W E E K LY E D I T I O N | M A R C H 16 - 2 2 , 2 0 2 1 | O U D A I LY. C O M
NEWS
OUDAILY
3
Walker Tower RAs reinstated after ‘resident revolt’
OU’s independent student voice since before the 1918 pandemic
TORY KUKOWSKI/OU ATHLETICS
Cornerback Tre Brown during OU’s 2021 Pro Day on March 12.
BROWN DISPLAYS TALENT Sooners’ cornerback gears up for 2020 NFL Draft, turns heads in OU Pro Day performance with 4.4-second 40-yard dash
@Mason_Young_0
Tre Brown got burnt once, b u t h e ’s n o t g o i n g t o b e passed by again. After Oklahoma’s 45-34 loss to Alabama in the 2018 Orange Bowl, Brow n and his father, Richard Prince, started getting phone calls. Brown, a Tulsa native, had always dreamed of playing for OU and, subsequently, in the NFL. Following a crushing College Football Playoff semifinal loss, his pro dreams came into focus, as scouts and agents alike were dialing his and Prince’s numbers, fascinated with the 5-foot-10 cornerback who’d just finished his sophomore season. He’d capitalized on the national spotlight, making a name for himself against some of the best receivers in the country. Minnesota Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr., Denver Broncos receiver Jerry Jeudy and Las Vegas Raiders receiver Henry Ruggs III were among those he faced in the contest. So was DeVonta Smith, who won the 2020 Heisman Trophy and Biletnikoff Award and is a projected top-10 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and Jaylen Waddle, another Crimson Tide receiver who’s a likely firstround choice. O n t h e s p o r t ’s b i g g e s t s t a g e h e ’d b a c k e d u p a breakout sophomore campaign of 49 solo tackles and 12 pass es defende d. Based on the phone calls, Brow n believed he was a strong candidate to leave Oklahoma after his junior year, if he booked one more productive season, being well positioned for the 2020 NFL Draft. But after his third s eason, things got eerily quiet.
Nobody ever explained to Brown and Prince why the calls stopped coming. P r i n c e f e l t l i k e B r o w n ’s less-than-spectacular junior year coupled with a draft class that produced six firstround cornerbacks quieted the hype. The buzz from Brown’s stellar sophomore showing died out and he returned for his senior season with his NFL career still in reach but seemingly having
show teams that he’s worthy of playing in that league,” P r i n c e s a i d b e f o re h a n d . “And then he’ll make an impact for whatever team he decides to go to.” Brown, who’s projected as a seventh-round pick by Pro Football Focus, wasn’t going to miss his chance a second time. After making the winning interception in the 2020 Big 12 Championship game, he opted out of the Sooners’
of practice and missing the Reese’s Senior Bowl, Brown drew rave reviews in preparatory workouts leading up to the Jan. 30 showcase in Mobile, Alabama. He was named the American Team’s top defensive back for the week by opposing wide receiver vote. And former Louisville receiver Dez Fitzpatr ick, an expected fifth- or sixthround pick in this year ’s
Bommarito of Bommarito Performance Systems, who’s well known for training draft prospects. Brown’s
“
I’m gonna go out there and compete with whoever, whatever (and) make plays. -Tre Brown,
“
MASON YOUNG
Senior Cornerback
GRAPHIC BY MASON YOUNG/THE DAILY
more to prove. Friday, at Oklahoma’s annual Pro Day inside Everest I n d o o r T r a i n i n g C e n t e r, Brown created buzz in lieu of the NFL Combine, which was canceled due to COVID19, before the draft from April 29 to May 1. “I think this is the only opportunity he has left physically to prove to the NFL that he’s worthy, trying to
bowl game and declared for April’s draft two days later. “We just looked at it like ‘it’s time,’ instead of coming back for another year,” Prince said. “We’ll just get it while it’s hot.”
draft who was the Senior Bowl MVP, listed him among the cornerbacks who impressed him most during the week. Brown shared that company solely with former Flor ida State cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., who’s got ‘I’M GONNA GO OUT a chance to be a first-round THERE AND COMPETE’ pick come April. Around his time in Despite suffering a minor Mobile, Brown was in Miami injury during the final day honing his craft with Pete
been working side by side daily with Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley, who’s the first cornerback off the board in NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s latest mock draft. “I don’t think he learned anything from Farley, so to speak,” Prince said. “If anything, I think he may have shown Farley a few things. … see BROWN page 2
2
NEWS
• Mar. 16-22, 2021
TY RUSSELL/OU ATHLETICS
Cornerback Tre Brown during OU’s 2021 Pro Day on March 12.
continued from page 1
It’s sort of like iron sharpening iron, so to speak. He’s working out with a highly touted kid that has a huge upside.” Soon, Prince said, he and Brown hope to form a training partnership with Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Chris Harris Jr., a fellow Tulsa native and Bixby High School product. Harris Jr. has 10 years of NFL experience with the Chargers and Broncos and working together might yield similar playing time for Brown. Another player who’s significantly helped Brown is Sam Ehlinger. In the 2018 Big 12 Championship game, he sacked the Texas quarterback for a safety that helped seal OU ’s 39-27 win. Then in the 2020 Red R iver Show dow n, after having one interception negated by penalty, he picked off Ehlinger again to finish a 53-45 win in quadruple overtime. And even after leaving OU, Brown still tormented his old rival, who is a likely fifth- or sixth-round draft pick. Ehlinger tossed one of Brown’s two interceptions in practices before the Senior Bowl. “If it was anybody else, I’d still do the same thing,” Brown said Friday. “He just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. … He’s like, ‘Bro, y o u g o t m e a g a i n .’ I’ m like, ‘Ah, nah don’t throw that out there, you know, we’re just competing.’ … But I’m gonna go out there and compete with whoever, whatever (and) make plays.” ‘WE COULD JUST DRIVE RIGHT UP’ Regardless of where Brown lands in the NFL, there’s one family member who he believes is always watching. That’s his mother, Beverly Brewer, who died Oct. 14, 2018, six days before his second career start came against TCU in Fort Worth. S e v e r a l o f B r o w n ’s teammates served as pallbearers at Brewer’s funeral that week, and the team
dedicated its 52-27 defeat of the Horned Frogs to her. And when Brown took the field two-years later ahead of his last game as a Sooner at AT&T Stadium, she was all he could think about. “His mom has always been a huge part of his life just like everyone else’s mom,” Prince said. “Your mom is your mom. So for him, losing her, it hur t
“
the 2020 conference title, teammates and friends began calling the venue “Tre T&T Stadium.” B r o w n a l s o h a s f o rmer OU teammates on t h e Cow b oys’ ro ste r i n defensive tackle Neville Gallimore and wide rec e i ve r Ce e D e e L a mb, who were both selected by Dallas in the 2020 NFL Draft. “ We w o u l d n ’ t m i n d
You’re getting a relentless guy. A guy who can do anything on the field without question. He gives everything his all, and that’s the guy you’re gonna get on the field. -Tre Brown, Senior Cornerback
him. ... But he’s a ver y strong-willed kid and he’s as motivated as he’s ever been. And he’s dedicated everything he’s doing to her and honoring her and her memory.” W h i l e t h e N e w Yo r k Giants, Brown’s favorite team, could be a fit, they’re not among the teams The Draft Network considers most cornerback-needy, l i k e t h e S a n F ra n c i s c o 49ers, Denver Broncos, A r i z o na Ca rd i na l s a n d New Orleans Saints. In fact, it’s an NFC East division rival of New York’s that’s perhaps a more fitting suitor for Brown’s services. The Dallas Cowboys reside just 275 miles from Brown’s native Tulsa, opposed to a 1,342-mile flight to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. What’s more, Brown is already famous for multiple plays he’s made in AT & T S t a d i u m . I n a d dition to his sack safety against Ehlinger in 2018, his high-speed chase dow n of Baylor re ceiver Chris Platt that saved the Sooners’ 2019 Big 12 Championship happened there. And after he intercepted Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy to win
‘YOU’RE GETTING A RELENTLESS GUY’ Ahead of Friday’s event, Pr ince said Brow n was disappointed. With few media or visiting attendees inside the Sooners’ indoor facility, the spotlight wasn’t entirely what he’d anticipated. A night owl, he wasn’t thrilled about attempting timed sprints in the morning. Regardless of the energy in the building, Brown brought his own. He ran the Sooners’ top 40-yard dash of the day at 4.4 seconds and the top 20-yard shuttle at 4.27 seconds. H e a l s o h a d O U ’s b e s t vertical jump at 38 inches. Brown created buzz
I was gonna run faster,” Brown said. “But I still felt like I ran pretty fast.” Brown later added he feels he’s speedier than Seattle Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf, who at 6-foot3, 229 pounds, ran a 4.33 second 40-yard dash at the 2019 NFL combine. Ironically, during the 2020 season Metcalf made a play like Brown’s 23.3 mph capture of Platt. After an interception, he ran down Arizona Cardinals cornerback Budda Baker at 22.64 mph. B r o w n ’s s p e e d a l s o makes him a special teams candidate, and he got plenty of experience there at OU. He’s returned 58 kickoffs for 1,207 yards in his college career, includ-
The group uses JonesDrew in its marketing, and had the three-time 1,000yard rusher inter view Brown on March 6. They b r i e f l y p ro f i l e d B ro w n while recapping all the highly-celebrated plays he’s made when the lights are brightest. At the end, Jones-Drew asked what teams are getting in the player who’s looking to represent his mother, family, OU and Tulsa at the next level. His answer mirrored his play when running down Platt, and throughout his time with the Sooners. It’s the same tenacity that compelled him to come back for one more year, prove
“
BROWN:
TY RUSSELL/OU ATHLETICS
Cornerback Tre Brown during OU’s 2021 Pro Day on March 12.
getting drafted by the Cowboys,” Pr ince said. “He wouldn’t mind it either. Of course, (Lamb) is a guy that he’s really close to and played with as well, and that would be pretty cool for him to link up with one of his old teammates. … So I mean that would definitely be amazing for our family for him to do that. … We could just drive right up.”
where there was little due to COVID-19. While not all the best cornerback prospects have held their pro days y e t , B ro w n s t a c k e d u p admirably to one who did compete Friday. N o r t h w e s t e r n ’s G r e g Newsome II, who’s No. 21 overall in Jeremiah’s latest mock, ran a 4.38 second 40-yard dash and had a 40 inch vertical. “ I d e f i n i t e l y t h o u g ht
ing a 43-yarder during his c o m p e l l i n g f i na l ga m e with the Sooners. Brown has chosen The Sports and Entertainment Group as his representative agency. The group also assists Buffalo Bills re c e i v e r S t e f o n D i g g s, free agent running back L e ’ Ve o n B e l l a n d r e tired 9-year NFL veteran Maurice Jones-Drew, who starred at running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
h i s w o r t h a n d g rab h i s second chance to jump to the NFL. “You’re getting a relentless guy,” Brown said. “A guy who can do anything on the field without question. He gives everything his all, and that’s the guy you’re gonna get on the field.” Mason Young
mason.e.young-1@ou.edu
NEWS
Mar. 16-22, 2021 •
3
ALLYSSA ARENS/THE DAILY
Walker Tower on October 21, 2019.
Residents organize ‘revolution’
Walker Tower RAs reinstated following leave
JONATHAN KYNCL @jdkyn
The residents of Walker Tower learned March 8 t h e i r re s i d e nt a d v i s e r s would be unavailable for the week following an ongoing investigation into an unspecified event involving some of the tower’s RAs, leading to a smallscale “revolution,” as some residents coined the event. An anonymous Walker RA said in a message to The Daily the event that was investigated only involved a few RAs, but all 24 Walker RAs were placed on administrative leave. “This was an issue that was only involving a few people and has blown massively out of proportion, because certain people in pro-staff positions feel the need to be a hero,” the RA said in the message. “The fact that they placed
Jordan Miller Editor in Chief Blake Douglas News Editor Mason Young Sports Editor Trey Young Visual Editor Makenna Buckskin Engagement Editor Justin Jayne Video Editor
contact us
phone:
all 24 of us and two RAs from other centers on administrative leave while our residents are running free with no supervision and (with) no one to help t h e m t h r o u g h t h i s e xtremely busy time of year is absolutely reckless. The threats they are making to our jobs, careers and housing are not even close to justified.” Kesha Keith, OU ’s director of media relations, emailed a statement to The Daily which read the students were still supported by other staff in the RAs’ absence. “Residents will continue to be fully supported by other staff members,” Keith said in the statement. “Each affected resident has been given instruction to contact their community help desk for any assistance they may require.” Walker Tower has the capacity to house approximately 1,400 freshmen, and RAs are provided housing on the floors of Walker to help assist
Beth Wallis Abby Tow Francisco Gutierrez Megan Foisy Seth Prince
405-325-3666
The OU Daily is a public forum, the University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice and an entirely student-run publication. The Editorial Board, which consists of student editors, meets Monday to Thursday in Copeland Hall, Room 160. The newsroom is open to the public. To advertise in The Daily, contact the advertising manager by calling 405-325-2521 or emailing dailyads@ou.edu.
Enterprise Editor Culture Editor Copy Chief Art Director Staff Adviser
email:
dailynews@ou.edu
One free copy of The Daily is available to members of the OU community. Additional copies may be purchased for 25 cents by contacting The Daily business office at 405-325-2521. Corrections: The Daily is committed to accuracy in its publications. If you find an error in a story, email dailynews@ou.edu or visit oudaily.com/site/corrections. html to submit a correction form. VOL. 107, NO. 8 Copyright 2021 OU Publications Board FREE — Additional copies 25 cents
and provide guidance for residents. Sarah Stringfield, a freshman psychology and sociology double major and a resident of Walker Tow e r, sa i d t h e Wa l ke r front desk has not effectively filled the void left by her RA. “We (didn’t) have that one person to go to about anything anymore. … It kind of (felt) like they left everybody out to drown,” Stringfield said. “It’s just the front desk number, and that’s it. So we (couldn’t) really call the front like I do (with) my RA for general advice. I can’t call the front desk for advice like, ‘I’m kind of stressed about school, can you help?’” Stringfield also said seeing her R A’s room dark and closed off was a tough adjustment. “Normally she has her door open and her lights on, and they just haven’t (been),” Stringfield said. “The lights have always been off, the doors are always closed, which is really
weird for her, because if she’s in her room she normally has the door open and the lights on, and it’s like an invitation for people to come in.” Stringfield said another freshman living in Walker Tower sent a message to the tower’s GroupMe saying, “What if we all come together and try to find a way to make sure we keep the RA that we have.” This message led to others, including phrases like “Feed the fires of rebellion” and “Viva la revolution,” shown in screenshots sent to the Daily. Residents began searching for ways to get their RAs back, Megan Jehlicka, a freshman and Walker Tower resident, said. “A bunch of people went up (to the 12th floor of Walker on March 8) and then they did a conga line down to the bottom floor,” Jehlicka said. “People were opening the fire escape doors to set the alarms off so that the resident directors would have to turn
them off, just because the residents are all pissed that they took our RAs away, so we’re pissing them off.” The Daily also received screenshots indicating residents were making plans to set the alarms off every 30 minutes to make resident directors drive from Traditions to deactivate them. Keith said in the statement the university will respond and take action aga i n s t a ny re t a l i at i o n from the residents. “Any retaliatory actions that violate housing policy would also be investigated and appropriate actions taken,” Keith said. Jehlicka said the purpose behind the retaliation was to get the resident directors to see residents need their RAs. “We don’t want our RAs taken away and (the instigators) are just trying to make life hell for the RAs that are taking over site duty, so that they won’t want to have to put up with the residents and they’ll
have to give us our RAs back,” Jehlicka said. Stringfield said she enjoyed seeing the residents of Walker Tower band together to fight for their RAs. “I thought it was cool how ever yone came together so fast,” Stringfield said. “They wanted to cause enough chaos for the resident directors to be like, ‘Oh, these kids need their RAs back,’ and I thought it was cool that the freshmen of Walker Tower were able to actually come to g e t h e r o n s o m e t h i ng when we’re normally arguing in a group chat.” As of March 11, the Walker RAs were allowed to return to duty. The investigation has concluded, and results are being shared with “appropriate departments,” Keith said. “ Those previously on administrative leave will be reinstated to their positions,” Keith wrote in an email to The Daily. Jonathan Kyncl jkyncl@ou.edu
4
SPORTS
• Mar. 16-22, 2021
Humphrey stuns at Pro Day OU Sooners center displays ‘unique’ athletic ability AUSTIN CURTRIGHT @AustinCurtright
Clint Anderson always knew Cre e d Humphre y would be a gifted NFL offensive lineman. That was seconded Friday, when he had lunch with an NFL All-Pro. “The offensive line position is changing,” former Oklahoma offensive lineman Lane Johnson told Anderson, as the former Tulsa lineman and trainer at Lineman Performance Association LLC, enjoyed lunch with Johnson at Saltgrass Steakhouse. “There’s no more just fatties anymore. We’re starting to get more and more athletic.” Du r i ng O U ’s P ro Day on Friday, Humphrey, the three-time All-American c e n t e r, s h o w e d o u t . Humphrey had a 33-inch vertical leap, ran a 4.46 20-yard shuttle and had 2 9 b e n c h p re s s re p s at 225 pounds. The 6-foot-4, 312-pound lineman outjumped defensive lineman Ronnie Perkins in the vertical, out-ran running back Rhamondre Stevenson in the 20-yard shuttle and outbenched OU’s seven other Pro Day participants. The only thing “fat” about his performance was the reactions from those who watched, including scouts and players. Current OU defensive back and rising senior Patrick Fields said Humphrey “literally has (zero) weaknesses,” former OU cornerback Aaron Colvin said he will “be a pro bowl player” and ESPN NFL Draft Analyst Jim Nagy congratulated Humphrey on a
Creed Humphrey during OU’s 2021 Pro Day on March 12.
“great day.” Without an NFL combine this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, OU players had their pro day as the only time to show professional scouts their training ahead of the NFL Draft April 29-May 1. Compared to the 2020 NFL Combine, Humphrey would’ve ranked in the top two among the interior linemen at the combine in the 40-yard dash at 5.09, broad jump at 9-feet-4-inches, 3-cone drill at 7.54 seconds and the vertical jump. “That’s pretty unique,” OU coach Lincoln Riley said of Humphrey’s athletic ability as an interior offensive lineman. “It’s been one of the more impressive individual Pro Day workouts I’ve ever seen. … It’s kind of hard to believe he’s a center.” Humphrey said he was excited to display his broader athletic ability.
In three years at center for Oklahoma, he said he wasn’t asked to do “a ton athletically” with its heavy gap scheme. And while NFL teams knew of his power and strength already, his P ro Day nu mb e r s w e re elite. He confirmed he’s talked to many NFL teams, but declined to comment further. The NFL Network projects Humphrey as a second-round draft pick. “Creed can do stuff like a skills (position) guy,” Perkins said. “He’s a (312pound center) but he’s probably more flex ible than some of our skills guys. Watching him is like watching Frankenstein, like, he’s a freak really. … He’s the strongest dude in the weight room.” Anderson, who used to train Humphrey and has known him for three years, said it takes a lot of time and commitment to deliver Pro Day numbers like that.
TORY KUKOWSKI/OU ATHLETICS
Anderson told Humphrey before the 2020 season to focus on the things that he wasn’t yet good at. Humphrey improved his core strength, diet and m o b i l i t y , a c c o rd i n g t o Anderson. Anderson said Humphrey took advantage of his redshirt junior season and his improvement in those areas is the reason for his Pro Day numbers. Riley said that Humphrey has “trimmed down” his weight. Listed at 320 pounds on OU’s roster, Humphrey weighed in at 312 pounds Friday. “ Yo u o n l y g e t C r e e d Humphre y’s ever y now and again,” Anderson said. “The body type, how fasttwitch he is, how explosive he is and how big he is. … There’s not a center that’s come through OU like that in a long, long time. There’s no center in the NCAA that plays like Creed Humphrey.”
Humphre y has been w orking out w ith Duke Manyw eather — offen sive line coach at Michael Johnson Performance in Frisco, Texas — after gradu at i n g f ro m O k l a h o ma in December. Among the other offensive linemen working with Humphrey are Rashawn Slater, a poss i b l e t o p - 1 0 d ra f t p i c k from Northwestern and Adrian Ealy, his former teammate who also participated in Oklahoma’s Pro Day. After working with Bill Bedenbaugh, considered one of the best offensive line coaches in college football, Humphrey said working with Manyweather only further improved his knowledge of the game and his technique. Hu m p h r e y s a i d t h e y worked on explosion drills and resistance band work in the weight room. He also got “a ton” of jumps in, to improve his broad and vertical numbers. Whether it’s at either guard position on the offensive line, or his true spot at center, Humphrey thinks his versatility allows him to play anywhere on the line and he just wants a spot wherever he can help the team that drafts him. With his athletic ability proven at OU’s Pro Day, his draft stock may only improve. “I think Creed could go play cricket and be the best cricket player,” Anderson said. “The guy is just a winner. He doesn’t like to get beat at anything, he doesn’t like to get beat at ping pong. All the winners are like that and all the offensive linemen are like that. “It doesn’t matter what he’s playing, he’s gonna win.” Austin Curtright
austincurtright@ou.edu
picked as No. 8 seed
NCAA selects Sooners following rocky season AUSTIN CURTRIGHT @AustinCurtright
Oklahoma (15-10, 9-8 Big 12) has been selected as a No. 8 seed in the West Region of the NCAA Tournament, the NCAA selection committee announced Sunday. The Sooners will take on No. 9 seeded Missouri in the first round of the tournament. OU lost five of its last six games, dropping it from second to seventh in the Big 12 standings. Oklahoma lost its last game against No. 11 ranked Kansas in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Championship. I f t h e S o o n e r s b e at Missouri, they’ll take on the winner of No. 1 overall seeded Gonzaga and No. 16 Appalachian State/Norfolk State. Led by senior guard and All-Big 12 First Teamer Austin Reaves, along with its second-leading scorer in sophomore guard De’ Vion Harmon, the Sooners will look to return to their former play, when they won four games against top-10 teams in January. Oklahoma will play Missouri at 6:25 p.m. CT on Saturday, March 20 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Austin Curtright
austincurtright@ou.edu
Tre Norwood impresses ahead of 2021 NFL Draft Defensive back shows promise in OU career, Pro Day CHANDLER ENGELBRECHT @ctengelbrecht
Tre Norwood felt back at home. As the defensive back took the field for the Sooners’ Pro Day on March 12, it marked the end of a months-long process leading to the event. Norwood, who graduated from OU in December, has spent the few months training in Tampa, Florida, for the NFL Draft. In fact, Norwood said the week of the Sooners’ Pro Day marked the first time he’s been around his former teammates in a while. This served as motivation as the Fort Smith, Arkansas, native looked to impress NFL scouts and earn his shot at the game’s highest level. “It felt good to not only be back on the field, but be back with my guys,” Norwood said. “To be back with my teammates, my brothers. ... (OU) will always hold a place in my heart. It felt really good to be out here playing ball again.” Pro Day served as the final chapter in Norwood’s Sooner career before the NFL Draft will reveal what’s ahead. It was an interesting journey for the former three-star recruit, who played in a total of 39 games for Oklahoma. It’s a journey that, if anything, Norwood’s family says is defined by his character. “Trey is one of the most humble kids that you will ever know,” said Shea Norwood, Tre’s mom. “He does not like the pomp and circumstance. He doesn’t like the spotlight. … He’s always been an underdog.” Norwood — who’s lined up
at corner, safety and nickel in his career — ended OU’s Pro Day with a 4.58 40-yard dash, 33.5-inch vertical, 10-foot3 broad jump, 4.50 20-yard shuttle, 7.68 3-cone and 12 reps of 225 pounds on bench press. However, Norwood’s NFL draft stock isn’t riding on the shoulders of that performance. Instead, it likely rides on the performances Norwood ended his career with. After missing the 2019 season with an ACL injury, Norwood returned to the Sooners in 2020 and made his first start in two years Oct. 31 against Texas Tech. In that game, Norwood recorded two interceptions — the first of which marked his first pick since the 2018 Big 12 Championship game. After the Sooners defeated the Red Raiders, 62-28, Norwood went on to start in four of OU’s next five games, bringing his interception tally up to a teamhigh of five along the way. His final pick for the Sooners came in their 55-20 win over Florida in the 2020 Cotton Bowl, where he intercepted fourth-place Heisman Trophy finisher Kyle Trask for a 45-yard touchdown in the game’s opening minutes. Pro Football Focus ranked Norwood as the fourth-highest graded safety among Power Five schools in 2020. “I think the scouts are very impressed with his versatility,” head coach Lincoln Riley said after OU’s Pro Day. “And then I think everybody’s excited to see him continue to get further and further away from the knee injury that he had here. … Tre’s one of those guys that’s just pretty good at everything. … (He’s) gonna be very intriguing to a lot of different teams.” Norwood’s impressive final collegiate year also came after COVID-19 forced universities across the country to cancel
spring practice and severely limit fall practice in 2020. However, Michael Norwood, Tre’s father, viewed the year’s cancellations and postponements as a “blessing in a disguise” for his son, who was still rehabbing from injury at the time. Such hardships helped Norwood become more patient, Michael said, which eventually helped boost his play. And once Norwood began to flourish late in the season, that’s when talks with Michael about fulfilling NFL Draft dreams became more frequent. “He’s always talked about (going to the NFL) since he got to OU,” Michael said. “(But), the main thing for him was getting his degree. … I always told him, ‘As long you get your degree, you can make your decision after that.’ For us, and for him, that was his first goal. … After that was the NFL. “He said he was gonna do all he can to ball out this year. And that’s what he did.” Now, Michael thinks the “sky’s the limit” for his son at the next level. If Norwood can stay healthy, Michael said he wouldn’t be surprised to see the former Sooner playing in the NFL for the next 10 years. It’s a tall task, but one Norwood’s family believes he’s capable of achieving because of his time at OU. He’s ready for what’s next. “Even coming back off a major injury, Tre did not miss time with his team,” Shea said. “He was in the meetings. He was there supporting his team. He came back, lost his starting position and had to just work, work and work at having the defensive coaches — especially Coach (Alex) Grinch — believe in him again. “And he succeeded.” Chandler Engelbrecht
chandler.engelbrecht@ou.edu
6DOHV 7HDP Ř VHOO DGV Ř UHDO FOLHQWV Ř UHDO UHVXOWV
0DUNHWLQJ 7HDP Ř UXQ VRFLDO PHGLD Ř FUHDWH FDPSDLJQV Ř FOLHQW FRPPXQLFDWLRQ
UHDVRQV WR
:RUN RQ FDPSXV VHOOLQJ DQG PDUNHWLQJ DGYHUWLVHPHQWV SXEOLVKHG E\ WKH 28 'DLO\ *HW WKH UHDO ZRUOG H[SHULHQFH HPSOR\HUV ZDQW PRVW DQG JHW SDLG IRU \RXU KDUG ZRUN 5XQ E\ D VPDOO FORVH NLQW JURXS RI VWXGHQWV SXUVXLQJ FDUHHUV LQ SULQW DQG GLJLWDO DGYHUWLVLQJ