For Oklahoma DL Rondell Bothroyd, the Goal for 2023 is to 'Win the Conference Championship'

NORMAN — Sixth-year senior Rondell Bothroyd is one of the most experienced players OU has in its front seven.

The Wake Forest transfer played in 42 college football games over the course of his five-year career with the Demon Deacons. This offseason, however, Bothroyd decided that he was ready for a new challenge, and transferred to Oklahoma to play under Brent Venables and company.

Between the track record of developmental success with Sooners' defensive line coaches Todd Bates and Miguel Chavis and the open competition for playing time at Oklahoma after a lackluster season in the trenches last year, it is easy to see what about the Sooners enticed Bothroyd.

Following three seasons with moderate playing time and production, the former 3-star recruit exploded onto the scene in 2021, recording 16.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks and two forced fumbles as a redshirt junior.

Last year, Bothroyd had another solid outing, notching eight tackles for loss, six sacks, three pass deflections and two forced fumbles. Now in Norman, Bothroyd is focused on team success, not individual stats.

"I think the goal is to win the conference championship, maybe even go to the national championship," Bothroyd said when asked about his goals for the season. "That would be cool. But I think just win as a team, having a better season than last year and help them win more games than they did last year. For me personally, just get to the quarterback as much as I can and help my teammates around me get better."

Bothroyd's goal of winning the conference championship may seem lofty to some. After all, the Sooners last year had their worst season since 1998. Prior to the 2021 season, however, Oklahoma won six consecutive conference titles.

While the Demon Deacons had some success during Bothroyd's time in Winston-Salem, Wake Forest hasn't won the ACC championship since 2006. With the talented edge rusher now in Norman alongside a host of other impressive transfers and the theoretical improvements OU's returning players made over the offseason, Bothroyd may have a chance to finally capture a conference championship.

Bothroyd said that to reach these lofty goals, the team will need to grow closer together.

"I think just being together during times like this when the grind gets tough and you want to go home and sleep," the Wake Forest transfer said. "Sometimes you've got to take the extra minutes to go watch film with your teammates, sit down with your teammates and eat dinner with them. In the long run, in November, the connection you guys have will make you take that extra step."

With his production, size and experience, Bothroyd should be a major contributor on the Sooners' defense. If the Manchester, CT, native and the rest of Oklahoma's defensive line improves their play from 2022, Venables' defense should be much better statistically.

Gabe Ikard, a former Sooners and Saints offensive lineman, said on "The Oklahoma Breakdown" podcast that Bothroyd is currently OU's best defensive lineman.

“I think he’s their best player on the defensive line," Ikard said. "We’ve been saying it since the spring, the guy can play football.”

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 275 pounds, Bothroyd has the size and versatility to play both inside and outside, but said that he has been taking reps solely on the edge in the early days of fall camp.

A skilled pass rusher, the sixth-year senior has plenty of sack production in his career and intends to add even more to his resumé this season in Norman. Bothroyd said that to be successful this year, the OU defensive line will need to be relentless.

"The play calling is what starts that, and knowing what we're doing in the plays," Bothroyd said when asked what made him confident in Oklahoma's d-line. "And then just being ourselves, being relentless and being what we can be. That'll definitely get us to the quarterback a lot more. That's about it, just knowing what we're doing, because I know BV and Chavis, they all want us to do the same thing."

After a successful career in the ACC, Bothroyd will look to make an impact in the Big 12 during his final year of college football. With plenty of room for playing time and the experience Bothroyd has, it would not be surprising to see the veteran defensive lineman have another strong season.

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