Brent Venables explains importance of defensive line upgrades

Ahead of his second season as the head coach at Oklahoma, Brent Venables has overhauled the Sooners defensive line unit. It’s not surprising that after seeing so much success with dominant defensive lines as the Clemson defensive coordinator, Venables puts a premium on being good up front.

And the additions to the Sooners roster, plus the growth of players already on the roster, have Venables feelings confident as fall camp is underway. They new group is certainly a lot bigger, but the Sooners head coach laid out another critical aspect to great play from the defensive line.

“Again, you gotta play — everything happens really fast so it’s not just big,” Venables said. “You gotta be able to play fast and play with leverage and pad level and the point of attack. It’s everything. That’s one of the hardest positions to play. Mentally and physically. So we think we’re a little better there. I want to see it over time.”

Oklahoma’s 2023 signing class featured three out-and-out defensive linemen: Four star Derrick LeBlanc and three stars Ashton Sanders and Markus Strong. They also nabbed a handful of edge rushers, but some might translate to a more defined defensive line role, like 6-foot-5, 245 pound three star Taylor Wein.

The transfer portal probably paid even bigger dividends for the Sooners heading into 2023.

Oklahoma landed defensive linemen Da’Jon Terry (Tennessee), Jacob Lacey (Notre Dame) and Davon Sears (Texas State) plus edge rushers Rondell Bothroyd (Wake Forest), Trace Ford (Oklahoma State), and Dasan McCullough (Indiana).

There’s been a massive infusion of talent and experience along the defensive front for Oklahoma, and Venables just needs to see them go out and make an impact among their new surroundings.

“I want guys to prove it, and that’s across the board. It’s not just D line. It’s easy to just come out here in shorts and run around and look good but that growth and development is going to be everything. But really it’s the whole defense. But we do have a little more depth, a few more bodies across the whole front,” Venables said.

And the new group already seems to have a desire to “prove it” to the coaches.

Several defensive linemen were apparently on the field after practice getting additional reps on various drills, and Venables shared how he loves to see that and what it means about the great shift going on behind the scenes.

“We’ve got the right guys. What it tells is your guys are really eager to get better and, again, respect what it takes,” Venables said. “Because we can’t — it does take what it takes and we can’t change that. So having guys that believe in that and the leadership that brings out of guys, it’s everything to the continual growth and development.”