Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables didn’t commit to a spring game format on Monday.
Last season under Lincoln Riley, the Sooners competed in a non-traditional format, with the offense running against the defense only, rather than two separate teams playing a traditional scrimmage. Last season as the defensive coordinator at Clemson, Venables coached in a normal spring game arrangement on Dabo Swinney’s staff.
“We’ll figure that out as the spring goes,” Venables said. “And a lot of the time that just depends on how the spring goes. You got your thoughts on what you're experienced with, and our depth and development will determine that.”
Last season OU had three scholarship quarterbacks, but two of them — Micah Bowens and Caleb Williams — had enrolled during the spring semester. Being new to the system, they needed to test their mettle in a game-like scenario, perhaps leading to Riley’s more offense-focused spring game.
This season, the Sooners have already named their starting quarterback in Central Florida transfer Dillon Gabriel, although he also transferred ahead of the spring semester. That knowledge in hand coupled with Oklahoma possessing a new coaching staff means spring game design remains a work in progress.
“It’ll be a fun time,” Venables said of the game. “And they’ll be able to watch us and evaluate us in some sort of capacity. Running, hitting, catching, throwing, sacking, all those kinds of things.
“So really, haven’t made a final decision yet.”
Chavis keeping it fun with defensive ends
It’s been a week since spring practice officially began in Norman and the first word Miguel Chavis could come up with to describe progress so far was “fun.”
OU’s new defensive ends coach likes to lighten the mood, whether he’s dancing while players are stretching at the start of practice, or sprinting with them in drills. However, his players know there’s a time for enjoyment, and a time for work.
“Having someone you can play around and joke around with, but then when the switch is flipped, it’s flipped, I think that's really big and really important,” junior defensive end Reggie Grimes said. “Let’s say you’re out and you see your boss, right? Well, if you see your boss casually, it’s a casual thing. But, when you get back to the workplace, it’s time to work.”
Chavis, who served in a defensive player development role at Clemson for five seasons, was one of the first assistant coaches hired by Venables. The first-year head coach handed him the keys to coach a position group for the first time in his career.
“I yell a lot more, I’m a lot more tired,” Chavis said about the difference in being a position coach. “It’s been very fulfilling… (there’s a) higher level of accountability and ownership, but it’s been fun. I’m just so thankful every day, every minute to be an Oklahoma Sooner and (I feel) a great sense of pride to coach these guys, but a great sense of responsibility as well. My name is on those guys.”
Another way Chavis has shown off his personality since being hired is posting comical “coaching tips” to Twitter. Chavis said the posts are meant for comedic purposes and to try and relate to players and recruits on social media. His wife Megan, who also watches film with him, filters the tweets before he releases them.
“I think it’s fun, I don’t think coach (Venables) is going to let me go as far as Lane Kiffin,” Chavis said. “I have a few more I’m saving up, I’ll make my wife read them before I put them out so there is a filter.”
Coach Secret #2We don’t mind adding your new girlfriend of 2 weeks to the Junior Day guest list, as long as you don’t mind us not even remotely trying to learn her name since y’all won’t make it past bye week of Freshman year. 🤝 🤷🏽♂️😬😅🤣😂
— Coach Miguel Chavis (@MiguelChavis65) March 10, 2022
Coach Secret #1:Tweets that say…“Top 12 (but recruitment still wide open!)”…aren’t worth the pixels they’re written on. Until I’m in your “Top 5” I just feel like one of the dudes on night one of The Bachelorette!
— Coach Miguel Chavis (@MiguelChavis65) March 9, 2022
Grimes ready to lead Sooners’ edge rushers
Grimes paralleled Chavis’ enjoyment of practice when he addressed his position mates and reminded them to “just have fun,” during Monday’s morning session.
Later, Grimes doubled down, saying football has become exciting for him again with Venables at the helm and Chavis as his position coach.
Grimes was interested in playing for Venables at Clemson before he came to OU, so now his aspirations have come full circle. In fact, playing for a defensive-minded coach has contributed to Grimes’ exuberance.
“It's completely different,” Grimes said. “With the previous coaches that we had, we had an offensive mind. You saw how our offense was. Well, now that we have someone who's been the gold standard for defense who is our head guy, you see how our defense is. So as far as that's concerned, it is different, but it's different in a good way.”
Last season, Grimes compiled 23 tackles — 3.5 for loss — and three sacks. He also received four regular season starts as an injury fill-in.
Following Venables’ hiring, Grimes said he was looking to enhance his leadership ahead of the Sooners battling Oregon in the Alamo Bowl back in December. There, he started in Thomas’ absence and notched three tackles, half a tackle for loss and half a sack in the 47-32 momentum-building win.
Senior Marcus Stripling and sophomore Ethan Downs also stepped up in the Alamo Bowl, combining for eight tackles — 1.5 for loss — and 2.5 sacks. They’ve helped assume leadership of the defensive ends group alongside Grimes early in spring practice.
“I'm not a sophomore anymore, I'm a junior, so I'm an upperclassman now,” Grimes said. “And it seems like it's gone by like that. I remember my first game. I remember my first rep — it was Missouri State here in the COVID year.
"So it definitely has gone by really quick, but I’ve definitely shown that I have matured and I have guys around me who have taken the next step to be leaders, to come from a role where they weren't playing as much to now they’re guys — now we need them to be the dude.
“So it's definitely affected me in a positive way, this whole leadership thing, especially with the defense and with our group. It's newer, but at the same time I'm welcoming the challenge.”
