Reggie Grimes feels completely different heading into the 2022 season.
After former coach Lincoln Riley bolted for Southern California on Nov. 13 and Oklahoma replaced him with current coach Brent Venables, the junior defensive lineman went back to the basics. Within months, the Sooners’ first-year head coach completely reshaped OU’s identity, pushing for complete buy-in into the team and a family-like atmosphere.
With the arrival of young, eccentric defensive line coach Miguel Chavis, a former Clemson defensive tackle in 2008, Grimes felt his on-field persona change immediately. Self-proclaimed as an unconfident, but extremely intellectual, player in his first two seasons, Grimes adopted a newfound confidence in the spring — a trait Chavis preached to the entire defensive front.
After recording 18 tackles and two sacks in 13 games last season, the Tennessee native’s fresh approach has turned him into one of the top leaders of Oklahoma’s retooled defensive line this offseason. Grimes helped lead walkthroughs and player meetings to help incoming freshmen grasp the system over the summer.
“The difference between an 18-year-old Grimes and a 20-year-old Grimes is we've been through the hard stuff,” Grimes said. “But now, as I've grown into a leader and stepped into this kind of role … (I’ve learned), if you fail, that's fine. OK, but staying in failure is not.
“We're all going to have our ups and downs, that's how football works. But, if you can roll with the punches, take the punches and understand that if you’ve got your brothers with you then you can do no wrong.”
While he helped lead the freshman during the offseason, Grimes also learned a lot about himself. The junior was humbled during strength and conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt’s summer workouts, a challenge that every player endured under the new system.
“I learned that we're all in this together (as a unit),” Grimes said. ‘I can't quit because of my brothers and as long as I have my brothers with me, I'm going do whatever I can to the best of my abilities. It was a great, humbling summer for us. But at the same time, it was really thoughtful and informative. We grew together as a defensive line and then we grew together (individually) as defensive linemen because it all starts up front.”
As Grimes continues to adjust to Venables’ new system, his experience is also helping him become a more solidified playmaker on the edge. The 6-foot-4, 273-pound defensive lineman thinks that being an edge rusher is more vital than in former defensive coordinator Alex Grinch’s scheme.
For Chavis, experienced players are only blossoming into better athletes in his eyes.
“I think experience absolutely helps,” Chavis said. “These guys are all over our new system. Where our guys are today with the system compared to where they were in January when we started teaching is night and day. So all of these guys were blessed by the summer.”
With Grimes leading the charge alongside defensive linemen sophomore Ethan Downs, redshirt junior Jalen Redmond, senior Marcus Stripling and redshirt senior Jonah Laulu, the Sooners look to have a more cohesive, aggressive and fast defensive front than in past seasons. Grimes’ new confidence will be key to get there.
“We've changed so much,” Grimes said. “We were just so dysfunctional as a team last season. Regardless of what any of us did, it was no cigar. Then obviously this year as this, this first part of the spring, comes back in and what coach Chavis preaches is bringing otherworldly confidence. Once we all officially bought into that message, it was great.”
