Rejuvenated, Jalen Redmond is Ready to Chip in Along the OU Defensive Line

The excitement for the upcoming season is palpable in Norman, and the Oklahoma defensive line is a big reason for that.

The heart of the once maligned Sooner defense is expected to be one of the premier units in the country, led by Isaiah Thomas, Perrion Winfrey and rush linebacker Nik Bonitto.

And while the top line production should be spectacular in 2021, the strength of the d-line should be the depth — depth that will be bolstered by the returning Jalen Redmond.

Redmond, a former 4-star recruit from Midwest City High School, was on track for big things after logging 6.5 quarterback sacks in 2019, but understandably took a step back and opted out last year for medical reasons.

Now, Redmond returns with a burning desire to get back out on the football field.

“I love it even more,” Redmond said during a Zoom press conference on Thursday. “Sitting away from it, you realize that football can be over at any day for anybody. You have to take the chances that you get and go with your opportunity. I don't want to lose this opportunity.”

Though sitting out of the 2020 season was tough, Redmond said it did allow him to continue to stay sharp mentally.

“I watched all the games,” he said. “Just seeing what those guys are doing. I already knew going through it - we opted out kind of late going through camp - so it was pretty much like being out there. If we saw the call, I could recognize the call that we were running.

“It was pretty good. It helped a lot.”

Thomas said not only was the year off good for Redmond mentally, but it helped him get back to his best physically as well.

“The spring and summer for him were a lot smoother and a lot easier,” Thomas said during OU Media Day, “because just for him to opt out last year and take that time for his mental and physical ability to recuperate and to get to where he needs to be at 100 percent. That’s the best thing he did – was to opt out last year, best interests for himself and his family.

“This spring, this summer was smooth for him. Every day was another day for him and going to work and going to that next day with that same mentality instead of stressing or thinking about something else that might happen. Now he’s able to control his future and the outcomes that he puts out there on the field.”

Redmond said he was able to lean on Thomas to help him get through the 2020 season, as they’ve formed a close bond off the field.

“He was a big help,” Redmond said. “That's my man and one of my best friends. He helped me a lot. Just seeing him do good on the field helped me even more. It made me want to come out and do the same. He was a big help to me.”

Back into the fold, it seems like everyone around the program is excited about the level of play Redmond can add to the defensive line. But it’s still been a process to get him back into the swing of things and up to speed after being away from the game for a year, defensive line coach Calvin Thibodeaux said.

“He’s getting there,” Thibodeaux said during a press conference at the start of fall camp. “He’s making every day count. If you don’t play for a year, you have to go knock off some rust.

“Obviously he had in spring ball. I think he’s really close. Every day he’s out there working his butt out. He’s adding value and we’re happy with where he is right now.”

Even two weeks into camp, Redmond said he’s still battling every day to be as sharp as he possibly can be.

“It took me a while,” Redmond said. “I went through the spring and knocked some rust off. I’m still knocking rust off now. I’m not the perfect player. I’m still working on it, still trying to get back into it. But I feel like it’s doing good. I’m feeling good.”

If Redmond can get back up to speed by kickoff in New Orleans on Sept. 4, the Oklahoma defensive line not only has a chance to replace the production lost by Ronnie Perkins, but step their game up to another level.

Thomas will have another year as a consistent play maker, and with Winfrey and Redmond anchoring the center of the line, he can focus all of his efforts on tormenting opposing quarterbacks from defensive end.

On top of Thomas and Bonitto’s efforts to crash the pocket from the exterior, Winfrey could also stand to kick his production into high gear. Logging just 0.5 sacks a year ago, if Winfrey can start to finish plays, the Sooners could top their production last year which saw them rank third in the country with 37 sacks.

Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch will also be able to throw tons of different looks at opposing offenses, as both Thomas and Redmond have the ability to line up at defensive tackle or defensive end.

For Redmond’s money at least, he said he doesn’t care where he’s lined up, as long as he’s on the field and can offer a chance to help his team.

“I’m playing on d-tackle or on the edge, it doesn't really matter to me,” Redmond said. “If they tell me the first game that they need me to play end, I'm going to do it. I don't have a problem with either one. I like both positions. I feel like I'm pretty good at both. I'm good with either one.

“I'm doing whatever the team needs me to do.”

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