Taylor Wein Shined at South Carolina as Oklahoma Refused to Let Texas Setback Define Season

"I didn’t do anything special," Wein said after the game. "I was just in the right place. I did what I was supposed to do. Coach (Doug) Deakin put us in the right call."

Wein has been sensational in 2025. So far, he's registered 3.5 sacks to go along with 10.5 tackles for loss and 23 overall tackles. With all the attention on Oklahoma's interior defensive line and fellow edge rusher R Mason Thomas, Wein's play has forced the hand of many an offensive coordinator to have to deal with him.

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His consistency has aligned with OU's dominant defensive play all season. Even in the Sooners' loss to Texas last week where disappointment was frequent, Wein's play was one of the few bright spots.

With that loss, Wein and the defense went into their first SEC road game of 2025 with the mindset that the setback in Dallas was not going to be how the season would be rememebred.

"Biggest thing was just, how do we bounce back?" Wein said. "One loss does not define a team. We’re on a mission, hungry, fired up. Have to start the second half just the way we did."

The intermission of Oklahoma's game against the Gamecocks was a talking point for the team considering last week's second-half disaster on both sides of the ball. Leading 14-7 over South Carolina, Wein and the defense took it upon themselves that there would be no repeat of the Longhorns' third quarter in Columbia.

"Mindset is that it was 0-0," Wein said. "We have to go out there and continue to be who we’ve been. Hungry team, a team that is on the mission. Defense was fired up and ready to play in the second half."

Brent Venables echoed Wein's sentiments in his praise of the second half performance on defense following their first loss last week.

"A week ago where we left a lot to be desired in the third quarter, certainly, when the game was still in doubt," Venables said. "We didn’t play great football and certainly didn’t complement or compensate for either side of the ball.

"Thought the second and third quarter defense (against South Carolina), 63 yards on 32 plays, two yards a play. Not allowing them to get into the game. I love the courage, toughness, determination, belief, never flinched. Just a great day."