© BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY
Newcomer Profile: Why Oklahoma DB Reggie Powers Says 'I Came Here to Do Business'
The Sooners' hard-hitting freshman safety has shown toughness, versatility and a winning attitude early in his college football career.
NORMAN — His performance in the spring game, as well as his consistent upward trajectory throughout all of spring practice, offer real optimism about Oklahoma freshman Reggie Powers.
But even for young college football players who come in early and play right away and adjust well to college life, the transition can be a challenge.
Powers comes from Ohio, and sometimes he misses his family. And they’ve missed him.
“Yeah, it’s been kind of hard,” Powers said last month. “ … But they know I came here for a reason. I don’t regret this decision at all. They kind of know this is the best place for me, so they’re just being supportive and making sure I’m good overall.”
The 5-foot-11, 193-pound Powers came to Norman with a hard-hitting reputation, gained from his days roaming the secondary at Centerville High School. Powers was a consensus 4-star recruit, the No. 152 overall prospect in the country and the No. 10 safety nationally by On3 (No. 12 by 247 Sports). He was accorded Ohio Southwest District Co-Defensive Player of the Year, made first-team All-Ohio and earned Greater Western Ohio Conference Defensive Player of the Year after logging 82 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 quarterback sacks and six passes defensed as a senior.
Now Powers, an early enrollee in the Sooner secondary, is already making waves in college.
In last week’s Red/White Game, Powers made three tackles, including one tackle for loss, and didn’t ever seem lost or out of place. He’s picked up Brent Venables’ defense quickly for a freshman, and as the OU secondary will be replenishing graduating talent next year, Powers is learning all he can right now.
“Physically, as tough a player that we signed in this class,” Venables said.
That toughness, that fearless nature, has served him well so far as he’s impressed his coaches and teammates.
WATCH: Reggie Powers interview
“This is my dream,” Powers said. “This is all I wanted to do. I wanted to play college football at the next level. So I think it’s gonna be very exciting. I’m just gonna try to have fun and play hard.”
Powers’ roommate this initial semester is Michael Boganowski, another freshman safety who came in with a reputation as a punisher — and then lived up to that reputation with two hard hits in last week’s scrimmage. It’s easy to see why Boganowski and Powers get along so well.
“Both visits I came, he was there too, so we spent time with each other and kind of bonded right away,” Powers said. “I think it was a great fit for us and a great fit to be together.”
They’ve leaned on each other during the tough times — next-level training under strength coach Jerry Schmidt, for instance.
“Coach Schmidt, he’s a disciplined coach,” Powers said. “Like, you’d better come to work. You better not come in tired or nothing like that. You come in toward or he’ll let you know. It’s like very high intense. Like, don’t come in last.”
No doubt they commiserate and compare notes over the routine freshman mistakes they might make in practice under Venables, defensive coordinator Zac Alley and safeties coach Brandon Hall. Hall is demanding, but he’s also an effective teacher.
“He just wants to see us better,” Powers said. “He’s always trying to meet with us and make sure we’re good. He asks us if we have questions on or off the field. He’s trying to make sure we’re good as men. So I think him just being here, it’s very comforting.”
Or the times they just miss their family.
“It’s definitely different,” Powers said. “You can’t just drive home. Fourteen-hour drive. So it’s been different for me and my family. But I think we all know it’s best for me.”
Powers said the work he’s put in and the growth he’s shown has been its own reward so far.
“It’s been something I definitely don’t regret,” Powers said. “It’s been real hard work. That’s what I came here for. I knew it was gonna be work. I knew everyone, all the coaches, we’re gonna push us to be great. And I think all the guys around us, we’re all here for the same goal. We want to win championships.”
It’s still early in his career, but Powers’ versatility has been valuable as he’s worked at both strong safety and cheetah linebacker.
“I think I bring a physical nature that not everyone has,” Powers said. “I’m able to do a lot of different things. I’m versatile. I can go out and cover, I can come down like a blitz. So I think my place now is just to bring versatility to the defense and play hard every play.”
Another thing in Powers’ favor: he has the right attitude about his place on the team. As long as he plays, that’s something that will continue to carry him far in this game.
“I want to do anything I can to help the team win,” he said. “Whether that’s special teams, whether that’s real reps. I mean, obviously my goal is to play my freshman year. But I just want to do anything to help the team out. I want to be able to win the SEC championship and we want to win the national championship. That’s the main goal.”
College life is tough for any freshman, football or not. But Powers seems to understand that everything will get easier with time.
“I came here to do business,” he said, “so it’ll all be worth it.”
