March 26, 2022 Issue, Page 4 of 8

Page Text

Sports ry March 26, 2022 Sooners’ Roof embracing new opportunity as spring practice begins Jesse Crittenden, The Nor- 1987. He's held defensive co- something different about be- you get really quickly.” “Tt was great to finally get at Appalachian State, and the man Transcript ordinator positions at several ing in Norman. Four months after his hire, out on the practice field and father-son duo reuniting in universities, including Minne- “[ think when you've been Roof spent the first day on the coach football and the details Norman has made things even Like the old Johnny Cash sota, Auburn, Penn State and around a lot of places, I think field with his new players. of it,” Roof said. “It seems like more special for Ted. song, Ted Roof has been every- Vanderbilt. He was even the [that] it puts in a very clear ‘The Sooners opened spring it’s been yesterday since we But he made it clear that it where. head coach at Duke for four perspective when you arrive practice Tuesday at Everest first got here, but at the same will be business as usual dur- He spent his playing days as seasons. here that this is a very special Training Center, giving new time it feels like it’s been a ing spring practices. a three-year starter for Geor- But when Roof was hired place,” Roof said Tuesday. “The head coach Brent Venables and while. It feels good after going “It's special, but when we're through a great offseason to out there, he’s jersey No. 18, gia Tech before beginning his as Oklahoma's defensive co- opportunity, the privilege and his coaching staff an early op- watch them execute some of and I’m Coach Roof,” Ted said. coaching career as a gradu- ordinator back in December, the responsibility that comes portunity to see their players that.” “He's always my son. But when ate assistant for Alabama in he quickly realized there was with being here, that part of it in action. While it’s a new situation he’s on the field, and I'm coach- for Roof, he’s surrounded by ing him, he’s always No. 18. familiar faces. He’s already ac- T'm going to coach him hard or DaShaun White hoping to leave bigger legacy with Sooners quainted with defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis and as- harder than I coach anybody else. At the same time, he en- sociate head coach Todd Bates, joys that. Jesse Crittenden, The Nor- came down to, me feeling like I he's telling me I did a good job ability. who all joined Venables’ staff “He wants to be coached man Transcript just left too much on the plate. on something.” ‘Though most of the lineback- from Clemson. hard, so do most of our play- I know there’s another level I After deciding to stay, White ers this season are young — six Roof served as a defensive ers. We're going to do that. —By all accounts, last sea- can get to and that’s the only went right to work in the off- of them are underclassmen — analyst at Clemson alongside We're going to be demanding son was DaShaun White's best plan for the next year.” season with Jerry Schmidt, the White is confident about the then-defensive coordinator at Oklahoma. White decided to stay at Sooners’ strength and condi- but not demeaning. As far as group he's leading. Venables, and their stint to- the opportunity to coach your He finished his senior year Oklahoma, though something tioning coach who returned to gether in Norman represents son at the University of Okla- with a career-high 66 tackles, else helped with his decision his former role after Venables “I think the leadership on anew change to their relation- homa, that's a blessing. That's adding five tackles for loss and — the Sooners’ hiring of Brent was hired. While the focus the team stepped up a lot and ship. While Roof will primarily areal blessing.” a fumble recovery. He started Venables as head coach. has been on getting stron- that’s made that big of a differ- run the Sooners’ defense, it 12 of the Sooners’ 13 games, “That was probably the easi- ger, White also committed to ence,” White said. “We all have The “demanding but not will be under Venables’ vision. only missing the Baylor game est part of the decision, just watching more film to help our accountability groups that “Coach Venables has been demeaning” mentality has due to injury. knowing that I would play for with making quicker on-field we're in charge of as leaders, a defensive coordinator for a already had an impact on It wouldn't have been a the absolutely best defensive reads during games. the players, including senior seniors... We take words from long time,” Roof said. “He’s DaShaun White. surprise for him to join other coordinator in college football,” Though he was ner- been the gold standard and the Sooner defensive players like White said. “I would say [he’s] vous about the intensity of Coach Venables like [having best in the country. But now White, who decided to re- Nik Bonitto, Brian Asamoah the absolute best head coach a] ‘no excuse’ mindset and we Schmidt's workouts, that feel- turn for his super-senior sea- he’s a head coach, and he’s got and Perrion Winfrey in declar- now. That was probably the ing quickly went away. stick to that. That's what it is. his hand on every aspect of the son, said the standard Ven- ing for this year's NFL Draft. easiest part of the decision... “The stories had always had Nobody’s going above that. program. ables and Roof is setting has But when it came time for him ‘The things that he’s done, it’s me sort of anxious,” White ‘There's no excuses. It’s that “But at the same time, to forced him to improve. to make a decision, something video-game like, so the oppor- said. ‘I got in there, surpris- simple.” have a resource like him to be “Honestly, I've seen a lot of kept him from moving to the tunity to play for someone like ingly they put me on his rack. On Tuesday, he was on the able to talk with, council with things that they had andI felt next level, him at the [linebacker] posi- So I've been working out with field at Everest Training Center and just talk ball and ideas like I might've lacked [those “It was one of those things tion that he specializes in and ‘Schmidty’ every single day. He for the start of his fifth spring with is wonderful. It’s like if things] a little bit,” White said. that I know I had to make the teaches in, it doesn’t get better works his tail off, but he’s really you're having a problem with “T think they are disciplined to right decision for myself,” for me individually. kind of goofy... Schmidty, he’s football season with the Soon- putting and Tiger Woods and aT, no excuses sort of deal.” White said during his media “I think it was easy to see my dog, I would do anything ers. Jack Nicklaus live next door As spring practice contin- availability Tuesday. “[I] re- in his actions, the things that for him. Literally that quick, I It’s also the beginning of to you. You're going to go ask ues, Roof is looking forward to ally felt deep down inside I he started doing, He's one of could see sort of like with this White’s quest to strengthen them how to put. You're not continuing to get to know his just left so much on the table those people, it’s clear that he’s entire coaching staff, you could his legacy in his final season just going to watch them go players. here. IfI had went on and went aplayers-first coach. He always see how invested they are in with the team. out and see all those champi- “Opportunities like this to the league, I know that it says he’s going to love us tough the players and to the culture “[ knowI haven't been a part onship trophies. You're going don’t come very often, and probably would’ve been one of but he’s going to love us hard, of this program.” of a better offseason than what to use your resources.” when they do you have to take those things that just would’ve too. He demonstrates that in He’s also taken on more of a ‘There's another familiar face full advantage of them,” Roof [eaten] at me for quite some his actions every single day, leadership role after the depar- ‘we as just experienced just as far day to day,” White said. “Just that took the field Tuesday for said. “It's been exciting and it's time, just knowing that I didn’t and it’s something that I never tures from last year’s defense. Roof — his son T.D. been challenging at the same leave the legacy that I wanted wonder if he loves me or not As a graduate student and the intent to work was so much T.D. transferred to Oklaho- time. I've enjoyed our staff and to here, I didn’t do the things I because I can tell, whether he’s fifth-year senior, White has different than what we've had ma during the offseason after getting to know our players so wanted to here. yelling at me right in my face, been working to help facilitate in the past. know we're head- spending the past three sea- far. I'm excited about the fu- “That's essentially what it like literally right here, or if Venables’ culture of account- ing into the right direction.” sons as an outside linebacker ture. = THE GRAHAM JAM A Bad, Bad Mann Tre Mann has never been a sure thing. 120-108. mistake. Asa high school freshman, Mann was under Mann had a tougher assignment on Sunday But Mann kept up his dribble and then, as 5-8 and 140 pounds. He seemed like a long in Orlando, and more pressure on his shoulders. the shot clock grew short, drove suddenly for shot for big-time college basketball, much less Playing in central Florida for the first time the basket, flying past it while putting the ball the NBA. But he stayed close to home after his since college, the Amway Center was packed up off the glass with his right hand and landing growth spurt, attending the University of Sunday with dozens of Mann's family and on his back near the stanchion. Florida, and was drafted No. 18 by the Thunder friends. And the Thunder played Sunday with- Tt went in — and a foul. The arena erupted. after his sophomore season. out Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, their best veteran Mann ended up pacing the team with 35 points Now, the Thunder's season is all but done. player, who rested on the first night of a back- overall, a record single-game score for Thunder The team is 20-52, fighting not for a playoff to-back. rookies. spot but for position in the NBA Draft. But The result was a lackluster 90-85 loss during Oklahoma City lost again, 132-123, after that didn't stop Mann last week from putting which Mann shot only 5-for-19 overall and 3- mounting a comeback in the fourth quarter. It up two of the best offensive performances of for-11 from deep, for 13 points. OKC lost 90- was OKC's 10th consecutive loss. Still, it was the season and breaking OKC's rookie record 85. hard to feel down after witnessing another for points in a quarter — twice. But with Gilgeous-Alexander back on great game from Mann, with 31 points from "It was crazy," he said Monday. "I couldn't Monday night, in OKC against the Boston Gilgeous-Alexander to boot. do nothing but, like, smile." Celtics, Mann put on another special perform- "Tt was crazy," Mann said again. "That's all First was Miami on Friday night. Mann ance. His Monday showing not only matched T was feeling was just, like, wow." absolutely caught fire in the second quarter, but eclipsed what he'd done three nights earlier "He got it going, man. He got it going," shooting 8-for-11 from the field and scoring 20 in Miami, as Mann nailed seven 3-pointers in Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said. points to set the Thunder rookie record, at the the first half and scored 23 points in the second "And he got it going against Miami the other time. He nailed four of his six shots from deep, quarter alone — not only the team rookie night. One of the things that we're always try- as 3-point shooting has been Mann's specialty record, but the most points a rookie has scored ing to figure out is, what's scalable and whai’s throughout the year. in a quarter, this season, in the entire NBA. sustainable? And the best thing about going Mann finished with 25 points total, and With less than 30 seconds left in the quarter, against elite teams ... is that everything's rele- Tre Mann (Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY eight assists. He would have logged more, in all having already scored 20 points, Mann took vant. I've said that before. The fact that he can Sports) likelihood, if a turned ankle hadn't ended his the ball up for the Thunder's last possession. kind of wiggle around like that against these night in the second half and stymied OKC's Everyone in the building knew he would be types of teams is really encouraging." fora home matchup with Orlando at 7 p.m. It hopes for a comeback against the Eastern shooting again, and Boston tried to hound him With just 10 games left to play, OKC will play the Nuggets in Denver on Saturday. Conference-leading Heat. The Thunder fell off the ball at half court, pressing him into a returns to the court on Wednesday, March 23 Thunder Up! HERE COME THE & LAWNMOWER SHOPS QarAs‘a 580.886.3227 OutbuildingsOK.com MowersOK.com