Even before Brent Venables was hired as head coach at Oklahoma, linebacker DaShaun White had a pretty good idea about what he was going to do following the 2021 season.

White has been a staple of the OU defense since arriving in 2018. He had played all four seasons and played up to his ability, but the rare silver lining of COVID-19 has been giving guys the option for that one last season.

It doesn’t matter the reason or reasons, it’s there. If you felt something was missing, one last crack at getting it right.

For White, it wasn’t so much the on-field product. Make no mistake that he wanted to improve, but he had done a lot as a Sooner.

He was a vital member of three Big 12 championship teams and got to play in two college football playoff games.

Heading into the season, White had played in 51 games (starting in 36) with 169 tackles with 13.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

A solid career, but for White? There absolutely was something missing.

“I knew that I wanted to come back and leave a legacy,” White told SoonerScoop.com. “I really felt like that if I had left last year… I always want to leave places better than it was before I got there. If I had left last year, that was something I kind of looked at myself and being completely honest with myself, I don’t think I had left this place better yet.”

Venables being hired just made the choice that much easier. He was coming back for that fifth and final year and ready to make it count for everything it’s worth.

It’s hard to argue against his decision. In moving from pure linebacker to the Venables-created CHEETAH spot, White has had way more ups than downs this season.

He enters this week’s game vs. Baylor with 49 tackles, with three tackles for loss, a sack and earned his first-career interception three weeks ago vs. Kansas.

White is coming off a monster outing in OU’s victory at Iowa State, registering 14 tackles and looking as refreshed and renewed as possible after the bye week.

“I knew he was a guy that had a lot of ability and had been a solid player, and he played his best football game this past Saturday,” defensive coordinator Ted Roof said. “He’s become more physical, more decisive. He makes a decision, he sees it, he goes. He’s playing with more confidence and he’s been playing well for us and need to continue for him to finish his Oklahoma career the right way.”

The right way. That’s something White has learned a lot in this last year. He has seen himself become a much better leader, on and off the field.

As rough as that 0-3 stretch was for OU and its fans to begin Big 12 conference play, White learned a lot about himself. That wasn’t going to be his legacy, and he has done everything in his power to rewrite the script the last couple of games. And hopefully the rest of the season.

“I think more than anything, I’m just playing – I don’t think I’m a finished product at all,” White said. “I’m getting to where I see myself. I see myself gradually getting there. I keep throwing work at it, keep throwing work at it. To be honest, I might never make it to where I exactly thought I would be in my head, but I’m going to keep going for it.”

It was easy to see the potential White had shown in his first four seasons, but it was just as easy to see all that he was leaving out there.

White was the biggest reason he wasn’t becoming that standout star linebacker that he had envisioned for himself when he arrived in Norman.

Taking a look in the mirror was the catalyst to turning it around. No shortcuts anymore. Time to put in the work.

“I think he's put a lot more time into studying the game,” Venables said. “On his own. With his teammates. Really understanding intimately. Trying to have a grasp of the game plan like the coordinator is calling it. Understanding not just the what, but the how and the why and the when.

“So there's a maturation from an intelligence of football intelligence standpoint. But he's put a lot of hard work in it. Taking great notes every day. He's applying the knowledge that he's been given to gameday and not trying to do too much.”

White has said repeatedly throughout the season that it’s the linebackers that set the tone. The trio of Danny Stutsman, David Ugwoegbu and himself, and as they go, so will the defense. No more clunkers the rest of the way.

Much was made about his move to the hybrid position, but it’s something White was eager to embrace immediately. He knew he had the skill set to run the spot, and he’s glad he’s been able to show his versatility and ability.

“To be honest, yes,” said White about thinking he could play the position. “Even toward the end of high school and figuring out what kind of player I was. I’ve always been super athletic. Went to a lot of those camps and I guarded receivers as a linebacker. Where I was weight-wise in high school, I was 205 until late in my senior year. I was preparing with my trainer to play college in safety. That’s what I really thought was going to happen.

“Who knew I was just adding those tools for when Coach Venables would get here in year No. 5? It’s kind of funny how it’s all happened.”

There’s nothing that can be done to erase losing three straight games, but White could be remembered for bouncing back and helping pave the way for the Venables era to really take off.

White can potentially play five more games at OU. He knows that clock is ticking, but he’s ready to go out with that bang. Ready to leave that legacy.