Ronnell Lewis serves as an inspiration to any small town athlete who desires to play at a Division I college.
Lewis has come from Class A and formerly eight-man Dewar (population 1,500) to make an impact on the OU defense.
''If you work hard, it doesn't matter what size school you come from," Lewis said. "If you're good enough, you'll make it. You need to set your goals high."
Lewis was never intimidated by playing in front of crowds that were 40 times larger than his hometown.
''That all gets blocked out come game time," Lewis said. "You just focus on the game and do what you're supposed to do out there. Anything extra comes naturally."
The 6-foot-2, 240-pound sophomore shined in the spotlight as he had six tackles, forced a fumble and had a pass deflection in OU's 31-27 win over Stanford in the Sun Bowl.
Lewis had made his mark on special teams before that tying Enid's Austin Box for the team lead with 11 tackles.
''I just went out and played," he said. "Whether I was at on the field, I ran hard and hit hard and do what I could to show the coaches I'm a player and to give the fans what they want."
He gave OU coach Bob Stoops what he wanted.
''He's a physical phenom," Stoops said. "He can't get enough. He's a very physical player with an excellent work ethic. He backs it up on the field."
Lewis wants to live up to his nickname as "The Hammer" for his violent hitting.
''I like to hit people hard and give people something they don't see on a daily basis," he said. "I try to change the perception of people and make it an interesting game."
His performance in the bowl has made him one of the faces of the program for the Sooner fans.
''That wasn't my plan," he said about his instant fame. "I just wanted to go out there and play my game and everything fell into place.
''I'm a lot more comfortable now. At first, I was a little antsy about getting out there. I didn't want to mess up just like any other freshman. Starting in the bowl game, open me up a little bit. I was making plays and contributing to the team."
The game has given him confidence for the future.
''When you're making plays on the field, it makes you want to do more," he said. "If you get tired, you just work a little harder."
Lewis played 8-man football until his senior season. That didn't prevent him from being ranked the No. 2 linebacker in the country by both Scout.com and Rivals.com.
''Going from 8-man to 11-man was no big deal," he said. "The speed of the game is a big factor to me. I handled that through the spring (of 2009 after graduating from Dewar at mid-term). I had time to adjust."
Still, he was ahead of his original schedule.
''I didn't see it happening this fast," Lewis said. "I thought I would do my part and do what I could when I got on the field."
Lewis was listed as the starter at the SAM (strong side) linebacker in OU's preseason depth chart. Stoops said Lewis will be used some at defensive end.
''He's a guy who want to have on the field to give him more opportunities to make plays," Stoops said.
''Whether they put me, I'll put in the time and go learn the position," Lewis said. "I'll do what I have to do. I'll go and play hard. that's all I can do."
Lewis is part of a linebacking corp which is considered to be the strength of the defense because of its depth.
''The competition for every position is to be pretty hard," Lewis said. "Everybody is going to have to make their name and their mark on the team.
''Our linebackers are athletic guys who are hitters and who can get to the ball and do what the coaches tell us to do."
Juniors Travis Lewis and Enid's Austin Box have shown the younger linebackers "a lot mentally and physically," Ronnell Lewis said.
''Travis is unbelievable when it comes to working in the weight room or pushing sleds," said Ronnell Lewis. "It takes a lot of work to get to this level."
Ronnell Lewis said he needs to work on "simple technique" to become better.
He doesn't see a drop-off in OU's defense despite the loss of veterans Gerald McCoy, the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft; linebackers Ryan Reynolds and Keenan Clayton and defensive backs Brian Jackson and Dom Franks.
''We're going to be real good," said Ronnell Lewis. "I think we will dominate. Gerald is going to be missed, but we have the guys who can fill in and keep us moving along."
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jimbo 1 year, 9 months ago
hes a big hitter too bad he missed all of summer workouts because he cant keep his grades up and hasnt been able to learn the defense