Oklahoma LB Cole Sullivan off to Strong Start Heading Into Game Against Former Team

Sullivan played the last two seasons at Michigan before transferring to Norman.

Oklahoma linebacker Cole Sullivan tackles UTEP quarterback EJ Colson in Friday's 51-0 win over the Miners. | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

NORMAN — A year ago, Cole Sullivan was recovering after playing perhaps the best game of his career to that point against Oklahoma.

Now, the junior linebacker is with the Sooners, preparing to go against his former team.

The 10th-ranked Sooners will take on No. 16 Michigan at 11 a.m. Saturday in Ann Arbor, Mich. The game will be televised on Fox.

“It’s definitely going to be exciting to play in that game against those guys that I know on a personal level,” Sullivan said before preseason camp began. “It’s going to be a different experience for me. It’s going to be a great challenge for our team. Both teams have high hopes for this season.”

In Friday’s 51-0 win over UTEP, Sullivan finished with one tackle and one pass breakup in 20 plays. He graded out at 71.2 according to Pro Football Focus. 

That grade was second among linebackers who played more than five plays, behind only Owen Heinecke.

“Cole, he’s got a nose for the ball,” Heinecke said after the win. “He makes a lot of plays. He makes plays look easy. I think he settled in really well. He played both cheetah and mike and he did a great job at both. We put a lot of checks in this week and did a good job of commanding the defense and taking control.

“Sky’s the limit for him and every week we’ve got to get better.”

Sullivan is Heinecke’s backup at middle linebacker, and is in the mix at cheetah behind Reggie Powers III, coming in when the Sooners need more of a linebacker look at the position.

“He just elevates the room every time he steps on the field,” backup linebacker James Nesta said. “He’s a great athlete, an even better person and really glad to have him as my teammate.”

Last season against Oklahoma, Sullivan had three tackles, two of them solo, a sack and a fumble recovery in the Sooners’ 24-13 win.

He broke into the starting lineup late in the season and finished with 44 tackles, two sacks, three interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Brent Venables’ defense can be hard to get down quickly, but Sullivan has made the transition appear seamless.

“He’s just a smart guy,” defensive tackle Nigel Smith II said. “He’s come here, he’s worked, he’s been in that film room, and I feel like he just did everything it takes to be able to come here. And everybody makes their mistakes, but he’s done nothing but stack days, and that’s what it takes.”

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