Gracen Halton and Woody Washigton

Junior defensive lineman Gracen Halton and redshirt fifth year defensive back Woodi Washigton after game against Houston on Sept. 7.

 Annie Davenport/OU Daily

Vernon Halton Jr. sprang from his couch and immediately reached for his phone.

He had just witnessed his cousin, OU defensive lineman Gracen Halton, charge through the Houston offensive line and blow up a run play in the end zone for a safety. Before Halton’s key play, the Cougars, who entered Saturday as 28.5-point underdogs, according to Action Network, were beginning a drive at their own five-yard line with less than two minutes remaining and were only trailing 14-12. 

Vernon screamed in excitement, ‘Let’s go Gracen,’ as he lined up text messages to Halton’s dad, uncle and fielded calls from his friends who were watching the game. Vernon recorded a series of videos where he let out his excitement for his cousin before reflecting on the biggest moment of Halton’s career, and the two seasons of patience it took for him to get there.

“It was a little frustrating for him,” Vernon said of Halton’s first two seasons in which he collected 21 tackles, 4.5 for loss, and did not start any games. “I would text him all the time like, ‘Just stay patient. Your time is going to come.’ 

“... Seeing that play, to hear the crowd going crazy and all his teammates and coaches surrounding him, that was probably the most excited I’ve ever been for him.”

The last time the junior recorded a safety was for his eighth grade team, when he also played quarterback and linebacker along with defensive line. This time, he did it in front of 83,653 anxious fans to save the Sooners (2-0) from a potential season-altering upset and escape Houston (0-2) 16-12 in Norman. 

As he stood up and raced toward the back of the end zone, holding his hands together above his head to signal a safety, an entourage of Sooners swarmed him to celebrate. 

“It was the best feeling in the world,” Halton said. “I’ve never experienced that, and I’m glad I did because it’s going to motivate me to have more great moments like that.”

Through the Sooners’ first two games, Halton, who was listed as a backup on the week one depth chart, leads OU in tackles for loss (3.5), sacks (2.5) and leads all defensive linemen in tackles (5). 

“Gracen has grown up right in front of our eyes here since January,” head coach Brent Venables said. “He’s made a decision that he’s going to do something. I’m really proud of him and all the work that he’s put in. 

“What a big time play. They didn’t just gift wrap that. We didn’t have a whole bunch of tackles for loss today, but man that was a huge one and a game changer.”

Venables isn’t the only one who noticed Halton’s offseason progression. Vernon says he saw a greater intensity in his cousin’s workouts and an increased emphasis on watching film. 

The motivation stemmed from Halton watching older Sooners get playing time in 2022 and 2023. The more he watched from the sideline, the more he ran out of patience. 

“Everybody wants ready made products all the time,” co-defensive coordinator Zac Alley said. “A guy who shows up and has got this (skill) and is supposed to be all these things. And the reality is it takes work. … He’s a guy that’s bought into the work. Throughout the summer he got stronger, he gained weight, and he did everything he needed to mentally to get prepared. You watch him in camp and you sit there like, ‘Yep, that’s what we expected.’”

The Sooners’ offense only possessed the ball for 24 minutes, leaving the defense on the field for over 35 minutes. Halton’s first key play was a sack he made on the 12th play of a drive that had been extended by a fourth down conversion and an unsportsmanlike conduct on another fourth down. His game-sealing safety happened after OU’s defense had been on the field for 34 minutes.

In his standout performance, much like in his career, Halton’s patience is what led to his opportunity.

“It’s amazing to see how it’s paying off for him,” Vernon said. “He didn’t hop in the transfer portal like a lot of guys would have done when they don’t see a lot of playing time. … It really makes me happy to see a guy who stayed patient, worked hard and then when he finally gets an opportunity he’s showing what he can showcase.”

A recap from the Sooner's 16-12 win against Houston on Sept. 7.

OU Daily sports reporter Daniel Homrok shares his defense takeaways from OU's 16-12 win against Houston on September 7.

Filmed and edited by Cassidy Martin and Aryanna Smith

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