Senior defensive end Jeremy Beal may not get a lot of national attention, but his teammates and coaches certainly don’t take him for granted.
“He sometimes goes under the radar, but not with us,” coach Bob Stoops said. “He has been as reliable, consistent and solid a player as we’ve had here.”
Beal was a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award, which goes to the best lineman in the nation, regardless of whether the player is offensive or defensive.
While he didn’t make the list of three finalists, his presence as a candidate established him as one of the top at his position.
Before the Texas Tech game Saturday, Beal received the Don Key Award, given to the senior who most exemplifies excellence on the field and in the classroom. It is one of the highest honors a football player can receive at OU.
He shared the award with senior defensive tackle Adrian Taylor.
Beal leads the Sooners in tackles for loss with 16 and sacks with 7.5.
But the Carrollton, Texas, native’s impact extends beyond the lines of the field.
“Every day, he is a great leader and a great young man, as well as being great in his academic work,” Stoops said.
Senior offensive lineman Eric Mensik said he gets to line up against Beal a couple of days each week at practice, and he said the experience has been beneficial to his development.
“He’s one of he best I’ve gone against, and I’m glad he’s on my team,” Mensik said. “He gives me a good feel of what’s out there.”
Beal has a reputation for not being necessarily the fastest or the strongest player on the team, but his knowledge of the game makes up for it, Mensik said.
“His work ethic and how he looks at the game, breaking it all down helps him,” Mensik said. “He just knows what he’s doing.”
Beal represents OU well, and his leadership in the locker room is invaluable to the Sooners, said junior linebacker Travis Lewis, who also is a leader for OU on defense and in the huddle.
“He didn’t win that award we give to the seniors for nothing,” Lewis said. “He is what it means to be a Sooner athlete, and he is a great teammate.”
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