John Shinn
The Norman Transcript
September 11, 2008 12:18 am
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There was a lot of talk about Oklahoma’s inside linebacker position in August. Would Austin Box be able to step in and fill the role? That was the thinking when preseason camp began. After Box missed a few weeks with a knee injury, the focus shifted to junior college transfer Mike Balogun. Could he handle the transition from the junior college ranks to a starting spot?
Little was said about redshirt freshman Travis Lewis. Yet he’s the one who’s made two straight starts and currently leads the Sooners in tackles (17), while adding 21⁄2 tackles for losses and a pair of sacks.
“One of the fun parts of coaching is to see a player evolve and improve,” defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. “I’ve gotten to see it right before my eyes in the last four weeks.”
Wilson’s rise from unknown to breakout player has flown like a bullet. He came to OU as a running back and most of the prep accolades the San Antonio native received were for what he could do with the ball in his hands.
He started to show signs that he could be a big part of OU’s defense this past spring. Box was out with an elbow injury throughout April and Balogun didn’t arrive in Norman until the summer. The spot was basically his and he played well.
But something changed by the time preseason practice started in August. Lewis was down to third on the depth chart.
No one is willing to say what changed between June and August. Venables wouldn’t comment on it and Lewis wouldn’t give out specifics other than to say, “I didn’t make the right decisions a few times and it’s been that way in the past a few times for me. It’s part of the growing up process.”
Growing up, however, is what he’s done this season.
Despite being third on the depth chart, he was the surprise starter when OU opened the season Aug. 30 against Tennessee-Chattanooga and obviously did something over that month to get back in good graces.
Venables said it all boiled down to passion.
“He showed a consistency and a willingness to work,” OU’s defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. “He practiced with urgency and a sense of desperation. He had a willingness to fight for a job.”
Perhaps that was the one thing missing from Lewis’ resume. He admits he’s displayed with a better attitude this season.
“Just playing hard and letting them know I really wanted to be there,” he said. “I was attentive during meetings and went out there in practice and played hard. I let them see that I was serious about wanting a starting job.”
All the physical tools are there. Lewis is what OU’s coaches like to call an “explosive” player. He is 6-foot-2, 230 pounds and runs the 40 in under 4.5 seconds. All the physical tools are there to be a menace at weakside linebacker. He was last Saturday against Cincinnati, pulling down a team-high 12 tackles and two sacks.
The opportunities will be there to put similar numbers when the third-ranked Sooners (2-0) face Washington (0-2) at Husky Stadium in Seattle at 6:45 Saturday night.
It will be Lewis’ third start. With every game and every snap, his confidence grows.
“Guys have seen I can make some plays. It changes some things,” Lewis said. “You get confidence in a guy and you believe he is going to be there doing what he’s supposed to do. I guess that makes us better as a whole.”
Whether it’s enough to lock up the job for the rest of the season is unclear. Venables said there’s still some “little things” that need to be Lewis needs to improve. He still needs to add some polish. Box is also back from his preseason injury and Venables sees a lot of potential with him in the lineup.
But what Lewis has done in the first two games has drawn some attention among fans, teammates and coaches.
“What’s fun to see, is how he’s really paying attention in practice and pushing himself,” OU coach Bob Stoops said. “Preparing during the week to be in position and recognize formations and adjustments and being in the right spot. He’s been doing that and doing it consistently in making plays. It’s exciting to see a young guy come along and start to figure it out.”
John Shinn
366-3536
jshinn@normantranscript.com
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