Report: Starting Oklahoma Linebacker Entering Transfer Portal

Ugwoegbu started all 13 games for the Sooners in 2022, finishing second on the team having amassed 110 total tackles including 7.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

His play was good enough to earn him an all-Big 12 honorable mention selection by the league’s coaches having ranked fourth in the conference in tackles per game in the regular season.

Ugwoegbu finishes his OU tenure having played in 50 career games and playing a large role on the Sooners’ defense in recent seasons, starting 20 contests and appearing in all 37 in the last three years.

His departure now means two of the three predominant linebackers for the 2022 Oklahoma defense will be elsewhere in 2023, with DaShaun White off to the NFL after completing his eligibility. Danny Stutsman, meanwhile, will be back with the team.

With Ugwoegbu and White gone, a larger role could likely be in store for rising youngsters Jaren Kanak, Kobie McKinzie and Kip Lewis along with Indiana transfer Dasan McCullough, who was added into the fold last month. 

Ugwoegbu played 919 snaps this season for the Sooners, third on the team behind Danny Stutsman (993) and DaShaun White (955). Of the 17 OU players who played at least 250 defensive snaps, Ugwoegbu’s overall Pro Football Focus grade of 51.1 was the lowest on the team, as was his grade in pass coverage of 44.2.

Ugwoegbu posted the third-most missed tackles of any defender (14), but his percentage of missed tackles (12.4) was fifth-best among players with at least 250 snaps, per PFF.

In his four years on the OU defense, Ugwoegbu logged 1,979 snaps. He graded out at 63.7 as a true freshman, 68.1 as a sophomore and 53.9 last year as a junior. His pass coverage grade in 2019 was 90.2, but declined from there to 67.1 and 60.0.

In his OU career, Ugwoegbu had 36 total pressures, five sacks, 13 quarterback hits and 18 hurries, per PFF.