Jordan Kelley arrived at the Sooners’ defensive press conference in practice attire on Monday.
After the redshirt junior defensive lineman fielded questions from reporters for roughly 10 minutes, Kelley said he wanted to get an extra lift in for the day — a routine he’s followed after every OU practice. This spring, he’s been working closely with strength coach Bennie Wylie and has even changed his eating habits to ensure he’s doing all the little things right.
His efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. In an April 15 press conference, head coach Lincoln Riley said Kelley has been one of Sooners’ breakout stars this spring. Kelley believes his increased efforts are necessary for OU’s defensive line to meet its expectations for the upcoming season.
“The mindset for the d-line this year is to be the best d-line in the country,” Kelley said. “I mean there’s no ones, twos or threes, it’s we all go out there, we all go in,and there’s no drop off at all. We all go in there, we can all make plays. … (We want) to be the best in the country.”
Individually, Kelley’s Sooner career has been relatively quiet so far. The Tulsa native was ranked the eighth best player from Oklahoma by ESPN in the 2018 recruiting class, but Kelley redshirted after just two games during his freshman season. In 2019, he suffered a lower body injury during spring practice which sidelined him until the Sooners’ College Football Playoff matchup against LSU. Kelley did not record any statistics as OU fell, 63-28.
But, in 2020, Kelley began to find his stride with the Sooners. He had a career-high three tackles and one tackle for loss in Oklahoma’s 33-14 win over TCU, and from on out, proved to be a pivotal member of OU’s defensive front. He ended the season with nine tackles, two tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks and two quarterback hurries in 10 games.
“He’s confident, and he’s playing faster,” defensive line coach Calvin Thibdeaux said of Kelley on Monday. “And he's been very consistent. … It's our job to get the right guys out there, but man, I really feel like we got a deep group. And it's not just having bodies, it’s guys that can go in there and make plays. So, (I’m) expecting big things out of the whole group.”
Currently, of the 13 players listed on OU’s defensive line, Kelley’s work ethic helps him stand out in the unit. However, with players like Jalen Redmond, Isaiah Thomas and Perrion Winfrey playing alongside him, the group believes a team mentality is vital for success this season.
Junior defensive lineman Josh Ellison, who transferred to Oklahoma last season after one year at Blinn College, said the Sooners’ d-line is among the closest groups on the team — and the unit relishes the competition within.
“Everybody’s trying to fight for that top spot,” Kelley said, echoing Ellison’s sentiment. “It’s making us fight and crawl, and it’s making the d-line as a whole that much better. Just us grinding in and out every day makes the (offensive line) better, it just makes the whole team better.”
Regardless of how the top spots on OU’s defensive line shake up, Kelley’s biggest focus for this offseason and beyond is to return to the level of play he’s showcased in moments during his Sooner career. If it takes an extra daily workout or fine tuning fundamentals to get him there, Kelley’s up for the task.
“I’m not gonna be that person to say I’m back before even showing it,” Kelley said. “I like to say I’m back (and) prove it on the field. I don’t like to speak with my words, I like to speak with my actions. I'll show that off this year for sure.”
