ARLINGTON, TX — The face of the Big 12 seems to be totally different in 2022.
Once a convention synonymous with elite quarterback play, the Big 12 now leads with its defensive position play.
Baylor’s Siaki Ika, Iowa State’s Will McDonald IV, Kansas State’s Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Oklahoma State’s Collin Oliver and West Virginia’s Dante Stills had been voted to the All-Big 12 Preseason group at one of the crucial extremely contested place teams.
Cowboy defensive linemen Brock Martin, Tyler Lacy and Trace Ford all had been left off the checklist, and Oklahoma’s Jalen Redmond joined the OSU trio as just some of the gifted gamers left off the preseason all-conference group.
The depth alongside the defensive position has improved over the previous few years within the Big 12, as evidenced by the depth on the place league-wide.
Over the previous few seasons, Baylor head coach Dave Aranda has sensed the change, as defenses have moved towards a extra bodily fashion of play.
As Brent Venables takes over in Norman, he’ll have loads of turnover alongside his defensive position because the Sooners look to reclaim their spot again atop the Big 12.
Nik Bonitto, Perrion Winfrey and Isaiah Thomas all departed to the NFL, leaving Redmond as essentially the most skilled member of OU’s defensive position.
Oklahoma introduced in transfers in Jeffery Johnson and Jonah Laulu, whereas Venables and Co. will want gamers like Reggie Grimes, Ethan Downs, Jordan Kelley and Isaiah Coe to step up and tackle larger roles in 2022.
In his earlier cease at Clemson, Venables’ defensive strains had been among the many most efficient within the nation. And whereas Todd Bates made the soar to Norman alongside Venables, OU’s new head coach nonetheless acknowledges the method the whole protection can have to bear this 12 months.
“I think it’s important that as we get into our inaugural season that we’ll create a baseline and then we’ll build from there,” Venables stated at Big 12 Media Days at AT&T Stadium final week. “It’s not going to be what I just left at Clemson, but it wasn’t that way when we got there in 2012, either, and you develop that through a lot of work, a lot of players believing in what you’re doing. Certainly staff chemistry and cohesion is an incredible part of that.
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“It’s really, once you start playing games, figuring out what your strengths and weaknesses are and then playing to those strengths, protecting your weaknesses and then developing and improving in those areas of weakness,” he stated.
The new requirements are being set inside Oklahoma’s services, and Downs stated he believes his defensive finish room specifically is prepared to take off this season.
“Really deep,” he stated. “Jonah Laulu from Hawaii came in, and he’s ready to compete and play. Then there’s Reggie (Grimes) and Marcus Stripling. He’s had the best summer he’s ever had. He’s reaching a scary good element in his game. He’s fast, he’s strong, and now he’s confident and consistent.
“Brynden Walker had back injuries; he’s getting healthy again, getting back on the field. Clayton Smith is getting more confident in the playbook, too. He’s gonna get playing time as well. And our freshmen are super talented as well. The opportunities at the defensive end position and the depth right now is huge. Even our second string, third string, everybody can play right now.”
All of the work on the sting of Oklahoma’s protection shall be made simpler if Redmond can keep on the sphere all 12 months.
A productive participant when he’s on the sphere, Redmond has 10 profession sacks for the Sooners, although he’s solely performed 24 video games since 2018.
Despite all of the turnover, Venables is assured his protection shall be up to velocity in a convention with a lot improved models on that facet of the ball.
“I have a very clear vision for what it looks like,” Venables stated. “We’ve worked really hard and diligently the last several months to show our players, coach them, teach them, allow them to see it on videotape of what it looks like. A picture is worth a thousand words, and so really, how long that process will take, it’ll never happen fast enough. I can assure you.
“… It’s a process. You have to go through it. What I’ve learned I’ve learned from other people, from a scheme standpoint, and so it’s not like you have these magical schemes. But we all share in both the success and the failure. We’ve all been diligently putting calluses on those hands and working hard to develop an identity, and again, that’ll continue to be established.”
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