Oklahoma offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh is pleased with the work ethic he’s seen from his group, specifically the interior positions, during spring camp.
While he said he’s not making any predictions on what’s going to happen come fall, Bedenbaugh was impressed with how the players adapted to installing a new offense this spring.
“I feel good about basically, what to me is a starting point,” Bedenbaugh said about the offensive line on Thursday. “If we continue to progress (we’ll be in good shape). … Do I feel good? Yeah. Do I feel great? No.”
Ahead of Saturday’s annual red-white game, the longtime Sooners assistant noted he feels “pretty good about four guys right now,” on the starting unit. OU returns junior Anton Harrison and fifth-year senior Chris Murray, while redshirt junior McKade Mettauer and senior Wanya Morris will likely take on a starting role this season.
Bedenbaugh also revealed sixth-year center Robert Congel broke his left hand early in spring practice, but he hasn’t missed a snap. The Colorado native made six starts last year at the position and is competing for the starting job with junior Andrew Raym, who continues to deal with nagging injuries.
“Congel has done an incredible job, he’s tougher than hell, I love the kid,” Bedenbaugh said. “... Even when he broke (his hand), he practiced the rest of the time. And for you guys that don't know, it's hard to block people with two hands. He's got one, and he did an awesome job.”
Bedenbaugh praised Morris for drastically improving his play on the field and his newfound dedication off the field this spring. Morris was named one of OU football’s three student-athletes of the week on Wednesday, something his coach said would’ve never happened last year.
Student-athletes of the week. 📚@RMBwee@RobertJ3nnings @wanyamorris64#OUDNA pic.twitter.com/7K4xKvdtuv
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) April 20, 2022
“(He’s) night and day,” Bedenbaugh said. “I mean a complete 180 in everything, the way he approaches everything, academics, the way he works, (his) attitude and mentality. He’s always been a talented guy ... but he made a decision to change the way he was going to do things and it’s showing up on the field.
"And it's not just on the field, it's not just when you're here, it's what you do in the classroom, it's what you do outside of here, the time you put in and all that is improved.”
Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Kelvin Gilliam during the Sooners' open practice on March 28.
Gilliam grows stronger under Schmidt
Kelvin Gilliam’s enhanced consumption of bread and seafood this offseason is paying dividends in spring practice.
The redshirt freshman defensive tackle’s new diet created by strength and conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt has him weighing close to 290 pounds, up from 254 when he moved to Norman last season.
But, the added gains aren’t “bad weight,” according to Gilliam. He said his position coach, co-defensive coordinator Todd Bates, is impressed with his speed. During his second practice of spring camp, Gilliam said he shredded a double team at the line of scrimmage for the first time at OU.
“Guys ask me all the time how it feels carrying all that weight,” Gilliam said. “It feels natural at this point.”
The Richmond, Virginia, native appeared in four games last season, but made just two tackles as he battled an ankle sprain throughout the year. But, with the departure of Perrion Winfrey for the NFL, perhaps snaps will open up for Gilliam, a former four-star recruit.
Like many freshmen, including his former blue-chip teammates Caleb Williams and Mario Williams, Gilliam considered transferring out of Norman after Lincoln Riley’s departure. However, his desired target was hired, and he knew instantly he was staying with OU.
Gilliam fostered a close relationship with then-Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables during his recruiting process. Gilliam ultimately chose the Sooners and rekindled the old connection when Venables was hired.
Venables then hired Schmidt for his second stint with Oklahoma, and Gilliam said the addition aided his development process.
“First thing Coach Schmitty has done is change our mindset,” Gilliam said. “We’re going to get up, we’re going to go to work everyday. And after that, we’re gonna recover (and) we’re gonna chill, and that’s been all throughout the spring.”
Gilliam is aiming to raise his weight to 295 this summer in hopes of shredding offensive linemen who attempt to block him. With Schmidt’s training regimen and protein, Gilliam said achieving his aspirations will be a “cakewalk.”
“My role right now is just to add value in any way, shape or form possible,” Gilliam said. “What my coaches expect of me, what my coaches demand of me, that’s my situation.”
Sophomore linebacker Shane Whitter during the homecoming game against TCU on Oct. 16.
Whitter ‘all in’ on junior season
Shane Whitter took Alex Grinch and Brian Odom’s criticism from last season personally.
When the Sooners’ former defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, who both followed Lincoln Riley to USC, told him he needed to be more accountable to the program, he received the message.
“I felt like I had to not really find myself, but play more of a role and play the part more and I had to do more with my team and get myself all in,” Whitter said. “So I feel like I've been doing that better this year, and I've been helping out the team more.”
Whitter said the Kansas game last season was a turning point for him. He made three tackles in OU’s come-from-behind win before finishing his sophomore season with 27 tackles and a fumble recovery.
He didn’t become complacent after that performance, though, and despite coaches’ praise this spring he has been focused on improving the little details of his game.
“I think I really have (improved), but I feel myself having so much room for more improvement,” Whitter said. “I started getting myself all in, but I feel like there's more to myself I could give, though, and that's what we talked about in my exit meeting with (defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Ted Roof) and that's what I plan on delivering more (next season).”
The now-junior has remained at weakside linebacker in spring practice, but has an interest in moving to the “cheetah” position, or the strongside linebacker spot in Venables’ defense that replaced the nickelback in Grinch’s formations.
Whitter said redshirt senior Justin Broiles currently plays there, but he’d like to try his hand at flying around the field and having fun at that position. In fact, that’s the intensity Whitter says fans should expect from the defense during the spring game.
“We’re all running around and everyone comes to hit,” Whitter said. “I think you’ll definitely see a different scheme but I feel like the different players developed and we became more confident in that, and you'll see that different.”
For Whitter, having Venables as an additional linebackers coach behind Roof has only helped grow the confidence for him and his position group.
“I love it actually,” Whitter said. “Especially with (Venables’) knowledge of our position, I think that's like a great boost for us, and he's so hands-on with us. We could tell (with) his energy, he's so excited to be working with us and we love it.”
