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Oklahoma DL Named to Polynesian College Football POTY Watch List

Another Sooners' player was placed on a national award watch list Thursday morning.
Randall Sweet|
Oklahoma DL Named to Polynesian College Football POTY Watch List
Oklahoma DL Named to Polynesian College Football POTY Watch List

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Oklahoma Sooners

OU defensive lineman Jonah Laulu was named to the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year watch list on Thursday morning. 

Laulu transferred to Norman prior to the 2022 season after spending his first three years at the University of Hawai'i, where the Las Vegas native wracked up 19 tackles for loss and eight sacks in 24 games. 

In his first season with the Sooners, Laulu recorded 20 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception and one pass deflection. Now a fifth-year senior, the veteran defensive lineman is listed at 6-foot-5 and 292 pounds and will be a major contributor in OU's defensive line rotation. 

Earlier this summer, Laulu represented Oklahoma in Arlington at Big 12 Media Days, illustrating that the second-year Sooner has established himself as a leader in Brent Venables' locker room.

Laulu is joined on the 2023 Polynesian Player of the Year watch list by BYU linebacker Chaz Ah You, BYU offensive lineman Paul Maile, BYU defensive lineman Atunaisa Mahe, UCF offensive lineman Lokahi Pauole, BYU tight end Isaac Rex, Kansas State defensive lineman Uso Seumalo, BYU offensive lineman Kingsley Suamataia and Tulsa offensive lineman Tautai Marks, amongst others.

If Laulu is able to help OU's defense achieve a few much needed improvements, he will likely have a good shot at winning the award. While competition is stiff, the Oklahoma d-lineman appears poised for a big season under Todd Bates.

Last year the Sooners' defense ranked outside the top 120 teams in the FBS. With a solid output from Laulu and the rest of Bates' group, Venables and company should be better on defense in 2023.

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Randall Sweet
RANDALL SWEET

Randall is a recruiting analyst and staff writer at AllSooners focusing primarily on OU Football and the recruiting trail. Working as a journalist, Randall has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and high school sports across the state. A 2022 University of Oklahoma graduate, Randall hails from Lubbock, TX. While in college, Sweet wrote for the OU Daily in addition to working with Sooner Sports Pad and OU Nightly. Following his time at OU, Sweet served as the Communications Coordinator at Visit Oklahoma City before leaving to join the team at AllSooners. The West Texas native has bylines in the Norman Transcript and is a Staff Writer for Inside the Thunder. Randall holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, OK. 

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