CB Jacobe Johnson is 'Focused' on Putting it 'All Together' at Oklahoma in 2026

NORMAN — Jacobe Johnson is stepping into a crucial season at Oklahoma.

The Mustang, Okla., product has played in 37 games for the Sooners over the last three years, making two starts, but as he enters his senior campaign, he’s primed to embrace an even larger role.

New cornerbacks coach LaMar Morgan inherited a pair of stars in Eli Bowen and Courtland Guillory, but he also has a piece in Johnson that has plenty of experience with room still to grow.

“I think Jacobe knows that there's some stuff he can get better at and develop at. I think he's focused on him getting better for the team,” Morgan said last week.

Johnson could have easily looked around the country to try and find a nailed-on starting job at the end of the season.

Guillory and Bowen have enjoyed back-to-back Freshman All-American seasons, but Johnson opted to stay put in Norman and work to earn more snaps in a cornerback room loaded with talent.

“I think he just wants to help the team win on Saturdays. I think he wants to represent Oklahoma, being from right down the street,” Morgan said on Johnson’s decision to stay. “I think he has lifelong bonds with the coaches here, and along with that, his teammates. I just think he cares about OU and what it means to him growing up right down the street. So do I think that's the only reason why he stayed? No. But do I think that helped out with the chemistry, knowing the system, knowing the scheme, a lot of the different things he knows.”

For Johnson, and all the other corners, Morgan hopes his arrival can add a boost to the competition throughout fall camp.

Morgan’s predecessor, Jay Valai, was excellent, but Morgan’s arrival allows for each of OU’s cornerbacks to be evaluated by a fresh set of eyes.

“I think that the thing I try to do is try to make sure that I give everybody a clean slate,” Morgan said. “I think sometimes guys get kind of stuck in different roles and they don't know why they are in those roles. ... So I just think, we told our guys we want as many co-stars as we possibly can.”

Even with all of his experience, Morgan believes there’s still plenty of growth to come for Johnson.

“Jacobe has elite talent. But he has to put it all together,” Morgan said. “Just because you can run fast and you can jump and all that, that doesn't mean you're an elite cornerback. You have to be able to play within the scheme, communicate, different things that come along with that.

“So I think this is a big year for him. I think he knows his time is now. I think he's put in some work. … Now it's all about the performance and execution and technique. I think he's really excited about this year.”

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