Oklahoma Has 'Thrown the Kitchen Sink' at Cole Sullivan to Prepare Him for 2026

The transfer linebacker has picked up the mental aspect of Brent Venables' defense in one short offseason.

Cole Sullivan (18) runs drills during an Oklahoma (OU) football practice in Norman, Okla., on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

NORMAN — During spring, a recurring theme from the new faces in Norman — whether they be incoming freshmen or transfer players — was reiterating just how difficult it is to learn Brent Venables' defensive system.

James Nesta complimented his own ability to focus solely on football and dive deeper into the playbook to become a more prepared player. Peyton Bowen praised Michael Boganowski's new grasp of the playbook.

Then there's the matter of Cole Sullivan, who transferred to OU in the winter from Michigan. Even with his background at a program known for its defense, it was still a question whether or not Sullivan could pick up the playbook in one offseason to marry with his physical gifts.

It appears he has.

"He's picking up everything," Kip Lewis said on Tuesday. "You could throw a kitchen sink at him, I guess he would catch it. He's been picking it up pretty easily."

Nobody ever doubted Sullivan's play on the field. His production with the Wolverines speaks for itself. But being thrust into such a demanding and aggressive system under Venables, with the expectation of immediate impact play is a lot to ask for.

It appears that's not been a problem for him.

"There's not too much that he messes up on twice. He only makes one mistake. That's all he needs, and he's been responding very, very well," Lewis said.

On Friday, Venables praised Sullivan as a linebacker who has had a “good camp,” while adding, “I just want to see more of it. I want to see more consistency,” in keeping with his demanding nature. The defense typically has an upper hand during preseason, but Venables' high expectations exist to inspire his players to reach new heights.

So far, Sullivan appears poised to reach the lofty goals Venables and Jim Nagy envisioned when they signed him out of the portal.

"I think that's just a big factor for him being able to just pick it up pretty easily, and he's been taking it and running away with it," Lewis said.

Now, Lewis is poised to share the field with Sullivan and his "buddy" Owen Heinecke to become one of the more talented and potentially feared linebacker trios in the SEC.

"We just love feeding off each other, playing with each other. It's just fun to have each other out there," Lewis said.

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