The Oklahoma Sooners Freshman Linebacker Trio Made ‘Drastic Enhancements’ This Summer time
They’re Kanak, Cobie McKinzie AND Kip Lewis arrived in Norman this spring to nice fanfare.
The trio of linebacker recruits arrived in Oklahoma with various skills, getting followers excited in regards to the potential of the rising unit below the pinnacle coach. Brent Venables and defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Ted Roof.
Kanak, a 6-foot-2, 219-pound product of Hays, KS, reportedly turned heads throughout spring follow for his sheer velocity and athleticism, one thing that was on full show throughout OU’s spring sport.
The 236-pound McKinzie initiatives to be a heavy tackler, and Lewis will probably be referred to as upon to guard the sideline at 198 kilos.
Kip Lewis (10) is likely one of the new faces in Oklahoma’s quarterback room this 12 months.
Chris Landsberger / The Oklahoman-USA Immediately Community
Easy methods to DaShaun White, David Ugwoegbu, Danny Stutsman, TD roof AND Shane Whitter forward of them, there is not a ton of stress on the freshman trio to make an impression straight away. However arriving as early enrollees has set Kanak, McKinzie and Lewis on a route to success early of their OU careers.
“They’re manner forward as a result of they obtained right here in January,” Roof stated throughout his media day press convention on Tuesday. The shock — it is greater for some than others — the shock of going from highschool soccer to school soccer, particularly at a spot just like the College of Oklahoma. There is a dance there. Every part is quicker. In fact, there’s a excessive stage of accountability in our program. The novelty. Like hey, that is my dorm. That is the place I eat. That is the load room. I am presupposed to be right here at six, however that actually means 5:50. All these issues that go into its novelty.
“… They’re so much higher coming into the center of the 12 months and being the place we at the moment are, in comparison with coming in throughout June. That is to not say the fellows who got here in June have not had an excellent summer time as a result of they’ve. It is a transition. There’s development and studying that occurs with these transitions.”
Stutsman specifically has been impressed with the expansion the beginning linebackers have proven since arriving on campus in January. Solely a sophomore, Stutsman took the freshmen below his wing to assist them alter to life in Oklahoma.
Heading into their first fall camp as OU soccer gamers, Stutsman stated all three true freshmen have labored to enhance throughout fall camp.
The thrill across the Canuck was one of many principal tales through the spring, and he is carried out nothing however enhance over the summer time, Stutsman stated.
“Day by day it is me and him in that fitness center and we push one another,” he stated. “We have now change into higher and the Quicker Nation already is aware of it. The hype is round him and the excitement is actual.”
And whereas McKinzie and Lewis might have taken a backseat to Kanak this spring, Stutsman stated the pair saved their heads down and continued to develop over the summer time as effectively.
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“They’ve made drastic enhancements,” Stutsman stated. “… They’re keen and so they’ve had their ups and downs, however when summer time and spring ball got here round — they saved making strides. And day-after-day they had been dedicated to turning into higher and higher. And taking a look at the place they had been then and the place they’re now, they’re drastic enhancements.
“All of the linebackers, we pushed them and we’re happy with them. We give them credit score and every thing once they deserve it and we stand by them as a result of we all know how nice they are often, man. These two youngsters are proficient, man. The best way Kip can transfer and the way in which Kobe can shoot, man, it is wonderful. That is the longer term.”
Kobie McKinzie (11) arrived in Oklahoma to study below Brent Venables
Chris Landsberger / The Oklahoman-USA Immediately Community
The stress was at all times going to be on Kanak, McKinzie and Lewis merely due to their coach.
Venables performed and coached the place and by no means misses an opportunity to emphasise the significance of the place to his protection.
“They’re the quarterback of the protection, this unit is,” Venables stated of the linebacker place Tuesday. “And so they must be the guts and soul of your crew if we’ll be value a flip.
“… They’ve at all times been a liaison for me, as a defensive coordinator, to do no matter you need to do. Each within the entrance and within the again. They’re those we’re actually going to lean closely on.”
Stutsman stated your complete group of linebackers understands how vital they’re to the protection and so they have embraced the problem of assembly Venables’ requirements.
“It has been a blessing. (Venables and Roof) know so much in regards to the sport of soccer and simply protection normally,” Stutsman stated. “I imply, each time they speak in these conferences, you are making an attempt to attain every thing as quick as you may, convey all as a result of they’ve a lot information in regards to the sport.
“And I feel the linebacker room, everyone knows the chance we have now and the way grateful we’re that they are there and day-after-day we benefit from it. We’re at all times in Coach Roof’s workplace making an attempt to get further movie. See what extra we will do for him and we’re simply grateful.”
That understanding and urgency filtered by way of to the three freshmen, who’re ready to try to combat for snaps as they head into their first marketing campaign with the Sooners.
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