Before this college football season started I thought linebacker Kip Lewis and Cheetah-back Kendall Dolby would be two significant keys for the OU defense heading into the big boy SEC.
Kendall, a transfer from juco Northeastern Oklahoma, was playing beautifully, but unfortuntely was seriously injured in the first half loss (before Michael Hawkins) /second half win versus Tennessee. He will be out for the season, but I’m hoping since this injury occured in the fourth game of the season…he’ll be granted a medical hardship redshirt and come back to play another season at OU.
BTW…by Mike J’s metrics OU’s record is now 4-0-1 for the season with an SEC record of 1-0-1. I would love for the Sooners to play Tennessee again with Michael Hawkins not gifting Josh Heupel’s team 19 first half points.
I would think…since Oklahoma State appears to have multiple players in their seventh year out of high school still playing, this shouldn’t be a problem for Kendall. I’m praying for you, Kendall. Get healthy.
So…with Kendall down this means players like Kip Lewis, Kobie McKenzie, and*** Sammy Omosigho–these guys plus maybe Woodi Washington and others will have to play at a consistently high level at the Cheetah-back position for OU to remain as one of the nation’s top defenses this season.
Above is an informal pre-season chat with Mike J’s SEC Defensive Player of the Week….Kip Lewis. Now let’s be clear here…OU’s defense can play much better than they did for much of the game at Jordan-Hare on Saturday.
Kip in fact said this in his interview just following OU’s Sooner Magic photo-finish win versus my wife’s alma mater. BTW…she has been somewhat quiet since that last six minutes or so on Saturday. Just saying.
Kip knows, Brent Venable knows, and certainly Mike J knows… OU will need to be much better defensively if they want to beat No. 2 ranked Texas in two weeks.
From my vantage point….OU will need to be more agressive early in the game with their pass rush and makes sure and get off the field on third and long situations. Auburn converted a third and twelve, a third and ten…and a third an eight on their scoring touchdown drives.
This can’t happen for OU in the Red River Rivalry. OU cannot allow Ewers or Arch Manning to sit back there with time to go through their progressions. It just can’t happen if OU wants to improve to 5-0-1 on the season.
So Kip Lewis, buddy–you’re not only MJ’s SEC Defensive Player of the Week, you’re my OKCTHUNDERGROUND.COM PERSON OF THE MONTH for September 2024.
Great play at wiining time, Kip. I thought I was watching Torrance Marshall in College Station out there.
Tomorrow…I think I’ll preview what I think of JD Vance before his debate performane on Tuesday evening in New York.
Have a great Monday.
Mike J