D.J. Graham quickly dialed his father, Davon, when he heard the news.
Graham had just learned Oklahoma was hiring former Alabama cornerbacks coach Jay Valai as co-defensive coordinator, and pass defense coordinator. He couldn’t contain excitement about his longtime mentor becoming his college cornerbacks coach.
“Dad, we’re going to get Jay,” he said to his father, who was in disbelief on the other end of the phone. “I’m being so serious, we’re about to get the guy.”
After playing at Wisconsin, Valai opened a workout facility in Texas, coaching professional and youth athletes. As a fifth-grader growing up in Fort Worth, Graham met Valai and attended some of his training sessions, and has admired him ever since.
The junior cornerback received his first taste of what Valai and new head coach Brent Venables’ defensive scheme will look like as spring practice began on Tuesday. Graham, who started 10 games for OU in 2021, is excited about the chance to be coached, not only by someone he’s familiar with, but by someone who also played his position.
“Coach Jay is one of the most intricate, intelligent (coaches), I can keep on going,” Graham said on Tuesday. “He's great … he's our type of dude, he's young. He's a passionate guy and we're going to keep going, I already know our defense is going to take (it to) another level.”
At 6-feet, 193-pounds, Graham famously intercepted a pass with one hand against Nebraska last season. He also recorded 37 total tackles and two pass breakups in 2021. Graham sees Valai’s arrival as a chance to learn from someone who has coached professionals, and to enhance his play in 2022.
Oklahoma’s former cornerbacks coach Roy Manning, who set off for USC with Lincoln Riley, played linebacker for Michigan and in the NFL. Valai has experience playing cornerback and coaching the position in the NFL with Philadelphia and Kansas City.
𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐘🤯 @djgraham_ 🤯📺 FOX | https://t.co/chy7Suvi7xpic.twitter.com/4lxzN9blfi
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) September 18, 2021
Furthermore, Graham reemphasized his enjoyment of the transition from the former coaching staff to the new regime. He admitted the cornerbacks feel more involved in the defense, and the system is especially complex, as it throws a variety of different looks at offenses.
“I’m getting there,” Graham said when asked about learning the playbook. “When I laid it all out, looked at it and stared at it, I was like, ‘OK, this is quite a lot.’ It’s day by day and as long as you look at it every single day, it’s nothing. It’s going well.”
After showing off his abilities with his supernatural catch, Graham was suddenly everywhere, and everyone around the college football landscape knew his name. The grab was even printed onto t-shirts, made possible by name, image and likeness opportunities.
https://t.co/Q0pHuBM78X get your shirt now !! pic.twitter.com/K1aSBd4MPt
— Davon Graham II (@djgraham_) September 21, 2021
Last week during Oklahoma's spring break, Graham and friends were on a beach in Florida when some people recognized him and said, “Hey, that’s the guy that made the one-handed catch.”
“That play has cemented me in college football history,” Graham said. “But, it's a new season. The past is the past. That's always going to be brought up with my name, but it's a new year and I’ve got to make more plays on the ball … this is 2022, it’s not 2021.”
Graham’s goals for this spring and next season are to solidify a starting spot. While he started most games last season, the Sooners have a new coaching staff and a new roster that is deep in the secondary.
OU added Louisville transfer Kani Walker and Wyoming graduate transfer CJ Coldon to the position group. The Sooners also return veterans senior Jaden Davis and redshirt junior Woodi Washington.
Graham will have the chance to prove himself over the next three weeks before Oklahoma’s spring game kicks off at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 23 in Norman. Whether it’s hauling in another wild pick, or recording more pass breakups, Graham is excited about the opportunity spring practice presents and coming full circle in playing for Valai.
“My job and my responsibility is I have a clean new slate with this clean new coaching staff,” Graham said. “They have a whole new philosophy, they have a whole new playbook. So it's my job to get in there and learn, put my head down and work to try to earn a starting spot.
“I just want to show this coaching staff what I can do. They see my abilities on the practice tape and game tape, but I want to show them what the present D.J. can do. So I'm just trying to build on that, fly around, get some (pass breakups), interceptions and make plays on the ball.”
