As OU moves through spring practice, redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Danny Okoye is beginning to settle into a different rhythm. After a developmental first season, Okoye said the game is starting to slow down, translating into more consistent production on the field.
After a limited role as a freshman, Okoye appeared in 11 games in 2025, totaling six tackles, including two tackles for loss and two sacks, along with a pass breakup. His production came in flashes, including sacks against Kent State and Tennessee, but he has yet to make a start across his 13 career appearances.
“I don’t even think I had a good year last year,” Okoye said. “This year, I really think I'm just trying to focus on the little things, … making the game slow down and just focusing on the details. The standard is the standard.”
Okoye said that focus on detail has shaped his approach throughout spring practice, particularly as he works to correct issues that showed up on film last season. By emphasizing fundamentals, he said he has been able to play with more confidence during early practices.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” Okoye said on Monday. “We’re making leaps and bounds — a lot more progress than I thought we’d be making. Playbook is finally clicking. Game is slowing down, and we’re making moves, getting some production.”
That growing comfort has coincided with a more deliberate emphasis on technique within OU’s defensive line room. Under defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis, Okoye said the focus has shifted toward refining pre-snap discipline and eliminating small errors that showed up on film last season.
“This first week of practice we’ve had, I’ve been trying to slow down my process, … everything from my eyes to my stance to my alignments,” Okoye said. “Coach Chavis is doing a really good job of coaching that better. Even last year, I feel like we weren’t really taking those minute things as seriously as we needed to, and it showed on the film.”
OU has also added additional support to the room this spring with assistant edge coach Aaron Cheatwood, who joined the program after coaching linebackers and serving as defensive run game coordinator at Northern Arizona. Cheatwood also has experience as a defensive coordinator at the junior college level and has worked across multiple defensive position groups.
“It’s been great having him in the D-end room …,” Okoye said. “It’s all moving pretty fast this time of year, and having someone there to back up coach Chavis whenever he’s busy or he’s teaching one of the new guys or something … helps the older guys keep moving their progression upwards.”
With the spring game on April 18 approaching, Okoye said he is focused on maximizing each opportunity.
“Time’s going. I’m really feeling like I just got to maximize on what time I have …,” Okoye said. “Don’t count your reps but make your reps count.”
This story was edited by Joshua McDaniel.
