NORMAN - Courtland Guillory's freshman year at Oklahoma was sensational.
Guillory, a cornerback, started in 11 of the Sooners' 13 games during the 2025 season. He finished his first college football campaign with 41 total tackles, 28 solo tackles, seven pass breakups and a tackle for loss.
With one year of SEC starting experience now under his belt, Guillory believes he'll be even better as a sophomore.
"In every aspect, I feel like I elevated my game," Guillory said. "I felt like I can improve my game in every aspect, whether it comes to tackling, covering, all around communicating with my teammates."
Jay Valaiwas OU's cornerbacks coach for Guillory's first season, but he departed from the program and took the same position with the NFL's Buffalo Bills during the offseason.
Oklahoma hired LaMar Morgan- who previously served as Michigan's cornerbacks coach - to replace Valai in January.
Though Guillory and Morgan have overlapped for less than a year, the young cornerback has learned plenty from his new position coach.
"Me and coach Morgan spent some time, one on one, conversing about how coverage is, different types of calls, and I think we think alike," Guillory said. "It's great, and we're going to do some things."
Eli Bowen has also been influential to Guillory's development as a player. Bowen, who is entering his junior year, has started 17 games at cornerback over his first two college football seasons, and he was an All-SEC Third Team pick in 2025.
"Personally, Eli is a guy that I look up to, so it's been great going through this training camp with him and learning things from him and putting them into my game," Guillory said.
Though Guillory is still an underclassman, is already one of the stars on OU's stout defense. Because of that, he knew that he'd have to grow as a leader during the offseason.
"I felt like because I'm not the puppy in the group anymore, it was time to be more vocal," Guillory said.
Guillory - and all of OU's defenders - will have to battle some of college football's top wideouts in 2026.
Texas retained Ryan Wingoand Emmett Mosley Vwhile also adding former Auburn star Cam Coleman to the roster from the transfer portal. Texas A&M returns speedster Mario Craver, and the Aggies landed former Alabama standout Isaiah Hortonfrom the portal. Other star wideouts on OU's schedule include Florida's Eric Singleton Jr., Mississippi State's Anthony Evans IIIand Ole Miss' Darrell Gill Jr.
Guillory's roughest showing in 2025 came in the Sooners' 24-17 win over Auburn. Oklahoma won that game, but Coleman exploded with the then-freshman defensive back guarding him for most of the game.
That humbling outing fueled Guillory throughout the offseason.
"That Auburn game, I learned a lot I would say," Guillory said. "And ever since that game, I just had a mindset to go out there and give it my all."
There's no shortage of tough matchups that Guillory will face in 2026. But after spending the offseason developing as both a player and a leader, he feels ready for them.
"That's why we play in the SEC, (it's) the best of the best," Guillory said. "I want to show that I'm the best, so that's what I'm here to do - to play the best receivers every week and showcase my talents."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/oklahoma as No Longer a 'Puppy,' Oklahoma DB Courtland Guillory Elevated Game During Offseason .
