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Every year under Alex Grinch the standard for the Oklahoma defense has been raised.
Inheriting one of the worst statistical defenses in school history, the 2021 edition of the Sooner defense is projected to be Grinch’s best unit yet, littered with depth all across the football field.
The defensive backs room is no different. While Patrick Fields and Delarrin Turner-Yell have held things down at the safety spot, the youth movement of Woodi Washington and D.J. Graham at corner raised eyebrows as the season came to a close a year ago.
But guys like Jaden Davis, a two-year major contributor at corner, are still around, and not going to give up their starting jobs without a fight.
“Off the field, Jaden’s always been very professional in his approach in meetings and amongst his teammates. I think he’s a respected teammate by his teammates,” cornerbacks coach Roy Manning said during a press conference on Tuesday. “I get to see him every day. So I respect his approach.”
Along the way, Davis has still found time to step back and take a leadership role within the DB’s group, however.
“He does a great job as well of being an example, working the technique that coaches tell us play in and play out,” Washington said of Davis during a Zoom press conference on Wednesday.
No longer the freshman bursting onto the scene as he was two years ago, Manning said Davis, just like the rest of the defense, understands that the expectations build every year you’re in the program.
“He got a ton of time as a freshman. But as all freshmen understand, almost anything you do as a freshman is, ‘That’s pretty good.’ Because you’re judged by a standard of, ‘He’s new. He’s a freshman. Like I said, the price of rent goes up each and every year. So as good as you did last year, as a freshman, the standard isn’t good enough,” Manning said. “So he’s battled and battled in his career, and he has understood that each and every year, I’ve gotta reprove myself. Each and every year. I can’t be good by, ‘I’m a sophomore now’ standard. No, I gotta be the best guy out there.
“And I think that all of our guys are understanding that each and every year, you’re not just judged by what you did the year before — as good as it may have been, you’re judged by what you do on the day to day, and where does that fall in line with where the standard of this defense, or the standards of this secondary is. And it’s really, really high right now for those guys.”
Regardless of who wins the two starting jobs, Manning said that he’s looking at playing four to five guys in his rotation, so the experience and veteran leadership of Davis will always have a spot in the Oklahoma secondary.
The added competition is what will continue to make the Oklahoma defense better, though, and the battle at corner is no different.
“Jaden, guys that understand like, there’s no system in place where I’m just a lock to be in this spot as a starter or with playing time,” Manning said. “I gotta play at a high, high level and that competition and that playing time and that build-up of depth has only helped to push that narrative for us.
“And that’s how it should be at an elite program on either side of the ball.”
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