OU defensive coordinator Alex Grinch addressed the continued growth of his defense, the suspension of junior defensive end Ronnie Perkins and the Sooners’ 2019 loss to Kansas State in a Wednesday Zoom call.
The Sooners (1-0) are coming off a 48-0 blowout of Missouri State as Kansas State (0-1) comes to Norman Saturday. While Oklahoma’s defense just pitched its first shutout under Grinch, in 2019 the squad was gashed by the Wildcats for 426 yards of offense in a 48-41 upset defeat.
Here’s what Grinch said about his unit ahead of Saturday’s game:
On defensive culture, depth
In 2019 Grinch inherited a group that ranked No. 114 in total defense before his arrival and he pushed it to No. 38 in his first season. Tuesday, he credited the players with a year in his “Speed D” for buying into his philosophies.
Regardless of progress gained, the unsatisfied Grinch said there’s still more work to be done in developing a winning culture and sufficient depth at each defensive position.
“You know, it's probably more enjoyable to go to practice. ... And really what I mean by that is just, you hear other voices kind of saying the things that you as a coach and a staff were maybe the only ones saying a year ago, at least at this point ... and one of the things that when we talk about being a different guy (than last year) is we're talking about not being content with just being where you're supposed to be. ... The mission is the football. The mission is to make that play, but you just can't say ‘I got my job done. You other 10 go make a play.’ And so, I've seen that difference. Again, it's in practice and that's a big deal ... but now it's got to translate on Saturdays, and specifically this one.
“I think we still have a long way to go to (maximize) the depth that we kind of envision. Certainly the numbers are more than a year ago, but no, it's not where it needs to be just yet.”
On Ronnie Perkins
OU’s projected top pass rusher is still suspended for the Sooners’ next four games due to a failed drug test prior to Oklahoma's Peach Bowl bout against LSU in December.
Though Perkins isn’t suiting up on Saturdays, Grinch said the junior defender has still been a leader for teammates and is learning from his mistake.
“If we're all judged by the worst thing we do in life then, you know, my goodness, I don't know that any of us would would like to see it plastered over the national media, you know, but that's where we live in and then the reality is there's no ducking it. ... We talk about event plus response equals outcome. There's an event. OK, what's your response gonna be? Ultimately, that's what your response is going to be, you know, based on what outcome that you want. He wants to be one of the best players who played at Oklahoma. That's what he does.
“And so to say he's a leader in our program, yeah, he is, he's a leader on this defense. I need him. Our defense needs him and (I’m) thrilled that he's part of us. Now, he's not part of us on Saturday and so we've got to pick up the slack. That’s the expectation. But a day-in day-out basis, he's Ronnie Perkins from St. Louis, Missouri. He's an Oklahoma Sooner and he's a dang good one."
On 2019 loss to Kansas State
After OU surrendered a regular season-high 48 points to the Wildcats a year ago on Oct. 26 and nearly crushed its College Football Playoff aspirations, Grinch acknowledged the Sooners were out-coached and out-played.
On Tuesday, Grinch commended the Wildcats for their victory in 2019, but indicated the story could be different in 2020.
“I think the concern stems from me turning on the film from a year ago and watching us get completely outplayed by that program. And so, you know, it took all of one game to earn complete respect for that coaching staff, and how they play. And, you know, again I stick to ... facts and the facts within that film. I mean that's what we're drawing from, and saying that when I watch that film I see a poorly coached team on defense from Oklahoma. I see a very well coached team on offense.
"That pains me to say it, but the facts are the facts and I thought from the physical standpoint we certainly did not out-physical them, nor did we match it a year ago. And so, what shows up this weekend is obviously the 2020 version of all of us, but no, I could not respect (Kansas State) more and they flat earned it a year ago.”
