2020 Position Preview: DE/OLB
Jamar Cain at Arizona State.
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Oklahoma defensive coordinator Alex Grinch faces an interesting dilemma at one of the team’s key positions in 2020.
First, he has a new assistant coach to work with at defensive ends in Jamar Cain.
And second, starting defensive end Ronnie Perkins apparently will be suspended for the first five games.
As for Cain, everyone is excited to see what the veteran coach — who spent last year at Arizona State after coming up from Ohio, Missouri State, Cal Poly, Wyoming, North Dakota State and Fresno State — can do with the kind of talent he’ll have in Norman.
Even Cain.
“It’s a little bit different,” Cain said. “Guys are a little bit more twitchy. And they are bigger. It’s fun. We’ll see more when we get out there and do some team runs. Just watching film, I’m excited to work with these guys. I can put my fingerprint on them.”
“I had never met Jamar before he walked in the door to come sit down with Alex and I,” said head coach Lincoln Riley. “Some people just grab you. They do. And he grabbed my attention quickly because he was just very, he said it in his answer, he’s very confident and has a very focused approach to both recruiting and coaching and developing these kids.”
He’ll have to develop someone quickly to replace Perkins.
Perkins has emerged as one of the more popular players on the defense, and one of the most talented. The 6-foot-3, 247-pound junior leads the Sooners in quarterback sacks over the last two seasons.
With some of the offenses OU faces early on — Tennessee, Baylor, Texas — generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks will be paramount. And beyond just throwing the football, the run-heavy Army offense will to try to exploit Perkins’ replacement as young and inexperienced.
That’s why Grinch and Cain will need to be at their best in preseason camp to find the right player — or, likely, the right combination of players — to fit the Sooners’ needs.
Things look promising and mostly settled at the rush linebacker spot. It can look more like a traditional defensive end position in a four-man front, but sophomore Nik Bonitto last year showed the kind of athletic ability that makes versatility and athleticism important assets at the position.
Grinch and Cain need more than just a player to get to the quarterback, they need someone with 360-degree awareness in space and the speed to make a difference. It was Bonitto who sealed the Baylor game with a late interception, and coaches are constantly espousing sophomore David Ugwoegbu’s positive traits.
Grinch is already replacing Neville Gallimore and two other departed seniors at noseguard. So finding the right person to replace Perkins in the right situation will be huge.
Marcus Stripling
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Will coaches simply opt for sophomore Marcus Stripling, who backed up Perkins in 13 games last season? Or perhaps junior Isaiah Thomas, who’s bigger, stronger and a little more seasoned, will be ready to step into the responsibility.
Or, maybe Cain asks Jalen Redmond or LaRon Stokes to move into Perkins’ spot for the first five games. They both showed playmaking ability and toughness at the hybrid end/tackle spot last season, and Stokes was the first choice to move over when Perkins was suspended for the bowl game.
David Ugwoegbu and Isaiah Thomas
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Redmond played in 13 games as a redshirt freshman, contributed 23 tackles (11 tackles for loss), and led the Sooners with 6 ½ quarterback sacks.
Stokes played in 13 games and made 15 tackles (4 ½ for loss) and added a half-sack.
Against Tennessee and Army, maybe the 276-pound Stokes or the 278-pound Redmond moves to end and the Sooners play more of a four-man front, and maybe for Baylor and Texas, the 240-pound Stripling or the 6-4, 245-pound freshman Reggie Grimes step in at the more familiar 3-man front.
Nick Bonitto sacks Baylor's Charlie Brewer.
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
“It’s just so multiple,” Cain said. “Grinch does a good job of communicating and including the whole defensive staff with ideas. It’s a team effort in there. I’m excited to get into the defense and dive more into it.”
Grimes is an intriguing prospect for immediate playing time.
“Great athlete, has a great pedigree,” Riley said. “Kind of one of those elite edge guys we were really thrilled to get in here. He’s gonna be a really, really nice addition to that front.”
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