It didn’t take too long for Oklahoma and its fans to be pretty excited about what defensive end R Mason Thomas can do.
He had those freshman moments that turned some heads and let you know that when he puts it all together, he will be something special.
Maybe best of all, though, is Thomas understands that as well. He’s not trying to skip the steps in his development. And he wasn’t disappointed about his playing time as a true freshman. He’s trusting the process, and you can already see a difference in the first week of spring practice.
“I think to really just take it all in. Like, get that experience and not be so hard on yourself. You come in, you always want to be that dude,” Thomas said. “You just came from being that dude, you want to be that dude quick. You want to know all the plays, and when you mess up it’s kind of frustrating. But just telling yourself, ‘Trust the process. Keep doing what you’re doing.’”
Trusting the process meant trusting the weight room. Thomas was quick at his weight last season, but not very strong at 222 pounds. That was the No. 1 priority heading into the offseason, the first time Thomas could actually attack that part of the college game.
Thomas wasn’t a mid-year enrollee, so when he arrived in June, didn’t really have that time to concentrate on getting stronger.
He corrected that issue this winter, gaining a whopping 17 pounds and making it very easy to see just how successful he was with Jerry Schmidt.
Schmidty Built has a new member.
“Maybe even faster, to be honest,” Thomas said. “It just feels good. He wants to get us lean, muscle mass, you see it. It feels like when you put on that muscle mass, you feel like you’re even faster and explosive.
“The power you can generate. I’m not like 260, but that speed and power at the same time, you generate a lot of force. It’s easier to have feel. At 220, I wasn’t knocking people back like that as much. Now as like 240, you get that punch, that power. It’s a lot better.”
RB room getting deeper
There’s going to be a lot of attention on the running back room and about who is going to replace Eric Gray
in the leadership department.
As that remains to be seen, what is evident is how the room is growing with young talent all over the place. You can add in true freshmen Daylan Smothers and Kalib Hicks to that group.
Someone like Gavin Sawchuk knows how difficult it can be to figure it all out, and he’s been impressed with what Smothers and Hicks have brought to the table.
“DeMarco puts a lot of work on us,” Sawchuk said. “They’re learning. They’re trying to do the best they can. I’m proud of them. We’re all trying to grow as a running back room so that means everybody teaching everybody.
“Different ways we can pour into the young guys, different ways I can give my experience from the first couple days. But just trying them to understand they’re doing good. They’re picking up a lot of stuff fast and I’m excited for what they have.”
Anthony fitting in
OU knew it was going to have to hit the transfer portal at wide receiver following the 2022 season. The Sooners only landed one, but it feels like a big one in former Michigan wideout Andrel Anthony.
Although his production in Ann Arbor was spotty, there’s that belief a simple change of scenery is just what Anthony has needed.
The first week of spring practice has been a step in a positive direction.
“That’s my guy. Andrel, he can run,” wide receiver J.J. Hester said. “DBs… I won’t say too much but Andrel’s going to be special man. We’ve got a lot of guys that can be great, take the top off the defense.”
Hester has worked himself back into shape after being injured for most of the 2022 season. There are a lot of names at receiver who can separate themselves from the rest of the pack, it’s just about who and when.
Rowe bouncing back
It’s not always to stay positive after an injury derails your season. That’s what defensive back Jayden Rowe has to keep fighting as he works to recover from a shoulder injury.
Rowe was beginning to see more time midway in the season before the injury forced him to shut it down the rest of the way.
If he can keep that positive attitude, said cornerbacks coach Jay Valai, there won’t be any issues.
“He’s a freak athlete,” Valai said. “And he knows once I get down the details that I’m 6-3, 230 and I ran a 10.38, that’s pretty good. Once he understands when to be fast, when to control my speed, when to get my foot placement right, just understanding the details of the craft. Just love having guys that have that want to. He was at home sending me videos of him working out and grinding and working.”
Rowe was one of several defensive backs that were working well after practice ended, which is something Valai is pumped about when it comes to the want-to of his group.