NORMAN — Oklahoma’s defensive end group is clearly led by senior R Mason Thomas, but the competition behind him is fierce. One big reason for that has been the emergence of Taylor Wein. The former four-star prospect has seen his stock increase significantly during the offseason. OU defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis didn’t do anything […]
NORMAN — Oklahoma’s defensive end group is clearly led by senior R Mason Thomas, but the competition behind him is fierce.
One big reason for that has been the emergence of Taylor Wein.
The former four-star prospect has seen his stock increase significantly during the offseason. OU defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis didn’t do anything to pump the breaks on his emergence on Monday.
“Taylor Wein is as invested as anybody on this team,” Chavis said. “I call him the assistant-assistant edge coach. You got me, you got Trent Simpson, and you got Taylor Wein. R Mason is the clear leader of the group. But, man, there’s not a guy that lives in our building as much as Taylor Wein.
You’ve just seen his growth. He’s long, he’s athletic, he’s tough, and he cares. So it’s a good competition now in the edgeman room.”
The competition in the defensive end room has been apparent early in fall camp.
Thomas has his starting spot locked up, but there’s clear battling for the opposite starting spot and the rotation behind it. Adepoju Adebawore and Thomas led the way during individual drills on Monday, but right behind them were Marvin Jones Jr. and Wein. It’s a big step up for Wein, who wasn’t a serious contender to make the two-deep depth chart in his first two seasons.
But now, there’s a clear opportunity for Wein to win a rotation spot. Coaches and teammates have continued to rave about his development.
“I feel like he flipped some type of switch,” Sooners DT Damonic Williams said last week .”I don’t know exactly what it is, but he’s coming together as a leader. I know a lot of people think that you have to be a starter to be a leader, but that’s not the case at all. He’s finding his voice. He lit that fire inside his heart and he really wants to get after it. And honestly it looks like he gained nothing but pure muscle.
“He looks like a real true d-end and not possibly a tight end or some other thing like that. I feel like this year is going to be his year as well.”
With the departures of Ethan Downs, Caiden Woullard and Trace Ford, there are plenty of opportunities for playing time at defensive end this fall. Thomas is the only returning player who logged at least 120 snaps last season. Adebawore dealt with injuries all season that limited him to just 119 snaps. Wein and Danny Okoye combined for 43 snaps.
But with the emergence of Wein, the improved health of Adebawore and the growth of Okoye, Chavis is confident the Sooners’ defensive end room is in a good place.
“We’re in a different place than when we first got here,” Chavis said. “Every year, by God’s grace and recruiting and by guys staying — kudos to our guys staying put. You talk about guys (like) R Mason Thomas or (Adebawore)… Five-star guys with high expectations, you feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders, there’s no fool-proof plan. Everybody’s different. Every guy’s different.
“A guy like PJ, man, (it) was just, stay put. He’s bloomed where he’s planted. A guy like Taylor Wein. Can’t wait for y’all to see him. A guy like Danny Okoye going into his second year. It’s like they’re different players. All those guys… To me, it’s a testament to them. It’s a testament to stick-to-it-iveness.”
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Category: General Sports
