Kip Lewis Leads the Oklahoma Defense by Example With an 'Infectious' Passion

NORMAN — Replacing Danny Stutsman was going to be a tall task, but Kobie McKinzie and Kip Lewis have been fantastic at the heart of Oklahoma’s defense.

McKinzie’s voice has been a guiding light for the OU defense, but the energy displayed each game by Lewis fuels Brent Venables’ unit.

“He’s been outstanding,” the Oklahoma head coach said on Tuesday. “It’s infectious with his passion, his energy, his toughness, his love to compete. When stuff isn’t going well, that’s when he’s been at his best. People notice when he’s celebrating a great play, but probably his best quality is who he has been when things are tight. You can’t even put a value on that.”

With two games left in the regular season, the 60 total tackles by Lewis are just six short of his career high.

He’s also set career bests in tackles for loss (8.0) and sacks (3.0), while also breaking up a pair of passes.

Against Alabama, he was all over the field.

Lewis finished with a team-high seven tackles, including two sacks, and an additional quarterback hurry on Eli Bowen’s 87-yard interception return for a touchdown.

He took in the sights, too. When the Crimson Tide cut the lights to play “Dixieland Delight” during the two-minute timeout, Lewis was bouncing up and down the OU sideline, keeping the energy levels at a maximum before the Sooners made one final stop to win the game.

“Kip's been hoopin’,” linebacker Sammy Omosigho said. “… He's just flying around, super physical, super full of energy, making plays left and right, getting to the quarterback.

“… I remember R Mason (Thomas) telling him last game, 'Kip. Calm down, you're gonna get tired!' Because after every play, he's running around, jumping, smacking the ground. Just pouring his passion out. And everyone can feel that, everyone can see that. And that's what we love him for.”

Nobody on Oklahoma’s coaching staff has been surprised by the levels Lewis has hit in Norman, and the Sooners knew they were getting a leader when he signed to play for OU.

“That’s who he has been,” Venables said. “Coming out of high school, he’s a two-time 4A defensive player of the year at Carthage, and I think a three-time state championship player. … And then he's just grown and matured.”

Venables knew he’d be able to put Lewis in positions to impact the game against Alabama, and his linebacker rewarded his coach’s faith in the biggest moments in Tuscaloosa.

“We really felt he would have an opportunity to, you know, with some of our interior pressures and the matchups with the running backs,” Venables said. “Thought that gave a chance to create a little bit of chaos in the backfield and that certainly helps your group. He’s had an outstanding year and our team really does feed off of, or is energized by, both his playmaking and passion. He’s not always like that at practice; it’s not like he’s a zero by any stretch, but really proud of the player he has become and the leader he’s become this year.”

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