2017 or 2018 anymore.
“Defensively, the whole thing. A lot of depth, a lot of leaders, can’t wait to watch us play,” Riley said.