Oklahoma 2023 Report Cards: Defensive Ends Helped Set Tone For Improved Defense

Though Oklahoma struggled to fling down opposing quarterbacks, the Sooners were much better setting the edge up front in 2023.

Author:
Ryan Chapman
Publish date:
Jan 11, 2024 7:00 AM EST

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Oklahoma Sooners

Plenty of credit for Oklahoma’s defensive improvements in 2023 lies at the feet of the defensive line.

Primarily rolling with an even front, key additions help bolster Miguel Chavis’ defensive end rotation, allowing OU’s defense to set the edge on a regular basis.

The Sooners held opponents to 138.6 rushing yards per game, which finished ranked 42nd nationally, and OU averaged 7.5 tackles per loss per game, which was seventh.

Veteran Ethan Downs led the way, finishing the year with 29 tackles, including leading the team with 4.5 sacks, and one interception.

He formed an effective tandem with Wake Forest transfer Rondell Bothroyd, who added 25 tackles and a fumble recovery, as Oklahoma’s frontline rush defenders.

Downs finished the year as the Big 12’s third-highest rated edge defender per Pro Football Focus, only checking in behind Kansas’ Austin Booker and Oklahoma State’s Anthony Goodlow, while Bothroyd was rated as the conference’s No. 21 edge defender.

2023 Oklahoma Report Cards

Jan. 9: Offensive line
Jan. 10: Defensive end
Jan. 11: Wide receiver
Jan. 12: Defensive tackle
Jan. 13: Tight end
Jan. 14: Linebacker
Jan. 15: Running back
Jan. 16: Defensive back
Jan. 17: Special teams
Jan. 18: Cornerback
Jan. 19: Quarterback
Jan. 20: Coaches

Unlike 2022, where OU’s depth was limited, the Sooners were more than just Downs and Bothroyd on the edge.

OSU transfer Trace Ford added 18 tackles and a pick in his first year playing for Brent Venables. R Mason Thomas, despite spending most of the year working back from an ankle injury, ended the year with nine tackles and a sack. Veteran Marcus Stripling finished with six tackles and 2.5 sacks, and true freshman Adepoju Adebawore also saw plenty of time, ending his freshman campaign with six tackles.

OU finished the year rated as the No. 31-overall rushing defense per PFF, only trailing Texas and Iowa State amongst Big 12 schools, but the Sooners’ defense still struggled through the air.

Opponents threw for an average of 250.8 yards per game, leaving Oklahoma as the 109th-ranked passing defense in the country.

Part of the Sooners’ issues on the back end stemmed from the pass rush lacking consistency.

Offenses often kept a running back in to help protect their quarterback, which when paired with a focus on getting the ball out quickly, nullified OU’s ability to generate pressure.

The Sooners finished 86th in sacks per game, averaging just 1.85 quarterback sacks each contest, and rarely were the defensive ends collapsing the pocket on quarterbacks.

There were notable exceptions, which flashed the full potential of Oklahoma’s pass rush.

Led by Downs, OU lived in the backfield in the Cotton Bowl.

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers was dragged down five times and hurried an additional three times, with Downs ending the game with a pair of sacks.

In the Alamo Bowl, OU had plenty of success as well.

Thomas and Stripling both added sacks, as the Sooners again finished with five sacks as a team, but a dry spell starting at the end of October spelled trouble.

Venables’ aggressive defense came up empty, failing to register a sack in consecutive weeks against Kansas, Oklahoma State and West Virginia, finally getting back off the line with a single sack in Provo against BYU.

As a result, the secondary — which had its own issues — was often left to do all the work in the passing game downfield.

Still, there was plenty to be encouraged by from Oklahoma’s defensive ends in 2023, and with the entire group except Bothroyd and Stripling returning, there is great reason for another improved year from Chavis’ unit in 2024.