When Jalen Redmond declared for the draft on Dec. 18, Oklahoma defensive tackles coach Todd Bates knew he was losing a complete player and he’d have to go searching for a replacement.
Bates and the Sooners lured Wake Forest’s Rondell Bothroyd, Notre Dame’s Jacob Lacey, Texas State’s Davon Sears and others to Norman via the transfer portal, while adding talented high schoolers like Derrick LeBlanc.
“We want guys that can play inside,” Bates said Monday. “That can hold up at the point of attack, that can also rush the passer and be a complete defensive tackle. … We needed to add some of that, guys that can play and not have to be situational guys.”
#Sooners defensive tackles coach Todd Bates after practice: pic.twitter.com/rlHDIdoaau
— OU Daily Sports (@OUDailySports) April 11, 2023
Depth wasn’t the only thing Bates and OU were after, so was finding players with diverse skill sets and different ways of playing the position. Bothroyd’s length, at 6-foot-3 and 275 pounds, is expected to be a problem for opposing offenses on the edge as he excels at running players down. He recorded 30 tackles for the Demon Deacons in 2022.
Bates looked to Oklahoma’s in-state rival Oklahoma State for speed. Trace Ford, who’s listed at 251 pounds, will likely use his skill set to rush the passer effectively. Ford, who’s had two knee tears in his career, tallied 7.5 sacks and forced three fumbles in his first two seasons with the Cowboys.
“(With Bothroyd and Ford) you're hitting on all cylinders,” Bates said. “You have different flavors, different tools because different teams are going to play different schemes and you’ve got to have people fit. And I think Rondell fits all sizes and I think Trace is gonna do the same thing.”
While Bates is excited about the newcomers he brought in, he’s also been impressed with the growth he’s seen from a number of returners. The Sooners retained Isaiah Coe, who totaled 20 tackles and two sacks in 12 games in 2022, and sixth-year senior Jordan Kelley, who recorded 24 total tackles and three sacks in 13 games last season.
Redshirt senior defensive lineman Jordan Kelley during the game against Baylor on Nov. 5.
For Kelley, this spring has been about stepping up as a leader.
“For a lot of the guys who were here last year, we’re feeling more comfortable,” Kelley said Monday. “With being a returner, you're able to help other guys who are in their first year here and getting all these plays thrown at them. But us being experienced, we’re able to help them out and everybody is learning that much faster.”
#Sooners DL Jordan Kelley after practice: pic.twitter.com/0TvCrxv3A6
— OU Daily Sports (@OUDailySports) April 11, 2023
OU also returns sixth-year senior Jonah Laulu, who played all 13 games at defensive end last season and recorded 20 total tackles. Whenever Laulu returned from winter break, Bates urged him to make the switch from outside to inside and play tackle.
“They said when I’m inside or doing inside movements, I look a little more comfortable than I do on the edge — I agreed with them,” Laulu said Monday. “I could see what they’re talking about, so I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help better this team. If I have to move inside, that’s no problem.”
#Sooners DL Jonah Laulu after practice: pic.twitter.com/Ys6gw4TtNK
— OU Daily Sports (@OUDailySports) April 11, 2023
Every time he’d see Laulu walk into a defensive ends meeting, Bates would joke about Laulu making a move to defensive tackle. Now a reality, Bates thinks Laulu could potentially be one of the complete players Oklahoma’s line will need to make a jump in 2023.
“Jonah has really moved inside and made an impact,” Bates said. “He is just a handful to deal with, blocking him. He’s so athletic and he’s just learning more and more every day. So, you guys, that’s the one to watch. I think he has the ability to do something special for us this year.”
Grace Rhodes copy edited this story.
