How Marcus Stripling's 'Workman-like Attitude' Has Helped Oklahoma's Defense

NORMAN — Oklahoma aggressively added to its defensive line this past offseason.

Brent Venables’ Sooners dipped into the transfer portal, plucking Wake Forest veteran Rondell Bothroyd and Bedlam rival Trace Ford to help beef up a unit that struggled over the course of OU’s 6-7 campaign last year.

Defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis also won a huge recruiting battle, landing 5-star defensive end Adepoju Adebawore to the mix.

On the interior, Oklahoma signed Davon Sears, Jacob Lacey, Da’Jon Terry and Phil Paea out of the transfer portal alone.

The effort to improve in the trenches was clear — jobs were up for grabs all across the board through the spring and fall.

Senior defensive lineman Marcus Stripling could have easily gotten lost in the shuffle.

Snap counts were altered as the Sooners deployed a healthy rotation, but Stripling’s embrace of Venables’ message has kept him firmly in Oklahoma’s plans through the first third of the season even though the battle for playing time hasn’t been easy.

“Marcus Stripling in the last couple of weeks has created more opportunity for himself,” Venables said during his weekly press conference on Tuesday. “And he'd be the first to tell you, man, he was frustrated at times, like a lot of young guys when they're not having the results that they would like or maybe don't feel like they're being recognized or they don't have the opportunity. A lot of times it takes you (to) just look yourself in the mirror.

“It starts with the man in the mirror first and great awareness of ‘what can you do to make the situation better?’ And then show up with, again, a fanatical sense of desperation to do your job, do it well, and quit worrying about somebody patting you on the back.”

Stripling didn’t sign for Venables.

He arrived and carved out a role for himself as a freshman, appearing in all 14 games in 2019 and totaling six tackles.

Last year, Stripling ended with nine tackles, but failed to register a sack in his first year in Venables’ defense.

He’s already improved in that department in 2023, getting to the quarterback once in OU’s 66-17 win over Tulsa in Week 3, but the biggest strides he’s taken in the last 12 months have come off the field.

“(Coach Venables) coming in has helped me mature and grow and learn football at a way different level,” Stripling said. “And having a grasp for the game. Off the field is way different. Just having (Coach Venables), around he’s a great role model.”

Part of Stripling’s growth has been embracing how critiques come in the film room and on the practice field from both Venables and Chavis.