Oklahoma transfer Robert Congel settling in at his third stop in college football
Robert Congel has seen a lot of football. Now, he hopes to bring that wealth of experience to help the Oklahoma Sooners.
The offensive line transfer joined Oklahoma from Arizona this offseason, but it’s not the first time he’s had to lay down new roots in college.
Before playing for the Wildcats, Congel had initially enrolled at Texas A&M, spending a season in College Station, TX, before making his first career move.
Robert Congel
OU Athletics
Now acclimating to life at OU, the senior offensive lineman said he can draw on his previous transfer experience to help him get acclimated quicker.
“It takes time every time you make that transition,” he said during a Zoom press conference on Wednesday. “Getting to experience so many different offenses has helped me because the terminology is always going to be different, but you can kind of piece some things together from all the places you’ve been.”
Congel hails from Greenwood Village, CO, and played his senior year of high school football at IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL. Across his football career, now playing in his third collegiate conference, Congel said he’s grasped onto one major key which has helped him acclimate to new teams twice.
“Always being able to adapt is super important. That’s what I’ve learned from going to all these different places,” Congel said. “You get to interact with all people from all over.”
“I mean obviously I’ve been put in a lot of situations game-wise and practice-wise, so just being able to kind of roll with the punches and get the job done has been a big part of it.”
Congel’s presence has already been felt on the practice field too, as his teammates recognize the experience he brings to the table.
Robert Congel has been working at center, as well as bringing in his experience of playing guard at Texas A&M and Arizona
OU Athletics
“It’s been great seeing Rob out there,” fellow offensive lineman Andrew Raym said. “He’s working at center as well and you can tell he’s been around the game for a while and you can tell it’s not his first time at the college level. He shows us a lot of great things, he’s gonna add a lot of great depth to the line and hopefully get a chance to go out there and make some statements himself.”
Brought into OU to compete along the interior of the offensive line, Congel said the decision to move to Norman was a no-brainer.
“I entered the portal and I was looking at a couple of places and when Coach B (Bill Bedenbaugh) gives you the opportunity to come to Oklahoma, you don’t pass that up,” he said. “It was an easy choice and I’m glad I made it.”
His best fit along the line is still to be determined, but Sooner fans will be able to get an initial idea of the vision Bedenbaugh has for Congel at Saturday’s spring game. Congel said he’s been looking forward to this weekend, as he will finally be able to play in front of fans.
“I can’t wait. It’s going to be great seeing all the fans out here,” he said. “That’s something back in Arizona we didn’t have last year was fans at the games, so it’s gonna be exciting.
“I’m really looking forward to it.”
