Wake-up call for OU defensive line

It wasn’t meant as a dig or a jab at the 2022 Oklahoma defense, but it was pretty telling when defensive end Rondell Bothroyd was explaining the transfer process.

Bothroyd, coming from Wake Forest, mentioned OU head coach Brent Venables and defensive line coaches Miguel Chavis and Todd Bates repeatedly.

That makes sense. Bothroyd will be at defensive end but hopes to show his versatility and move inside at certain times as well.

But what Bothroyd said is when the OU staff was trying to sell him on coming to Norman, they weren’t viewing the 2022 defensive film for the Sooners.

“A lot of Clemson film,” Bothroyd said.

Venables and company made their name and reputation with the Tigers, but 2022 was a hiccup for all involved with the Sooners.

There were some certain positions where OU had to attack the transfer portal because of guys departing for the NFL Draft, like offensive tackle with Anton Harrison and Wanya Morris.

Defensive end wasn’t one of them. A good crop of those guys will be returning to OU for 2023, but the tone was sent with how aggressive OU was in the portal in landing Bothroyd and Trace Ford (Oklahoma State).

It’s a wake-up call.

“A little bit. But at the same time, it’s competition,” said Reggie Grimes when asked by SoonerScoop.com this spring. “Competition brings out the best in everyone. Once they announced we got T-Ford and Rondell, awesome, we got vets who have played a lot of ball. Now they’re here and going to push us. For a lot of those guys, it’s their last year of eligibility. They’re trying to win. They’re trying to make a splash.

“We’re trying to start. It’s just bringing out the best in each other. After the final whistle blows, we’re back to friends and helping each other. But it’s still a competition. Football is weird in that sense in that you’re competing against your brother. But you have a lot of love for that guy, a lot of love for those guys, for everyone in your room.”

Grimes and Ethan Downs felt like they were going to be the pillars of the room last season. Through the first three games, you weren’t wrong.

Grimes finished with 19 tackles and 4.5 sacks, while Downs had 38 tackles and 4.5 sacks. In the final 10 games, though, the two combined for 2.5 sacks (.5 sack for Grimes, two for Downs).

It’s a big reason why OU finished tied for 64th in the nation with 28 sacks.

Adding Bothroyd and Ford should help, obviously, but what would help just as much is if Grimes and Downs continue their development and make the overall room that much better.

“Get more out of them but staying faithful. Beat the drum with the same message you had before,” Chavis said. “If the message is bad, you got to change the message. We know what it looks like. And we know what an elite defense — speed, toughness, effort, efficiency — we know what it looks like.”

If you want to see some positives, you can look at the tackles for loss. OU was tied for fifth in the nation with eight TFLs per game. Downs contributed with 13.5, while Grimes had 7.5.

Bothroyd was a production machine the last two years, combining for 93 tackles, 14 sacks, four forced fumbles and three recoveries. Ford, when healthy, was a big-time factor as a pass rusher at Oklahoma State.

The motivation, the competition, it can all be a great thing, said Chavis.

“You go 6-7 at Oklahoma — I don’t know what else you need to motivate you,” Chavis said. “No. 1 you’re motivated because you love the freakin’ game. If we’ve recruited guys that ain’t motivated, we’ve missed. Period. So if we got to deal with motivation we’ve got problems. Inspiration is another thing. I think it’s a coach’s job to inspire your guys. Get him to play inspired ball. Our guys are inspired and our guys are motivated.

“Look at the best teams across the country — you ain't going to one of those teams without competing. I want to have a very, very competitive room. I tell my guys all the time, 'you decide if you play or not. I don't decide the depth chart. You guys decide it.' So there's great awareness, motivation, inspiration is really good.”

Chavis can’t worry about hurt feelings. And he’s not worried about how Grimes and Downs have responded during the winter and spring.

The end goal is the same for all involved.

“Tell them we want to win a championship. This is Oklahoma,” Chavis said. “I'm never going to apologize for bringing great players in. I'm never going to apologize for trying to assemble the best defensive end group in the entire country, and then coaching those guys that way.”

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